tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54746993112810144062012-03-08T10:49:42.205-06:00Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.comBlogger3831100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-45660163149145627222012-03-04T20:41:00.006-06:002012-03-08T10:49:42.215-06:00

Finally my wisteria bloomed on the big arbor! I've waited two years. It is easy to visualize how pertty it will be when the vines have grown over the entire top of the arbor.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-51366038655535278022012-03-04T20:37:00.005-06:002012-03-06T10:02:18.034-06:00

I dug up these irises in a ditch in front of a farm house on Sandtown Rd which is why I call them In The Ditch Irises. They were clearly planted in a row just inside the fence (there are still hundreds growing along the fence line), but over time they spilled over into the ditch and they are growing happily there as well amongst the weeds, wildflowers, and shaded by cedar trees and pin oaks. In

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-87481133103986080092012-03-04T20:28:00.006-06:002012-03-08T10:45:40.661-06:00

The common name for this narcissus is Seventeen Sisters. They have anywhere from 10 to 20 flowers on a single stem which is how they came to be called Seventeen Sisters. They smell very, very sweet like Erlicheers or Grand Primos.I like the fact that they have a trumpet. The Erlicheers do not. They are sweet little flowers. They bloomed later that the Erlicheers and the Grand Primos, but that

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-65907777850963321612012-03-04T20:18:00.009-06:002012-03-08T10:29:23.777-06:00

This is Snowball Viburnum - Viburnum macrocephalum 'sterile'. I purchased this plant a few months ago (bare root) through an on line website - Woodlanders, I believe. The best time to buy plants through the mail is winter, during their dormant period. In fact, I doubt these web sites mail plants in the summer. This is one of my treasures. It looks skimpy right now, but it grows into a large

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-72498369804575037012012-03-04T20:07:00.006-06:002012-03-08T10:21:03.878-06:00

The Shade Garden stays dormant for a long time after the weather begins to warm up. The only green is coming from the holly fern (which is an evergreen fern), the columbine (enjoys cool weather and is getting ready to bloom), the toad lily, the ligularia (due to a mild-ish winter it did not go dormant like the last two years), the coral berry, the Sweetspire, the Mahonias, and the azaleas (

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-58334943768408246922012-03-04T19:57:00.008-06:002012-03-06T09:48:23.533-06:00

My Red Buckeye looked so pretty on Saturday morning with the sun shining down on it. This tree is a Texas native. I think it has a very prehistoric look to it with the big, lobed leaves. The flowers have not opened yet. They look like red salvia flowers when they are open. This tree is very drought tolerant. I planted it in a spot that is inconvenient for me to water it. It made it fine through

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-89063343176389028822012-03-04T19:55:00.005-06:002012-03-04T21:24:26.872-06:00

This is my beautiful collie, Lainie.The weather this weekend was perfect. I spent a lot of time raking the Shade Garden and clearing debris from the paths and the beds. It's starting to green up a bit, but it is always slow to come around.I planted a flat of southern fern in the Shade Garden. I turned several beds in order to plant them. The beds of the Shade Garden are a solid, dense mat of

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-88321069927472807992012-02-26T21:32:00.007-06:002012-02-29T21:03:57.545-06:00

Gorgeous Red Baron Peach Tree! It's just beginning to bloom. It should be really special next weekend.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-13337236352025972562012-02-26T21:20:00.010-06:002012-02-29T21:06:34.525-06:00

Although it is still winter, everything is starting to green up. Above to the right is a new flower bed. I have a pink morning glory tree, Picasso Cannas, and Strawberry Candy Daylilies planted. Also seeds of various sorts that have not yet sprouted. To the right are three new beds. In one of the beds I have bearded irises planted along with some seeds that have not yet sprouted. In the long,

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-19263640168018210972012-02-26T21:11:00.006-06:002012-02-29T18:17:42.361-06:00

Salvias are gorgeous. I love this color so much that I bought two more and planted them in the Star Garden. They are loving the cool weather. Autumn Sage stays green in the winter if the dips below freezing are not sustained.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-58938668691114491842012-02-26T21:08:00.002-06:002012-02-29T21:08:11.566-06:00

I just gave my kitchen herb garden a little face lift. Weeded (which means yanking up handfuls of mint), mulched, added some more herbs. This garden is just outside the back door, right by the kitchen. I have growing marjoram, fennel, cilantro, parsley, thyme, basil, chives, oregano, dill, lemon balm, lemon verbena, and mint. I have lots of rosemary growing in another place, so there is none in

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-44984648951453218572012-02-26T21:02:00.004-06:002012-02-28T13:12:33.839-06:00

Hoop Petticoats (Bulbocodium conspicuus) are just beginning to bloom. Their bloom time coincides with Rolph Fiedler Ipheions, as seen in the above picture. I have these two little bulb varieties planted under rose shrubs. When they are finished blooming, the greenery fades away quickly, not to be seen again until next winter. But, aren't they cute? Not more than six inches tall.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-36300860379293394742012-02-26T20:56:00.008-06:002012-02-27T12:27:22.879-06:00

I've been digging up verbena and re-planting it in various places. It has a tendency to grow over the flowerbed borders and take root in the paths. Very pretty flowers. Verbena is one of the earliest perennials to flower. It is still February, and it is blooming its heart out. It doesn't much like the heat of mid-summer. Spring and fall are its best seasons, at least here in my part of Texas.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-18378063490625252062012-02-26T20:45:00.007-06:002012-02-27T12:07:55.078-06:00

The Calendulas looked really pretty this weekend. I have them growing with dill in the Vegetable Garden.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-7305168416890621702012-02-26T18:34:00.005-06:002012-02-27T12:18:04.812-06:00

This is pretty Living Easy rose.Arrived Friday evening. Beautiful weather. I worked hard this weekend! I built another bed. Used the last of the soil that was delivered last weekend. I planted gingers in the bed that I dug up from home. Still lots of gingers in the beds in Houston that need to be moved to Burton. Backbreaking work making flower beds.My husband dug up some bulbs from a house on

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-67088201226497328392012-02-19T22:19:00.001-06:002012-02-20T09:10:03.706-06:00

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-38893723324487583232012-02-19T22:16:00.003-06:002012-02-20T09:09:23.600-06:00

This is my daughter's springer spaniel, Abby. Abby smelled a vole or perhaps she heard it. I'm not sure what makes the dogs start digging. My cairn terrier does the same thing. He starts digging furiously all of a sudden.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-47556488735775837672012-02-19T22:13:00.002-06:002012-02-21T11:08:45.833-06:00

The sweeties are almost finished blooming. And I won't smell their wonderful scent again until next year.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-74959788024833264582012-02-19T20:50:00.005-06:002012-02-19T22:12:57.493-06:00

This is a Rolph Fiedler Ipheion. The flowers are deeper blue than the Whisley Blue Ipheion, and the leaves are wider.There was five inches of rain in the rain guage. Many places in the gardens are rutted from water erosion. The ruts will have to be repaired and the areas will have to be adjusted to prevent future problems. Sometimes my repairs work and sometimes they don't. I'm not an

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-71315842140843978722012-02-12T20:48:00.005-06:002012-02-13T12:35:49.114-06:00

Whisley Blues are pale blue. So far I think they are better bloomers than Rolph Fiedler Ipheions, but time will tell. The Rolph Fiedlers are a more intense blue. Ipheions are considered good shoes and socks plants for early spring blooming bulbs. The greenery of spring bulbs will all die back together and summer seeds can be planted in their place.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-76562716059119085412012-02-12T20:41:00.005-06:002012-02-13T12:31:54.410-06:00

This bed is filled with Erlicheers (which are blooming), some Candida rain lilies (fall bloomers), ox eye daisies, and, in front, Lycoris Squamigera (also called Magic Lilies or Naked Ladies) which are fall bloomers. The Magic Lily greenery will die back by mid-summer, and they will send up pink blooms on slender stalks in late summer. Erlicheers have an intense smell.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-15021394462858724132012-02-12T20:40:00.003-06:002012-02-13T12:23:47.760-06:00

These little flowers are so sweet! They would be good naturalized in the lawn. They are not very expensive. I bought 100 for $31 at Brent and Becky's Bulbs. I will see next year how well they come back. If they come back strong then they will be worth investing more in. It would be nice to see these little purple flowers popping up all over the yard in February. The winter would be a little less

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-54916228125962414162012-02-12T18:05:00.003-06:002012-02-12T20:37:12.188-06:00

Cold and wet. Arrived Thursday evening.Pruned the roses. Missed a couple, but almost all of them are pruned now. Didn't prune aggressively this year. Only tipped some of them. Cut dead wood and clipped crossing branches. I cut a good amount off of roses that were really leggy.Put lots of weeds in the compost pile.Pruned the fruit trees and grape vines in the Orchard. Also didn't prune the

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-90719855883969315602012-02-05T15:43:00.005-06:002012-02-07T11:01:09.405-06:00

This is the Long Border. It is alive with seedlings. I lost several anchor plants last summer - two buddleia, a rose, and possible a mallow. They will have to be replaced. The list of plants or seedlings in this garden are:PoppiesGold YarrowLarkspurseveral varieties of CrinumsArtemisiaBlue Spruce SedumSea Star SedumBroken Colors 4 o'clocksWalkers Low CatmintPerennial Ageratumwhite

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-46039407819369858322012-02-05T15:08:00.004-06:002012-02-06T12:13:36.311-06:00

Dianthus are reliable winter bloomers. I am thinking about building a winter garden. I will grow Chrysanthemums, dianthus, winter daffodils and whatever else I can think of that is perennial and blooms in the winter. We got some really good rain this weekend. 3 inches in the rain guage. It was cool and cloudy all weekend.I cut back the tuber vervain in the Master Bedroom Garden and finally was

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-7359900673194695902012-01-29T20:44:00.005-06:002012-01-30T16:19:31.902-06:00

I am delighted to see the Sea Star Sedum coming back. I don't know if it was the dry conditions of the 2011 drought that made it disappear, or if it dies back in the heat. But, it is a very good reseeder. Let the flowers go to seed and you will have little volunteers springing up everywhere the following season. I was even able to dig up little patches of it from the path in front of the flower

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-47337384784420602492012-01-29T20:41:00.005-06:002012-01-30T12:39:19.698-06:00

The Erlicheers are beginning to bloom. Erlicheers are winter bloomers. I often refer to them as spring bloomers, but they are actually considered winter bloomers. February is their normal time to bloom. I planted 100 bulbs the autumn before last. These are planted in a flowerbed that surrounds an oak tree. That was a perfectly fine spot to plant them because the oak tree is leafless during their

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-42497090422290916262012-01-29T20:38:00.007-06:002012-01-30T18:47:08.391-06:00

The leaves and petals of Calendulas are edible which is why I have them growing in the Vegetable Garden. They grow very easily from seed. The seeds are large. I really like to know the size of seeds before I order them! Some seeds are like dust, so if I knew how small they were I would order a lot more packets of them. Unfortunately that is not information that seed companies offer. Calendulas

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-38547569358891580732012-01-29T20:37:00.006-06:002012-01-30T19:20:15.139-06:00

Feverfew reseeds. I don't actually know if Feverfew is a reseeding annual or a perennial. Mine was healthy and bloomed profusely, then after it bloomed, it died. All the flowers dropped their seed, and here I am in the winter, and it is coming back from seed. We had such a horrible drought in Texas in the summer of 2011 that I'm not sure what a normal growth pattern is for Feverfew. Also, I have

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-50348748211602615332012-01-29T20:35:00.003-06:002012-01-30T12:30:04.620-06:00

These are Crocus Tommasinianus. I planted 100 of them last fall.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-5324000438951666832012-01-29T20:33:00.004-06:002012-01-30T12:25:15.803-06:00

I am dedicated to composting. I hate to see compostable materials go to waste! Compost is very important, particularly in a location as hot as Texas. Nutrients in the soil get depleted very quickly in hot environments. It's important to prepare the soil when building a new bed by adding compost generously. But also, piling compost around shrubs and established perennials is very important too.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-23417694589785814892012-01-29T18:09:00.007-06:002012-01-30T10:23:34.154-06:00

This is bronze fennel. With the cool weather and mild winter, the bronze fennel is really thriving. I let all of it go to seed, and there are fennel seedlings all around the mother plants and in other nearby beds in The Orchard.Beautiful weather. Arrived Saturday evening.One of my roses is suffering from the tunnels around the root system. I noticed that it is dropping leaves and tilting over. I

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-31293470803135969772012-01-22T19:30:00.003-06:002012-01-23T12:17:26.247-06:00

Quick trip to the farm to check on things.Pulled weeds everywhere.The Erlicheers are beginning to bloom. They have the sweetest smell of anything I grow with the exception of the Noisette roses.I spent quite a bit of time pulling up seedlings that were growing around my bulbs. Bulbs don't like to fight for space. I find they won't bloom if they are overwhelmed with other plants. I don't like

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-71958636124389625562012-01-22T18:46:00.006-06:002012-01-22T19:28:00.932-06:00

The above picture is of a bed of Byzantine Glads (with some errant little mushrooms sprouting up around them). They are spring bloomers with magenta colored flowers. These are not like the gladiolas in the florist shops and grocery stores. They are the wild, or species, tulips that grow on the hillsides of Turkey. I just planted these corms this fall, and as the picture illustrates, as they

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-5516244915322021932012-01-19T07:36:00.011-06:002012-01-19T12:32:44.156-06:00

These are some of my species tulips. They are called Tubergen's Gems. Where there was one, now there are two. This is why I love bulbs - it's the only math I understand - multiplication! Tubergen's Gems are yellow and red. They open and close with the movement of the sun. When they are fully open with in the middle of they day, they look completely yellow. When they are closed up in the very

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-71592724487718903962012-01-08T18:41:00.006-06:002012-01-08T19:13:57.294-06:00

This is a Zeolite Calendula. Calendula flowers are very long lasting. This flower has been open for two weeks, and it still looks good. Candulas are also called Pot Marigolds because the greens used to be thrown into the stew or soup pot. I don't know of anyone anymore that cooks the greens of Calendulas, but you can! The flower petals of these plants are edible. I have these growing in my

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-25842447141430251682012-01-08T18:32:00.021-06:002012-01-09T11:35:50.617-06:00

This is a big patch of radicchio. These are stems of Bright Lights Swiss Chard. More Bright Lights Swiss Chard - so colorful! Bright Lights Swiss Chard.Greenery of golden beets. Golden beet greens again - beet greens are very tasty.These are mustard greens. Mustard green leaves are huge. They have a wonderful flavor.Curley leaf parsley. It makes a great border plant. Butterfly larvae eat it, so

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-40423152048335557612012-01-02T16:48:00.008-06:002012-01-05T17:04:20.168-06:00

These are poppy seedlings. My aunt MaeDell gave me some seeds years ago. Now I have billions of seedlings in every one of my gardens. Sometimes the flowers are pink singles and sometimes they are frothy doubles. These are sweet peas. This particular variety is low growing, but it still climbs which is why I am growing them in a circle of chicken wire on which they can climb. These are California

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-65814978278736328892012-01-02T16:39:00.004-06:002012-01-02T16:47:59.697-06:00

If you want to see green in the winter, try Ox Eye Daisies. They remain green in the winter, they spread quickly, in the spring they make beautiful white daisies with yellow centers on tall stems. They are great plants. They like some protection from the afternoon sun.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-63575092534495038572012-01-02T15:46:00.005-06:002012-01-04T13:42:04.016-06:00

This is a picture of pink Melody Dianthus. The dianthus in the Meolody series are my favorites because the flowers stand up on tall stems above the plant. The Dianthus is all that is bloomingin my garden right now.Cool and sunny most of the weekend.Washed off the furniture on the porch and the doors along the front of the house, the side of the house and the door off the master bedroom. The get

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-44011139441787159772011-12-26T20:44:00.003-06:002011-12-26T20:57:10.501-06:00

Cold and wet. Planted 30 Oxblood Lilies that my sister gave me for Christmas. Their common name is School House Lily. They are often found growing beside the remains of old school houses and other long-gone public buildings due their ability to suffer from neglect and continue to grow and multiply. She gave me pink ones and red ones. The pink ones are a sport of the red ones, not sure how

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-76442117572710912011-12-11T07:30:00.030-06:002012-02-23T16:55:17.627-06:00

In my garden I have many varieties of plants growing. And just as long a list of plants that didn't make it! I am not including in this list the ones that didn't make it, but it happens - the wrong soil, the wrong light, the wrong water. But the gardener just cheerfully moves on, no time to mourn the losses, only time to enjoy the beauty of the successes. Besides what I listed here, I have sown

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-75885715375943625902011-12-10T19:34:00.007-06:002011-12-12T20:58:10.349-06:00

Took 3 days off and went to the farm. Cold.Planted 200 Spanish Bluebells (hyacynthoides hispanica 'excelsior') Most of them were planted down the hill alongside the boardwalk where I already have 400 planted. It will be a beautiful spring. Mulched plants in the Wave Garden and the Long Border.Fertilized the Vegetable Garden with liquid fertilizer.Fertilized the Dianthus in the Star

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-79715862338871732702011-12-04T21:45:00.005-06:002011-12-05T13:08:11.510-06:00

It still needs to be painted, but it was built in a day. I'll be able to train a vine on it once spring arrives.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-86383114131414935762011-12-04T16:55:00.013-06:002011-12-05T09:29:52.769-06:00

Arrived Friday evening. Gray and rainy. Rainy is good! We need the rain.Built a new bed. Actually, it is an expansion of the bed where the 5 La Marne roses are growing alongside the driveway. Planted about 35 Narcissus Avalanche (the commone name is Seven Sisters) in the new bed, and I planted 15 more in the Rose Garden.Planted 100 Crocus Tommasinianus in the new bed also.Planted 25 Narcissus

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-53189887462609441372011-11-27T20:04:00.005-06:002011-11-29T17:29:25.091-06:00

Thanksgiving day was really lovely. We ate outside under the arbor. Small group, Josh in California and Josh and Blake at Josh's folks' house. Had more dirt delivered to the house. Jim delivers my dirt. A sweet older gentlemen that was born, raised, and still lives in Burton. Always wants to talk for a while which is okay with me.Planted 50 Gladiolus Byantus Communus in one of the new beds I

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-1891434406534829862011-11-21T21:24:00.006-06:002011-11-21T21:59:42.981-06:00

Sowed the last of my wildflower seeds: BabyBlue Eyes, Ox Eye Daisy, California Poppy, Golden Yarrow, Tickseed. It will be a beautiful spring.Planted 200 Naples Garlic bulbs that Josh got me for my birthday. Planted in various beds.Weeded and weeded.Watered the Greenhouse Gardens.Raked some fallen leaves.Cleaned the house.Mulched the shrubs along the Boardwalk.Bulbs are beginning to pop up out of

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-49838760920491867752011-11-06T17:37:00.003-06:002011-11-21T21:23:58.094-06:00

Hard to believe, but we had a hard freeze in Burton! It happened a full month earlier than the average first freeze date. All my vines, annual flowers, and tender perennial vegetation died. This year has been the worst! I thought we would finally get some gorgeous weather that would create a beautiful fall garden - and what did we get? A freak cold snap that killed everything. The worst drought

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-55188477568238847232011-10-30T21:23:00.005-05:002011-11-21T21:48:08.421-06:00

Pennyroyal is in the mint family. It is a very pretty spring green color, very cheery. As you can see from the pictures, it makes a thick blanket of green. Mine is growing in partial shade. In Texas, an herb that normally should grow in full sun can grow very happily in partial shade because the sun is so brutal here. Exceptions to that rule are flowering herbs. Flowering herbs won't bloom

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-85027589528901785382011-10-30T21:21:00.004-05:002011-10-31T20:37:20.396-05:00

Aztec Sweet Herb is a perennial ground creeper. Mine is growing in a shady place, and it seems to be very happy. This plant is 1000 times sweeter than sugar, but the camphor content is so high that it cannot be used as an artifical sweetener. Use of this plant can be traced back to the times of the Aztecs as a treatment for coughs, colds, asthma, and bronchitis. The leaves are tasty to chew,

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-41032893802032431282011-10-30T21:19:00.007-05:002011-10-31T20:28:33.644-05:00

This is "Powis Castle' Artemesia. Artemesia is one of the most useful non-flowering plants to have in the garden due to its silver color. So pretty. Great in a pastel border or a night garden or a white garden. It is also pretty planted in dappled shade such as the location above. I have some growing in the Long Border and in the Infinity Garden.Its use as a medicinal herb (Wormwood) has fallen

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-37277624966296778112011-10-30T21:14:00.009-05:002011-10-31T20:03:44.860-05:00

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-75198137433389746052011-10-30T21:07:00.007-05:002011-10-31T20:12:28.155-05:00

Pink zinnias, pink Autumn Sage, and Pink Muhly Grass. The Infinity Garden is finally starting to perk up after a brutal summer. I lost a lot of my medicinal herbs, but next summer I'll give it another go. Blue Fortune Agastache, red salvia, hollyhock seedlings, and Cassian Fountain Grass. Cosmos, Pink Autumn Sage, grasses, and Pink Muhly.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-12851176082797988722011-10-30T21:02:00.006-05:002011-10-31T20:16:21.900-05:00

The White Mist Flower is starting to open - it is a fall bloomer. It is a huge favorite of bees. This plant dies to the ground in the winter, and comes back from the roots. In the spring it can be cut back to the ground. It gets about 3 feet tall and wide.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-19309070829020446322011-10-30T20:17:00.007-05:002011-10-30T21:00:02.449-05:00

Monarchs on Blue Mist Flower. What a beautiful weekend! Perfect weather (but no rain). I came up on Friday morning by myself, and my husband joined me on Saturday. Friday I didn't do much. Watched reruns on TV and laid around. Had 5 yards of soil and 5 yards of mulch delivered.Decided the spinach seeds I had were no good because none of it sprouted. So I bought another package and planted it on

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-91912524927752608242011-10-23T17:18:00.004-05:002011-10-25T13:05:12.554-05:00

I grew this Hemlock from seeds I bought from Richters. Pretty leaves for such a deadly plant.In ancient Greece hemlock was used to poison condemned prisoners, the most famous of which was Socrates (who was condemned to death in 399 BC for impiety). Plato described Socrates' death in the Phaedo:The man...laid his hands on him and after a while examined his feet and legs, then pinched his foot

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-29356184704522618752011-10-23T16:36:00.007-05:002011-10-25T12:43:40.654-05:00

Beautiful weather, but no rain unfortunately. It clouded up on Sunday morning, but nothing happened. Drove to the farm directly from work and forgot my camera at home, so I used my phone to take these pictures.My husband began building a fence around the side yard. This is very exciting to me because it will keep the armadillos and rabbits out. It is not tall, but it doesn't need to be tall. Two

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-37506452621542438382011-10-16T21:04:00.006-05:002011-10-21T09:53:43.039-05:00

This Salvia greggii is hanging on in a determined fashion. The armadillos are always rooting around in it, so it is not growing as robustly as it normally would. The flowers are a vivid red. Salvias are rabbit and deer resistant. The leaves have a very, very strong smell which I find to be very pleasant, sort of similar to sage - they are in the same family.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-20535580538622970942011-10-16T20:59:00.010-05:002011-10-17T17:31:27.447-05:00

Barbados Cherry is a Texas native. It blooms in the fall, and the flowers are followed by large red berries that are edible (and much loved by the birds). There is a miniature version of Barbados Cherry on the market. I also grow that one, but I am not very impressed. As the name implies, it stays very small. I'm not sure what use it has in the landscape, it seems pretty insignificant to me

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-24369273009050310132011-10-16T20:55:00.007-05:002011-10-19T12:26:02.255-05:00

I am growing two of these plants in the Wave Garden, and this one is in a bed by the master bedroom. Great plant, blooms all summer and loves the fall weather. Deer resistant. All salvias have a strong scent which I think is not attractive to deer.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-63039676259962978582011-10-16T20:49:00.008-05:002011-10-17T17:22:19.741-05:00

Blue Mist Flower is a perennial. It will die back to the roots in the winter, but it will spring up cheerfully in the spring. Although it will bloom sporadically throughout the summer, it is a late summer-fall bloomer. This plant is very popular with bees and butterflies. I like the lacy spring-green-color leaves. I have some planted in partial shade and some planted in full sun. It tolerates

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-74898403359071011182011-10-16T20:38:00.014-05:002011-10-21T09:55:55.071-05:00

Heritage rose. Iceberg. Iceberg. Honeysweet. Pearlie Mae. Pearlie Mae. Pearlie Mae. Lafter. Belinda's Dream. Mlle Franziska Kreuger.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-73950287313440914992011-10-16T20:34:00.008-05:002011-10-17T17:18:12.999-05:00

Aren't the leaves of a fig tree beautiful? I just love these pictures. And how cute are my little figs? They are ripening at a maddeningly slow pace. I was assuming that figs ripened in August. I will have to research that. My tiny little fig tree! Fig trees get very big, I just have to be patient. I planted some marigolds around the tree because fig trees are very susceptible to nematodes.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-83751692448010385392011-10-16T18:02:00.011-05:002011-10-17T17:10:29.137-05:00

Arrived Friday morning Beautiful weekend. The weather was wonderful.Deadheaded the roses.Sprayed herbicide in the Rose Garden.Lots of bluebonnets are sprouting in the gravel around the rose boxes. I dug some of them up and transplanted them to the rose boxes.Planted 3 collard plants in the Vegetable Garden, more than that I cannot eat.Planted some Early Italian Garlic in the Vegetable

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-89894242920354943602011-10-13T14:56:00.007-05:002011-10-16T18:01:08.537-05:00

Morning Glory Tree is a fascinating plant. There are 3 colors - pink (which is pictured), white (which I have at home in Houston), and purple (which is very similar to pink, so close that I'm not really sure whether mine is pink or purple).It is continually in bloom from spring until fall, having 100 flowers or more blooming at one time. In the picture above you can see the numerous buds

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-10705516495331152582011-10-09T13:02:00.005-05:002011-10-09T13:15:38.085-05:00

How gorgeous is that! There are many, many varieties of passion flower vines. Each one is more beautiful than the next. This group of plants also goes by the name of Maypop. The fruits produced by these plants are edible. I have passiflora incarnata in my back yard in Houston. It is also fabulously exotic. Passion Flower vines is very easy to grow. They will die back to the ground in the winter

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-73759676013853338862011-10-09T11:34:00.004-05:002011-10-09T13:02:39.347-05:00

This is Amazone rose. Its time to shine is the fall and early spring. It doesn't do much in the hot summer months. It blooms in the heat, but they aren't pretty and they fall apart almost immediately upon opening.Arrived on Friday afternoon. Made some pea soup for the birthday dinner on Sunday.On Saturday morning it was cloudy and therefore good weather to work in! We had some good rain on

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-83592438509328105402011-09-22T18:11:00.006-05:002011-09-27T12:04:39.040-05:00

Went up for the day to water the roses and plant a few things. Going to Norman for the weekend - OU and Missouri - big game!Watered the roses. The moles have created a maze of trails under the roses. I suspect that's why I've lost 3 of my roses. When I was watering today I started sticking the hose into the soil and the soil started falling away leaving huge holes that seemed to go on forever.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-4271724129084802052011-09-19T19:57:00.011-05:002011-09-25T07:44:43.356-05:00

Coral Vine is so pretty. The flowers remind me of a wedding. Coral Vine is a fall bloomer. There is also a hot pink flowered variety. This vine is really drought tolerant. The roots have very thick tuberous roots. The roots resemble potatoes. The fleshy tubers help it to survive long periods of drought. Bees of many varieties are attracted to the flowers. This vine is covered with bees

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-44371036441983263232011-09-19T19:01:00.007-05:002011-09-20T17:45:38.158-05:00

I love grasses! The flower heads are so pretty and complex when the light strikes them. Strategically, it is smart to plant them in a spot where the sun will shine through them from your viewing vantage point.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-84572535265820458192011-09-19T18:48:00.008-05:002011-09-20T17:46:57.238-05:00

Turk's Cap is wonderful. It colonizes rapidly. It is what is known as a "passalong plant". It has been in gardens forever, passed from one neighbor to another. The red flowers are very vivid. This plant need some shade, and it is one of the few plants that blooms profusely in the shade. Butterflies and hummingbirds love it. Bees are not a fan of the flowers. There is a pink variety called

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-80349452193609309332011-09-19T18:37:00.006-05:002011-09-20T17:47:53.518-05:00

Candida Rain Lilies are fall bloomers. They multiply extremely fast. Last year I was literally looking for places to stick bulbs after they became too crowded in this spot next to the front door.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-33304033187088250862011-09-19T18:12:00.007-05:002011-09-20T17:49:10.399-05:00

This is Mojito Colocasia. I love the leaf coloring. I'm interested to see how well it returns after a winter season. Watered all the roses and fertilized them with liquid fertilizer.Sprayed herbicide in the Orchard, the Star Garden, and the Vegetable Garden.Planted Golden Beets, Cherry Belle Radishes, Hollow Crown Parsnips, Dill, Bright Lights Swiss Chard, and Mesclun Salad. Also planted some

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-5725996359932966912011-09-11T20:13:00.006-05:002011-09-16T11:03:38.568-05:00

Still no rain. Arrived Saturday night. I lost one of my large rose shrubs, a Belinda's Dream, in the Rose Garden. That's 3 roses this summer. I've lost 2 gardenias, the Sweet Olive, 2 butterfly bushes, my rock rose, my Veronica Speedwell, 5 blueberry bushes, lots of herbs in my Infinity Garden, and lots of miscellaneous perennials. It's really sad and getting very expensive.We spotted some

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-28566213034187289202011-09-10T07:21:00.007-05:002011-09-16T11:03:15.822-05:00

Maximilian Sunflowers are multi-branching perennial plants. They grow to about 6 feet tall. I grew these from seeds. I guess they like this spot because I've tried to grow seeds for the last two years and this is the first time I've had success. They are good plants for the wildlife because they have seeds just like all sunflowers. If the deer eat the flowers off the plants they will still come

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-90179451504461327782011-08-01T21:59:00.007-05:002011-08-03T08:15:11.877-05:00

Laura Bush Petunias bloom profusely in the heat of a Texas summer. This is the purple variety. Now a white and a pink variety are available. Seeds can be purchased in bulk at WildSeedFarms. In the spring, just throw down the seed (an ounce of seed is enough to cover a huge amount of land), and you will get plants everywhere. The plants in these pictures came back from seed thrown off last year's

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-21484036797555343022011-08-01T11:03:00.008-05:002011-08-02T17:26:39.465-05:00

Drove up Sunday morning and returned home Sunday afternoon. Just needed to check on some things and throw down some seeds.Spread 20 packets of Dalhberg Daisy throughout the Orchard, the Star Garden, and the Long Border. Dahlberg Daisy seed is like dust. The seeds are so teensy tiny that you can't handle them. All you can do is open the packet and dump out the contents which is hardly anything.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-35705710719199608522011-07-24T18:07:00.010-05:002011-08-01T11:02:41.689-05:00

This is the shrub rose Mlle Franziska Kruger. It was introduced in 1880. It is a winner! I took these pictures last week, and (although some of them are spent) as you can see, it has about 100 blooms on it. What is special about this shrub rose is - this is Texas! It's July! It's hot, damn hot! We're in a horrible drought. And yet here is this pretty, antique rose blooming its heart out. I have

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-88300849304052244762011-07-24T17:37:00.006-05:002011-07-25T11:02:17.248-05:00

Still no rain. Came up on Thursday evening.Watered plants. It's a fight for survival. Everything is so dry.Sprayed herbicide on the driveway, in the Vegetable Garden, in the Rose Garden, and the Orchard.Fertilized lots of plants including the veggies, the Blue Mist Flowers, the Nicotiana, the Rudbeckia Maxima, the Tansy, the Butterfly Pea Vine, the Lavender, the Oakleaf Hydrangea, the Red Turk's

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-67569951508936852942011-07-20T21:49:00.007-05:002011-07-20T22:09:15.280-05:00

Caladiums are very useful, colorful plants. You can tuck a few bulbs here and there between plants for a little color in a shady place or you can plant them en masse for a really impressive show of color. I started these plants from bulbs. The white color stands out in the dappled shade. Caladiums will return the next year, but they will not return strong. I've wondered if I dig them up and

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-70009805180859436162011-07-17T18:57:00.004-05:002011-07-20T17:17:18.828-05:00

My spunky Cairn Terrier, Rocky, was the hero this weekend. He rooted out an armadillo and trapped him under the boardwalk. My husband went out there with a gun and saw him through the cracks in the boards. He stuck his gun between the boards and shot him easy as you please. Sounds cruel. But, armadillos are destructive. I don't have a path that isn't littered with dirt from their digging. I

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-13656745254649837202011-07-10T19:28:00.006-05:002011-07-11T17:37:55.450-05:00

This is Obedient Plant, also called Dragon Head Plant.Hot and dry. The drought goes on.Sprayed herbicide in the Rose Garden, the Long Border, the Orchard, around the pool, around the flowerbed edges, and the paths in the Greenhouse Gardens.Watered some plants that are really struggling.Weeded various beds.Weeded the two Bulb Beds and mulched the Bulb Bed against the shed. When it gets closer to

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-56727288734303858572011-07-04T10:12:00.006-05:002011-07-04T10:32:25.777-05:00

Butterfly Pea Vine's scientific name is Clitoria ternatea. Looking at the bloom is obvious why that particular name is attached to it! In zone 8b where I garden this vine is a reseeding annual. It will not come up from the roots in the spring. It is in the pea family, and the leaves look like other members of the pea family. After the flower blooms a pea pod full of seeds will grow. Once the

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-64162856546092422752011-07-02T19:37:00.006-05:002011-07-02T19:51:51.152-05:00

I bought 9 Blood Lilies (Scadoxus multilforus) three years ago. This is the first bloom I have ever gotten. Of course, look at the inhospitable conditions in which I am growing them. It is a very unusual looking flower that grows straight out of the ground with very little greenery appearing beforehand. The greenery, such as it is, has only just appeared. It is very, very late in the season for

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-1016570499783794452011-06-26T20:53:00.007-05:002011-06-26T21:02:01.960-05:00

Black and Blue Sage is so named because of the pairing of the gorgeous and rare blue flower and the black calyx. This is a perennial plant. It will die to the ground and come back in the spring. It will spread.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-35771185219539343322011-06-26T18:23:00.003-05:002011-06-26T18:50:32.850-05:00

I was sitting on the back porch drinking coffee. It looked so pretty down the hill so I snapped this picture.We found a poor, dead little fawn in the yard on Friday morning.I sprayed herbicide in the Vegetable Garden and around the driveway.I pulled up the corn (it had been pulled down by the raccoons and all the corn was stripped - that's okay, we ate plenty of it) and turned over the soil in

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-68879751970285379552011-06-26T18:17:00.007-05:002011-06-26T18:23:46.730-05:00

Above, I have pink and orange zinnias interplanted with Fireworks Gomphrena. I think it is so prettty. See the little petals that are tipped with gold? I love that! All of this came from seed that I planted at the beginning of the summer.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-35884505093346882912011-06-26T17:35:00.011-05:002011-06-26T18:03:53.853-05:00

Tuber Vervain is one of the seed packets I purchased from Wildseed Farms last November. I threw this seed down in lots of places, but this is the only garden in which it bloomed. It's pretty, not real showy, but I like the bloom time. All the other wildflowers finished blooming long ago. So it is useful for that reason.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-86570613499441050382011-06-26T17:30:00.003-05:002011-06-26T17:34:36.734-05:00

We found this fawn in the yard. Poor little thing. We don't know why it died. It wasn't wounded.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-18830385228437976682011-06-14T20:31:00.005-05:002011-06-14T20:44:05.041-05:00

Pumpkin vines will climb if they are anywhere near something tall. My pumpkin vines are climbing up a fence, over an arbor, and also all along the ground. The pumpkins can be encased in a an old pantyhose if they are hanging from an arbor. I checked all four days we were at the farm last week for male flowers so that I could pollinate the flower. But no male flowers ever opened, only females! I

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-91490187963793485742011-06-14T20:16:00.009-05:002011-06-15T08:41:43.720-05:00

Four O'Clocks are reseeding annuals. They like to be in full sun. Broken Colors is a miniature variety. These are growing in my Long Border. They open in the evening and they close in the early morning. I call them the Happy Hour Flowers because they begin blooming right when it's time to have cocktails.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-78637485055148841312011-06-13T19:08:00.007-05:002011-06-14T12:41:11.784-05:00

Easy Ned Daylilies are great bloomers. Of course, I've babied them a lot (regular fertilizing). they look like they are green in these pictures but in fact they are a buttery yellow. I like the flower shape. I prefer this shape to the cup shape of many daylily varieties.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-36585403524917210422011-06-13T18:57:00.008-05:002011-06-13T19:08:47.654-05:00

So gorgeous I had to take more pictures. All the little buds are opening up.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-45334755099322978592011-06-13T16:56:00.005-05:002011-06-13T18:56:56.180-05:00

Me and my honey. Drove Max to school then went to Burton for four days.Thursday Bert was stung by wasps and had a bad allergic reaction. Went to the emergency room. IV, two epi shots, and a benedryl shot. Four hours later we were on our way home with an EpiPen prescription.Swam every day and drank lots of beer!Weeded everywhere.Read Keith Richards autobiography.Watered the roses deeply over a

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-1124377072236704512011-06-12T17:47:00.015-05:002011-06-12T18:22:17.236-05:00

I find that if I wear a baseball cap backwards - the bill in back - the head gear will stay on better. The bill anchors it in place. It can be really frustrating without something to anchor the head gear because, since it is zipped to the rest of the bee suit, it moves around a lot and blocks your vision, etc. I used the smoker this time around because the bees went crazy last weekend when I

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-60549371427644000502011-06-05T19:42:00.007-05:002011-06-06T15:40:42.624-05:00

All my zinnias returned from last year. If you let the flower heads dry out they will reseed. When I deadhead zinnias, I cut the flower head off and drop it in the garden. I throw away the stem and leaves. It is a good practice to deadhead zinnias aggressively. What I mean by that is you should cut the stem at the lowest point, just above a leaf node with new growth on it, and sometimes even

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-54338514485857940432011-06-05T18:40:00.010-05:002011-06-06T07:45:46.908-05:00

I can't say enough about these wonderful lilies. I'm a little over-eager, because they really haven't even begun blooming, and the flower stalks will grow taller. None of the flower buds have opened, but the are so cute! They really do look just like pineapples. These are very vigorous bulbs in that they multiply quickly. The bulbs are so big that they can withstand armadillos digging around

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-40937387063542504712011-06-05T18:26:00.004-05:002011-06-05T20:11:56.058-05:00

Max's graduation Saturday and a party after. Went to the farm after that. The drought is still terrible.Swam in the pool Saturday evening and throughout the day Sunday.Trimmed the wisteria over the arbor.Watered as much as I could, everything is suffering.Weeded, weeded, weeded.Pulled up all the Bachelor Buttons and threw the seeds on the ground. Pulled up the Corn Cockle and threw the seeds on

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-38818549678128090232011-06-01T20:48:00.008-05:002011-06-01T20:54:46.692-05:00

This is one of the only coneflowers I planted that came back from last year. I have never had good luck with Echinacea. And I love it. I can't grow it, but I love it.

Lisa Bonassinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17519717753170157737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474699311281014406.post-960510911901019612011-06-01T20:43:00.004-05:002011-06-01T20:47:42.494-05:00

For the best smelling flower ever, plant sweet peas.

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