Addicted To Buying Flowers Or Just Filling In The Spaces

It's Fertilizer Friday and everyone is flaunting their flowers so when ya get
done here be sure to link over to Tootsies place at the bottom and see what she
and everyone else is up to.
My first Alliums are blooming. I'll have to buy more for next year. I wanted to enjoy them in 2 different places so consequently there aren't enough for a nice show.

I know I showed Columbine Clementine Rose before but she has more blooms now
and looks so pretty.
This is the Columbine that sent me into a rage last year when the deer wiped
it out. We beat them this year and got the Liquid Fence put on all of the
flowers. I remembered when I bought this one it had a pink bloom and a blue
bloom. Then later would only bloom one color and I thought surely I was mistaken
- it wouldn't bloom 2 colors. But it does. It was ready to last year and if you
look in the upper right corner there is a blue bloom on it's way.I'm not sure what Columbine this is. It doesn't look like one I've had before - I've
heard they can intermix and change colors. This is very pretty.

Some of the Irises are opened up now and more are on the way.

Miss Kim, my new Lilac, is really loaded for her first year.

A closer shot of Miss Kim, she's a dwarf Lilac and won't get
very big.

Lupines are opening.

Bob's beautiful Peony finally opened - the first one that is. I'll get a picture when
all of the buds open up.

The Phlox aren't doing well this year - only a couple of blooms.

Tradescantia Spiderwort

The little Weigela I started is blooming like crazy. It's only about 6" tall and
look at it go.

This is a dwarf Weigela I've had for years - probably one of the first plants I
bought. The tag disappeared years ago but the other day I saw one and I'm pretty
sure this is called Java Red.

A closer picture of it's beautiful foliage and bloom.

I got new stuff! Went to the Master Gardeners sale but there wasn't anything there
because we had been out of town and I missed the first day which I heard was
great. Lucky for me in the next room over was a swap meet and a lady had these
small Hostas in a crate. Whoopie! Flowers and a neat container. But look at this
little vintage coffee pot. WoW! Isn't that just great. I have a mottled gray
teapot about the same size on a weatherized ladder with flowers so it will go
great with that.

Addicted To Buying Flowers Or Just Filling In The Spaces

I hit a couple more nurseries the other day and I still haven't planted all of
the flowers I bought a while back. The owner of one of my favorite nurseries had
said last year she'd try to find some pink Campanulas but when I was there a
week ago she didn't have any luck. But whenI went back what did I find?
Campanula Cherry Bells. It's a start.
Here was another purple one I didn't have. It wasn't labeled but looks similar
to Campanula Pulla from what I could see in a search.
Here's one I'm not familiar with but looked interesting and the right color. Astrantia
Masterwort Abbey Road
After leaving one nursery I was driving into town and passed another one I had seen
but never been to. The reason I hadn't is because it's in her home and not open
all year. She has many plants that are rare and oddites. This Columbine was
growing everywhere on the place but she didn't have any potted up so she dug one
up for me. It's as tall as my big purple one so they'll look beautiful together.
She said it's an old fashioned one. I love that bright pink.

Another Heuchera, Midnight Rose with pink splotches in the foliage.

And look at this tiny little Hosta. It's smaller than the small one I got the other
day. The leaves are about 4 inches and it's called Blue Mouse.

I've seen this Iris before and just love the light green varigated foliage. Iris
Pallida Albo Variegata.

Another Lungwort, Mrs. Moon.

Lamium Maculatum Chequers.

Veronica Spicata Spiked Speedwell RedFox

Back at the oddity nursery she talked me into a Jack In The Pulpit.

Now I picked up some annuals since I haven't even started on my planters yet. This
one is new and apparently from Australia. So far cute as can be called Ptilotus
Joey Pink Mulla Mulla. It sort of looks like Celosia maybe bigger.

And this . . . oh my goodness . . . the most beautiful Cosmos I've ever seen. It's
open in the middle of each petal. Hmmm how unusual. Oh it's Pied Piper
Red.

Heliotrope, 2 different Sweet Potato Vines, Fuchsia, Diascia and one other I can't find the
name of.

And last some purple and pink Petunias.

Well that's it until I hit the nurseries again. Sheesh I have to get what I
already have in the ground before I go. Think of all the great spaces these are
going to fill.

A Visit To Castle Rock Nursery

It was off to a favorite nursery the other day and was I excited! The weather was great and the nursery is a quaint little place that I like going to. I love the way they display their flowers, the variety that they have in plants and sizes and there is seating everywhere. This comes in handy for people who can't walk very far, like myself after having major back surgery I don't walk long distances well. They have something to sit on every so often. The service is great too - they just get points everywhere so why wouldn't I go back? Click any of the pictures for larger views.


I do like their primitive old zig zag fence dividers for plants.
This antique treadle sewing machine makes a great display.
A bench, also for sale, with Hens and Chicks - oops forgot to check and see if they had any that I don't. Guess that means another trip back.
Some big tropical looking plants - click on picture for larger view.
Another thing I like about this nursery is they still carry lots of the 4" or 5" pots. I've noticed the last couple of years that nurseries are carrying the larger pots and no more small ones. Not everyone wants a huge honkin' plant to start with. Not everyone can afford the price of the bigger ones and myself I figure if I kill it I won't have so much invested! And I do kill! But I do buy many plants in larger sizes if it's something I'm more familiar with or a really slow grower. They even had a nice selection of Heathers in a smaller size.
I love these varigated Irises - I had forgotten I saw them here before and they are so pretty.
Look at this big old jade plant - I didn't know they bloomed. I meant to ask how old it was and forgot - another trip I guess!
Well I'm off to pay - isn't this just the cutest little building? That Magnolia on the left is very definitely on my wish list - but not today.
I did buy a few flowers. I purchased Heuchera Snow Angel after seeing it the other day on Tina's In The Garden post. I am so happy I did too because the lady at the nursery said she won't be getting any more. She's tried everywhere and apparently Snow Angel doesn't make babies fast enough so they won't be selling her. Isn't that just like big business - she's not producing fast enough so she's outta here. I chose to get a Heuchera that I already have. I liked it more than all of the other choices so why not? Top left that pretty wine colored one is Plum Pudding. I also purchased a few dwarf Snapdragons. I'm really excited that although they are an annual and we had horrible weather all of the ones I bought last year are coming back - in fact they never really left! I also picked up a Sedum Purple Emperor which I kicked myself last year for not getting. Now it's mine! And a Veronica spicata 'Giles van Hees' which I hope gets a bit taller than they said. I didn't get the taller one because my purple one falls over all the time and my pink shorter one disappeared - it was the perfect size. Of course, the one that was perfect died and the purple 'fall on my face' one lives forever. Don't get me wrong I do like it when it's behaving itself or I wouldn't have it. Oh and a couple of little geraniums.

Fertilizer Friday - Flaunt Those Flowers!

It's Fertilizer Friday so be sure to go over and visit our hostess Tootsie and see what's blooming in everyone's gardens after fertilizing every Friday! And while you’re there why not join in on the fun.One of my favorite plants is Rose of Sharon 'Minerva' that I have to wait all summer to see her bloom. No, we didn't have more rain - I was watering before taking the pictures. Another angle.

A purple Hardy Lobelia
My little Begonia is turning white. Maybe I put it in too much shade.
Anyone know what this flower is? It just started growing under one of my Hostas.
One of my new plants this year Veronica spicata 'Giles van Hees' just starting to bloom.
Anyone know what this one is? It came up from some seeds I sprinkled. The foliage sort of resembles a fancy Lupine. It's just starting to bloom but I got anxious.
A little annual Dahlia.
I think I'll try to hold over this Geranium - it's so frilly and pretty.
Bob's little miniature rose that he babied on the deck so the deer wouldn't get it.