tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43974604257998372582024-02-07T21:12:54.212+02:00Gardening is EasyDugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-52815763754701173952010-09-20T15:55:00.004+02:002010-09-20T16:02:08.689+02:00Easy-to-grow Veronica<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAKvRNzfVgN0yS93VtjBNORJn88fZT0s0VWcExznO2CJNBWmzjKr6Ym-mH_eS_D6wqW5sGX33gwVrPYK6drT1MiiwIInfSRyM7XcXn6pBO_HkjFt8L5z_LZz4uVKS7BVu0AAcBayUOMfJ/s1600/VeronicaBlog-CompWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAKvRNzfVgN0yS93VtjBNORJn88fZT0s0VWcExznO2CJNBWmzjKr6Ym-mH_eS_D6wqW5sGX33gwVrPYK6drT1MiiwIInfSRyM7XcXn6pBO_HkjFt8L5z_LZz4uVKS7BVu0AAcBayUOMfJ/s320/VeronicaBlog-CompWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518995130123029346" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CC6600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I’ve mentioned before that my father loved blue flowers, that’s why he always had Veronica growing somewhere in his garden.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Gardeners who love the colour blue know that veronica provides some of the clearest, truest blues in the perennial border. Other flower colours are also available, including pink, rose and white. Veronicas have flower spikes that are composed of dozens of densely arranged, small florets, that open progressively from the base upwards to form a long lasting spike. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I love using this very versatile plant along my garden paths and in the seating areas, where butterflies can collect on this long-blooming flower.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Although low-growing varieties are available, the most common veronicas form attractive 30cm to 90cm tall mounds. Narrow spikes of tiny flowers adorn the plant in midsummer and are superb in bouquets. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The lower spreading varieties seldom exceed 10cm in height and are a very good groundcover addition in your garden.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Veronica can be a workhorse in the cut flower garden; it will provide a full second crop of stems if cut down completely to the ground after the first harvest. Veronica is a spiky or linear type flower that provides movement, action, or life to an arrangement, and is long lasting in the vase. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For the full low-down on growing Veronica, including a list of good companion plants, visit my website</span></b></span><span style=" color: rgb(158, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/2fk2zc5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CC6600;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://tinyurl.com/2fk2zc5</span></b></span></span></a></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-83873281614491937882010-09-20T15:51:00.003+02:002010-09-20T16:03:16.869+02:00Shasta Daisies in the garden<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTYoDx5JRCT94f3HFsGUbjHGicyoCfDLu3GWIK_ZKS5r__YveyXMRyfWsPbpwcMGKYJdEzmbjJw9YFutMdG-vLQv2UVRRDwl3FYhhEy_ifp3qM5-MrUOH1y8c3AV-0PwUzQxbzuQkw6yU/s1600/ShastaBLOG-CompWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTYoDx5JRCT94f3HFsGUbjHGicyoCfDLu3GWIK_ZKS5r__YveyXMRyfWsPbpwcMGKYJdEzmbjJw9YFutMdG-vLQv2UVRRDwl3FYhhEy_ifp3qM5-MrUOH1y8c3AV-0PwUzQxbzuQkw6yU/s320/ShastaBLOG-CompWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518993798324313810" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#993300;">As a child I always seemed to have hayfever if I got too close to the Shasta Daisies in my father’s garden. But what I remember most, was the dazzling brightness of the white blooms that always offset the bright colours of the dahlias, larkspur, gazanias, arctotis and zinnias that grew so prolifically under the African sun.</span></span></i></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF9900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Just over 100 years ago, horticulturalist Luther Burbank introduced his Shasta Daisy to the world. Burbank had spent 17 years creating the hybrid he named for the pure white snow on Mount Shasta that Burbank could see from his garden.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Burbank admired the fresh white flowers and yellow eye of the wild Oxeye Daisies. He wanted to create a garden version of the plant that would be good for cutting as well as the perennial border.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Shasta Daisy of today was the result of crossing the Oxeye Daisy (</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Leucanthemum vulgare</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">) with English field daisies (</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Leucanthemum maximum</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">) and then crossing the best selections from that match with the Portuguese field daisy (</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Leucanthemum lacustre</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">). After six years of selectively breeding within this pool, Burbank added the pollen of Japanese field daisy (</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Nipponanthemum nipponicum</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">), for its pure white flowers.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The simple white flowers with yellow button centres are a symbol of purity and are perfect for cutting. Easy to grow, they are a favourite for beginner flower gardeners and are effective when planted in small groups.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>The full story on how to grow Shasta daisies visit my website now </b></span></span><u><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/2dj9wst"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#993300;">http://tinyurl.com/2dj9wst</span></b></span></span></a></span></u></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-71741897069575129772010-04-11T16:21:00.006+02:002010-04-11T16:37:58.664+02:00Colourful Rhododendrons and Azaleas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8PTfV6L7t3pmBGIMMnWu5aLdIYM1Lp-o5_k_3SNuF5MdMCOXDOesgaHvk-W6xyjbsEZsFU0HQClGGLObMqjpWRz3XXgmB1CEVqhNgb5UmRirkWx6PgIS5Czc2LFJ7wY1RcHaLYJ_E5DH/s1600/Azalea-Comp-LoRes-Blog.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8PTfV6L7t3pmBGIMMnWu5aLdIYM1Lp-o5_k_3SNuF5MdMCOXDOesgaHvk-W6xyjbsEZsFU0HQClGGLObMqjpWRz3XXgmB1CEVqhNgb5UmRirkWx6PgIS5Czc2LFJ7wY1RcHaLYJ_E5DH/s400/Azalea-Comp-LoRes-Blog.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458885795495948882" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Every year in September the famous Cheerio Halt garden in the quaint gold rush hamlet of Haenertsburg (in South Africa’s Limpopo Province) erupts in an explosion of colour.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Botanist Sheila (Box) Thompson created the delightful blossom garden here over a period of 48 years, and crammed it with azaleas and other flowering shrubs such as crab apple and flowering cherry, peach and pear. Seeing the garden on this misty mountain when it is in top form is an unforgettable experience.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What, today, made me think about my last visit to Box Thompson’s garden? I have just posted a new profile on Rhododendrons and Azaleas on my website and never again can I see or think about a Rhododendron without thinking about the spectacle of those colourful flowers reflecting in the water of the Pond at Cheerio Halt.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There is no reason why you shouldn’t also enjoy the pleasure of what are among the most decorative shrubs available for the home garden. </span></span></p> <img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 210px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4venHpqBMVehAjjQi2ii9FJmdjvuccsnmrTEisSCj9-R-LmM1K5NJq5wfNZ-6tyTb9umkKvfpm5rUIJf8DNIp1tOiMTU9SADQlcEGjDs4CIQXDvbL4Ge0928nxxnWQuZ-vNi5IMsSoVPv/s320/Azalea-Pond-WC-Crop.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458886361922095938" /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Varying in size from mat‑like dwarf shrubs only a few centimetres high to trees higher than 7m, Rhododendrons and Azaleas can be planted in any size of garden and thrive in a variety of positions.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The flowers of rhododendrons and azaleas have a wide range of colour: white, pink, lavender, violet, purple, yellow, crimson, scarlet and orange. The shapes of the flowers range through tubular, starry, funnel, bowl and bell‑shaped, varying in size from 2‑15 cm wide and 2‑10cm long.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Rhododendrons need to be grown in dappled or light shade. The soil should be moist and acid — the plants will not thrive in soil containing chalk or lime. Given the right conditions, a succession of varieties can be in flower for several months of the year.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Generally, the plants look their best in a natural or wilderness garden, where they are not restricted to the formal confines of beds and lawns, but I have also grown them successfully in containers in a secluded courtyard.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Because rhododendrons and azaleas range in size from tree‑like giants to prostrate dwarfs, you should decide on the space you have to fill before buying your shrubs.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For the full story on Rhododendrons and Azaleas visit my website now <b><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; "><a href="http://tinyurl.com/y8owku4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://tinyurl.com/y8owku4</span></a></span></i></b><!--EndFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span> . </span></span><o:p></o:p></i></b></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-62091915500710941052010-03-15T10:33:00.003+02:002010-03-15T10:38:27.159+02:00Lovely, easy, Larkspur<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qSnusxEViKVe3Yo4nVFtKYVQN5Gu0i4PcoE8lOsmu9slcxKA7wLPk4DRoepJASDbC2A0N4OxKCLFn4aAgBeEwJlvgQ9zhaMAZFYdggfzGQS4fSUlLTmtDk5N2bB8O_DbQENalChuHCrg/s1600-h/Larkspur-BlogWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qSnusxEViKVe3Yo4nVFtKYVQN5Gu0i4PcoE8lOsmu9slcxKA7wLPk4DRoepJASDbC2A0N4OxKCLFn4aAgBeEwJlvgQ9zhaMAZFYdggfzGQS4fSUlLTmtDk5N2bB8O_DbQENalChuHCrg/s320/Larkspur-BlogWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448776573729277666" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">One of my Twitter friends mentioned that her grandfather had grown Larkspur in the garden every summer. That reminded me of the larkspur my father always grew near the kitchen door of the house, so that he could see the rich colour (he loved blue flowers) every time he exited the door. </span></span></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Larkspur is an easy and delightful plant for many landscapers and gardeners, adding old-fashioned charm to any bed or border.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bold and attractive, these hardy annuals grow light, feathery flowers atop tall spikes. Use larkspur in cottage gardens, or butterfly gardens. Larkspur also makes an excellent cutting flower so landscapers can use it in cut flower gardens.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Larkspur is a beautiful and popular annual that comes in colours of blue, lavender, white, rose, and pink, although blue is the most popular colour. Larkspur has a lacy kind of foliage (much like Cosmos) with blooms highly compacted on long tapering spikes that give it a tall, regal appearance. It generally grows in 30cm or 60cm high spires, although some people have reported heights of up to 1.2m and more. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">These big plants grow quickly to produce flowers in spring, earlier than many annuals. Larkspur makes an excellent garden flower, and also looks great in vases, although its vase life is seven days or less. They can also be dried for winter arrangements. Larkspur is excellent massed in groups. Tall plants look their best in the back of the flower garden.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This multi-use annual is so easy to grow — just get it started and it will be happy to reseed itself for the next year!</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The plant profile I posted on my website explains how to propagate, grow and care for Larkspur. Go there now!</span></span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><b><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">http://tinyurl.com/yhkrbmy</span></span></span></span></b></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-43459965621959831252010-03-15T10:04:00.002+02:002010-03-15T10:10:10.083+02:00Seductive Jasmine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhceqg-LA5a8769IvWU-77e2jvLKdqG8iiUOXBdHIu73DoJqf9EO22L1kY9WIDXq4OOFPt2pf-e-HlN4GQWTNp-b4_9IDQHk9BWkgDridwQozKbuycyh1mIgWxo31trJHg22eoP6H4t02xS/s1600-h/Jasmine-blogWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhceqg-LA5a8769IvWU-77e2jvLKdqG8iiUOXBdHIu73DoJqf9EO22L1kY9WIDXq4OOFPt2pf-e-HlN4GQWTNp-b4_9IDQHk9BWkgDridwQozKbuycyh1mIgWxo31trJHg22eoP6H4t02xS/s320/Jasmine-blogWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448769591639423154" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333399;">Plant Jasmine and experience the delight of a very fragrant spring and summer garden. I couldn’t imagine my garden without the evening scent of Jasmine.</span></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The name Jasmine is derived from the Persian </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">yasmin</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> which means ‘a gift from God' — so named because of the intense fragrance of the blooms of Persian or common jasmine </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Jasminum officinale</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. There are over 300 </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">jasminum</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> species that occur mainly in the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world — including South Africa — although a few are found in countries with cold winters. Jasmine is a very popular flower</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> around the world, because of its unique fragrance. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Unlike most genera in the </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Oleceae</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> family, which have four corolla lobed petals, Jasmines often have five or six lobes. Jasmine is widely cultivated for its shining leaves and beautiful clusters of fragrant flowers</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Flowering in Jasmines takes place in summer </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">or spring, usually six months after planting. The Jasmine flower releases its fragrance at night after the sun has set and especially when the moon is waxing towards fullness. Jasmine flower buds are more fragrant than the flowers.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Most species grow as scrambling climbers or sprawling shrubs and can also be massed as groundcover in large gardens. Most will also grow well in containers.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The new Jasmine profile posted on my website not only tells you how to grow and care for Jasmine, but also provides descriptions for 12 great species of jasmine, including some that can tolerate temperatures as low as -18</span></b></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">o</span></b></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">C. Go there now!</span></b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330099;"> </span></span></b></span><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330099;">http://tinyurl.com/ykzymab</span></span></b></span></span></u></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-88958657506416267362010-02-17T16:20:00.003+02:002010-02-17T16:25:35.956+02:00Delightful Cottage Gardens<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwJEj8i9M5GUYbo_yHgDl4jwstC2j673OedyTLPwc1q3xfYRoWX0mUmfSUCYKJeT_p3YdjeQ7vjGgG2Z3llQztBRQ-Py2Yg7NnrtownJ79bTYba4iB8P5uxjkTfzi9sRwQRWFtDCqQAVA/s1600-h/Cottage-CompWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwJEj8i9M5GUYbo_yHgDl4jwstC2j673OedyTLPwc1q3xfYRoWX0mUmfSUCYKJeT_p3YdjeQ7vjGgG2Z3llQztBRQ-Py2Yg7NnrtownJ79bTYba4iB8P5uxjkTfzi9sRwQRWFtDCqQAVA/s320/Cottage-CompWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439218126374472082" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#336666;">Cottage gardens embrace charm and character, but they rely on the same basic principles as any other style of garden.</span></span></span></i></b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p> <p class="Introduction"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Start by creating a basic shape of hard landscaping, then add ‘core’ trees, shrubs and perennials that give the garden its personality. Leave the fine detail until last.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Cottage gardens conjure up small gardens full to the brim of plants, so much so that the plants dominate the garden — and why not? Mix every colour and shape and pack them all into a small space to create a sense of fun.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">These gardens offer somewhere to potter about in and lose yourself for a while. All those little nooks and crannies to hide gardening objects, like those that you see in the small Flower Show gardens. Objects like old bikes, wheelbarrows, bird baths and terracotta pots can add fun and personalise your garden.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anyone who has ever attempted to create a cottage garden has probably already discovered that the concept is somewhat hard to define in an exact and precise manner. I do, though, disagree with people who insist that you cannot have a cottage garden without a cottage. While there are many elements that may be present in the majority of cottage gardens, as the term is more widely applied, it is also true that some ambiguity applies as to whether certain items and design characteristics are required as essential features. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The cottage garden is an adaptable style and one can easily venture away from the mould of the traditional. One could easily create a cottage garden of only native plants or use only the new and exotic. This style is especially suited to the plantaholic that is continually searching out the rare and unusual and would definitely lead to the creation of a non-traditional cottage garden.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I have had a great deal of fun writing the extensive post on cottage gardens which you will find on my website </span></span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/ylbdwh6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">http://tinyurl.com/ylbdwh6</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. Drop by, you’ll enjoy the visit.</span></span><o:p></o:p></b></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-15308387949682952192010-02-16T12:12:00.002+02:002010-02-16T12:15:27.063+02:00Alluring and Healing Agapanthus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELLmgNvcn7bw7k9twQblP7KfoPbEsXwRJToJ5rRSQaWkOU9nnwfwtsgGAHcaOFhMeA7TrUP6ReKLWTtp1M0c-fnKy-lnMQPKJqDlJ74RTUtevP_go1WcpLUWuMKpunFtJTzt-gE0gFQMR/s1600-h/Agapanthus-Blog-CompWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 316px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELLmgNvcn7bw7k9twQblP7KfoPbEsXwRJToJ5rRSQaWkOU9nnwfwtsgGAHcaOFhMeA7TrUP6ReKLWTtp1M0c-fnKy-lnMQPKJqDlJ74RTUtevP_go1WcpLUWuMKpunFtJTzt-gE0gFQMR/s320/Agapanthus-Blog-CompWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438782820482238770" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6666CC;">Easy-to-grow Agapanthus (African Lily) produce glorious clusters of lily-like blooms that last throughout the summer. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yesterday I posted a new Agapanthus plant profile on my website. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The six or so species that comprise the genus Agapanthus (African Lily) are found growing wild along the coastal belt and inland mountainous regions of southern Africa. These clump forming perennials have been collected from their natural habitats and developed into many spectacular garden hybrids that adorn landscapes all around the world.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I guess, as I live and garden in South Africa, the native home of Agapanthus I have tended to take this amazing plant for granted. The gardens of my childhood home always included masses of both blue and white varieties. As children we loved to use the tall flower stems (after the flowers had withered) for Zorro style sword fights! My garden now, has a number of the indigenous species all of which give great pleasure.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Perhaps what most gardeners fail to give much thought to, is the wonderful medicinal properties of so many of the plants we grow in our gardens. In South Africa, many of the indigenous African people consider Agapanthus to be both a magical and a medicinal plant, and the plant of fertility and pregnancy. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Traditionally Xhosa women (of the Eastern Cape) use the roots to make antenatal medicine, and they make a necklace using the roots that they wear as a charm to bring healthy, strong babies. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Zulu people of KwaZulu-Natal use Agapanthus to treat heart disease, paralysis, coughs, colds, chest pains and tightness. It is also used with other plants in various medicines taken during pregnancy to ensure healthy children, or to augment or induce labour. In some tribal groupings it is used as a love charm and by people afraid of thunderstorms, and to ward off thunder. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Margaret Roberts a renowned herb grower, author and specialist in the use of herbal remedies, advises hikers to put leaves in their shoes to soothe the feet, and to wrap weary feet in the leaves for half an hour. The long, strap-like leaves also make an excellent bandage to hold a dressing or poultice in place, and winding leaves around the wrists are said to help bring a fever down. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Agapanthus contains several </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">saponins</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">sapogenins</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> that generally have anti-inflammatory (reduce swelling and inflammation), anti-oedema (oedema = swelling due to accumulation of fluid), antitussive (relieve or suppress coughing) and immunoregulatory (have influence on the immune system) properties. Although the precise activity of Agapanthus compounds is not known, preliminary tests have shown uterotonic activity (increases the tone of uterine muscles). </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Agapanthus is suspected of causing haemolytic poisoning in humans, and the sap causes severe ulceration of the mouth so the plant should not be chewed or swallowed. </span></span></p> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you would like to know more about the propagation, planting and growing of these wonderful plants and the many hybrids now available, visit my website </span></span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/y9feaso"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">http://tinyurl.com/y9feaso</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> . I am sure that you will find the visit rewarding. </span></span></b><!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-53007190990028224142010-02-05T14:44:00.006+02:002010-02-05T15:17:16.662+02:00Cottage gardens are all about plants.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavEySa2o8IYOT7w_Pj6GlKV3_337_uXojIf0_SJUMLnOtHUdLPUsPH0VCwFavBYp5ouraBDaqZajc9tI2zvczEuB6vHQNZ133A1s-785zXrzhtQ0fsDwlxy0AQWdINHZdpwNBlWzzSDPX/s1600-h/Hollyhock-CompWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 313px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavEySa2o8IYOT7w_Pj6GlKV3_337_uXojIf0_SJUMLnOtHUdLPUsPH0VCwFavBYp5ouraBDaqZajc9tI2zvczEuB6vHQNZ133A1s-785zXrzhtQ0fsDwlxy0AQWdINHZdpwNBlWzzSDPX/s320/Hollyhock-CompWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434745504314075138" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMdgrknG7pfZk_bb1IxP7lcd63TAOt-s0NZNdjsRpbuwd1mCC0OaD0v3qDk6e_H_Q5YCg21i68ZMz77o587MzS8BDD2C5kKsfW-3DJ1pyeh0Soje9A-tE_PYjuqDlhiTITIQFIFAabm6u/s1600-h/Delphinium-CompWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMdgrknG7pfZk_bb1IxP7lcd63TAOt-s0NZNdjsRpbuwd1mCC0OaD0v3qDk6e_H_Q5YCg21i68ZMz77o587MzS8BDD2C5kKsfW-3DJ1pyeh0Soje9A-tE_PYjuqDlhiTITIQFIFAabm6u/s320/Delphinium-CompWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434745057665626882" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6600CC;"><br /></span></i></b></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#6600CC;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6600CC;">So often the cottage garden tends to be glorified, as if it stepped out of the pages of a fairy tale or a Thomas Kinkade painting. In reality, along with being beautiful, it is a highly useful style of garden. It can be, and has been, adapted to fit our modern life styles and its appeal is truly global.</span></i></b></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span><!--StartFragment--><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Cottage gardens reflect your own personal mix of plants — whether flowers, fruit or vegetables. The emphasis is on the year-round pleasure of enjoying their form, flowers and scent - not to mention picking your own salads, herbs, fruit and vegetables. </span></span><!--EndFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><!--EndFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am currently working on a new section for my website that will deal with concepts for cottage gardens, the plants that are most appropriate, the use of hard and soft landscaping and so on. Looking back at the many plant profiles I have posted on the site, I suddenly realised how many of the plants are suited to cottage gardens. I have subconsciously gravitated towards writing about the plants of my childhood, the plants that my own father favoured in the garden.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Two of my most recent posts to my website deal with what are quintessential cottage garden flowers — Hollyhocks and Delphiniums. What gloriously reliable plants these are.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:Verdana, Georgia, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">You can never have too many delphiniums. They are glorious plants with flower spikes that can grow up to 180cm tall. Normally, they are a range of blues, but are also available in white, pinks, and purple. They are standouts as background plants</span>.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Georgia, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hybridisation of delphiniums has resulted in many new colours and attractive flower forms and growing heights. Flower colours range in shades of blue from palest sky, through to gentian and indigo; rich purple, lavender, pink to purest white.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The resurgence in Hollyhock popularity comes from several factors. Renewed interest in cottage gardens, a desire for drought and heat tolerance in garden flowers and the introduction of many new varieties are all helping fuel their new popularity.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Hollyhock plants are a fun and easy to grow flowering plant. It’s an old time favourite. Hollyhocks are a large plant with big leaves and big blossoms. They produce a profusion of big flowers from summer through autumn. They are perfect to fill large areas, and the back of a flowerbed. Hollyhocks can be used in perennial, biennial and annual applications depending on the type and treatment.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I</span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">f you would like to know more about these venerable cottage garden plants visit </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/y88ljd3">http://tinyurl.com/y88ljd3</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> for information about hollyhocks and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/yfgops4">http://tinyurl.com/yfgops4</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">for the low-down on Delphiniums. It really will be worth the effort!</span></b></span></span></span></div></div></div>Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-71445455367167537322010-01-31T15:38:00.001+02:002010-01-31T15:41:29.605+02:00Strelitzia — the Bird of Paradise or Crane Flower<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiam6dtqdUXunMlJgUXxyi-2Rl-B8qJK7JBfASeq_-lvUNxf9TGl1Bgu1OvpIsphu7JieFuwjG2Ew8dWHRdAAEMnnASrcR_7Gn4sGIMBAoI_9W5hGuHNXfb4z4eBAGS7tNxTDAwlWmNkB3W/s1600-h/Strelitzia-CompWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 316px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiam6dtqdUXunMlJgUXxyi-2Rl-B8qJK7JBfASeq_-lvUNxf9TGl1Bgu1OvpIsphu7JieFuwjG2Ew8dWHRdAAEMnnASrcR_7Gn4sGIMBAoI_9W5hGuHNXfb4z4eBAGS7tNxTDAwlWmNkB3W/s320/Strelitzia-CompWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432898449929679922" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CC0000;">Although my personal tastes in gardening lean towards cottage gardens, here on the Highveld (South Africa’s central plateau that is mainly a grassland biome), indigenous South African plants are my preference — because they tolerate the rugged environment, are more drought and frost tolerant, appeal to local birds and butterflies and lend themselves to appropriate landscaping for this environment.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The fascinating blooms of </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Strelitzia reginae</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> are sold as cut flowers by the million. In Los Angeles strelitzias are so extensively planted that it is regarded as the emblem of the city. </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Strelitzia reginae</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> is, however, indigenous to South Africa where it grows wild in the Eastern Cape. Here the </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">strelitzias</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> grow in rocky grassland and between other shrubs along the riverbanks and in clearings in the coastal bush.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Strelitzia reginae</span></span></span></i><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> is a bold structural plant, which forms large evergreen clumps of stiff leaves growing up from the base. The grey-green banana-like leaves grow about 1,5 m in height and the flowers stand above the foliage at the tips of long stalks. Mature plants are very floriferous with flowers in autumn, winter and spring. </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">These produce abundant nectar that lures insects, and birds which (in South Africa) include White-bellied, Black, Grey, Collared, Malachite and Marico Sunbirds and the Cape White‑eye.</span></span></span><i><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Popular with landscapers, this architecturally pleasing plant is ideal for modern landscapes, creating an impact not only in home gardens, but also in office complex gardens, schools and large parks. This Strelitzia can form an impressive groundcover when mass‑planted in very light partial shade.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <b><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For detailed information about growing </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Strelizia reginae</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and the other Strelizia species visit </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/yabvvau"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">http://tinyurl.com/yabvvau</span></span></a></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> I am sure you will find the content very useful. </span></span></span></b><!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-79339321300754989172010-01-31T15:16:00.002+02:002010-01-31T15:19:28.501+02:00And now for Anemones . . .<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5WE1bT_tH-Kfzoek6mh1A3as3e0yjGmMHDffKGbozgyWPsmbqXRjgt8JEoVAKOvMrVdKPbPo-o-i81i_v48iXlouo807jNboqB1GtldskkcnYGSP8rXgsN4ji68Qop-a75fGT-6Cw_mh/s1600-h/Anemone-CompWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 304px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5WE1bT_tH-Kfzoek6mh1A3as3e0yjGmMHDffKGbozgyWPsmbqXRjgt8JEoVAKOvMrVdKPbPo-o-i81i_v48iXlouo807jNboqB1GtldskkcnYGSP8rXgsN4ji68Qop-a75fGT-6Cw_mh/s320/Anemone-CompWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432892931386865106" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="Introduction"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6600CC;">My father had a great love for Anemones, and their cousin Ranunculus, and while I always recall his spring garden awash with colour, it was the Anemones that fascinated me</span></span></span></i></b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6600CC;">.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p> <p class="Introduction"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anemones have rich bright colours that are great for mass colour in garden beds in sunny positions. Anemones are also great cut flowers and produce successions of flowers over a long period.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Anemone family is a large one (over 120 species), but it is </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anemone coronaria</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, which is the gem of the Autumn planting selection. Best known and generally sold as a 'bulb' the 'bulbs' are more correctly described as tubers.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anemone coronaria</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> is an excellent subject for container gardening and is a reliable performer. For Autumn planting fun and great container charm, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anemone Coronaria</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> remains a winner.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you would like to know more about growing Anemones, visit </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/y8lhbhb"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">http://tinyurl.com/y8lhbhb</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. You will find some very useful information</span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-16053128611115856712010-01-31T14:55:00.002+02:002010-01-31T14:57:46.028+02:00You can never have too many delphiniums<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHx3JNpWrZV_I9W2uoYHUhfVib5WN8JgNTP98oVn2NBgu0qa4eh9pah4GxbgEuYL_NJbKwUWEfYGDTtpGuAHwPJLlalvX7qDVBQKBn2pUS08e4ppIfl0pEelZ_3vNtBLBaXskmx0amDNPu/s1600-h/Delphinium-CompWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHx3JNpWrZV_I9W2uoYHUhfVib5WN8JgNTP98oVn2NBgu0qa4eh9pah4GxbgEuYL_NJbKwUWEfYGDTtpGuAHwPJLlalvX7qDVBQKBn2pUS08e4ppIfl0pEelZ_3vNtBLBaXskmx0amDNPu/s320/Delphinium-CompWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432887222076392402" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333399;">I am currently working on a feature for my website on Cottage gardens, and today I posted a piece on growing Delphiniums. In my view, you can never have too many delphiniums in a cottage garden. </span></i></b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Delphiniums are glorious plants with flower spikes that can grow up to 180cm tall. Normally, they are a range of blues, but are also available in white, pinks, and purple. They are standouts as background plants.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The delphinium is a genus of fully to half-hardy perennials, biennials and annuals so much admired particularly in the cottage garden setting. When grown in warm zones they are generally treated as annuals while in cool zones they can be successful as perennials. Delphiniums are tall, majestic plants with showy open flowers on branching spikes. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Another name for Delphinium is ‘Larkspur’. These beautiful blooms add a touch of grace to any garden and make a wonderful bouquet of cut flowers that will last about seven days in a vase. The modern delphinium is one of the most spectacular and popular of garden flowers. There are wide ranges of colours, several flower forms, and varieties of different heights. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The modern delphinium is the result of hybridisation of delphinium species from wide and varied parts of the world. Crosses made by growers keen to improve specimens they were able to acquire have resulted in the modern plants, which are truly spectacular. Many are varieties that are disease resistant, offering protection against both powdery mildew and black spot.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">If you are interested in knowing more about growing Delphiniums go to </span></span></span><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:";color:#9E0000;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/yfgops4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://tinyurl.com/yfgops4</span></span></a></span></u><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> I am sure you will find the post interesting!</span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-49909020619415405632010-01-31T14:30:00.002+02:002010-01-31T14:37:16.861+02:00An apology<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Hi everyone. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">No, I did not fall off the end of the earth during my travels. I have been battling with eye problem for months, that limited my use of the computer and I simply couldn't keep the blog going. I did manage to keep posting to my website and some of you have probably read those posts.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Everything is much better now, so from today I will attempt to play catchup with some new posts that I hope you will find interesting. I am looking forward to sharing with you again!</span></span></div></div>Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-55692342710444789002009-11-29T15:21:00.003+02:002009-11-29T15:26:34.482+02:00Easy-growing Gerberas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3d67lMee-0voNBmqlVnrVDgRY3zlWyqQL8kIqG6eHcEN446IT4ATDTAzyL2fpUdCBaXYcFLD1LeVL6rq_usQ_I7m-rrJaow9PY3v1C81fFlW1atcpCk0oVE7-ewea5Eo6twSXRg1A0Ld/s1600/Gerbera-CompWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 241px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3d67lMee-0voNBmqlVnrVDgRY3zlWyqQL8kIqG6eHcEN446IT4ATDTAzyL2fpUdCBaXYcFLD1LeVL6rq_usQ_I7m-rrJaow9PY3v1C81fFlW1atcpCk0oVE7-ewea5Eo6twSXRg1A0Ld/s320/Gerbera-CompWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409515564384915106" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CC0000;">I planted some vividly coloured Gerberas (also known as Barberton daisy or Transvaal Daisy) a couple of years ago and am starting to see great results as the plants clump and produce lots of blooms.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CC0000;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The species is indigenous to South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province and</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> its common name arose from the old gold‑rush town of Barberton, where it grows in great profusion. In its natural environment </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gerbera jamesonii </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">grows in </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">well‑drained soil in grassland areas.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If grown in the right conditions, the plants will flower for many months through summer and into winter. Although these daisies grow best in sheltered, frost‑free positions, they will tolerate some frost. The soil should be well drained, and mixed with plenty of organic material. If the soil in your garden is heavy, compensate by raising the beds 15‑30 cm above ground level and mixing some river sand into the soil.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gerbera daisies are among the best and most attractive flowers for cutting, but they should be cut a day or two before they are to be displayed, because the flowers tend to close up the night after they are cut. To make the flowers last longer you should dip the ends of their stems in boiling water after cutting.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There is a full profile on Gerbera daisies with good growing tips on my website </span></span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Verdana;color:windowtext;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/yesg4sy"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">http://tinyurl.com/yesg4sy</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. Drop by now to find out just how easy it is to grow these magnificent plants. </span></span></span></b></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-27297135241056744252009-11-29T15:10:00.001+02:002009-11-29T15:13:07.933+02:00Make ground covers your friend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEOyQTWlvVEoLhyphenhyphenjBUhagjWTV2m5othLuHnYAcRf1O8xngAhaKlZvJ-FWbQoQ9ipjC4mfQVfKTjHFZCsAwBsyY-xWtwXXvPGiokjXdnOT3ebWu5ykA7k6oMPR44gK-PrOsfInCaQbQ4Yl/s1600/Groundcover-CompWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEOyQTWlvVEoLhyphenhyphenjBUhagjWTV2m5othLuHnYAcRf1O8xngAhaKlZvJ-FWbQoQ9ipjC4mfQVfKTjHFZCsAwBsyY-xWtwXXvPGiokjXdnOT3ebWu5ykA7k6oMPR44gK-PrOsfInCaQbQ4Yl/s320/Groundcover-CompWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409512856605714738" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#006600;">Ground covers can be among the most attractive and useful plant groupings in your home landscape.</span></i></b></span></span></span><b><i><span style="color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We’ve been getting lots of rain and the ground covers are thriving. Some have needed some radical trimming, but they do add a lushness to the garden. I have been thinking about some of the gardens I have visited that absolutely cry out for the addition of ground covers. And others where gardeners have simply planted the wrong groundcovers in the wrong places, ending up with strangled flower beds or shrivelled ground cover plants in shady areas.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ground covering plants are just that — they spread or creep over the ground to form a dense, living carpet of foliage which can take the place of a lawn or fulfil many other useful purposes in the garden.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They include plants that propagate quickly to form a dense, lawn‑like carpet of greenery, plants that have coloured foliage or which flower profusely, and others that are really small, spreading shrubs. There is a large variety of texture and leaf form too, and there are ground covers to suit varying soil types and virtually any terrain, whether a rocky, steep bank or a damp, shady corner.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ground covers are particularly well suited to informal gardens, and areas that are difficult to landscape in a conventional way. It is often difficult, or impossible, to grow a lawn on steep, rocky blocks of land, and even if a lawn can be established, mowing and maintenance could be a problem. </span></span><span style="color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Choose the right plant for the right place. </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I have now added the first in a new series dealing with Ground Covers to my website </span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Verdana;color:windowtext;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/yl5txaq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://tinyurl.com/yl5txaq</span></span></a></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. H</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ead over there now for the lowdown. Future posts will deal with </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Propagation of ground covers</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Planting and Caring for ground covers, </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">and profiles of a number of popular ground covers.</span></span><o:p></o:p></b></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-34194422755980605722009-11-05T20:02:00.003+02:002009-11-05T20:07:29.694+02:00Lilies are easy to grow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXYiGqO04JJQKx_tsisfqGVSrlyJdar2tgPyiRf-I8lwV6ztNTvv6DkfOUW8iO2L2I_8oz31HpQUVcO6I_J3u-7YgaMSklUtRIxVhanrsn4RJPabBhho0U5DZswPOjF_WypYGJipGFJQg/s1600-h/Lilies-compwc-LoRes-BLOG.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXYiGqO04JJQKx_tsisfqGVSrlyJdar2tgPyiRf-I8lwV6ztNTvv6DkfOUW8iO2L2I_8oz31HpQUVcO6I_J3u-7YgaMSklUtRIxVhanrsn4RJPabBhho0U5DZswPOjF_WypYGJipGFJQg/s320/Lilies-compwc-LoRes-BLOG.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400682470267369938" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="mso-no-proof:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I have been filling some gaps in my garden with lilies (for now, planted in their pots). </span></span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi- mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Lilies add rich </span></span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">colours</span></span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and splendid form to almost any landscape. From the classic to the ornate, they will delight your senses and enhance your gardening experience.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-no-proof:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Lilies provide an easy to grow, colourful addition to your garden and landscape. By choosing a combination of early, mid-season, and late-blooming cultivars, you can have lilies in flower throughout. These hardy bulbs require only minimal care. Each has the capacity to grow, eventually, into a large cluster of flowering stems.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Valued for thousands of years, lilies are among the most varied of plants in their colour, size, and flowering time, and also in the conditions in which they will grow<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">One of the oldest of all cultivated flowers, the lily has been cherished since the days of the earliest civilisations. Records show that lilies were grown in Rome, Greece, China, Japan, and in ancient Egypt at least 3 000 years ago.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Few plants are as versatile as the lily, a genus of mainly hardy bulbs with about 90 species. All are perennials, but they vary widely in size, colour, flowering period, and the conditions in which they will thrive.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-no-proof:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The first of a three-part series on Lilies is now up on my website </span></span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi- mso-bidi-mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/yhh5dzd"><span style="mso-ansi- mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;mso-hansi-mso-no-proof:no"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">http://tinyurl.com/yhh5dzd</span></span></span></a></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-no-proof:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">.</span></span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Part Two of this series will be posted soon and will deal with </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="mso-no-proof:yes;color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Planting and Caring for Lilies</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">. Part Three covers </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Propagation of Lilies</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">.</span></span></b><br /></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-86857137684983441732009-09-28T16:12:00.004+02:002009-09-28T16:21:02.707+02:00Clivia — a garden delight<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXq_z1e69YztW6jD45sdGT6ndVE3YG765FOnHYMd4PLCFP4gLMfDiCyFnNT-lAHRKJl0aAnU7sDl5itM9VzsXBaJnyZxZNkQu4T3ylaLfHuOxImnJXIdRchvs8249pxnm5pRoCb8X_YDf/s1600-h/Clivia-CompWC-LoRes-2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXq_z1e69YztW6jD45sdGT6ndVE3YG765FOnHYMd4PLCFP4gLMfDiCyFnNT-lAHRKJl0aAnU7sDl5itM9VzsXBaJnyZxZNkQu4T3ylaLfHuOxImnJXIdRchvs8249pxnm5pRoCb8X_YDf/s320/Clivia-CompWC-LoRes-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386522320696953698" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">My Clivia garden is currently providing a colourful spectacle. Clivia </span></span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">is a wonderful flowering plant. Elegant and imposing, it’s easier to grow than an orchid and more unusual than </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">an amaryllis</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">. </span></span></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">A Clivia plant will produce dense clusters of lily-like flowers. Equally important, the strap-like, dark evergreen leaves are virtually blemish free, making Clivia an attractive foliage plant, even when not in bloom.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-;color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Given the regal quality of the plant, a Clivia is surprisingly easy to grow. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Clivia are hardy, low maintenance, shade-loving plants. They don’t like wet feet and need to be well-drained, may tolerate a little early morning sun, but prefer full shade, and are frost tender.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-mso-ansi-language:EN-US;color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Six species of Clivia are endemic to South Africa, the most commonly grown being </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Clivia miniata,</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> which is now cultivated all around the world. </span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Many Clivia growers are using the species to create interspecific hybrids (the crossing or breeding of two species of the same genus). This is resulting in many varied shapes and colours in Clivia.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In late winter or spring, tall stalks shoot up from the leaves and bear crowded clusters of brightly coloured blossoms, after reaching 3-5 years of age. These evergreen plants typically have a large head (umbel) of between 12 and 20 trumpet shaped flowers on top of a thick stem.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The long-lasting flowers are usually orange with yellowish centres, but there are forms that bear scarlet, dark red, salmon, and yellow flowers. </span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></span><span style="mso-no-proof:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Little is known about the pollinators of </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Clivia</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">and studies are now being undertaken to discover what pollinates it. Seed is dispersed by birds.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you have a shady, frost-free corner in your garden, or if you would like to grow a spectacular flowering house plant, give Clivia a try. You will be well rewarded.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For the full story on propagating and growing Clivias visit my website </span></span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/yd46yfo"><span style="mso-ansi- mso-ascii-mso-hansi-mso-no-proof:no;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">http://tinyurl.com/yd46yfo</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> now.</span></span></span><br /></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-56431998970138470942009-09-28T16:07:00.001+02:002009-09-28T16:11:27.345+02:00Superbly easy Scabiosa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1qG0Ze0LDWUqScSiwm7R_PpuF8MISpg7L5hfG5vcJ0qWoXcFS7gXRScwnSOyVZXUp3ZVeWRkYTCyFefxQmOlJb78LD-bxeA2aBtpqL5q_engEuK6OBEbII9l9jw6dgZ-_JcGvgmCjdCD/s1600-h/Scabiosa-1Comp-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1qG0Ze0LDWUqScSiwm7R_PpuF8MISpg7L5hfG5vcJ0qWoXcFS7gXRScwnSOyVZXUp3ZVeWRkYTCyFefxQmOlJb78LD-bxeA2aBtpqL5q_engEuK6OBEbII9l9jw6dgZ-_JcGvgmCjdCD/s320/Scabiosa-1Comp-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386520542627004658" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Easy-to-grow Scabiosa </span></span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-US" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">must be one of the prettiest garden flowers. Growing in small clumps, the flowerheads stand above the foliage, gently moving with the slightest breeze.</span></span></span></span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"> </span></span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"> </span></span></span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">On warm summer days, butterflies are often seen on the flowers, for </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Scabiosa </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">is one of their favourite nectar plants.</span></span></span></span></i></b><span style=" ;color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Dipsacaceae</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> or </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Scabious</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> family is found in Africa and Asia, but is most abundant in the Mediterranean region where there are 11 genera and 290 species. Two genera are indigenous to southern Africa, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Cephalaria</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Scabiosa.</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> In South Africa there are nine species of </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Scabiosa</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Scabiosa</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> family is large and so plants grown in the garden may be hardy annual, half hardy annual, hardy biennial or Hardy perennial in nature.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Scabiosa range in height from 15 to 60cm. They bloom from spring through to the first months of autumn, and carry domed flowers of white, blue, purple, red or yellow atop long stems.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-;color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">As they are often mat forming they make ideal plants for use in garden borders.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Some of the more common names for Scabiosa include, </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Scabious</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, Sweet Scabious, Pincushion flower and Mourning-bride.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The timing of the sowing of Scabiosa depends on their nature. Annuals are usually sown after the last frost, perennials may be sown at the start of spring or autumn. Scabiosa seeds should be lightly covered once sown and spaced at about 30 to 40cm apart. They like to grow in sunny areas that have good drainage. Ideally the soil that Scabiosa grows in should be humus rich, slightly alkaline (pH7 to pH8) and moist.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For the full story on propagating and growing Scabiosa visit my website </span></span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/yaazqdz"><span style="mso-ansi- mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;mso-hansi-mso-no-proof:no"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://tinyurl.com/yaazqdz</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> now.</span></span></span><br /></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-59213923337602080482009-09-23T08:56:00.003+02:002009-09-23T09:05:48.783+02:00EASY-TO-GROW HEATHERS BRING YEAR ROUND COLOUR<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyShYypp6dNbczFx1hsbxem5ZYSwC7iR1DG3S7BYVyZVH2RBQ-uDM3XhHKN_FWgGODUGb2HOQGDNfpgiN-Nyxhyj1OOxUx3j1fSbAvJ6DL-dC3hV41pbAcK8HKR_saRg3XBnqXQ4ColtI/s1600-h/ERICA-BLOG-compwc-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyShYypp6dNbczFx1hsbxem5ZYSwC7iR1DG3S7BYVyZVH2RBQ-uDM3XhHKN_FWgGODUGb2HOQGDNfpgiN-Nyxhyj1OOxUx3j1fSbAvJ6DL-dC3hV41pbAcK8HKR_saRg3XBnqXQ4ColtI/s320/ERICA-BLOG-compwc-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384554515145115362" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Heathers have long been our go-to plant for winter colour, flowering when most other plants quit, appreciating our acidic soil, and graciously holding onto their leaves in the process.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">What many gardeners don’t know is that there are so many kinds of heather out there that if planted with a bit of forethought, one could have heathers blooming all year long. Add gorgeous gold, blue, orange and chocolate leaves to the mix and the result is spectacular.</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">When people mention heather, they are almost always talking about two different genera of plants: heaths and heathers. Although both belong to the </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">Ericaceae</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"> family, they are botanically different and are divided into the </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">Calluna</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"> genus and the </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">Erica</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"> genus. For practical purposes, however, they are nearly identical, sharing colour, form, and growth habits</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-Arial MT";mso-ansi-language:EN-USfont-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">.</span></span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">We had enjoyed a close relationship with heather for many centuries before they became garden staples. They supplied forage and bedding for goats, cattle and sheep, a sleeping place for lonely shepherds on the moorlands, the major food source for some bird species and even a building material. Fuel and dyes were derived from them, and the nectar from the flowers produced some of the finest honey. Brushes, baskets, screens and hurdles are still made from the plants.</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">But though they have many uses, it is as decorative plants that heathers are supreme, producing flowers from late summer into winter, and from spring back into summer.</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">Acid soil is perfect for this plant, as with all </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">ericaceous</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"> plants, but because it thrives naturally in poor soil, it will live on the cusp of acid, even tolerating a degree of alkaline soil and salt-laden coastal winds. Its other advantage is that it has a lovely range of flower colour and foliage.</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For the full story on growing Heathers and Heaths visit my website </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--><b><span lang="EN-US" style=""><a href="http://tinyurl.com/m9hldd"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:13.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family:Verdana;mso-hansi-font-family:Verdana;mso-no-proof:no"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://tinyurl.com/m9hldd</span></span></span></a></span></b><!--EndFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> now!</span></span></span><br /></p>Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-88742335796254055252009-09-17T18:06:00.002+02:002009-09-17T18:10:42.929+02:00GROW A BUTTERFLY GARDEN<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRP0DVtjd50XXVYl02gE93IQe0NWLgFXQ0k1BdVsqDi84Nsl3iNvwdDjk2-vrEdFV9tKp0INiVbSCLBcCL9orU1rePvjfGdREAvjgWnwKCum7TUh5fuGZvwtLyDabm1kXCxcA06eeJiG_/s1600-h/Butterfly-BlogWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRP0DVtjd50XXVYl02gE93IQe0NWLgFXQ0k1BdVsqDi84Nsl3iNvwdDjk2-vrEdFV9tKp0INiVbSCLBcCL9orU1rePvjfGdREAvjgWnwKCum7TUh5fuGZvwtLyDabm1kXCxcA06eeJiG_/s320/Butterfly-BlogWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382469293702111986" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span lang="EN-US" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Butterflies are among the most beautiful and interesting creatures on Earth. By planting a butterfly garden with all of the right kinds of plants and flowers that butterflies love to feed on and lay eggs on, you will certainly have a yard full of butterflies throughout the growing season</span></span></span></span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi- mso-bidi-mso-ansi-language:EN-US;color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Butterfly gardens can be any size — a window box, part of your landscaped yard, or even a wild untended area on your property. </span></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi- mso-ansi-language:EN-US;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The design for your butterfly garden is a matter of personal preference. Typical points to consider are the size of your garden and the types of flowers and plants you want to grow. Pick a style of garden that appeals to you, but ensure it also contains the plants and flowers that appeal to the butterflies you wish to attract.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Apart from sipping the occasional bit of nectar for energy and pollinating flowers as they go, butterflies have a very important function in life; to mate and for the female to lay her eggs on specific plants (called host plants) that are suitable for 'her' caterpillars to feed on. Each butterfly species has host plants that are specific to it. After mating, the female must begin the hunt for suitable plants, and will move from area to area (or garden to garden), gaining strength by sipping the odd bit of nectar from particular flowers along the way. She will continue her journey until she has located a suitable host plant in good enough condition to support hungry caterpillars.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Cultivate a wide selection of host plants and a variety of beautiful free‑flowering shrubs and perennials to supply nectar refreshment. Caterpillars rapidly grow into butterflies and the tree will soon boast a brand new set of bright and shiny leaves. Feeding caterpillars is a small sacrifice to make for the privilege of having brilliant butterflies flitting through the garden.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Butterfly gardens are a great source for your own enjoyment, photo opportunities, or an outlet for artistic talent.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For the full story on Butterfly Gardens visit my website </span></span></span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi- mso-ansi-language:EN-US;color:windowtext;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/npgn4k"><span style="mso-ansi-mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;mso-hansi-mso-no-proof:no"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://tinyurl.com/npgn4k</span></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">soon!</span></span></span></span></b><br /></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-84702309275137965882009-09-11T19:47:00.003+02:002009-09-11T20:08:10.292+02:00Gazania — an easy to grow gem from Africa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupQBZ44hhOgyEumUKs5lE-dnVSJP-8wl7lip4lojSPlMMHPiwhtynUPKt0a6Y5UQ9ufH_cNK3dbdTu7GesRRi9dbq4XdVxvZT9ePoX_YFoDStJF5lNDZiCHDJl8MT7dBZT1u8OqUGBS6T/s1600-h/Hybrid-gazania-WCComp-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupQBZ44hhOgyEumUKs5lE-dnVSJP-8wl7lip4lojSPlMMHPiwhtynUPKt0a6Y5UQ9ufH_cNK3dbdTu7GesRRi9dbq4XdVxvZT9ePoX_YFoDStJF5lNDZiCHDJl8MT7dBZT1u8OqUGBS6T/s320/Hybrid-gazania-WCComp-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380269500481928898" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-no-proof:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">If you have a sunny, dry spot in your garden where most plants don’t do well because it is too hot, consider </span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">growing Gazania there.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This genus of 16 species of annual and perennial daisies in the family Asteraceae hails mostly from South Africa, with one species extending the range to the tropics. They feature lovely showy flowers, which are large and brightly colored, and in favorable climates they can be relied upon to flower over a long period — in the southern Hemisphere from August till January reaching a peak in October and November. The species usually produce yellow or orange flowers, but the plants seen in cultivation are mainly hybrids and there are countless color forms and seedling strains.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The gazania flower grows easily in full sun, but can also do well in part-shade so long as they see a majority of sun during the day. Caring for these plants is very easy as they require very little in the way of watering or fertilising and they don't attract many pests. They are one of the ultimate waterwise plants and they flower prolifically. The plants are relatively short-lived, up to about three years depending on various conditions.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gazania is pollinated by a number of insects: bees, bee flies, beetles, butterflies and ants, have all been seen visiting its bright flowers. This is another reason why they are able to thrive in most environments, as they do not have any specific pollinators.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-no-proof:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For the full story on growing Gazanias visit my website </span></span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi- mso-bidi-mso-ansi-language:EN-US;color:windowtext;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/mqazhq"><span style="mso-ansi- mso-ascii-mso-hansi-mso-no-proof:no;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">http://tinyurl.com/mqazhq</span></span></span></span></a></span></b><br /></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-42683855505829012632009-08-07T08:57:00.003+02:002009-08-07T14:05:26.520+02:00THE LOTUS QUEST<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRb249tdw_GWX1I8t1o9TqozvjrwEt9uhQjQ9u9zSCJ56egSliZdUuL2RpaHxnTnhRzlxHyaFKTn0JMdGn_aPFQJYmGsXhLKY9VErrznk_Wa1JezYMYoWMpwo6LQ9XOUghE4JkWmvt2Qh/s1600-h/Lotus-Comp-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRb249tdw_GWX1I8t1o9TqozvjrwEt9uhQjQ9u9zSCJ56egSliZdUuL2RpaHxnTnhRzlxHyaFKTn0JMdGn_aPFQJYmGsXhLKY9VErrznk_Wa1JezYMYoWMpwo6LQ9XOUghE4JkWmvt2Qh/s320/Lotus-Comp-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367125315119321346" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">In his new book, author Mark Griffiths traces the history of the sacred plant <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Nelumbo nucifera</span> the edible, incredible lotus flower.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Across Japan in the next few weeks, in lakes and tubs, ponds and paddyfields, the massive buds of the lotus flower will open in the dawn. From Ueno Park in downtown Tokyo to the remotest rural fastness, lotus-viewing festivals will take place, turning a flower show into a mass spectator sport during what is known as the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Time of the Lotus</span>. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Already fixtures in the Japanese diet, lotus rhizomes and seeds will be devoured in even greater quantities than usual; rice wine will be poured onto the plate-like leaves and their hollow stalks stuck between the lips to act as metre-long drinking straws. Around the middle of the month, a vast harvest of flowers and leaves will bring the lotus into millions of homes where it will play an essential role in Obon, Japan's great annual celebration of the returning dead.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This magical flower, which has touched so many civilizations and reconciled nature and culture, science and spirituality, has disappeared from our gardens and consciousness. Yet <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Nelumbo</span> is easy to grow in a tub filled two thirds with soil, one third with water, and we have conservatories and sunny terraces aplenty. It is time for a revival.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">The Lotus Quest</span> by Mark Griffiths is published by Chatto & Windus.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This blog by the book's author is extracted from http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2009/aug/06/lotus-flower</span></div><div><br /></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; font-family:arial;font-size:14px;"><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat; margin-bottom: 13px; padding-right: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-size:12px;"><h1 style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat; margin-top: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 194, 2); border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 194, 2); border-left-color: rgb(255, 194, 2); width: 460px; margin-bottom: 2px; line-height: 1.154; border-top-width: 0px; border-top-style: initial; border-top- font-weight: normal; font-family:georgia, serif;font-size:2.166em;color:initial;"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;font-family:arial;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-style: italic; line-height: 11px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p></p><p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </h1></span></span></p></span>Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-31605071405209997232009-07-26T21:18:00.009+02:002009-07-26T21:39:47.925+02:00Something Different from Africa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLzl4WD7OyBHLgGRQloZm_XCBP6znbs53IX6RX3_0uAb3Qsr2RD9cDKBk-YYAi2D2D3JAv5oR48-cSBxwE-XaOBoFdPnxy9p5I66e5LubWAsqlCH_wI5lwgjzUJhpFTWJuTLtzIrjlp96/s1600-h/Aloe+marlothii+lores.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 263px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLzl4WD7OyBHLgGRQloZm_XCBP6znbs53IX6RX3_0uAb3Qsr2RD9cDKBk-YYAi2D2D3JAv5oR48-cSBxwE-XaOBoFdPnxy9p5I66e5LubWAsqlCH_wI5lwgjzUJhpFTWJuTLtzIrjlp96/s320/Aloe+marlothii+lores.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362854369939337874" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaWAoQaWAzJIogBfmZuS0dEHRq329EJs5e4NRCE5nv6J85Fg5mKjAJGHxapYl7T_AO4APdcxmxSRmI_zHRGrOBoPxSpMUwrbIH9ddiHQbhRTHcv1LJBveC_wmr6q4LDPAcm1BNR01Syqy/s1600-h/Aloe+lutescens+lores.jpg"><span><span></span></span><span><span></span></span><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaWAoQaWAzJIogBfmZuS0dEHRq329EJs5e4NRCE5nv6J85Fg5mKjAJGHxapYl7T_AO4APdcxmxSRmI_zHRGrOBoPxSpMUwrbIH9ddiHQbhRTHcv1LJBveC_wmr6q4LDPAcm1BNR01Syqy/s320/Aloe+lutescens+lores.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362852722514487426" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnFwnO5eD7KQ0kS5z6f-QqaJrT5Z4tyuE09iORGeR4obQR-WhWoEEmxKaxwZeHg89xDOtSlNee_XuAnE8X5gIiqwzH3YAsrnLdWTHy-r5kfSG2F0kfBqIyB6QCWEwawhbl0QxCMlOjbTj/s1600-h/Aloe+sessiliflora+lores.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnFwnO5eD7KQ0kS5z6f-QqaJrT5Z4tyuE09iORGeR4obQR-WhWoEEmxKaxwZeHg89xDOtSlNee_XuAnE8X5gIiqwzH3YAsrnLdWTHy-r5kfSG2F0kfBqIyB6QCWEwawhbl0QxCMlOjbTj/s320/Aloe+sessiliflora+lores.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362852033906179762" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryYTJVdnDpdtqsPkKyXEpm-LMBQxqgfbFhvvNXFk1JEEmTz5S5SSwtFjqxrWNPb04biktzO-xbIQtBoixi7tkCSOB1aWOJppvf1YxdfcJWRv07L5KbpRYX6-tlSbhLhJ7uQh4_CLS8397/s1600-h/VTM+vertical+2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 215px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryYTJVdnDpdtqsPkKyXEpm-LMBQxqgfbFhvvNXFk1JEEmTz5S5SSwtFjqxrWNPb04biktzO-xbIQtBoixi7tkCSOB1aWOJppvf1YxdfcJWRv07L5KbpRYX6-tlSbhLhJ7uQh4_CLS8397/s320/VTM+vertical+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362851485459632002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLuk4dctaxdRDy9xx8kKp14CWB_OnMHYolGcrBMJuIK1V9n7s4GfrAy36qFlqtutY0JQNd_ry3rCqQCi-Qsv5X144RiMs5mPzCzweuX9X_I9h9htfmSwZNB7JHJOPNbp2J4dPcMyDrL4l/s1600-h/Craggy+formations+with+Pieta+lores.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLuk4dctaxdRDy9xx8kKp14CWB_OnMHYolGcrBMJuIK1V9n7s4GfrAy36qFlqtutY0JQNd_ry3rCqQCi-Qsv5X144RiMs5mPzCzweuX9X_I9h9htfmSwZNB7JHJOPNbp2J4dPcMyDrL4l/s320/Craggy+formations+with+Pieta+lores.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362851070017387186" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">I have just returned from a wonderful few days in a remote corner of South Africa’s Limpopo Province.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This rugged patch of Africa is remarkable for its rock formations, deep <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">gorges and hundreds of rock art sites featuring the painting of early San (bushman) and Khoe Khoe settlers as well as later Northern Sotho protest art.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Almost as remarkable as the landscape and concentration of important rock art, is the astounding <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">variety of native plant life. Featured here are a few aloe species I photographed on the trip. Soon I will post full profile of each of these aloes on my website </span></span><a href="http://gardeningisezee.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">http://gardeningisezee.com/</span></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Come back to this blog over the next few days as I post pictures of Giant Candelabra trees, an indigenous Gardenia, the little known Elephant’s Foot and more!</span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-65372973550966947112009-07-13T13:07:00.003+02:002009-07-13T13:12:59.959+02:00Astonishing Asters<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-J7LFhuH_fRion3P4DHf8l3wlICjTONAEnXJdGCjTkNA7Kt0MGLJDycQuE-XDVYnsngswTRV4sPGWbMMsw-3_ucHwmAI9gWZxdlObYyAFQZMVLlneXTEc-Q9VUiY7LiJ3-j-UfBn8ihj/s1600-h/Aster-Comp-wc-LoRes-Blog.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-J7LFhuH_fRion3P4DHf8l3wlICjTONAEnXJdGCjTkNA7Kt0MGLJDycQuE-XDVYnsngswTRV4sPGWbMMsw-3_ucHwmAI9gWZxdlObYyAFQZMVLlneXTEc-Q9VUiY7LiJ3-j-UfBn8ihj/s320/Aster-Comp-wc-LoRes-Blog.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357900972101515090" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">Excellent for massed bedding and as a cut flower, asters are easy to grow </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-US" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">and there are both annual and perennial varieties </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">(</span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">annual asters sown for late summer bedding are properly called </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">callistephus</span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">). </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-;font-family:Times;color:#0D0D0D;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Asters grow well in average soils, but needs full sun. Although some varieties flower in summer, </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi- mso-bidi-Arial MT";font-family:";color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Asters are best known for being a beautiful addition to an autumn flower garden. When so many other flowers end of their growing season, asters continue to thrive and provide brilliant colour and scent to an otherwise sad landscape.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Asters are easily grown from division. Aster plants do best if divided every two to three years. Simply dig out half to two thirds of the plants, leaving the remainder in place. Then separate the portion you dug out into two sections and plant in another location or give them to a friend.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Plant asters into your garden into an area where they can be grown for years. Spacing depends upon size with miniature varieties spaced four to 15cm apart, and giant varieties 30cm to 60cm apart. Place smaller varieties around the front of your flower garden as a border. Put larger varieties towards the back of the flowerbed</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-;font-family:Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Asters will grow well in average soils. But, like all plants, they will reward your with bigger blooms and a healthier plant if you add plenty of compost. Also, add a general purpose fertilizer once a month.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-;font-family:Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Once your perennial asters are established, they should grow well for years. Soil should be moist, but not wet. They will withstand dry periods. Water them during dry periods, once or twice a week to keep growth vibrant.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Add mulch around the plants for appearance and to keep weeds down.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-;font-family:Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Don't let another season pass without Asters. For the full story visit my website </span></span></span><a href="http://gardeningisezee.com/"><span style="mso-ansi- mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;mso-hansi-mso-no-proof:nofont-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://gardeningisezee.com/</span></span></span></span></a></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-259.0pt"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-80403913156737045602009-07-05T20:37:00.003+02:002009-07-14T09:11:41.276+02:00YOUR JULY DIARY<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNSgbAmAP9XZBDrAtwdx1szppRN2BOVHOF9olzM4_Ih9ejY86gwUJRaRw0XWrDbcO6dUzMkeGGVbbX6cyz_wApzhQis3mgmGUdz4fEQ8pUxF7uJ2koY4zJIDcXpquHTmG-XE-LcxZqXqK/s1600-h/CamelliaAzalea-Comp-wc-lores.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNSgbAmAP9XZBDrAtwdx1szppRN2BOVHOF9olzM4_Ih9ejY86gwUJRaRw0XWrDbcO6dUzMkeGGVbbX6cyz_wApzhQis3mgmGUdz4fEQ8pUxF7uJ2koY4zJIDcXpquHTmG-XE-LcxZqXqK/s320/CamelliaAzalea-Comp-wc-lores.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355048033771965314" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This month we should start reaping the rewards for the work done in autumn — all the spring annuals and bulbs are coming into flower and it is just a question of enjoying them. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Fortunately there are few pests and diseases to worry about, occasionally one does see an amaryllis caterpillar on the narcissi but as there are so few they can easily be dealt with.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">BULBS</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The winter‑flowering bulbs must be watered, fed and the faded blooms cut off. When removing faded daffodils just take off the blooms and leave the stems, the food in them will return to the bulbs. Never arrange daffodils with other flowers in a vase immediately after picking them but put them in water by themselves for a while. The other flowers will fade rapidly if the daffodils are put with them as soon as they are cut. The more anemones are picked the more the plants will produce. Ranunculus need abundant water when they come to flower, especially in the dry summer rainfall areas.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Inspect bulbs in storage as was done last month.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">POT PLANTS</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Again it is a question of routine care, feeding and watering those in flower and keeping the soil of those resting just damp. If African violets are fed regularly they should bloom nearly all year round. There is a special soluble fertiliser on the market for them.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">If the </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">hippeastrums</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> (amaryllis) need repotting prepare the soil for them and start repotting towards the end of the month. Use pots about twice the diameter of the bulbs and make sure there is plenty of drainage material at the bottom of the pots. Do not forget to add some superphosphate to the potting mixture and a few lumps of charcoal in it will help to keep the soil sweet. Plant the bulbs with their necks well above ground level.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The lawn needs little attention except to be watered about once during the month in the summer rainfall areas. The grass may need mowing down in the warm coastal districts of Natal.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">TREES, SHRUBS AND CLIMBERS</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Shrubs which flower on the new wood sent out in spring, can be pruned this month. Remove thin spindly growth and shorten the old flowering wood back by about a third. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Visit the nurseries and choose shrubs in containers which can be planted at once. Make sure the soil in the containers is thoroughly moist before transplanting the shrubs. Plant them at the same depth they were growing at before except, if the roots are exposed, plant a little deeper.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Camellias and azaleas are coming into flower so visit the nurseries often to see them and choose new ones for the garden — they are very rewarding. Remember to water those in your garden once a week.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">THE FLOWER GARDEN</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Carry on with the regular care of the winter‑flowering annuals, paying particular attention to removing the faded flowers from pansies, primroses and violets and picking Iceland poppies and sweetpeas often. If the lower leaves of stocks and larkspur are turning yellow it is a sign of nitrogen deficiency. Two or three applications of limestone ammonium nitrate (LAN) every two weeks will soon remedy this. Dissolve a tablespoonful of LAN in 4,5 litres of water and apply to a square metre. Apply to damp soil and water in after application.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Sow seed of petunias and bedding begonias, water the pans from the bottom and place them in a warm semi‑shaded place. Cover at night or bring them inside to protect them from cold. If the seed is sown now the plants will flower by mid‑summer.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Continue pruning all fruit trees and vines and spraying twice with winter strength lime sulphur (one cup lime sulphur to eight cups water) after they have been pruned. Allow ten days between the applications and make sure the trunks, branches, twigs and the soil under the trees are thoroughly doused.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">VEGETABLES</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Continue watering and feeding when necessary. Remember to remove old cabbage and cauliflower stumps when these vegetables have been harvested. Pick broad beans regularly and start picking the peas as soon as the pods are well filled.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Start preparing for summer vegetables. Dig over vacant ground adding compost and/or old well‑rotted manure and fertiliser according to the requirements of the crops to be planted in the ground. When preparing ground for tomatoes add some seaweed meal.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Prepare seed pans for sowing early tomatoes, brinjals and peppers (disinfect the soil with Jeyes Fluid and also prepare individual pots for sowing seeds of marrows). If they get away early in the season they are less likely to be stung by pumpkin fly.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Continue sowing lettuce, radishes and peas and start sowing parsnips and Swiss chard again.</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4397460425799837258.post-81002236740358901132009-06-26T19:46:00.003+02:002009-06-26T19:53:10.518+02:00HERBS ARE A MUST-HAVE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWfl6rmDCWSG1AyYbOcPgCBvRVmdRKogYvfdcwwgmDpH003D3-4YKRdGjVI5TZP3Dz3AW-8tdaxy-I-sWe5_ihPMRMdYmuchRQ-_ZpvVHsdIWf6WqDqIetfy1ptw08BZKE8v4EPBXooeb/s1600-h/Herb-Garden-BlogWC-LoRes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 287px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWfl6rmDCWSG1AyYbOcPgCBvRVmdRKogYvfdcwwgmDpH003D3-4YKRdGjVI5TZP3Dz3AW-8tdaxy-I-sWe5_ihPMRMdYmuchRQ-_ZpvVHsdIWf6WqDqIetfy1ptw08BZKE8v4EPBXooeb/s320/Herb-Garden-BlogWC-LoRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351695221922799602" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="mso-no-proof:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">So many gardeners who are successful flower gardeners seem reluctant to test their skills at growing herbs. I believe strongly that every garden needs a herb section, even if it is a few containers in a sunny courtyard. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Mediterranean herbs are some of the most rewarding plants you can grow. Their leaves flavour everything from meats, soups, and stews to pizza and spaghetti. And the plants add beauty to kitchen gardens — many are evergreen in temperate climates. Most tolerate drought and less than perfect soil (though they prefer excellent drainage).</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-Arial MT";font-family:";color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My own herb garden contains some old favourites such as rosemary, parsley, sage and thyme, as well as newer introductions, such as conehead thyme (whose flavour is similar to winter savoury) and Italian oregano thyme (which </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">―</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-Arial MT";font-family:";color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> true to its name </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">―</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-mso-bidi-Arial MT";font-family:";color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> is a thyme with oregano overtones).</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Most herbs are tough, wild plants that have changed remarkably little despite centuries of cultivation. Almost all of them do best in sunny locations and fertile, well-drained soil, but some will survive in partial shade and poor soil.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Herbs can occupy their own part of the garden or they can be grown with other plants. Herb gardens are often arranged in intricate patterns to accentuate the contrasting colours and textures of their foliage.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">To avoid confusion when sprouts come up, label each bed carefully. Better still, draw a precise map of your planting pattern. Plan the beds so that the taller plants do not cast shade on the low-growing ones.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I am currently working on plant profiles for a whole range of popular herbs that I will be adding to my website. In the meantime I will, this weekend, add a Herb Growing Basics feature to the site. Go to </span></span><a href="http://gardeningisezee.com/?cat=10"><span style="mso-ansi-mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;mso-hansi-mso-no-proof:nofont-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://gardeningisezee.com/?cat=10</span></span></span></a><br /></p>Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982723317197852364noreply@blogger.com1