New surprises in my garden, come have a walk with me.
I didn't go out into my garden yesterday, the weather wasn't to good plus I needed to go shopping as the kitchen was empty, the locusts Nichola and Demi had both been feeding so nothing left for anyone else. I knew my garden was OK as I had checked from my window to make sure everything was where I had left them. Today is a better day, a little windy but at least its dry.
If you have got to know me you will know I am disabled so can't do do much, I am pushing myself to have a little garden for somewhere for me to sit on warm days that's if we ever get any I love my garden and what I have managed to do, My flowers are my babies, all grown by me and only me. Every time I go out there my garden has extra surprises for me.
I went out today to see if anything new had sprouted, my garden never fails to make me smile.
First on my pet cemetery where our rats are buried we have our first flowers, Red Geraniums.
Then this beautiful purple and white flower, I am sure a Steemer will know its name, I need a name so I can print the picture out for my garden journal as I am definitely planting more of these next year. I love them
Next we have my Impatient, Whilst tidying the pot up a while a go i managed to snap a stem so straight away stuck it back into the soil, never expected it to come to anything but when I looked a few days after it seemed to be growing, here it is today with new leaves and looking really healthy.
Next I have my amazing magic pot, this pot has shown shoots then been drowned with the rain to die then to re-shoot again days later then die again, well its back I have new shoots showing up, hoping this time it manages to get stronger.
Thank you son-of-satire
The geranium blooms are kisses from your fur babies :)
Your flowers always make me smile, I love the purple ones as well!
Good morning friend :)
Hello my dear friend, hop your having a gorgeous day.
That's what I tell my girls, the furbabies are blowing kisses :)
Aww too adorable <3
Hope your bathtub is coming along!
Its been planned got to go back and pick what u want then hopefully set the start date :)
Hello Karen
Your mystery flower looks like a Petunia, variety Carpet Blue Lace. Here is a link. http://www.flowerspicture.org/petunia-hybrida.html
I also love gardening. It helps get your mind off of things and just connect with nature. I would rather be in my garden digging and planting than doing dishes any day :) My misbehaving or very old plants get names. Jimmy the Swiss Chard has been growing for 3 years now and is a shrub in it's own right :) I will take some pictures and upload them soon. I also named a potato plant that bore fruit above ground George. I did a post on him as one of my firsts.
Your garden is beautiful and your plants look very happy.
Thanks for sharing!
Lizelle
Your amazing thank you, I am not familiar with the flowers as yet, I have a garden journal that I add all my flowers to with a little note whether I want them again or not, I definitely want Petunias again :)
I am enjoying gardening this year, next year I am going to try a few vegetables, I am the same give me the garden any day I hate housework lol
Thank you so much :)
A spinach related vegetable, Swiss chard is so pretty that it does quite well in flower beds. My gran used to plant it among her roses.
It's quite easy to grow and can last for a couple of years if the leaves are regularly harvested. Pulling the leaves off the stem is better for the plant than cutting them off, and it will ensure new growth.
Here is a link to a shop that sells seeds, where I got the image from .
http://www.burpee.com/vegetables/swiss-chard/swiss-chard-bright-lights-prod000947.html
How do you use it, cook it I am unsure it looks like rhubarb :)
Use it exactly like you would use normal green spinach. Both the leaves and stems are edible.
Here is a link to some great recipes and will give you abetter idea of what to use it for.
http://www.organicauthority.com/meatless-monday-chard-recipes
As far as freezing goes: I
1)Wash the leaves,
2)Remove the stems by pulling them out : Hold the stem in your left hand while sliding your right hand up the base of the leaf, stripping off the green bits. Much faster than cutting it with a knife.
3)Make sure it's nice and dry and then freeze.
If you blanch it before freezing it goes yucky when cooked, while cooking it raw from frozen holds the texture better in my opinion. Its also a great way to stockpile if you only have a couple of plants and can only gather a few leaves at a time.
Brilliant thank you, I will give it a try next year, I love spinach :)
Another tip for petunias is when the flowers die to cut/ pull them off ( unless you want them to go to seed) Pulling the flower stem off of the plant will cause it to form more blooms because it didn't get to make seed. You will see the 'link' at the base of the flower stem where it can come off. They usually snap off at this joint easily. ( Lol, Not the exact botanical terms, But you will see what I mean :))
Thank you, I will do that, there so cute :)
I really enjoy this garden trip guided by you. Thank you for sharing it I really like to see how much progress you have made in this beautiful garden.
Thank you, I have surprised myself, my garden now looks like a garden :)
really god pics
Thank you :)
So relaxing to see your photos of flowers and plants...
Thank you :)
beautifull garden @karenb54 amazing pics
Thank you :)
Very nice , I have never tried to grow anything , I think I might try a pot of something in my house. Do you have any suggestions?
Give Begoinias or Impatients a go, there very easy, once they start to bloom remove dead heads to let the new blooms grow :)
Beauty-full flowers ! I'm feeling a little touchy when I see delicates plants... Your garden and all the life in it are lucky to have you taking care of. Peace !
Thank you, I love it, it makes my day to see new things popping up :)
Me too, I love it when I see little blooms on my plants. Everytime a new flower appears in my garden, I'm like "hey, welcome to you cutie!"
LOL I am the same, I always say "hello there" are we mad?
I don't think we are mad : they are living beings ! of course they don't speak the same language as us, but emotions are a universal language, and I truly think that, when we share our emotions with plants, they can understand them !!!
I totally agree, I think my flowers are growing so well because I tell them how proud they make me feel :)
It is amazing, when you have a garden, even though you may not be picking tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs or even flowers for the day, you still walk around and inspect.
I can tell when a plant has grown an inch. I can tell that the pepper is a deeper red than it was yesterday.
Such beauty and love comes from gardening.
I am going to try and grow vegetables next year :)
That beautiful is your garden dear friend @ karenb54 congratulations, many thanks spor this update
Thank you for this lovely visit :)
Son bellas