tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85500732024-03-07T01:12:04.510-08:00Cincinnati Cape CodAdventures in home-owningKasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.comBlogger370125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-73197777541201694712008-11-09T07:35:00.000-08:002008-11-10T07:38:32.318-08:00Kitchen Before and (Finally) AfterIn an ideal world, my kitchen make-over would have included new cabinets, a new countertop, and cork flooring. I had to make do with new appliances, a baker’s rack, an outlet refresh, and tons of paint.<br /><br /><strong>Before</strong><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=332,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/2/3390765_5e6bc9920c.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/2/3390765_5e6bc9920c_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=334,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/1/4072494_243ae37a9f.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/1/4072494_243ae37a9f_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=337,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/3/3390747_bdc8fc158c.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/3/3390747_bdc8fc158c_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=332,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/3/3390757_f09028241f.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/3/3390757_f09028241f_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=331,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/2/3390754_00f9ce397a.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/2/3390754_00f9ce397a_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center><br />It took many coats of paint to cover up those awful sunflower stencils.<br /><br /><strong>After</strong> (sorry so many pictures, I’m just so happy with the “after!”)<br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=333,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/3018465653_e4968feee2.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/3018465653_e4968feee2_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=333,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3296/3019296006_d0d9b778da.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3296/3019296006_d0d9b778da_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=333,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/3018465589_883726ce03.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/3018465589_883726ce03_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=333,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3188/3018464967_968010dee1.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3188/3018464967_968010dee1_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=333,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/3018465485_4a951cecbc.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/3018465485_4a951cecbc_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=333,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3164/3019295492_0b9ed70f3f.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3164/3019295492_0b9ed70f3f_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=333,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3235/3018465277_e7710829b4.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3235/3018465277_e7710829b4_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center><br />The paint is Behr’s “Golden Cricket.” I had paint left over from covering up the hallway’s “<a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2005/12/honey-hallway-is-orange.html">Pumpkin Puke</a>” and decided to give it a go in the kitchen. I’m happy with how it looks next to the true white cabinets and trim. The golden color also lessens the impact of the horribly dated countertop.<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=333,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/3019295674_c0993e25e2.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/3019295674_c0993e25e2_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>I’m proudest of the door. I bought a <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2005/12/thank-you-anonymous.html">multi-lite door</a> to replace the existing door, but it was too short and I had to abandon that project. Instead, I transformed the existing door with paint and trim so that it resembles the house’s other doors (all original). The trim creates an illusion of recessed panels that is quite convincing at first glance.<br /><br />I love my “new” kitchen! I have to stop myself from going in to stare at it too often because the cats wrongly assume that I only go to the kitchen to get them “toon-toons” and follow me in to fix me with plaintive looks and meows. Or perhaps, they just can’t get enough of the new kitchen, either.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-24651854488687060952008-05-13T07:36:00.000-07:002008-05-14T07:36:49.631-07:00First Rose of the Season<a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=362,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/2491393331_5e5cc1963f.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/2491393331_5e5cc1963f_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>The first rose of the season belongs to Terese Bugnet. She’s a truly indomitable rose. She tolerates part shade and still blooms heavily. She is undaunted by late frosts, drought, and browsing deer. When I had to move her last spring, I ended up dividing her in the process. I planted the three largest portions in the yard and potted up two smaller pieces for friends. My divisions are all preparing to bloom their fool heads off, so I hope the gifted divisions are doing just as well.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-72542987628650460632008-04-16T06:33:00.000-07:002008-04-16T04:51:55.311-07:00Perennial TulipGardeners are advised to treat tulips as annuals. Despite their association with the soggy Netherlands, tulips are native to the dry, mountainous regions of central Asia. They need cold winters, wet springs, and dry summers to perform well year after year. Most gardeners can’t (or won’t) provide these conditions, so the plants decline after a year or so. Tulip breeders offer varieties they claim are perennial, but are they really? (And, wouldn’t it be counter to the tulip breeder’s interests to produce a tulip that perennializes in the garden setting?)<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=335,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2025/2410555974_39a8f3abbc.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2025/2410555974_39a8f3abbc_m.jpg" border="0" align="left"/></a >I’ve either got one of those new-fangled perennial tulips or special conditions in my garage bed because these tulips are going strong on their third year! They’ve received no extra care. I haven’t fertilized them. They got pretty wet this summer as I irrigated the nearby tomato bushes. You want to know what type of tulip they are, right?<br /><br />I wish I knew! They came free with some bulb order. Ah, the irony, to have a tulip that appears to perennialize and not know how to get more.<br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=681,height=1024,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3252/2409722393_be970aea47_b.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3252/2409722393_be970aea47.jpg" border="0"></a ></center>Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-46369846032062335762008-04-15T06:17:00.000-07:002008-04-15T06:18:22.195-07:00Anchoring the 35 Dollar Arch<a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=375,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1162/564136860_a18557b393.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1162/564136860_a18557b393_m.jpg" border="0" align="right"/></a > My <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2007/06/35-dollar-arbor.html">$35 arch</a> kept falling over. It has no spikes or extra long legs to anchor it to the ground. I know from my experience with the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2007/05/arbor-installed.html">cedar arbor</a> that using plants to anchor structures can be disastrous. I ended up staking the arch to the ground with 100 lb wire and bright yellow stakes.<br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=274,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2397/2410551546_fce9f536c8.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2397/2410551546_fce9f536c8_m.jpg" border="0"></a ><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=299,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/2410553118_80e70cb060.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/2410553118_80e70cb060_m.jpg" border="0"></a ><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=320,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2206/2410550014_8acb7a5815.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2206/2410550014_8acb7a5815_m.jpg" border="0"></a ><br>(The cat is only for scale, I promise)</center><br /><br />I stood in the aisle of Home Depot for a good 30 minutes, debating the type of wire to use. I liked the look of wire rope and cable, but they didn’t seem like they could be tied off and Mike and I were stumped by the fasteners. I ended up using 100 lb picture wire because the back of the package had a diagram detailing how to twist and hook the wire to “tie” the end. As a bonus, the wire is almost invisible and sure to trip anyone that doesn’t use the approved entrance into the North Corner.<br /><br />To further enhance the trip hazard, I wanted the wire tight enough to sing when plucked. First, I fastened the wire to the stake, then Mike pushed the stake almost all the way into the ground and I fastened the wire to the arbor. Finally, Mike stood on the stake to sink it as far as it would go, thus taking any slack out of the wire. <br /><br />The arbor hasn’t blown over again, but I’m still waiting for my first tripping victim.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-49688246533971104592007-08-28T06:24:00.000-07:002007-08-28T06:26:34.144-07:00Flushing the FountainI have a small, self-contained fountain from Home Depot. It used to sit in my sunroom, but I moved it out in preparation for renovations last summer. I set it out on a corner of the deck and decided I liked it there better. However, I discovered that keeping a fountain outside involves more maintenance than inside. Even though the fountain is in the shade, algal growth eventually clogs the water line and the result is a sad dribbling fountain:<br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=375 height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1086/1249301527_deea6b86b2.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1086/1249301527_deea6b86b2_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center><br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500 height=375,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1398/1249301549_45427373ee.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1398/1249301549_45427373ee_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>Two or three times during the summer, I clean out the line using three common household items (1) hot water, (2) vinegar, and (3) a turkey baster. (I might add that I originally tried to unplug the line with wire, but that was ineffective.)<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=375 height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1143/1249301565_33f0b7dea6.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1143/1249301565_33f0b7dea6_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>I remove the hose (and attached mouthpiece) from the fountain and bring it inside. Using the turkey baster, I force a mixture of hot water and vinegar through the line. It takes a few flushings, but, eventually, clots of slimy algae are pushed out the house. I finish with multiple hot water rinses, until I’m sure the line is clear. Then, I reassemble the fountain and plug it back in.<br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=375 height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1356/1249301619_a7f6fee88b.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1356/1249301619_a7f6fee88b_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center><br /><br />When I’m ready to put the fountain away for the season, I’ll clean the pump itself, but just clearing the line gets me through the summer.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-85498753756189153532007-08-01T05:42:00.000-07:002007-08-01T05:46:00.233-07:00Pink CannaWhen I read Mrs. Greenthumbs, she insisted that all daylilies are orange, no matter the advances in breeding or the pretty catalog pictures. I believed her then, but I’ve since found daylilies in shades without a bit of orange in them. (Not that I have anything against orange. I adore the color.) When I found pink cannas for sale, I was a little more willing to believe that the pictured pink flower was true to life. If daylilies can be lavender, can’t a canna be pink?<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=464,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1069/973235367_b2ce03b0e2.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1069/973235367_b2ce03b0e2_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>You can judge for yourself. It is definitely more orange than the package picture, but you <em>could </em>call it pink. Perhaps “salmon” would be a more accurate description. Not that I mind – I love orange.<br /><br />City of Portland CannaKasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-24116246470835207452007-07-23T06:17:00.000-07:002007-07-23T06:29:43.756-07:00Candy Cane BorderAt my open garden, as I described the concept of the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47241502@N00/sets/965861/">candycane border</a> to my guests (flowers in shades of red, white, and pink), I was surprised at how enthralled they were with the concept. Unfortunately, my guests had to use their imaginations to picture the flowers, because the border was between blooms. The moss phlox, daffodils, sweet William, peonies, and roses were spent. The hibiscus and lilies held promising buds, but were weeks from opening. More than one guest expressed a desire to return when the border was in its second bloom. I am unable (unwilling?) to host another event this year, but I’ll share photos here.<br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=768,height=1024,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1310/875198651_0791625778_b.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1310/875198651_0791625778.jpg" border="0" /></a> </center><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=342,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1248/875198681_499ae5a7d8.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1248/875198681_499ae5a7d8_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>I’m fairly pleased with the late summer effect. The border color scheme sounds simple, but it can be difficult to blend the right red and pink tones together. While the hibiscus and stargazer lilies have purple undertones, the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/65/204815592_45d00cb55b.jpg">cardinal lobelia</a> almost slides into the orange range and the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/191/507570024_03ec6f4ca6.jpg">sweet william</a> blossoms varied from red-black to red-orange. Who knows what color the “red” hydrangea (hornli) blooms are because the plant hasn’t flowered (or grown much) in three years. White is the only “easy” color in the border.<br /><br />I continue to plot and plan to improve the border and, in the meantime, I’m enjoying the bits of it that I think I’ve finally got right.<br /><br /><center></center><center></center><center></center>Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-84144187348733341442007-07-09T13:12:00.000-07:002007-07-09T13:14:12.592-07:00The Wrong NigellaMy <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2007/05/annual-experiment.html">annual experiment</a> has not yielded quite the results I was hoping for. Instead of Nigella flowers that look like this:<br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=450,height=251,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1160/763686698_96a97a5938.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1160/763686698_96a97a5938_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center><br />I’ve got flowers that look like this:<br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=375,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1416/760390749_f33cb7c1a4.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1416/760390749_f33cb7c1a4_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center><br />Bleah. The problem is, I grew <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigella_sativa">Nigella sativa</a>, from my spice seeds. The garden variety of Nigella is Nigella damascena. Whoops. While I may have a spice harvest, I am very disappointed to be missing the fantastic love-in-a-mist flowers.<br /><br />I think I’ll sow poppies over my tulips next year, or make sure I have the right species of Nigella.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-8920832934159836732007-07-06T12:37:00.000-07:002007-07-06T12:38:49.888-07:00Gardening BeltI figure gardening is good exercise. I don’t mind digging or hoeing or hauling manure. What does bother me, though, is running from one end of the yard to the other to find my trowel or twine or pruners or scissors or camera. Worst of all: running to find my phone, should I happen to actually hear it ring. I needed a hands-free way to tote my miscellaneous items around. So, I asked for this for our 3-year (leather) anniversary:<br /><br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=627,height=1024,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1042/740574255_19dde772ec_b.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1042/740574255_19dde772ec.jpg" border="0" /></a></center><br />It holds all the aforementioned items, including a clip-on compass so I don’t get lost!<br /><br />Now, all I need is a drink holder attached to my cart for my ghetto sangria (Looza/boxed white wine mixture). Or maybe I should just get one of those beer hats.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-16553495222518525572007-07-03T06:48:00.000-07:002007-07-03T06:50:04.284-07:00Duke GardenI attended the Tri-State Green Industry Expo in February. While I enjoyed the seminars, the best thing I got out of the experience was meeting John Duke. I’ll confess, I’d come across his name before in connection with the Cincinnati gardening scene. When I happened to sit next to him during one of the classes, I was sure to not let him go. I followed him to lunch and was treated to photos of his charming garden. Before we parted, I got his email address and gave him a card with my blog’s address. We kept in touch over the winter and spring. He read my blog and attended a free preview of my spring show, Vanities. At my open garden, he brought me an invitation to his own event and I finally got to see the pictured garden in person.<br /><br />His garden is 11 years old, and it just the way I hope mine looks in another eight: with only six minutes of lawn remaining. Yes, it takes his wife, Amy, just six minutes to cut the grass. The rest of the yard is glorious garden, divided into multiple areas: <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1214/694053411_6fc3ec27d7.jpg">daylily display beds</a>, a <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1031/694014165_beabb44175.jpg">children’s garden</a>, a <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1291/694937428_83ec33c5bf.jpg">railroad garden</a>, <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1335/695105669_e2f652a150.jpg">fairy gardens</a>, a patio (complete with <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1231/694937014_a8fdfc2c14.jpg">firepit</a>), a <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1290/694937114_01c6cb9e48.jpg">utility area</a>, and lots of shade (due to all of his lovely, mature trees and shrubs). I found the shade garden <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1046/695358893_8aa892c30b.jpg">beneath his Norway Spruce</a> to be most inspiring, because I’m fighting to plant beneath my four mature specimens. However, if I could transplant a piece of his yard to mine, I’d take the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1125/694937180_364e23ac9a.jpg">greenhouse</a>. It’s a perfect size for a city garden and made by John himself.<br /><br />I took over 40 photos of the Duke garden. I tried to keep them in the order I walked the garden. You can view the complete set here:<br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href); return false" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47241502@N00/sets/72157600605725075/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1335/694901476_1aeb549872_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center>Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-18303232778566786582007-07-02T18:29:00.000-07:002007-07-02T12:31:05.153-07:00Giant Cherry TomatoWhen I planned my potager, I sketched in sunflowers and teepees for height. I figured the cherry tomato bushes would be proportionally sized to regular tomatoes plants as the fruit. Well, my “mini” tomato has reached six feet. I think it will even outgrow the sunflowers.<br /><br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=375,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1039/696338332_ae809dbe57.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1039/696338332_ae809dbe57_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center><br />I’m growing the Black Pearl variety of cherry tomato. The tomatoes are indeed cherry-sized, so there was no mix-up there. Why is this thing so huge? Was I silly to expect a miniature bush? I’m hoping some experienced tomato growers can help me out. I’ve used up my longest stakes. If the plant grows any taller, it will just have to support itself.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-84230339402481624882007-06-26T11:30:00.000-07:002007-06-26T11:32:08.372-07:00Open Garden Pics<a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47241502@N00/sets/72157600479738795/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1273/622123760_9676b6460f_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>Whew! Holding an open garden is exhausting! I’m glad I did it, though, and thanks to all who attended. If you couldn’t make it, check out the photoset by clicking on the photo on the right.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-55796721730858598182007-06-20T18:48:00.000-07:002007-06-20T12:59:16.931-07:00BBB: FoxgloveI don’t think foxglove is an endangered garden plant, but I do sense some resistance to growing the usual, biennial, form from seed. Judging from the popularity of the 1-year-to-maturity “Foxy” foxglove, waiting two years for a flower is too long. I can understand, especially when the seeds are so hard to germinate!<br /><br />I’ve had little success with foxglove seed (<em>Digitalis x mertonensis</em>). From my Winter 2005/6 sowing set, I had a yield of three plants. I was terribly disappointed because I love foxglove. They bring back memories of sunny hillsides in the woods, thick with rosy, flowering spikes. That they are terribly poisonous (but the poison is a medicine in small doses) only increases their allure. I like to pretend that if the apocalypse came, I could be a folk healer. (Alternatively, if I got sucked back in time like Claire of the Outlander novels, I could do the same.) Finally, who wouldn’t want to grow a flower that legend says the fairies sleep within?<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=638,height=1024,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1369/541057859_eeefe0a207_b.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1369/541057859_eeefe0a207.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>I’m not sure why the seeds were so hard to germinate, but the plants have been tough. I levered the three survivors into shady nooks around the deck and they all survived the winter. The first has bloomed and the other two have pregnant bulges in the middle of their rosettes. Despite my trouble, I am try, try, trying again. I sprinkled an entire packet of seed directly over the earth along the NW side of the deck. No babies yet, but maybe next spring…<br /><br /><u>Summary</u><br /><strong>Germination:</strong> difficult!<br /><strong>Culture:</strong> easy<br /><strong>Form :</strong> ugly leaves, but a nice rosette form. Flowers are on a spike.<br /><strong>Scent :</strong> none<br /><strong>Color :</strong> shades of pink, purple, white<br /><br />BTW – that’s a bee butt in one of the flowers.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-1127182806021721662007-06-18T06:22:00.000-07:002007-06-18T06:25:02.675-07:0035 Dollar Garden ArchGardening can be an expensive hobby. I try to save money by growing plants from seeds, swapping for others, and mulching with my neighbors’ leaves. I find it difficult to scrimp on hardscape, though. I am not talented enough to created my own wrought-iron obelisks or cast a bird bath. Those items usually end up costing me beaucoup de bucks. Sometimes, though, I get lucky. Like this $35 garden arch from Big Lots!<br /><br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=350,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1345/564538349_708723cadf.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1345/564538349_708723cadf_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center><br />You may be wondering, “How good is a $35 arch from Big Lots?” My reply, “Surprisingly good.”<br /><br />Honestly, I think the most garden arches are way overpriced. This cheapo arch is as good as anything I found for less than $150. It was easy to construct, and turned out to be <i>almost</i> square. The construction reminded me of the metal tube headboards often seen on a child’s bed. It is fairly lightweight, so I’ll need to anchor it in the ground, but I think it would support something as heavy as a climbing rose. Wisteria would probably crush the hollow tubes. I plan on planting it with clematis, so as to not hide the pretty structure.<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=375,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1158/564538593_b7ee56dcd3.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1158/564538593_b7ee56dcd3_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>The arch is the doorway to the north corner (which is coming along quite nicely!) This fall, I’ll be planting a hedge around the area’s perimeter so that the arch frames the entrance to the shade garden. (I’m still debating whether to allow for a second, semi-secret entrance.) You can view the tentative plan <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/19/100440778_0aac2fdfac.jpg">here</a>.<br /><br />So, pretty good for $35, huh?<br /><br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=375,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1392/564136672_c5fa5be38c.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1392/564136672_c5fa5be38c_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center><br />P.S. Sorry for the blogging break. I was traveling.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-68813027794116192802007-05-30T05:43:00.000-07:002007-05-30T05:47:22.703-07:00Sweet PatchAmong the many treasures <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2005/05/generous-gardeners.html">Patrick</a> gave me when I first started gardening was a large tuft of sweet woodruff. As I couldn’t recall the growing requirements for everything he gave me (there must have been starts of 20 different plants), I planted it in full sun. <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/25/35909679_106e2855a8.jpg">Ouch</a>. After realizing my mistake, I transplanted the bedraggled remains to Cleo’s Garden, beneath the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2006/03/what-i-think-of-norway-spruce.html">Norway Spruce</a>.<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=375,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/519899325_91214de15e.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/519899325_91214de15e_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a> Almost two years later, my sweet woodruff patch is full, lush, and so vigorous that I had to prune it back into it’s semicircular shape (echoing the shape of the bench). I happily spread the prunings to other shady areas in the front yard. I love it’s low, creeping habit, whorled stems, and fresh green color.<br /><br />I’ve read that some gardeners dislike this plant. They find it aggressive. So far, I’ve found it to be very well mannered, but I have a lot of new, shady ground to cover. If one ends up with too much sweet woodruff, it makes a nice potpourri. When dried, the plants release a sweet scent reminiscent of vanilla and hay. Or, it can be steeped in white wine to make May Wine. I did this with the pieces that didn’t survive the pruning. I advise allowing the leaves to steep at least a day in a pitcher of white wine to fully release the flavor. Poured over ice, it makes a refreshing evening drink in the garden, like drinking liquid sunshine.<br /><br />I’m hoping Patrick can make my <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2007/05/open-garden-june-23.html">open garden</a>, so that I can show him how much I appreciate his gift of sweet woodruff.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-23616299518897053402007-05-29T08:08:00.000-07:002007-05-29T08:10:42.526-07:00The Annual ExperimentLast year, I experimented with annual poppies as fillers in my magnolia bed and was <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2006/06/my-favorite-spot-june-30th.html">thrilled</a> with the results. It was the first year I made large use of annuals from seed. This year, to continue The Annual Experiment, I decided to sow nigella seeds over the bare spots left by the tulips. The only problem was, I couldn’t find nigella (aka Love in the Mist) seeds locally.<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=300,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/182/478672292_c2eac7af35.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/182/478672292_c2eac7af35_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>After coming home empty-handed, yet again, from the garden center, I remembered that I had a large container of nigella seeds, to be used as a spice, in the kitchen cupboard. I had bought the seeds after copying a number of Iranian recipes out of a novel last year. (I wish I could remember the name of the book. It was a great story about a pair of Iranian sisters who immigrated to Scotland and opened a restaurant there.) I’ve heard of people growing poppies (<em>papaver somniferum</em>) from the seeds available in the spice aisle of the grocery store, so nigella seeds should work too – as long as they weren’t toasted.<br /><br />I sampled a seed to try and detect if they had been cooked, but, honestly, I couldn’t tell. They tasted dark and spicy, a little like a black mustard seed. Having never tasted nigella seeds before, I didn’t know if I was tasting the pre- or post-toasting flavor. Praying that my seeds were uncooked, I sprinkled them over the fading tulip foliage in early May. The perforated top of the container’s inner lid was quite handy for sowing.<br /><br />It turns out that the seeds were NOT toasted. I have lots of thriving nigella seedlings pushing up through the tulip husks. Hooray! I’m looking forward to the other-worldy flowers. I doubt they’ll be in bloom by the date of my open garden, but I can always hope.<br /><br />Now I’m wondering what else I could grow from my spice cupboard. An annual experiment, indeed!Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-61197733783192994692007-05-25T05:32:00.000-07:002007-05-25T05:34:21.678-07:00My Favorite Spot, May 25th<a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=375,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/510755647_203b1fcd4f.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/510755647_203b1fcd4f_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>It’s that time of year again: when I’m utterly delighted by the alternating lamb’s ear and East Friesland sage I’ve planted along our front sidewalk. This is the last of the cool colors in the front garden. Soon, yellow sundrops, orange butterfly weed, and hot pink yarrow will spice up the border. For now, silver, purple, and blue dominate, adding a cool note to the sultry May weather.<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=396,height=375,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/225/510755657_9c1a10a81a.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/225/510755657_9c1a10a81a_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>This is one of my few successful experiments with a cutsey, alternating plant scheme. Usually, it just looks trite. For the third year, though, this combination thrills me every time I walk toward the house, making it my favorite spot.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-51038341562627586822007-05-24T05:13:00.000-07:002007-05-24T05:18:34.066-07:00BBB: Sweet WilliamReading other garden blogs, I don’t think Sweet William is in any danger of disappearing from the garden soon. Still, I think it’s an unappreciated plant. I can’t say I’ve ever seen it for sale. I think, as a biennial, it is probably difficult to sell to the average nursery-goers. Even the discriminating gardener finds its biennial habit frustrating. I remember reading Amy Stewart’s <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://dirtbyamystewart.blogspot.com/2006/05/sweet-william-sweet-eleanor.html">post</a> in which she rails at the fact that no matter how large and robust the plant she buys, it still doesn’t flower until the second year.<br /><br />Like the rest of my biennials, I grew Sweet William from seed, using the winter-sowing method. I don’t recall major problems with germination, but, as I only ended up with six mature plants, it could not have been that good. I planted them into the candycane bed last fall. They bloomed this spring.<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=375,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/191/507570024_03ec6f4ca6.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/191/507570024_03ec6f4ca6_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>One amusing aspect of growing plants from seed is that each is an individual – unlike the clones for sale at the garden center. (Not that I don’t like <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://wawasworld.blogspot.com/2005/08/clone-me.html">clones</a>.) My plants vary a bit in stature, but the most striking difference is the flower color. They are all a deep, dark, almost black, maroon, except for one plant with cherry red flowers. The oddball plant adds a note of discord to my sweet curves. The scent isn’t as variable as color. They all possess a light, clove fragrance. I do wish it were stronger.<br /><br />Like most biennials, Sweet William plants can last longer than two years, but still remain short-lived. I plan on direct sowing additional seed into the bare spots, between the plants, as insurance for next year’s crop. It does self-sow, but I’d like to experiment with deadheading in an attempt to encourage a second flush of flowers late in the season.<br /><br /><u>Summary</u><br /><strong>Germination:</strong> medium difficulty (but my seeds were old)<br /><strong>Culture</strong>: easy<br /><strong>Form:</strong> neat and lush<br /><strong>Scent:</strong> light clove<br /><strong>Color:</strong> shades of red and pinkKasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-42091815418481193032007-05-22T05:53:00.000-07:002007-05-22T11:59:52.370-07:00Goldfish and Bullfrogs<a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=375,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/492373194_e359c1574d.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/492373194_e359c1574d_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>This year, I’m trying some different forms of mosquito control in the pond. Last year, I <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2006/08/mosquito-eating-guppies.html">used guppies</a>. They seemed effective and they multiplied, but they weren’t very visible. I want fish that will entertain me, as well eat mosquito larvae.<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=442,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/445993545_d84cc1d8ba.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/445993545_d84cc1d8ba_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>Although the goldfish died last year, I was swayed by the 12 cent price to try them again. Mike wanted to buy 100 goldfish, so that our pond would be reminiscent of the koi ponds in Okinawa: so thick with fish it looks as if you could walk on their backs. Although I’m coldhearted, consigning 100 fish to death by overcrowding is even too cruel for me. We bought 10, for $1.20, which seemed still seemed like a bit of an overkill. In the end, I’m glad we bought so many, because we now have only four or five hardy survivors. They seem to be doing well enough, despite any filtration or mechanical oxygenation in the pond. Nature must be keeping them be well fed because they show little interest in the flakes I occasionally sprinkle on the water’s surface in the evenings.<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=337,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/507566714_1d788a9340.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/507566714_1d788a9340_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>I went to buy water lettuce for the pond, to add some shade and cover for the fish, and saw that the Monfort Aquarium had tadpoles for sale. When I asked the price, I was astounded to learn that they were $2 each or 3 for $5. That’s a lot of goldfish. I took one look, and I realized why the large pricetag. They are bullfrog tadpoles and ENORMOUS. They are also hideously ugly. They eat both underwater insects (like, I’m hoping, mosquito larvae) and plant material. I’m also hoping they’ll help with my algae problem.<br /><br />According to the man at the fish store, the tadpoles will not eat my goldfish. Although the adult frog will eat fish (and even bats!), they should take a few years to reach goldfish eating size. By then, if they survive, the goldfish should be too big to eat. If not (or if I have to replace the fish each year), I don’t think feeding bullfrogs 12 cent fish is going to bankrupt me anytime soon. If it gets too expensive, I guess we’ll be having frog legs for dinner.<br /><br />I’m having fun with the pond this year. Both the cats and I enjoy watching the little aquatic world in the backyard. Next year, I may even try water lilies!Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-47400307653046873302007-05-21T06:10:00.000-07:002007-05-21T06:14:24.998-07:00First Harvest<a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=375,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/190/507570012_4ce7b3ecda.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/190/507570012_4ce7b3ecda_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>I made my first big harvest from the potager this weekend. The radishes were bolting, so I added them, along with cilantro from my garden, to the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Asian-Coleslaw/Detail.aspx">Asian Coleslaw</a> I prepared for a picnic. I was so proud to bring a dish containing things I had grown myself! Despite a degree in botany, it still seems like magic to me that I can tuck a seed in the ground and, voilá, a few weeks later I have food.<br /><br />The radishes weren’t entirely successful. A number of them didn’t develop bulbs at all. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to those that developed and those that didn’t. For instance, I found this enormous radish next to some with nothing more than a red root.<br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=375,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/507571632_f98c9112e3.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/507571632_f98c9112e3_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center><br /><br />For the record, I DID wash it before eating. (It was actually added to the salad.) And, despite its large size, it was sweet and juicy. Mmmm….proud, magic radishes.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-18076156690933463122007-05-18T05:42:00.000-07:002007-05-21T05:55:02.787-07:00My Favorite Spot, May 18thWow. I can’t believe it’s already Friday and time for “my favorite spot” again! This week, I’ve chosen another shady nook, the NE side of the deck. (For the uninitiated, my house faces SE, so I have to resort to odd directional facings to describe my garden beds.)<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=375,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/497845703_1beabae015.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/497845703_1beabae015_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>Like most of my garden, this area <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/8/6931833_28b83877c1.jpg">was grass</a> (please click on the link for a SHOCKING “before” photo) when we moved in. It was one of the first places I identified as future garden space, if for no other reason than to conceal the deck’s “legs.” Initially, I created beds that simply wrapped around the deck’s three sides, at a depth of only about 18 inches. After attending a few garden tours this summer, I <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/48/142735830_9aa4643f40.jpg">added curves</a> to the candycane bed and this side of the deck. The result is pleasing to the eye and allows more plantings to hide the deck’s nasty underside.<br /><br />Along with the shape renovations, this area has undergone a number of plant edits as well. <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/15/20227097_adfbcb95af.jpg">Initially</a>, it was planted with clematis, trumpet vine, ostrich ferns, spiderwort, and Francee hosta. I am ashamed to admit that I planted the last three in a repeating pattern, wrapping around the NE and NW sides of the deck. Now, this semicircle contains the same vines, but more ostrich ferns and the addition of two Golden Lights azaleas (still very small), daffodils, repeat-blooming hostas (from a neighbor), primula japonica, and, my favorite groundcover of all time, sweet woodruff.<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=375,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/202/497837801_b746b4c3a7.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/202/497837801_b746b4c3a7_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>The plants are doing well. First the daffodils emerge to conceal the deck’s underpinnings, then, the ostrich ferns, which have multiplied this year, emerge to provide an even thicker screen. As the azaleas are still very small, the primroses provide some spring height and color. The hostas, transplanted last summer, are thriving. Although I’m eager to see the azaleas grown to their promised 5 foot height and cover themselves in golden blooms, I’ve found pleasure in the “right now” of my favorite spot.<br /><br /><br /><center><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=375,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/211/507570046_5c10b0951b.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/211/507570046_5c10b0951b_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></center>Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-59783175314459954402007-05-17T06:15:00.000-07:002007-05-18T06:17:13.586-07:00Goodbye Grif's GardeniaI’ve made all sorts of stupid plant choices in the name of scent. I’ve bought and tried to coddle along demanding or marginally hardy species in the hopes of a singularly fragrant bloom. I think I should no longer visit the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/fragrant/">Fragrant Plants forum</a> on Garden Web because it just sends me into another tailspin of wasted money, time, and effort. Garden catalogs are no better. For instance, I totally fell for Park’s Seed’s promise of a gardenia hardy to zone 6. Ha!<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=387,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/217/497831793_0f9eeb04ed.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/217/497831793_0f9eeb04ed_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>I purchased and planted two <i>Gardenia augusta</i> Grif’s Select in Fall of ’05. I dug a large hole for each plant and backfilled it with heavily amended soil, hoping that I had provided adequate drainage. The following spring, after a lengthy wait for signs of life, I yanked them from the ground and abandoned the plants in a corner. I later discovered that one of the gardenias had indeed survived, but just barely. I kept it watered over the summer and then planted it in a different spot in Fall of ’06. This spring, it was yanked again. Now, it is really dead.<br /><br />I can’t say for sure whether it was our nasty clay soil (gardenias abhor clay) or the zone 6 winters that killed the gardenias. Global warming may make outdoor gardenias in Cincinnati a true possibility in the next few years, but I think I’ll just stick with the hothouse variety, kept in the sunroom during the winter and on the deck in the summer, for now. Upon reflection, I guess I haven’t learned much of a lesson at all. I still go through an extraordinary amount of effort for a novel scent.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-35606768833781824742007-05-16T06:07:00.000-07:002007-05-16T06:18:40.918-07:00Big Pile of SticksWhat does the lone range sing as he takes out his trash?<br />To the dump, to the dump, to the dump, dump, dump!<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=375,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/497820888_d221efd990.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/497820888_d221efd990_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>That’s what I was singing as Mike and I tackled our big stick pile on Sunday. (Well, actually, I was singing “Goodbye to Pisces,” by Tori Amos, but “To the Dump” sounds more appropriate.) These are the dratted sticks that <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2006/09/toby-did-it-again.html">Toby</a> left all over our yard when he trimmed and even cut down a few honeysuckle trees. I won’t put ALL the blame on Toby. Our <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/390115477_038c8100bf.jpg">ice storm</a> in February also brought down a few limbs. (As you can see from the photo, the sticks were making mowing difficult.)<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=450,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/202/497845725_39387ddf59.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/202/497845725_39387ddf59_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>Clean-up was a team effort. Mike cut the sticks into manageable pieces, I stacked them in Tim’s trailer, and Tim hauled them away to the dump, to the dump, to the dump, dump, dump. (I'm sure that's what Tim was singing as he drove along.)<br /><br />Despite filling Tim’s trailer, we still have quite a bit of brush remaining. Next weekend, I’m hoping Tim will be kind enough to back his trailer into our driveway once again. We have even more sticks hidden beneath the three remaining honeysuckle trees on our property, so I think we have at least two more trailer-loads to take to the dump, to the dump, to the dump, dump, dump.<br /><br /><br /><center><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/194/497820876_fa8f7dc2f2.jpg" border="0" /></center>Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-22268281259109360762007-05-15T06:37:00.000-07:002007-05-15T06:47:12.094-07:00My First Peony<a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=427,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/499450495_593819da8d.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/499450495_593819da8d_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>My first peony! Well, actually, my first peony blossom. And oddly enough, it’s from the latest peonies I planted.<br /><br />I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know what a peony was a few years ago. I was enlightened when my neighbor, Mary, rushed to the garden fence in May of 2005 with a fistful of blossoms in her hand. I was enraptured by the enormous, frilled, intensely hued flowers. She invited me to smell them and I buried my nose in the silken petals and inhaled a sweet rose-like fragrance. I was smitten, but completely unready to plant a peony of my own.<br /><br />Two years ago, I had just begun gardening. I received a <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2005/05/generous-gardeners.html">trunk-load of plants</a> from my friend Patrick and had just <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/6/11869574_685788560e.jpg">started planting</a> in the sun bed. I was fighting the first of many battles with our sticky clay soil and nursing along my first winter-sown plants. I was addicted to the Garden Web forums and delighted in soaking up every detail I could find on cottage gardening and perennials. By October, though, I was a veteran and when <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2005/09/margies-kentucky-garden.html">Margie</a> gave me <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2005/10/still-hoeing.html">my first peony</a>, I was thrilled! I imagined those luscious flowers would be mine, all mine!<br /><br />I planted my first peony in the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47241502@N00/sets/965861/">candy cane bed</a> that fall. Early, the following spring, I added two Sarah Bernhardt peonies. May came, and nothing bloomed! My first peony and my second and third were total busts. I started to think I couldn’t get peonies to flower in my yard.<br /><br />I was still willing to give it a go when, last fall, my friend Joy decided to remove the large peony patch from her front yard and replace them with knockout roses. For the price of my labor and advice, I took home five, very hearty divisions. (She had such a large patch that we probably ended up with 20 plants.) I planted the divisions in the pink and white bed. I wasn’t entirely sure they would flower there, because they only get morning sun. Still, in anticipation of the blossoms, I read an entire book on peonies while soaking in the hot tub <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://wawasworld.blogspot.com/2006/10/fall-vacation.html">in Gatlinburg</a> last October. A girl can dream, can’t she?<br /><br />This spring, I was excited to see buds on the new peonies AND the Sarahs. The new peonies, despite their shadier position, developed first and, as you can see, rewarded me with their first bloom on May 14th. It may be a week or more before the Sarah Bernhardt peonies bloom. And my first peony? It’s in its second spring and, still, no buds. The foliage is lovely, though.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550073.post-14600899862882848692007-05-11T06:18:00.000-07:002007-05-11T06:23:54.832-07:00My Favorite Spot, May 11thThe SE side of our yard was a mess when we moved in. It’s shaded by a Norway spruce, 3 holly trees, and an <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2005/11/see-my-big-bush.html">enormous burning bush</a>. The remaining spaces were filled with ivy, an Annabelle hydrangea, scraggly grass, and lawn violets. I smothered it all with leaves in the Fall of 2005. This week, my favorite spot is a portion of that <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/93/248183086_eed8927718.jpg">border</a>, beneath the female holly tree and just south of the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47241502@N00/sets/965837/">shade bed</a>.<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=500,height=375,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/488485882_0e1e2e3262.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/488485882_0e1e2e3262_m.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>This is sort of a rescue/wild area. One of our neighbors announced her intent to redo a portion of her backyard that had been the previous owner’s attempt at a wildflower garden. I transplanted at least a dozen columbine and several solomon’s seal. (I also successfully rescued a redbud, but that is planted elsewhere.) I added ‘Francee’ hosta that had been unhappy <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47241502@N00/sets/965740/">near the deck</a>, ferns from along the SE side of the house, brunnera from the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2006/05/my-favorite-spot-may-5th.html">SW shrub border</a>, and a Nikko Blue hydrangea that I got a great deal on at Funke's. Finally, I’ve added more wildflowers – toad lily from <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://cinticapecod.blogspot.com/2006/04/rainbow-ends-in-ludlow-kentucky.html">Pam</a>, trillium from Tim, bleeding heart from Meijer (I’ve had really good results with the boxed, bareroot Dicentra), and Virginia bluebells from some mail order company. (And all these plants are just in the small circle around the holly. I’ve got even more interesting gems on the other side of the path!)<br /><br /><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=299,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/207/492373162_8fe565bb34.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/207/492373162_8fe565bb34_m.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>The columbine are currently blooming and I love the <a onclick="window.open (this.href); return false" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/202/488488723_f0723c5e36.jpg">effect</a> of the pale pink and deep purple blooms against the last of the bleeding heart and brunnera. It isn’t too far from the wallflower, so I get to enjoy sweet perfume as I pull tree seedlings from the leaf litter. Later in the season, I’ll enjoy orchid-like toad lilies, outrageously plump hydrangea flower heads, and the heady scent august lilies. I expect this to be my favorite spot more than once this season.Kasmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01866928448186848884noreply@blogger.com1