The garden thread.

[Ana]

OK..this is getting wierd...I had hoped to inspire some folks here to post pictures of their gardens (Bear...), share tips or secrets etc. However, if you would rather offer me everything from brownies to your first-born in return for my gardening mojo...

I really don't plant with much of a plan -- just by what is likely to grow and what will offer spots of color and 'pattern' around the house.  I enjoy creating combos of unusual colors/plants in hanging baskets to decorate my tiny front porch -- which becomes quite a nice sanctuary when everything gets going.
Here is an area of the back yard I am enjoying right now.  These Icelandic Poppies 'came with' the property and, being heavy seeders,  are in several spots around the back yard.  The color is simply stunning.

Beautiful.  I've tried to grow some pink ones and they didn't like the spot they were in, I believe.  But I put some in my front yard and I think a couple are coming back this year.  I love the way the pod pops and these wrinkled, fragile, paper-type flowers begin to unfold. 

If you collect any seeds, I will take some.

Ana.

[tgoddess]

Speaking of seeds, if anyone would like any purple columbine seeds, let me know.  Mine are blooming like CRAZY this year and I'm going to have a ton of them.  I'll be happy to gather them for anyone who wants them.  Probably in a month or so...

[~LL~]

Those Poppies are beautiful...never seen/heard of 'em before...wonder if they have the same hallucinogenic powers as the American variety

'Rita:
While one might think that the California Poppy would have hallucinogenic powers...it is actually the Oriental Poppy that one can use to wrack up frequent 'flyer' miles (without ever leaving home).  Uh...er...(gulp) or, so I've heard...

[Matryoshka]

Ha! We know, we know, you were a San Francisco Flower Child...    

[~LL~]

Ha! We know, we know, you were a San Francisco Flower Child...    

Whaddya mean 'were'... only the location has  (temporarily) changed (to protect the innocent...)
Far out, Sister.
Think for yourself & question authority.
Peace,
"Dharma"--Schmidt

[Bonster]

I could use some tips, though.

My 3rd year Clematis is growing funky...the bottom 3 feet look dry and dead, but the top foot (end of my trellis) is bunched up thick (and ready to pop with scores of dark purple flowers).  SHould I retrain the thing to grow back down, add more to the trellis, or what?  I wish I could pull it down so the middle isn't "bare."  I'll try to post a pic later.

The thing is still strange.  The middle to lower half looks so dead, I don't know how the top is getting water and nutrients unless it's sucking them from the garage wall!    The top is really leanding to one side.  That being said, it's popping like mad, with tons of buds waiting their turn.

   

[Ana]

as promised, some of my front garden sometime in mid may.

[Ana]

and some of the back garden. . .

[Ana]

and more. . .

[tgoddess]

Very nice, Ana!

[Ana]

Thank you T!

Boris -- how long have you had your sweet woodruff?  It's fantastic!  A friend of mine just gave me a big clump from her back yard and I put it in front and have started taking bits and putting them in other shaded areas.  Also, do you do anything to your soil at the beginning of the season?

[OakParkSpartan]

Which photo is the sweet woodruff?

[Boris]

Thank you T!

Boris -- how long have you had your sweet woodruff?  It's fantastic!  A friend of mine just gave me a big clump from her back yard and I put it in front and have started taking bits and putting them in other shaded areas.  Also, do you do anything to your soil at the beginning of the season?

This is 3rd year...but a lot if it is second year. It usually just holds it's own in its first year, then it seems to spread underground during the fall-winter early spring. Then when it pops back up the clumps is nearly twice the spread of what it was in the fall.

[Boris]

Which photo is the sweet woodruff?

this one:

http://www.berwyntalk.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3562.0;attach=2612;image

[Boris]

I could use some tips, though.

My 3rd year Clematis is growing funky...the bottom 3 feet look dry and dead, but the top foot (end of my trellis) is bunched up thick (and ready to pop with scores of dark purple flowers).  SHould I retrain the thing to grow back down, add more to the trellis, or what?  I wish I could pull it down so the middle isn't "bare."  I'll try to post a pic later.

The thing is still strange.  The middle to lower half looks so dead, I don't know how the top is getting water and nutrients unless it's sucking them from the garage wall!    The top is really leanding to one side.  That being said, it's popping like mad, with tons of buds waiting their turn.

   

Bonster, the old saying about clematis: they like their feet in the shade and their face in the sun– couldn't be more true. They get woody and leggy at the bottom...but fear not, they are healthy. Plant something like ostrich fern or columbine around the base.

[OakParkSpartan]

Columbine naturalizes nice...just keeps coming back (except for that one corner where everything dies...).

Need a part-shade, will live in shitty conditions plant...would prefer some color.  Recommendations welcome.

Cheers,
Brian

[Bonster]

I'll have to do that (shade plants).


Ana- your garden kicks ass; I love it. 
I also dig your unique basement windows.
And I think my wife stole some of your solar lights.     

[Terri]

Lovely Ana! 

Bonster my clematis does the same, I figured it was growing so it was ok.  Boris' explanation makes sense. 

Terri

[Bonster]

  my dad's been telling me that since I got it.
I can hear him now, "told you so...dammit." 

Where is yours at, Terri, with respect to your house?  On the fence?  On the house?  And which direction, may I ask?

[Terri]

It faces west against the house.  I've considered moving it, should have more flowers.  We have an abundance of shade in front.   

Terri