Worry is like a rocking chair, it's gives you something to do but gets you nowhere!

Monday, March 14, 2011

GBBD-- A Day Early...

On the 15th of each month, Carol over at http://maydreamsgardens.blogspot.com hosts Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, where gardeners from around the world join to share what they have blooming. It's the start of an exciting time of the year around here. Finally, a few new blooms to share.

Spanish Lavender, 'Quasti'....after many attempts to grow it in the ground, I have figured out I am most successful with Lavender in a container. I love all of the tiny individual flowers that come together to make one big bloom.

Nasturtium
This guy was in such a hurry to bloom this year, it only has three leaves on the plant.
Celosia starting to bloom before the plant reaches mature height.
The Loropetalums in my yard and around town have had outstanding blooms this year.
For those of you that love Dianthus....start some carnations from seed....the off shoots root easily in sand and are sometimes better plants than the mother plant..evergreen/silverish here...
Petunias
Cosmos
One of my dear neighbors brought me this container of Wild Violets she dug up from her gardens..She brought them from another city she lived in years and years ago. I left the container outside all winter....do you know it's name?
And then here we have Wild Violets that pop up everywhere...I should do some research to see if they are native. This one is different from the one from the neighbor.
Something strange happened with my husband and I rescuing plants over the winter. I rescued Petunias and so did he...my flat said 'mixed' for the color, his had no indication of color....every single one of the rescued Petunias are red....I have never had red Petunias before...My husband also suprised me with a couple flats of rescued Snapdragons...'mixed', they are all yellow! I just thought it out of the ordinary...but fun.
I do hope your weather is starting to show more Spring-like conditions...It's a very exciting and busy time in the gardens.
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Today I am Thankful that my friends and loved ones are safe, healthy and happy...My thoughts and prayers are with Japan and everyone around that has been touched by this disaster.

44 comments:

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

I love red petunias. Hummingbirds like them too.

Alison said...

Oh, I love that lavender, the little florets are so dark! Off to research it.

Karen said...

I have never seen lavender up close before. The flowers are really intricate. So nice to see everything blooming in your gardens, gives me hope.

Becca's Dirt said...

Oh Darla I am with you on the thankful part - Japan is a mess. I cried watching some of this terrible disaster. Just heartbreaking. I love that your plants are trying so hard to get ahead of the schedule. Give another shot of fertilizer. Stunning blooms. Have a good day.

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Darla, I couldn't find an email on your blog, but I wanted to let you know that all of your comments (all 7) on my giveaway blog are there. There are 280 comments so far. After the 200th comment, the comments spill over to a second page. You need to scroll down to the bottom of the first 200 comments and click on "newer" to see the second page of comments.
Penny

Dani said...

Feels great outside with the sun shining on our backs!

Mother Nature's Garden Evolution said...

Your flowers are making me remember zone 8 fondly.

tina said...

That Spanish lavender is the prettiest!

Patsy said...

I have not had the Spanish lavender it is pretty.

imac said...

What beauty you show us Darla.
Sunny and spring in the air here.

NanaK said...

Plant rescue can bring some interesting results. I love the red petunias. Don't you have some red yard art around? You've reminded me to go look for my celosia. I'm sure it must have re-seeded from last year. (I don't know if you remember, but I had been cutting mine to keep it bushier and shorter. I didn't know it bloomed until I saw it on your blog ;) Sometimes I can be a little slow.

Gail said...

Happy Bloom Day! Darla, I was thrilled to read that PPPP has buds! You are going to have flowers before me! Way to go....gail

Julie said...

I think I will try your suggestion of planting some carnation seeds! Sounds like fun...will plan to do this upcoming weekend!!! Thanks for the idea!!!

Anonymous said...

Well shoot me dead, that Loropetalum is absolutely 2 die 4! Love the rest of your blooms to Darla Dear!

Chandramouli S said...

Spring is really dancing in your garden, Darla! The Gerbera looks lovely. I so love Celosia but am nervous about trying them again, coz they tend to reseed themselves EVERYWHERE!!!! And are oh-so sensitive to our extreme heat in May!

Janet/Plantaliscious said...

Lovely to see some of the things I hope to have in my own garden blooming in yours already. I can never grow lavendar in the ground either, but it is rather wonderful in pots.

Randy Emmitt said...

Darla,

The transplanted viola is the same one we have growing wild here, funny I do not know the name. That is my favorite lavender, but I kill it when I attempt to grow it.

Racquel said...

You always have the most gorgeous blooms to share. I love that Spanish Lavender, so showy. :)

joene said...

Love looking at your flower photos. Connecticut has a way to go before reaching your level of warmth and bloom. Your violet looks much like the common violets that grow in lawns and gardens here, perhaps Viola sororia? See it and other violets at http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/violasoro.html

ARK said...

I've been wanting to grow carnations from seed...glad to see someone is doing it successfully! What is your percentage?

ARK said...

ok dearest....you've encouraged me...will be buying some carnation seed :)

diane b said...

Love your garden. It must be exciting in a northern hemisphere Spring.

Caroline said...

Your loropetalum is stunning. I've killed every lavender I've planted, I thought they were hardy, and don't know what I'm doing (or not doing!). Glad you liked my four-nerve daisies. They like it sunny, dry, rocky and alkaline: great for borders in rock gardens. More here:
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=TESC2 Happy GBBD!

Skeeter said...

You have so much going on in your garden already and the colors wow! Funny your story of the snapdragons and petunias. Those are the exact flowers I planted in the yard yesterday! I had multiple colors though. I noticed our lavender is just about to open! The bees love that stuff and buzz all around it in the spring. I really like your red wagon and when mine looses a wheel or something, I think I will make a planter out of it as well. But for now, she assist me in the garden. I am sure the neighbors laugh when they see me pulling it around as if a child. Ha, when I am in the garden, I feel like a child so there you go….

Elli Davis said...

Beautiful and inspiring!
Keep us updated on what's going on in your garden :)

Rosie Gan said...

Darla, thank you for reminding us to be thankful for not only our flowers in our gardens, but more importantly that our friends and family are safe.
Rosie

garden girl said...

Wow - lots of bloom in your garden Darla!

p3chandan said...

Looking at your lavender blooms, Im just wondering when will my own show their blooms? Nice varieties of blooms you have Darla, love the red gerbera and carnation, petunias (my weakness) and snapdragons (wish could grow them here. Happy Blooms Day!

Cat said...

Your lavender is beautiful! Our loropetalums are just starting to flower and they look so pretty in the afternoon light! Happy GBBD Darla!

Dorothy Borders said...

I see that we have some plants in common. Not surprising perhaps since I am in zone 8B. Your garden is lovely.

Jennifer AKA keewee said...

Darla, it is so nice to see so many pretty flowers. I hope to see some daffodils opening up in my garden, within the next couple of weeks.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Love the Loropetalum! We can't grow that here, so I must admire it virtually & vicariously.

Anonymous said...

I am glad I stopped in today. You have many beautiful blooms. Lots of bright color, a nice change of pace from here in snow country. I took a shot of my lavender, just happy it is still alive. Good to see your blooms. Happy GBBD.

Jean said...

I'm hoping to at least see some snowless garden this week. We're expecting warmer temps and rain. I really like your sedum plantings Might need to steal that idea! Jean

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Darla, Thought you'd like that bird cage for plants in my blog today... Looks like something you might get someday!!!!

Your flowers are fabulous. We are finally beginning to get a little spring up here --but it's SLOW. Guess that is good though since our winter is probably not finished...

Speaking of wild violets, I was so excited to have some in our yard up here... I even planted some up closer to the house. HA HA HA---now those darn things are EVERYWHERE... Yipes...

Hugs,
Betsy

Malar said...

Spring is definately in your garden! You have planted pretty flowers! Even the weed's flowers look beautful!
Lavender pot at home? How i wish for it! In place i stay, i can only find lavender is dried form... may be few florist have it....sigh....

Rose said...

So delightful to see all your lovely blooms, Darla. I grow many of the same plants, but it will be a few months before I will have any blooms like these.

Masha said...

You have a lot to share! Your lavender picture is great, I love lavender. Your nasturtium is very pretty, and the loropetalums look awesome. Mine haven't been blooming that well this year..

Leedra said...

Think I am going to come live with you. It is cold here today, and here you show us all these beautiful flowers already in your yard. Suppose to drastically warm up tomorrow, but today I am COLD. THERE, I spit it out!

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

Those are the best looking Loropetalums I've ever seen! I wish I could grow those well here.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

You have a nice assortment of blooms. I love lavender, too. The leaves on the neighbor's violets look like mine. Your leaves remind me of morning glory leaves.

We're enjoying some highs in the 60s and 70s, but for my week off next week, it's supposed to be the upper 50s. Still, if it's not raining, I'll be outside as much as I can be. I am so excited for a new gardening season!

geometri milano said...

The plant sizes too range from dwarf to giant. As for colors, these too go well beyond the standard sunny yellow into white, lemon, bicolors, and even dusky burgundy.

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