OT just to say a quick hi y'all

15 years ago

Hope everyone has been enjoying the summer. My garden has recovered beautifully from the disaster I had in July. I wanted to thank you all for your thoughts and concern. I've received some seeds, cuttings, plants and bulbs from some of you and from some garden friends here in town. They are all doing wonderfully, and I really believe only Chase and I know what damage was done. I lost a few lupines and other perennials, as well as most of my younger stock and potted plants. Some things came back well others are struggling a bit. I think next year the damage won't be noticible to even us.

Just wanted to post a few photos to show how the garden is doing and again, to thank you all.

Chaz

A view from the patio

{{gwi:424534}}

impatiens balfouri

{{gwi:424536}}

{{gwi:424538}}

perennial hibiscus

{{gwi:423019}}

hardy fucshia

{{gwi:424541}}

dahlia bouquet includes perrilla, verbena bonariansis, butterfly bush, and hosta

{{gwi:424544}}

A really neat bronze annual hibiscus

{{gwi:424547}}

and some brugmansias

{{gwi:424548}}

{{gwi:389831}}

and my night bloomer did put out a second flush of buds.

{{gwi:424549}}

{{gwi:422115}}

{{gwi:424550}}

Thanks again

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
15 years ago
Chaz,
How BEAUTIFUL!! Glad that most recovered after your "disasterous" garden-sitter incident. Hard to believe how great it looks! CONGRATS...your plants must really be tolerant!
Kristi
chazparas
Original Author
15 years ago
Kristi I really was surprised at how much came back. Most in the ground did OK and resprouted from the roots. A lot of it is drought tolerant, but I thought it wasn't established enough to make it as some was first year. The bulk of what I lost was in pots, lots of perennials I had been propogating. I did loose a couple of hydrangeas, and a ton of seedlings, yet things popped up almost out of nowhere. The tall verbena that line the walk self seeded from plants of last year. They were parched but resurrected once a steady supply of water was given. quite a variety of plants were also stunted, and some lost all buds but have provided a second flush like the brugmansias and the epi cacti. Things like my passifloras really suffered but have managed to put out a flower or five, I'm not letting them go to seed this year as they've been stressed enough.
Thank G*d that my hippis were indoors, and some of the harder to find shrubs, trees, and plants made it.
It was a hard lesson to learn about hiring help, but also quite a lesson to learn about the resilency (did I spell that corrrect?) of some plants.
Related Discussions
A Formal Hippi Return! HI Y'ALL!
Q
Comments (24)
Many (((hugs))) to all of you. Have missed everyone. Thanks for sharing your lives, flowers, family, and pets. Love it! I sure would have enjoyed that plant exchange, Cindee. Our garden club has one each May. It's such fun. I, too, was not with you for the whole summer. This has been the worst ever summer time-wise. Each time I turned around, something HAD to be done. Art class ran into June (which is no good for me). Then it started again in Sept., but I told her there's just no way, so I got a two-month reprieve. Start again this coming Thursday and am taking my 15-year-old granddaughter Katie with me as a visitor. She has awesome talent and is as bad with art as we are with Hippis. I purchased another garden tractor this summer - I now have three and use them all -- there is just so much to take care of. Have also been picking up kids from school - into June this year, and come Sept. that started again. It's 1-1/2 hours r/t which really cuts into my days. Next year they will at least both be in the same school. Now I'm dog-visiting. My friend went to FL for many weeks and her husband pays me to come and be with them for an hour each day while he works. Oh, and I decided a truck would be in order, so purchased my son's 2000 black Dodge Dakota V-8 Sport. The price was right, and this will be better to carry mulch. It was hard to get with the Explorer (plus it's fun to drive). This way I can just drive up to the mulch heap and have them dump a bucket into the truck. Then I can drive it right to the garden that needs it. My days are all just cut up and I get nothing done. Lots of my plants got frosted, and the hippis were under blankets for several 30 degree days. Had some construction going on until beginning of Oct. and could barely squeeze through the furniture stacked around for probably two months. It was not a bad summer, actually a pretty good one, but it was stressful. For the most part I was healthy, and pretty much kept up with things like the 25-year-old I think I am -- not the 74-year-old that I just turned today. I neglected my orchids and many of the gardens, but the hippis grew and grew. I repotted most of them for the sake of better growing medium. I could probably exchange some orchids in the spring if I get a chance to repot. Right now they should be throwing spikes, so not a good time. Also, some Hippi bulbs. I have to say, this has been like sitting down at a nice table under some palm trees with warm breezes relaxing with a bunch of dear friends that enjoy the same things and understand eachother's obsessions. Soon we'll all be sharing tons of gorgeous pictures. I also have a bunch of bulbs coming from RC and want to order some of those on my wish list. But gotta run now and try to dig the rest of my dahlias.
...See More
Hi Y'all!!
Q
Comments (12)
Well, as I understand it, nitrogen makes up about 80% of our atmosphere in its enert form. Unusable in that form. Lightening provides the energy necessary to break up the nitrogen molecules into atoms that are then dispersed into the atmosphere and combined with oxygen in the air, forming nitrogen oxides. The oxides dissolve in rain forming nitrates that are then carried to the Earth to become available to all plants. This is the process called "nitrogen fixation". Legumes are the most common plants known for the nitrogen fixation properties of their roots. Nitrogen stored in their roots is available for the plant's use, so that even if you cut off the above-ground growth of the plant, the "nodules" formed in the plant's roots will continue to disperse nitrogen in the soil. That's why lots of farmers grow legumes as cover crops. That's about all I know about it. Have you noticed, tho, how green the plants, grass, etc., look following a good thunderstorm? I love it. It doesn't just give them a good bath, lol! Susan
...See More
Hi y'all! Couple of newbie questions.
Q
Comments (6)
If you have just moles, then you have the raised tunnels across the yard and no plant damage. They eat earthworms and grubs and such. I've used a castor bean oil repellant with good success. If that's what you have, the repellant will help if used exactly according to directions. It needs to be watered in so it's in the ground at the level the moles are tunneling. Voles are extremely destructive to plants, eating the roots and crowns of many kinds. I lost several hundred dollars worth of hostas many years ago before I realized what was going on and my MIL lost a huge rose bush that literally fell over from loss of roots. I don't know if the repellants work against them or not. A cat is an excellent solution since they think vole and mole hunting is great sport. They usually kill the moles and leave them lying around but will eat the voles. At least that's what our cats have always done. The other solutions are traps or poison bait which can be enclosed in specially designed bait stations. I worry about the poisoned critters being caught above ground before they die and eaten by cats or other predators and then the poison going up the food chain. I've done it in the past when we didn't have outside pets and the neighbors were far enough away that I was reasonably sure no pets were going to get in trouble. But it's not my favorite thing to do. I much prefer letting a cat do my dirty work for me. LOL They will also keep the chipmunk population under control. The mulch, compost, and manure can be stored near each other without problem. Tarps might keep the dogs out but are not really necessary for any other reason. The manure will age better without a tarp and be ready for the garden faster but I understand the need if the dogs are fond of it. We had one that loved to follow the neighbor's cows around and find the freshest pile available to roll in... then thought he was the sweetest smelling thing alive and wanted to be petted! Nasty little critter, but we loved him anyway! LOL
...See More
quick question for y'all
Q
Comments (8)
thanks everyone! I don't know why that's been on my mind lately, but I hate not knowing something that's being talked about, don't you? all I can say now is, someone call project bluebook, because there are too many ufos around my sewing desk! ...now, to get some sleep and start turning those WIPs into quilts!
...See More
jodik_gw
15 years ago
Gorgeous photos, Chaz! I can't choose a favorite! I am leaning toward the night bloomer, though! Or maybe the red Hibiscus...

The form of your night bloomer is unreal! I did not expect it to look quite like that! I had imagined a more cacti-looking form, closely hugging the pot... if you know what I mean! Wow! That's amazing! It's the one plant I really haven't taken the time to closely research... I can see I need to get on that, and learn more!

The red Hibiscus is really beautiful! Our local Lowe's has some red flowered ones in large pots, but they're too high priced right now... I thought I'd try to grab one when the price went down a bit... call me cheap! In my gardens, Hibiscus are more the focal plant type, and I really don't have room for another... but I'd make an exception for the red!

Your gardens look terrific, Chaz! I'm happy it all worked out good in the end! You guys have done a fabulous job on your yard! I can see all the hard work that went into it, all the stone work, all the pathways, all the planting and choosing of plants... it's a beautiful scene!

Plants continue to surprise me with their ability to adapt and survive adverse conditions... most cope pretty well, I find. Notice how the weeds cope even better? LOL!

Anyway... I'm happy that you're happy with the end results, and I'm glad I could be a small part of it... don't hesitate to ask for anything else you'd like that I might have... I'm glad to share!

Nice job, Chaz! Great photos!
cindeea
15 years ago
HOLEY SOX Chaz, where do you find the time to create and maintain such a diversified tropicalesque paradise in your climate??? Hell, here in SW Florida I can't possibly compete! Absolutely stunning! We are breaking our backs here in Hurricane Central trying to get the lawn all my plants, vines shrubs and trees under control with the heat and rain. Now here comes HUGE rain bands again from Gustav! Your gardens are stunning, my friend!
kitty747
15 years ago
Chaz, Your place never ceases to amaze me. You would never know of the disaster you experienced, because it looks like a paradise to me. Your NBC is just amazing. The fragrance must have been heavenly! Are your Brugs in pots, or do you plant them in the ground during the summer? I have four of them and they've outgrown their pots. I've been wondering what to do with them. Thanks for sharing your beautiful surroundings!
Kitty
jstropic (10a)
15 years ago
Chaz,

Just gorgeous! I also don't know where you get the time to put into that incredible landscape. You must have just planned it really well !

I'm with Cindee, lots of time spent first with drought then with rain, then with wind, then with threats of those not to be named storms! So thanks for the wonderful photos. Most beautiful!
haxuan
15 years ago
Wonderful photos, Chaz. Your night bloomer looks so shinny!

Thank you.

Xuan
Noni Morrison
15 years ago
Chaz, how lovely to see what your garden has been able to do to heal itself! I am happy to think that you have plants to bring you joy through the rest of the garden year. I love the red hibiscus too!

OT just to say a quick hi y'all

Comments (8)

kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)

chazparas
Original Author

Related Discussions

jodik_gw

cindeea

kitty747

jstropic (10a)

haxuan

Noni Morrison

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

OT just to say a quick hi y'all

Comments (8)

kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)

chazparasOriginal Author

Related Discussions

jodik_gw

cindeea

kitty747

jstropic (10a)

haxuan

Noni Morrison

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

chazparas
Original Author