Time to start Cleaning Up....

It is utterly forbidden to be half-hearted about gardening. You have got to love your garden whether you like it or not. ~W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman, Garden Rubbish, 1936

Ok finally I think I got the video on my Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar changing into a Cocoon to work. I'm going to try it.
You have to forgive the sound, Tom was on the lawn mower and we were so excited just to see it happen. The next door neighbors were with me and we were amazed..
I sure hope it finally works...
HERE WE GO... Don't laugh at us!!! LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-zbo7svwcM

I've been working in beds and pots all day. Trying to get some things ready to come inside. I cut my geraniums back and put some rooting hormone on them to root. I did a few a couple of weeks ago and they have already rooted. Then I will probable bring in the mother plants. All of the geraniums have great leaves I love them in my pots flowing over the sides. The different leaves are great...


The Blue Daze has been cut back and potted, it wintered really well last year.


I'm collecting seeds in between up potting things. Lots of seeds to come in for winter...


The big box of coleus someone sent from Virginia a little over a week ago have already rooted and I planted them today. It is a big pot and I hope they survive the winter,they are beautiful... I just have to find out all the names of them, and a good window to put them... So many plants and so little space. Thank goodness for my windows at school and the great teachers that let me use their windows!!!


I just wish we had longer summers, I just need to move south... Yea Right...
Or maybe get a Greenhouse... Yea Right... LOL


Look at those leaves they are beautiful.

Have a good one...

Lynn

Night Blooming Cereus....

Perfumes are the feelings of flowers. ~Heinrich Heine, The Hartz Journey

I have only in my life time been lucky enough to catch a Night Blooming Cereus bloom twice. I was so glad my neighbor Jean called me to say the neighbors was blooming on Tues evening...

So at 9:30 we ran down the street (well maybe we didn't RUN) to see it. It only blooms one night a year if you are lucky. They are so beautiful and smell even better, such a shame it only lasts one evening...

She left her front porch light on until midnight so anyone could come and see it...

Here are a few pictures...

Check out this link of one opening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbzi8XydHQc

This link has wonderful pictures: http://rfovell.bol.ucla.edu/Home.html

I wish you could smell this one...

I guess you will just have to pretend!!!

Have A Good One...

Lynn

The Art and Sport of Collecting Seeds...

For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad. ~Edwin Way Teale

I came across an article today on Dave's Gardens and laughted so hard at it knowing how true it was and how many times I had done the very same thing. In fact I just told Tom the other day while in front of McDonald's that in a few weeks I'm going to have to go back for some of the Marigold seeds. LOL


You just have to read it!!!


http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/248/





It seems that every night when I come home from work that is what I do to just chill for a few and collect seeds from all my plants that are going to seed right now, or thinking about all I have to do to get some ready to take inside in a few weeks. It will be time before we know it!!

I finally found the seeds on my Gazania the other night, you would have thought I won a million bucks!! With each new years plants I am finding more seeds, my seed files grow larger every year!! LOL





One of the Coleus Forum Ladies sent me a whole box of coleus starts last week and they are already rooting. I am planning on planting a whole bed of coleus next year and this will be a great start for me. I didn't have one of the ones she sent, so I was happy!! I am really enjoying the Dave's Garden membership it was well worth the price of admission!!! There is so much to learn there and you can find out anything...


Tom is even enjoying it...

Bridalvail...

This is one of the easiest ones to winter that I have. I just grab a handful of stems off this one about 5 inches long. Pop them in a glass of water and let them root. It takes about 4-5 days. When rooted good I just put them in a small pot and set it in my kitchen window for winter. Only watering when it looks dry. If it starts to grow too much I just give it a hair cut...

Then in the spring I start to let it grow a little more and start taking cuttings again for friends and family. This was that little start ,I just put it in a 10 inch pot and let it go crazy. Now it's time to cut it again, I have been doing this for years with this one... If anyone needs any just give me a call..Happy Seed Snatchin"

Lynn

Begonia Day...

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity. ~Lindley Karstens

One of the things still in wonderful bloom are my begonias... I have tried my hand at a little propagation this year and things are still alive!!! LOL I had no idea you could cut up a leaf and it would make new babies. It took a while but it worked... I cut them put them in small pots with baggies around them, stuck them in a window and sat back and watched them grow. So here is a few pictures of my new babies.. Of course I have know idea what ones they are. So if you have any idea let me know!!!

I showed you a picture of my new begonia the other day but since then I found out a few things about it...

Take a closer look at it... It has two different flowers, one double and 2 single blooms on the same stem.

What I didn't know it that one is a female on the right and the male on the left. How cool is that, and beautiful too...

This one is an angel wing that my daughter bought me and it is going crazy. I had it on the front porch but it was so messy with all the spent blooms everywhere. So I put it in the back on the gate and it loves it there, and so do I...
This one was a wonderful gift from a great friend... My new Rex Begonia has really grown this summer, it will be beautiful this winter inside...

One more, this lovely spotted one is really cute... Again I have know idea what it is called..

Have A Good One,

Lynn

Can You Smell Fall in the Air ???

To be overcome by the fragrance of flowers is a delectable form of defeat. ~Beverly Nichols

Fall is in the air already... And I'm not ready for it!!! Things are still blooming like crazy.Thank goodness for annuals. Most of the perennials are really pooped out, except for a few. I'm still waiting on the Passion flowers to bloom. I know they are really late bloomers, but the vines look great.

As we sat on the front porch last night just before dark the petunias smelling so wonderful and the little hummingbird moths taking advantage of them. It was hard to imagine that fall is truly just around the corner. When we take everything off this porch for winter it looks so bare... I just hope we have a wonderfully warm fall, so we can enjoy it just a little longer...
This new Begonia is just bursting with color, this is the first year in a long time I have had begonias and this year I have several different ones. I'm going to name this one "Grace" because that is who I got this one from, and it has been a good one...
This has been a great year for the Coleus... I always add a few more each year.. So I think next year I will actually put them in their own bed. I have so many I have to winter, I guess my windows at school will be full of color this winter...

This Lime Green Coleus on top and my Cherry Tomatoes on the bottom. My upside down tomato was a success. I have been eating tomatoes for about a week now and they are wonderful. It was just fun to watch them growing upside down. It was double the fun with 2 things growing in this pot....

Have A Good One...

Lynn

Tomato Tasting.....

It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato. ~Lewis Grizzard

What a delightfully wonderful day the Master Gardeners had today for their first annual Tomato Tasting. The sun was shinning and the people were out in force. For the first event is sure seamed to be a success. Everything looked so fresh and elegantly displayed...

There was a beautiful Ice Sculpture at the entrance....

Then all the tables lined up with just dozens of varieties of Tomatoes...

Having some fun after working so hard to make this event a success....
A great day was had by all...

We Had A Good One...

You Have A Good One Too...

Lynn

Earth laughs in flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Hamatreya"

Helenium autumnale... Is finally in full bloom

Always a late bloomer, it blooms right when it is needed most to add some color to the back flower bed. I transplanted this one from the front to the back a few years ago and it is doing beautiful....
This one is from a bulb I got from a school fundraiser. I am very pleased at how well it has done, and it is blooming beautifully. Although it was suppose to be a pastel pink... Oops...

It is still beautiful... This little one is trying to hide and she's doing a great job of it...

As bugs go this has to be my favorite one...

Just beautiful and graceful.

I'm always looking for them, and this week I found two...

Have A Good One,

Lynn

More Seed Collecting....

Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability. ~Sam Keen

A few more seeds and propagation's....

I hope I'm not boring you to death with my seeds. I get just as excited about the seeds the flowers produce as I do planting them in the spring....

This one I propagated this spring just to see if it would work. I took a few leaves off this one and put them in a bowl on top some wet newspaper and put the whole bowl in a baggie, zipped almost closed and waited. Finally you could see a few little leaves forming. When I thought it was time and roots had formed I layed them on top the soil and put them back in the baggie. They are doing really well and growing fine..

Just what I needed a new house plant... So I gave them away to a friend!!
The Hyacienth Bean sure doesn't hide it's seed pods!!! They will be as big as a green bean,beans.

I planted this one inside last spring, early spring. Not the right thing to do. I did it way to early and they got really big and leggy before it was time for them to go out. So learn from my mistake and don't plant early. This one could be planted right outside after last frost and still be fine... This is another one that does not hide it's seeds..

This pod is about as big as a big cherry tomato, with lots of thorn's around it...

And it is full of seeds....

If you don't get them off the plant before they open you will have plants coming up everywhere. My husband hates this plant, if we don't get the whole plant cut back before frost it is really slimy to cut down...So we try to get this one out before frost ....

We usually even have them coming up in the compost pile too each year...LOL

Be careful with the seeds they say they are poison and to keep them away from your pets. If you take the pods off and let them dry they will pop and go everywhere if you don't watch them so be careful...

I hope learning about some of the seeds excites some of you to start collecting and planting in the spring. It is fun to see the little babies grow!!!

Have A Good One...

Lynn

A Day for Seed Picking.....

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken. ~James Dent

It has been such a beautiful day, I could be inside getting something done but it is much more fun playing outside. Winter will be here too soon and we will have to be inside...

So I picked some seeds off lots of stuff today and took pictures for you. I love saving seeds !! But sometimes it is hard to find just where they are. I have learned allot from the web about saving my seeds, how to store them and how and when to plant them. It is allot of trial and error but I am learning. Some times I follow the rules and sometimes I just do my thing.

I really read up on Begonia's this winter I had saved some seed from some my Mother had purchased, (they are tiny like salt) but from everything I read you really had to have everything sterile and just perfect. Then they took a long time to germinate..

Well they did take a long time to germinate, but I just waited...

I didn't plant them until after the frost, and I put them in my little greenhouse. They finally came up and even bloomed. They are small and I think I will try to take them in this winter. But at least I can say I did it!!! LOL MY WAY!!!

This is an easy one Calendula Seed, see them in the left corner the curly things. Really easy to grow and allot of times they reseed themselves...

This one is a little tricker...

It is Million Bells...

When they start to go to seed you have to be quick the pods turn quick and then drop their seeds before you know it. They are really tiny as you can see in this next picture...

This is my Fan flower it was a little harder to find the seed on this one...

It is in between the leaves right below the flower....

I haven't tried to seed this one yet, I love this one and I'm going to use it more next year, so I hope it seeds well. But just in case it doesn't I am taking one in for the winter to propagate... My Geraniums I grow are the ones with the really pretty leaves, I don't grow these for their flowers. But the seeds are really visible on them.. But I cut them back and take them in too. But this year I'm going to try and seed them too...

Nice big seeds on them...Ok I'm tired of downloading pictures I'll show you more later...

Have A Good One...

ynn

Busy Week...

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”


You don't get more beautiful then this.....
What an evening sunset this was on Friday night...
The color was great...



Sorry I haven't been around for a few days...

I worked everyday last week and had too many places to go this weekend...

And had to dog sit the new puppy all weekend...

So it has been a Busy Week!!!



But it hasn't kept me from taking pictures!! LOL

I'm having a hard time getting a video to load on here, but I am still trying....
I really have something I want to show you...

But I have a few more things for you.
It is really that time of the year, all kinds of butterfly's are out doing their thing, and they are beautiful so enjoy...

Have a Good One...

Lynn

A couple new things added to the gardens, and the family...

I think that if ever a mortal heard the voice of God it would be in a garden at the cool of the day. ~F. Frankfort Moore, A Garden of Peace


My husband always says where are you going to put "that"...

But somehow I always find a spot. Working in a garden center this summer has been so much fun, BUT it can prove to be hazardous... We laugh because I seem to work for flowers!!

This is the first time I have ever had a Hydrangea. I bought the one called "BIG DADDY"

the blooms will get 14-15 inches. It is in full bloom right now and beautiful. Even Tom likes it!!

My other new one is alot smaller.. It is called Elfin Thyme. It is one of those that you can actually walk on.. It is so soft and the little purple flowers are great... It should really spread out...
















And last but not least this is my new Grand-puppy
Of course Claudia had to check her out...
She is 6 weeks old and already bigger than Claudia. She weights almost 9 lbs. Look at those feet. Yea she is going to be a big one a really BIG one. Fully grown she will weight in at about 160.... Her name is Cabela...and she is a Mastiff ! I get to babysit this weekend while they go camping...It should be interesting with 4 dogs in the house....

Have a Good One...
Lynn

Another Rainy Day...

God made rainy days so gardeners could get the housework done. ~Author Unknown

Yea I know we need the rain... But I was just getting use to the sun again. But the rain barrel is full again and we are back in business. I really think the flowers are doing much better this year with all the rain water I have been giving them.

I didn't have to work today, and it is suppose to rain all day so maybe I can force myself to do some house cleaning. I just hate to be inside, inside is for winter...

I snapped a few good pictures yesterday... Imagine me taking pictures!!!

On my butterfly plant we found a Monarch Butterfly caterpillar. Of course just eating away at it. But I just left it alone so it will become a beautiful butterfly. They are so pretty even as a Caterpillar. Try out this link, it is really cute. there is a video done by a child on all the stages of a Monarch Butterfly. http://www.mesquiteisd.org/imovie/monarchbutterfly.htm

I watched the video three times it is so cute.... Now go find you some milk weed and try it yourself...

I'm going to keep an eye on it the next few days to see what it does..

















Ok I better show you what the mystery flower is before we all forget about it!!! LOL

It's my Moon Flower... Just starting to open up... It smells so good!!! I think in an earlier there is a video on the Moon Flower opening up... Check it out...













Before I go... I read a good article this morning and thought you might enjoy it..http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/printstory.php?rid=1166
Have a Good One...
Lynn

Another Rainy Day...

Back on my feet and feel a little better today....

Plants cry their gratitude for the sun in green joy. ~Astrid Alauda



I'm back on my feet a little more today, I layed in the pool and did a little work out in the water. That always seems to help. It is back to work tomorrow, ready or not!!! The sun will do me good...


Ok Patty P. I have that flower I think you gave me, at least I hope you gave it to me so you will know what it is...

We know now that it is purple...

And it is going to bloom like crazy...

It is only about 12 high and 12 inched wide...

My Hyacinth Bean is blooming too, I got the seeds from Jean early this spring and planted them an they are certainly do well..Thanks Jean... It made a nice second blooming on where my clematis were blooming...

The Secret Garden is blooming well and there have been some small visitors this week...

Have A Good One...

Lynn

Another Day of Taking it Easy....

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~Author Unknown

Trying to take it easy today, but I am starting to feel a little better. I watered some flowers this morning with the hose NOT MY WATERING CAN... I still can't lift it!

But If I'm careful I hope to be back to work on Monday...

The ice pack and Ben Gay have become my friends...

Ok here is another one for you to guess what it is ???

This one should be easier.....

I will show you the rest in a few days...

This has been one of my favorites for a few years. I cut this one back and bring it inside each winter. It is called Great Cascade Wine Red / Lophospermum hybrid...
The trumpet-shaped flowers are great flowing out of a basket or you can even train them to climb. They bloom all summer long and they never need deadheaded. Great in full to part sun, just keep a little fertilizer on them.
The humming birds love their trumpet shape and color.
I propagated them from cuttings in March and they did really well.

I love the color, and they bloom like crazy...Have A Good One...

Lynn