Bouganvilla * September 15, 2011
photo by Suzanne
Well, well...the weekend is upon us again! I hope to find you all ready and anxious for the Fourth of July weekend! I can honestly say that I am always up for an extra day off work!
Today, I am going to show you the Spring transition I made in my small flower bed. Some of you might have seen my 'self-video' in November where I demonstrated 'one-handedly' how I did a minor, but successful makeover of this flowerbed.
Below is a photo of the result.
March 17, 2012
Time marches on, and, in late March, early April, the pansies begin to wane. It's almost no use trying to keep them vibrant, and, they were inexpensive, so, after about 5 months of blooming, it's time to bid them adieu!
And, I did net a few pretty Iris...not all of the plants bloomed. I think I probably transplanted them a little too late. It was around the 17th of November, should have done it in September! Below is a few of the white beauties I was blessed with.
Tall White Bearded Iris ~ March 27, 2012
by Suzanne
...and, now, here is what is happening as Spring 'sprang'!
photo by Suzanne * June 5, 2012
I replaced the Pansies with Impatiens in a variety of colors, and added some 'spicy' purple Petunias in the well of the tower. And, parading in front of this flower bed are some of the Zinnias we have raised. Never fear...I have plenty more Zinnia photos, and, we have since planted even more! I now have fresh, cut Zinnias in the house every day-it's so festive!
It's as though they dance, n'est-ce pas?
photos by Suzanne
Just a few tips!
* When your Iris foliage starts leaning over, don't be afraid to take a pair of scissors and cut them down to just 3 or 4 inches...angle on either side so they look like fans. They will have a tidier appearance, and, will stay green throughout the summer. I will be trimming mine very soon, and will show you the results.
* Zinnias can be planted in pots. YAY! We have planted them in the ground, but, it was so dry and hot last summer, we decided to plant them in large pots this year. However, they require watering twice a day in order to stay alert!
* When you cut your Zinnias to bring indoors, be sure to look for new bud growth, and, cut just above the little clusters that "only appear to be just leaves". And, your Zinnias will continue to bloom.
* Remember, you can let your Zinnia blooms completely dry out, and pull the seeds from the centers to replant. And, you can continue to plant packaged Zinnia seeds throughout the summer.
***
And, now, we're into our 'Summer Solstice'. Take care out in the heat...the mosquitoes are already ravaging our tender, 'not-so-sun-kissed' flesh, so, we're using plenty of repellant! The Texas temps are beginning to soar now!
This is where our temps were at last July 23, 2011
thermometer under our Mulberry tree! (in the shade!)
I'm so glad you stopped by...say hello if you get the chance.
I appreciate your visits and comments. And, I want to wish you all a safe and fun
Fourth of July!
Thank you Google
Thank you Yahoo for the firecrackers
Thank you Karo for planting the beautiful Zinnias
Hi Mom!
"The earth laughs in flowers"
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
It's my coffee time!
Glorious colors are popping on your property, dear Susan, and everything looks marvelous! Having sweet smelling, fresh cut flowers in the house is a good way to chase the blues. Looks like you're getting hotter days than I am here in Central Florida. Right now we're rain cooled and it's breezy as we await the latest spaghetti models on tropical storm Debby. Mrs. Shady's in Washington D.C. and is scheduled to fly home on Monday but her flight might get scratched. I wish you, your hubby, Scootie and all the rest of your clan a very happy 4th, dear Susan, and thank you very much for your continued friendship and patronage.
ReplyDeleteHi Shady, so glad you stopped by. Our days are now getting hotter...supposed to be running around 100° most of the week, aaghghh! Ahh, a nice cool breeze and some rain would be great right about now.
DeleteHope Mrs. Shady is able to weather the storm and make it back safely! Thank you for your colorful compliments-love those many-colored flowers! Have a happy and safe 4th. ♫
Hi there Susan, hope you haven't melted away over there in all that heat - argh!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, your garden looks so beautiful and colourful indeed. Zinnias are such a gorgeous and versatile flower aren't they. Not only do they give you delight to have them inside and out, but they are so photogenic as well! Gorgeous! I just have to go out and get myself a packet of seeds, thanks to your posts about them :D)
Thanks for all your tips as well. To trim the foliage of irises as you suggest makes such good sense. Your white irises are quite lovely.
Hope you enjoy your 4th of July celebrations. Cheers and keep cool :D) xx
Hello there Susan, it is 98° today...steamy too! The Zinnias are really bright, and they last indoors for at least a week. They need a lot of sun and water. But they are so hardy! I must trim the Iris leaves soon, they're waving to me, lol!
DeleteThank you so much for your compliments, some things are so simple, and, evolve so beautiful! My pink Peace Roses are blooming again, too. Don't know how they take this heat. But I just cut them in bring them in to stay cool!
We're staying in on the 4th...too many teenagers on our street throwing fireworks around, even though it's against the law in the city.
Have a wonderful week, see you soon!xoxo