Thursday, May 3, 2012

Mom likes this - Dicentra spectabilis

I'm not looking after our small flower garden for the sake of nice compliments and well, mom rarely says something but I remember her saying "that's a pretty one!" and pointed to this bush.

Dicentra spectabilis, by its common name "bleeding heart" and the Romanian one would be "lady's earrings".

What I like about it is the earliness and prettiness (are these English words???)

When other plants only wake up after a long, freezing winter, it is already in full bloom.

SO.. which bulbs bloomed?

Geez, it's been over a month. I'd say my life is real busy and I fail to find time for writing, but I'd be lying.
There's always time. WILL...this is something I sometimes lack! And... I forget about this blog, true!

ANYWAY...here I am. Beginning of MAY, already the temps are in the 30s (Celsius) most of the spring bulbs are done for this year.

Let's see what I had in my garden:

These tiny but really cute Erythronium(s) 




























Then, some Crocus vernus Pickwick (transplanted last fall, so only a few scattered blooms :(


































Tiny and cute Fritillaria uva-vulpis (probably)
















Speaking of Fritillaria, this is the first spring to have F. imperialis blooming - previous bulbs sometimes generated green stems, no blooms, and sometimes died underground without any warning - and I was anxiously waiting, and waiting...

Fritillaria imperialis


















And these Hyacinth(s) ... Jan Bos... not really the deep red I saw on labels and packaging but still... kinda cool. A good-willed neighbor decided 5 is way too many and snatched 2 if them. Good thing they didn't pull the out with bulbs-and-all!



































A couple daffodils and tulips in the next... episode...

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Who doesn't love bulbs ???

Bulbs are (in joint venture with alpines) my real cup of tea!
All kinds of bulbs - spring, summer, tropical. As long as they are not fussy about blooming.
As it's spring, I can only talk about spring blooming ones.
We've had a really cold winter and just like me, bulbs are springing out of the ground to enjoy all the sun they can.
I don't live in my garden, I visit it 2-3 times a week and I am quite surprised to see how quickly the action develops.
Here's some of the bulbs I am eager to see in full bloom:

Tulips (I've got quite a bunch, but I will only show these two... for the sake of interesting-ness)


 














 Hyacinths
I call this MONSTER

Jan Bos - NEW ones
Erythronium - probably dens-canis (dog tooth)
Got them from the woods (yes, bad CALIN, but they were everywhere, hardly endangered!)
I got to them a bit too late and weren't in bloom, so it's gon















Orchis purpurea (not really a bulb, but looks like one - and I'm nevertheless anxious about it)
This is it in bloom:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2832170310104010362FWtrmv
















Fritillaria imperialis
 probably the orange-ish. NEW!




















Allium - of some kind -
last spring they grew a bit, then just wilted and died back - I never got the chance to see what they are. I love the pink tips!



















Tulipa tarda I have to put these on my list, last spring I thought I had lost them completely. I even see cute, small seedlings!!!



First blooms for 2012

There's nothing like some color in the gaden (besides GREEN) after a long long winter.
And every winter seems longer than the previous. And colder. And the snow thicker.

Well. Here's what I have had so far in my garden.

SNOWDROPS (of course!)
HEPATICA (in blue and pink) and
HELLEBORUS.
I wish they grew taller and looked up - I have to really bend down and even kneel to take pics :)

Here they are!






Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Hydrangea - a real bargain?

I went to the mall for Valentine's ... and I happened to go to the supermarket. Of course they had all kinds of flowers, cut and potted for this ocassion.
I stumbled upon a bargain.
I always envied people in the west, always bragging about their finds, and cheap plants they always seem to get... and I was wondering "why not me?"
Now it's me!
Found these 2 (the last ones otherwise i would have got 10!)

HYDRANGEA 

















After I placed them in those white trays and watered, they perked up!
I will take pics later one when fully recovered!

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Winter casualties (Succulents)

Forgot to close the window to my balcony and most of the succulents  I was testing (for hardiness) proved to be tender. Well, with temps of -15 C, no wonder! Plus the open window.
So... I can only cry now or look around for trades LOL

One of the mushy-dead ones is this TACITUS BELLUS















Which now looks like this... a real puzzle! (trying to root the ones that feel hard)





Thursday, January 12, 2012

Erythrina crista-galii (right and wrong)

Funny. From the same batch of seeds I got these two. I call them the right one and the wrong one.
What can I do with the wrong one? The top is cut off and badly infected and the plant started shoots from the trunk.
How can I give it a NICE look... ???

The RIGHT one

















The WRONG one


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Cardiocrinum giganteum (seeds)

I fell in love with this crinum a few years ago. Bulbs too expensive so I gave seeds a short. Total failure. Not even one seed sprouted.
Now I got fresh seeds from another fellow gardener. I was shocked by how many seeds I received :)
I already have Cardiocrinum seeds sown in a small plastic container with a lid and stored in the fridge, another 5Liter container on tha balcony and another one wintersown outside in the garden.
At least one seed must germinate!



This is actually a small container. And got a lid. 

Just in one of these!

Gardenia jasminoides Kleim's Hardy

I got this Gardenia In October? November last year. So I've had it for a couple months now. Not doing so great. Tops have all turned brown.
It's in a plastic pot, on my balcony.
I can see the roots coming out from the bottom of the pot.
Any idea what is wrong with it?
Would it survive cold winters of -15C out in the garden? (In case I save it...)