How does your garden grow '07!

[carbon]

I'm an obsessive when it comes to my herb garden, i've just had to expand it because i've run out of room!

I have 2 circular lawns, one with a fire pit the other has an altar (and a half grown Thyme lawn) I love obscure/slightly unusual plants. The garden is a mixture of herbs used for magic and healing and also the odd strawberyy plant here and there for if i get peckish when i'm weeding!

Is there any way you can post pictures on here? Id love your opinion on what i've done.

Love & Blessings
Carbon

 

[sharpchick]

This week, some long ago planted and forgotten gladioli bloomed - gorgeous purple flowers (in my zone, you just kind of treat gladioli as annuals, and either dig and lift them for storage in fall, or plan to plant year after year). As we were to have storms on the day that the blooms opened most fully, I cut them and made a vase of a pitcher for my bedroom.

 

[BodhiSeed]

Anyone having a bigger than usual problem with whieflies this year? I hate to use chemicals any more than I have to and usually just take care of them with a blast of water from the hose.

It may just be peculiar to my region of the US. . .

Hi Sharpchick,
Have you ever tried Neem oil? It's organic, and you can mix it with water and spray it on vegetables, herbs, etc.

My purple coneflowers have been in full bloom and my black-eyed susans are not far behind. Alas, the heat and drought have brought my annuals to their leaf knees.

Bodhran

 

[sharpchick]

Hi Sharpchick,
Have you ever tried Neem oil? It's organic, and you can mix it with water and spray it on vegetables, herbs, etc.

My purple coneflowers have been in full bloom and my black-eyed susans are not far behind. Alas, the heat and drought have brought my annuals to their leaf knees.

Bodhran

I have not, but now that you recommend it, I will look for it.

Thanks.

 

[Guiding Cauldron]

garden delights

oh i have immensly enjoyed my garden this year.

I've already had all the spinach and mixed lettuces, i've dried all teh chamomile blooms, i'm drying mountains of mint lol, i've already dug up the garlic, had beautifull mini purple glads bloomed and dug up the bulbs for resting over this winter. Been haveing small bitter oranges so far. the pansies are finally on the way past prepareing for winter seeds. the geramiums are still lovely but alas the mini carnations are past now. the sweet pea flowers are now past as they bloomed really early and i've collected teh seed pods for next year.

currently have been picking sugar peas like crazy have some lovely golden yellow round courgettes growing, my pumpkin plants are doing nicely with lil green pumpkins growing the eucalytpus tree is doing great. I grew an avacado tree from seed and it has 6 sets of leaves now i planted a maple tree seed and now have abright red maple tree growing as well. loads of herbs are still blooming and being smelly potaoes are doing well, iris flowers are now past, as is the red lily.

i LOVE seeing plants go through their cycles and just enjoy teh peace of my garden. Already planning next year! lol I know i'm sick arent i?!! lol

love and light xx

 

[TheBip]

The lovely birds planted some sunflower seeds right under the bird feeder *lol* And the sunflowers are so pretty! I didnt know they grew so fast Just a week ago they were as high as my knee, then I came back from vacation the other day and they've bloomed! My roses have also bloomed They smell delicious, tho japanese beetles are feasting on them! *goes to wage war against beetles*

 

[ravenest]

Springing

The first stirrings of spring have sprung (down here). We had heavy frosts this year and now everything is springing back. The ceder trees are covered in new red shoots. The animals are getting frisky. On Imbold night I went to watch the full moon and saw a wiggly line across it ? As I watched it got closer and I realised it was a bird flying 'out of' (in front of) the moon right at me, it swooped past my head - a very large owl,

yesterday morning there was a crazy cacaphony of Kookaburras. It went on and on as I was waking up, then I realised it was close. Right outsdie the window on the ground there were 3 kookas dancing and singing (one was singing the bass line!) and the dance was so crazy I cant even begin to describe it.

I have 2 strangler figs, 15 blackbean trees, eucalpys, hoop and bunya pines, Jacaranda trees and a port wine magnolia all ready to go in the ground.

Also I have gained a large area of new backyard after a lot of winter clearing. I discovered a big ceder tree that has been bent by vines and cleared 3 times resulting in a tree that loops down to the ground, touches and curves back up in a spiriling loop. That is gonna grow into one crazy tree!

Also I dug up the Yacon (Sth American 'ground apple) I planted in summer _ can't believe the yield! I sold 20k to the supermarket.

Now I have turks turban pumpkin [ http://images.google.com.au/imgres?...ban+pumpkin&gbv=2&ndsp=20&svnum=10&hl=en&sa=N - look at it upside down - it looks like two different pumpkins glued together] seed on order. I'm going to do a crop of that.

 

[HearthCricket]

Our garden has been so experimental, this year, but we have been pleased. A few things will be moved around or taken out and replaced with something else. We also have been having relenting heat and no rain. All the storms keep missing us and we only get a few drops. The herbs have held up wonderfully and the bunnies have stayed away. The black-eyed susans are just coming out, but I am praying the heat doesn't do them in. The heat did do the bee balm in, and it barely lasted a few days in flower, which was disappointing. All my lavender and sage is growing like crazy, as is the globe thistle and coneflower. Our pussy willows took wonderfully, and our new trees, from last year, really filled out. It is hard to believe that within a few weeks the mums will be at the nursery. You have to get them right away or they sell out and that is it for the season. It is too early. I wish they would wait until late August or early September, when it is cooler. Right now they would perish in this heat wave, which is supposed to last 10 days!

 

[TheBip]

My poor Hydrangea, Butterfly Bush and some other butterfly flowers (dont remember which ones) have all croaked :,( Ah well, at least the nursery is sending replacements... I know it was the heat and hardly any rain that killed em

 

[Briar Rose]

My garden is very overgrown with big leaf weeds.

There are too many mostquitoes here, and when I get out of my they are in swarms of 20 in my face.

It's just not worth it this year.

I make up for it at work, and have a lovely indoor garden.