Willing your plants to stay alive

I propagated this Rhododendron recently. I snipped off the ends, dipped them in some rooting hormone, and stuck them in the ground. I knew lots of rain was forecasted and the ground is staying damp but not too wet. This may not work at all but with so many to choose from in my neighbor’s yard it won’t be a huge loss. Right?

Admit it, every time you plant a seed or take a cutting you secretly stand there hoping all your work isn’t going to die. How many of us has worked a whole day in the garden only to have what we’ve accomplished get unaccomplished.

How many of you have propagated cuttings that didn’t make it? Maybe I won’t be too disappointed.

It might would be a tad bit disappointing if they don’t live.

I might be down right devastated.

Hand me a kleenex as I’ve started to cry just imagining they might not make it.

I was also thinking, how many times have your raked leaves then the wind comes along?; put down new mulch and the rain washes it away?; planted in shade and then the shade goes away?; cleaned yourself up after a long hard day of working and then discover you forgot to put the tools away?

Thelma’s Out of Control Hobby

A car honked as it passed Thelma’s iris garden in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Thelma and her daughter threw up a hand and chuckled. There goes our pastor who preaches every Sunday for people to bring their hoes and help me weed the iris beds.

This is how I met Thelma. She was sitting on a bucket in the middle of her irises. She greeted me with a delightful twinkle in her eye. She had me summed up before I ever uttered a word. “You like flowers?”, she said. “I’ve got to get these weeds cleared out but that is something not many folks like to do–but I do.”

“That’s a lot of irises Thelma”, I said. “How come you grew so many?”

Amethyst Falls Wisteria

Amethyst Falls Wisteria is not the aggressive type that destroys trees and pergolas. It’s a first year flowering variety that grows up to 30 feet. It’s a somewhat fast grower. Wayside Gardens has it on their best seller list. I snapped these photos recently at The Briar Patch in Winston Salem NC. These plants have been growing there for about 5 years.

Dipladenia

Dipladenia is bushier than Mandevilla and doesn’t grow as tall. The blooms are shaped similar. It loves hot sun and is an annual in our Zone 7 gardens.

The Perennial Beds at The Briar Patch

Come go with me and see what’s  blooming at the nursery with all the know about new and sought after landscaping plants for my hometown.There are hundreds of blooms at The Briar Patch and Sweet Pea’s Fresh Market on Stratford road in Winston Salem, NC. Every year Deidre and Damien Johns march in to Spring with an explosion of color.  While looking for some bedding plants, I snapped a series of pictures from the Perennial beds to the fresh market. For this post, we’ll take a look at the perennial tables which are outstanding and irresistible.

Rhodies

The Rhododendrons are blooming in my neighborhood. Here are some close-ups. I’ll take some from a distance tomorrow.

Snow Storm Spirea

This is Snow Storm Spirea. I’m also growing Pink Parasols but it hasn’t bloomed yet.  I planted it last year and it’s been a slow grower for me. It’s only about 3 feet tall and I’m about ready to trim the old blooms off. Hopefully the fertilizing I did earlier and a better watering schedule will help it grow a good bit more. The blooms are beautiful. The above picture is a close-up of the one blooming in my yard. Below are stock photos from Proven Winners Plants

Oso Easy Paprika Rose

I am growing several of the Oso Easy roses by Proven Winners. They are growing like mad and my Paprika variety is blooming its head off. I will post about Fragrant Spreader and Strawberry Crush as they bloom. This is a very good ground cover rose. It reaches mature height in one season is hardy to zone 5. I fertilize in the Spring with Espoma Rose Tone and my gardens receive mushroom compost at that time also.