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**thesummerqueen** · February 10, 2011 at 10:57 am

Branching off of Dotard's "Hobbies" thread, I'm starting one I've wanted to make for a long time. Here I would like people to post pictures of their yardwork, their plants (indoor or outdoor), their landscaping projects, hints, tips, suggestions, questions...anything having to do with the generally pocket-emptying, back-breaking, all-consuming obsession that is gardening.

I'll start with some pictures from last summer of my 'babies'

[Image: 5291004564_4242c91bd8.jpg]

downbeatplumb · February 10, 2011 at 11:37 am

My wife has a 'black thumb' only the hardiest of plants survive her attentions.

**thesummerqueen** · February 10, 2011 at 11:38 am

That's how my mum is...which is why I want Kichi to be my mum instead!

Dotard · February 10, 2011 at 11:34 pm

Simply gorgeous. Those truely outshine my roses. What's the climate where you live?

**thesummerqueen** · February 11, 2011 at 1:24 am

Last frost date usually around April 1, and I had roses blooming into November. NC is usually sunny, humid and hot as hell summers, good drenching rains. Everything grows like it's Poison Ivy's playhouse here.

I do absolutely nothing to them - just a little fertilizer now and then. We sit on a pretty awesome pocket of clay, and every time I set one down it takes the rest of the year to settle itself and then the next year it just blooms. I have 10 bushes right now. One way or other I want five more this year.

KichigaiNeko · February 11, 2011 at 1:47 am

(February 10, 2011 at 10:57 am)thesummerqueen Wrote: I'll start with some pictures from last summer of my 'babies'

Rosa sp "Hybrid Tea"

v'Double Delight'?

?Don't know this one

v 'Variegata di Bologna'?

v'Fourth of July'?

Aquilegia Sp (but which one??) hmmm A hybrid X ?

Clerodendrum thomsoniae ? But what variety???

All are beautiful...itching to get my own garden to 'potter around in'

**thesummerqueen** · February 11, 2011 at 1:55 am

(February 11, 2011 at 1:47 am)KichigaiNeko Wrote: Rosa sp "Hybrid Tea"

v'Double Delight'?

"Love", I think.

(February 11, 2011 at 1:47 am)KichigaiNeko Wrote:
?Don't know this one

Neither do I. I have tags on them to help me remember the names.

(February 11, 2011 at 1:47 am)KichigaiNeko Wrote:
v 'Variegata di Bologna'?

Think it was something like "candy stripe". I'll have to look.

(February 11, 2011 at 1:47 am)KichigaiNeko Wrote:
v'Fourth of July'?

Hole in one.

Hell if I know on the other two. I sort of spilled a packet of columbines over the porch one fall and...voila. The bleeding heart I don't know - it unfortunately didn't survive in the spot I put it in...I don't think. I hear tell down here the upper plant dies but the roots hibernate in the hot summers so I guess I'll find out.... I have a better spot for some this year....if I can get past the tree roots. We have a HUGE Norway Maple and a large, rather annoying walnut on one side of the house and their roots are making it nearly impossible to put anything in.

KichigaiNeko · February 11, 2011 at 2:09 am

There is also a funny thing with the Varieties...sometime they are named one thing in one counrty and something else in another. Could have sworn the Bicolour Gold and Red was Fionas' Wish but I could have been wrong. 'Candy Stipe' Facepalm

of course.

What side of the house are the trees?? Walnuts are usually gross feeders, And Norway Spruce don't like anything growing under them as far as I know. The Columbines are probably A.vulgaris x there is a variety that is native to North Carolina but I've lost the bloody link to it.

What else are you planing to grow this year?? APART from Rosa sp lol

By the way ...have been wanting to mention that I too love the Ipoemea indica...but the all time favourite is the Ipoemea alba....heavenly!!

**thesummerqueen** · February 11, 2011 at 2:22 am

Well, lots of plans - I mentioned somewhere that I had to "reclaim" the yard. Before I moved in, the house was basically surrounded by out of control shrubbery and...weeds. No grass.

Every spring has been a struggle to beat back the weeds a little further and install some order.

My kitchen garden is fairly well set - in ground I have mugwort, two kinds of oregano, two kinds of rosemary, hyssop, feverfew, two kinds of catnip, lemon balm, horehound, and three kinds of mint. Various things grown as annuals - chives, basils (I usually have several kinds), cilantro, dill, blah blah.

Around the side I have three beds set into the clay filled with better soil for tomatoes, cucumbers (trellised), squash, watermelon (trellised) and borage. I'm going to try and find a spot for blackberries, raspberries, and pumpkin. We have full sun on only one side of the house, so it's a space issue.

The back and shady side (with trees), I'm planning on letting wisteria loose into another tree, a lilac bush by the back door, some ever green shrubs...it's going to come down to money, as I don't have a lot, but I made a list of shade loving perennials and annuals and hope to buy seeds for all of them this year.

Oh! and I put in a Japanese maple...we'll see how it survived the winter.

KichigaiNeko · February 11, 2011 at 3:17 am

(February 11, 2011 at 2:22 am)thesummerqueen Wrote: Well, lots of plans - I mentioned somewhere that I had to "reclaim" the yard. Before I moved in, the house was basically surrounded by out of control shrubbery and...weeds. No grass.

Are you purchasing this property??

(February 11, 2011 at 2:22 am)thesummerqueen Wrote: Every spring has been a struggle to beat back the weeds a little further and install some order.

Yep, fully understand where you are coming from....A garden is never really finished is it??

(February 11, 2011 at 2:22 am)thesummerqueen Wrote: My kitchen garden is fairly well set - in ground I have mugwort, two kinds of oregano, two kinds of rosemary, hyssop, feverfew, two kinds of catnip, lemon balm, horehound, and three kinds of mint. Various things grown as annuals - chives, basils (I usually have several kinds), cilantro, dill, blah blah.

Looks at you with envious eyes!!! Cilantro is known as Corriander (the leaf and roots used in Asiatic / Italian/ Spanish cooking and pickling)

(February 11, 2011 at 2:22 am)thesummerqueen Wrote: Around the side I have three beds set into the clay filled with better soil for tomatoes, cucumbers (trellised), squash, watermelon (trellised) and borage.

You have clay!!! ZOMGG!! you are soooo lucky!! I only have sand (well reclaimed swamp sand) would kill for clay!!

(February 11, 2011 at 2:22 am)thesummerqueen Wrote: I'm going to try and find a spot for blackberries, raspberries, and pumpkin. We have full sun on only one side of the house, so it's a space issue.

Always is a premium, Full sun space is Southerly Aspect?. Any microclimates you can take advantage of??

(February 11, 2011 at 2:22 am)thesummerqueen Wrote: The back and shady side (with trees), I'm planning on letting wisteria loose into another tree, a lilac bush by the back door, some ever green shrubs...it's going to come down to money, as I don't have a lot, but I made a list of shade loving perennials and annuals and hope to buy seeds for all of them this year.

So the trees are on the Northerly aspect?? I love Wisteria floribunda I planted one in My mothers garden (East Coast Australia-Sydney) and it has gone very well 20 years old!

(February 11, 2011 at 2:22 am)thesummerqueen Wrote: Oh! and I put in a Japanese maple...we'll see how it survived the winter.

I love the Acer palmatum which Variety / Cultivar is it?? I am looking to put one in the new garden perhaps one of these http://www.conifer.com.au/japanese_maples?pageid=1342
I like the 'Mikawa Yatsabusa' the best.

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