Since rediscovering seeds again last year, and remembering how easy peasy they are to grow, I was wondering how I could have forget this? I did grow sweet peas, beans, and sugar snap peas from seed every year, but I kind of neglected the flower portion of the garden.
Instead choosing to spend my hard earned bucks on Cambridge blue lobelia, and white impatiens, along with the occasional, really colorful annual to supplement my perennials, and my other plants.
Today I bought a handful of seeds, and there is so much sunshine in the sunflowers faces, I can see them blooming in my mind already.
This is the year that I am going to change a few things up, instead of the sweet peas taking centre stage beside the garden gate, and under the arch, there will be giant bright yellow sunshine colored sunflowers. And in my mind, there will be stunning sky blue morning glories twining their way up the stems, and around the arch. Can you imagine, the first thing I will see in the morning when I open the curtains is their sunny faces.
I can hardly wait to smell the fragrance of the sweet peas as they are nestled into their new location near the brick wall dividing the condos.
We have also bought some dwarf bush beans, because there is nothing better than quickly steamed green beans right off of the bush, on a summer’s night.
The rectangle shaped community garden plot will have giant yellow sunflowers acting as bookends to more sugar snap peas. I will show you photos when they bloom. Because of the bugs, and the wire worms we are unable to grow any root veggies in those beds.
Rounding off the outside of the deck will be giant pots of those gorgeous double click Cosmo's that I saved the seeds from last year, smothered in the glaucous blue foliage, and tender tiny white double blossoms of the baby’s breath. Both of these lovelies need little water, and bloom all summer long.
I am ready for spring, planning this garden in my mind, working through it’s challenges, and looking ahead. Have you started your spring planning yet? Did you buy seeds yet? Are you going to?
Jen
I'm definitely ready for spring too. I'll be buying seeds pretty soon. My first step though was figuring out what I already had!
ReplyDeleteThat just sounds wonderful to look upon. Your flower photo's are beautiful.(Hurry spring)
ReplyDeletePatsy
Boy buying seeds is quite a commitment isn't it? I'm not sure. Should I? Will I ever plant them? Will I water them and fertilize? Harden them off?
ReplyDeleteOh Jen I just don't think I am good at commitment. I have issues.
I love hearing your plans for the garden. I am jinxed when it comes to seeds. No matter what, nothing ever comes up!!! You made me hungry talking of fresh green beans on a warm summer night - sounds delicious! Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers pics are beautiful..
ReplyDeleteI have started the seeds that need 3 months of cold stratification (dogwood, roses), and have a crisper drawerful of seeds collected from the garden, but have not yet placed any orders for new seeds. I'll be doing that in the next couple of weeks.
Jen, this is the second year I'm growing sunflowers. I have two spots~one is out front by my front fence, along the street, and the other is out back along my chain link fence. There, I mixed sweet peas (my FAVORITE!) along the sunflower seeds and they are growing up among the sunflowers! I've posted some pics on my blog: http://desertgardenpd.blogspot.com It's linked to my main one. Stop by and take a look! Good luck with your sunflowers! A few of mine are already blooming, so I actually may be able to get two crops of them!
ReplyDeleteYou photos are fabulous I'm glad you are concentrating on photography instead of working in the nursery. Growing plants from seed is rewarding your garden plans sound lovely.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a lovely garden you have planned! I'm envious of your green thumb.
ReplyDeleteNo garden for me this year. The scaffolding is going up on my building, as we speak. Everything is off my balcony in preparation for restoration work. I hope they're done in time for me to enjoy some summer weather out there this year. *sigh*
I'll have to content myself with copious amounts of cut flowers in my home. Not a bad trade-off.
You have painted the most mouthwatering image here...I can just see and smell the beautiful flowers you will be growing. I always, always, plant seeds..waiting on an order to arrive now! Squirrels eat my sunflowers!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am hopeless myself at raising anything from seed, I greatly admire those who can. Sweet Peas, for their scent alone, remain one of my very firm favourites to have in bowls around the house.
ReplyDeleteIn Hungary, where I have an apartment, Sunflowers are grown as a commercial crop throughout the summer and, in their thousands, or probably millions, make for an amazing sight stretching across the Plain.
I do wish you success with yours.
Weird, I was just writing about morning glory seeds this morning. Definitely keep us posted on your beautiful garden!
ReplyDeleteNow Jen that sounds like it will be beautiful. Blues and yellows go so well together. And fresh green beans sounds yummy.They always taste better than the canned ones even if you do your own canning or freezing.
ReplyDeleteIt's exciting to mix things up a little and try different seeds in different locations, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteCarrots, peas and runner beans did so well for me last summer that they deserve an encore. I take no credit whatsoever...must have been the soil. Think I'll also try spinach and a mezclun mix from seed this spring....whew, and that's just the veggie plot. Don't get me started on the perennial seeds!
I know I'm going to regret my over-ambition later, but it's fun to fantasize in January!
Jen, I came over from Lori's post about names :). So glad I didn't have to address this: Dear Muddy :) Your pictures have me itching to get my hands in the dirt. Every year I say I am going to start some annuals from seed....then I buy bedding plants. You have inspired me with your pictures and plans!!
ReplyDeleteThere's no point in me being ready for spring yet, Jen, as it's still months away and that will just drive me crazy. I'll content myself with watching you enjoy it, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm on and off about starting seeds. My calendar for May is getting filled up with speaking commitments, so I'm probably only going to direct seed some hardy annuals, start a few tomatoes indoors, and plant some veggies directly outside. We'll see, though. Catalogues are very tempting.
Not sure what to advise about your cat's affection for the carpet. We have no carpet, and we have an old chair that they furbrats are allowed to dig at if they need something to massacre, plus they have a kitty condo that they love. Maybe some sort of smelly repellent?
Have been thinking of spring ... as I am going to help a dear friend with his gardens this year. That is so refreshing for me... to garden for the fun of it! Yes, seeing new life spring from the dirt never ceases to amaze me. Even now.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, how we dream! But here's the beauty of it - where we can't make many of our dreams come true, we can actually make a real good run at it in our gardens. Lovely post, Jen. I can, indeed, see it all in my minds eye. I recently posted a piece about ordering seeds and making good choices, determined to limit our selections to what we absolutely need. But, alas, we've already blown it, and we haven't even finished ordering yet.
ReplyDeleteI've been so distracted with work that I haven't thought about seeds until reading your post. And it has made me long for cosmos again (as I always do). I think I need to get some of those seeds.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! You are making me yearn for spring!
ReplyDeleteSunflowers are such cheerful flowers, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteBut you're just teasing me with your talk of spring... we still have to slog through February here - often our coldest month!
Weeded garlic yesterday, and prepped 3 of 12 raised beds for early planting...yes sirree I am sooo very ready! Kim
ReplyDeleteI am looking at my gardening magazines, and dreaming for sure! :) I love the vision of your morning glories climbing up the sunflower stalks. I would love to see a photo of that. I can't imagine a planting more lovely. :)
ReplyDeleteI love th thought of Sunflowers and Morning Glories together..great combo..with blue skies and a few wispy clouds..like a photo waiting to happen:)
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