Special Days

Another Question about garden bloggers.
I noticed not all bloggers choose to use these subjects.
And I believe you don't have to link back to the inventor or host.
Are these all the Special Blogger Day Titles?



Musing Mondays-Muse Day
-sweethomeandgardenchicago


Wordless Wednesday
-just pictures


Thursday Thoughts
-craftygardener


Bloom Day-Blogger's Bloom Day
-maydreamsgardens the 15th of every month
Is this day for what's currently blooming?

Also
Is there a "question day" for people like me who ask questions all the time ?
I'm not trying to be funny.
Maybe there's a place to go with questions?
Google Groups are very limited in their help department.
But I did find this very helpful-Dummies Guide to Google Blogger Beta
Anyway having special days is a clever idea. I like them.
Thanks for any help.

Garden Accents

Had a fun day walking around Wild Garden Accents store.
Located in Seaville,New Jersey.
They do have a website but being there is an experience in itself.

You like different stuff ? This place is a keeper in that regard.
Most garden shops carry garden accents like cement benches
and bird houses and maybe a few other things.

This place is packed full of everything you could imagine in a garden dressing sense.

They feed the local birds so some are nesting in the million unique bird houses for sale outside.

And you have to look down when you're walking around inside the store
or you may step one of their resident wild chipmunks which they feed !

I love all the blue pots,urns,bird houses and sun gods.
Crafty people can get some great ideas here.





























The Picture below is what I just bought.
Not sure where he belongs yet. Right now he's keeping guard on the house.

The Big One

Cucuzza Squash

This year Husband (who wishes to remain anonymous) made first effort with squash.
Of course he's proudest of the BIG ones....the one picked today weighs 12 pounds,
is 31" long . Mild taste, good raw in salads, or steamed with butter...
enough for a family of 24.



PS- Sorry for the profile picture change but I thought It would be a good idea to actually have a picture of me. Unfortunately this picture has a lot to be desired, you really can't see my face. My secret anonymous husband(picture above)took the picture with a point and shoot that he didn't know how to use.

Leaming's Run Garden

We had a nice afternoon stroll after finding Leaming's Run Garden here in South Jersey.
Not the best time of the year to visit but still worth it.
I have 2 pictures in this post. The first one is the tour.
The second picture is one of 4 or 5 signs they had posted regarding their hummingbird gardens.
What it says regarding feeders puzzles me.

Click on picture for slide show.

Lady Agnes

I said I would post a picture of a resident hummer who stayed when it got too cold.
But the picture comes with a story.

(This picture was taken Oct 10,2006.)

I believe this is the same female from the prior year.
Because when she arrived May 28,2006 her behaivor was the same. She went right to the perch I had made the year before also she would come by and visit at arms length and just look at me and my mom as we sat quietly on the swing together.
Silly me, I named the bird "Lady Agnes" after my mom whom unfortunately could only for brief moments enjoy watching the birds. She always loved feeding them for as long as I can remember (and I have pictures of that too) but that stopped when her Alzheimers became worse and her memories were vanishing from one minute to the next.
Anyway,October came and every morning and night for a week I would see her all puffed up like this, it was chilly with temps around 40 degrees. Even durning the day it was too cold for me to sit outside and I was worried and couldn't understand why she wouldn't leave.
But finally on the 11th she did.

Last year I waited for Lady Agnes to arrive so we could watch her visit all the flowers and sit on her perch to rest and keep guard of any intruders and maybe come real close and visit.
Sadly, my mother passed away the first day of June last year.
And our Lady Agnes never did return.
There are times that I feel that maybe Lady Agnes didn't want to leave that year because she knew she may never be able to return again.
I know there's no connection but this picture will always bring me memories of her.
I treasure all of time we had together on that swing in the garden.


Promise no more sad stuff.

Leaving Soon

She takes a break
after chasing 3 travelers away.




I would say they're migrating south.
Our resident female is very territorial.
The latest we ever saw any hummers was Oct.10 here in NJ.
I've been told not to leave the feeders up that late,
since you want them to go south before it gets cold.
The lowest temperture was last night at 50 degrees.

Trip to the Garden Mart

Can you believe I didn't buy a thing ?
Most of the sale items are annuals in this area 7a.
Didn't see any good buys today. I took pictures of the planters for ideas...
you can always use ideas. Will get some flowers to add a little color
to the front of the house even though my summer annuals haven't died yet.
Hum, what will I get?


Need a detour from gardening? Visit Kim and Victoria.


Click on picture for slide show

Happy Cardinal...

What is this bug?
I never seen anything like it before.





Sept,17
Thanks to Cameron at Defining your Home Garden for the ID.
I should have asked this butterfly guru first.

Question about Awards

I understand the "mouse & trowel"award...Bloggers Vote.

But how do the other awards work?

Can any blogger nominate anyone they want?

Whats the story?

Here are the most common ones I've noticed.


Also


Can I give awards to other bloggers with something like this below ?
Their are so many bloggers who just make me chuckle.
Here's an award that I think is fitting.
It's something I made playing around with a few free images,which can be changed.
It's nothing fancy...just a cup of fun.
Let me know what you think?
All comments are welcome.

Thanks,
Patsi

Your Zone

Please tell me your zone.

This link should help.
Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Thanks,
Patsi

Late Summer

Late Summer to Fall still offers colors that are pleasing to the eye
but a reminder that the fun will be over soon.
Still trying to keep most of the gardens looking good, but I know soon it will be time
to yank those annuals out of the ground and cut down the others.
Can't forget to leave some spent annuals and perennials for the birds to enjoy.

Lilly Turf(Liriope Muscari)"big blue"


Zinnias "sizzle"


Coral bells Heuchera Dolce"Peach Melba"


Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm'



Pineapple sage


Cosmos



Sedum spectabile"Brilliant"



Coleus x hybridus

Mesmerizing Hummingbird

At 7:30am this lady was very busy enjoying the cardinal climbers
for at least 20 minutes. It was mesmerizing just watching her.

Our female prefers the flowers over the feeders and the boys like both.
(Haven't seen the boys lately).

I wasn't able to photo her while sitting outside because she wouldn't stay for long.
But once inside she was a happy camper.
Anyway,these pictures were taken through the screen door.
I'll still try to get a few good pics outside before they have to leave.
That will be a sad day.

Dawn

There's something magical about the sun rising in the morning.
The touch of light on everything you see.
A feeling of tranquility.
Maybe it's because it's another day,another chance to enjoy life.



























None of my photos are touched-up.
Honestly, I don't know how to.
At the most, I crop and maybe make lighter if needed.
I did absolutely nothing to the photos above.

From Seed 2008 (Just for the Records)

Very small selection this year.
Summary and Journal Below

From Seed


xxxxxxxxxx
dwarf ladybird scarlet cosmosxxxdwarf large yell zinniasxxxprofusion apricot hybred zinnas dwarf



xxxxxx
dahlberg daisiesxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxhyacinth beanxxxxxxxxcardinal climbers




XXXXXX
hollyhocks queeny dwarfxxxxxxxxxxxorange cosmo tall

Summary

hyacinth bean-keeper for hummers
cardinal climbers-keeper for hummers only not much to look at till aug
dwarf ladybird scarlet cosmos-keeper, prune to keep short
tall orange cosmos-(direct sow)july 14 are 3 feet tall showing some buds.aug 1- big and flowering but way to late in the season for me.
dwarf large yell zinnias-ok but not worth saving seeds
lupine-had to move july 14 where getting buried by other flowers
dahlberg yell daisies-not worth it unless added to a hanging pot
hollyhocks-tall red-july 14 no buds,aug 1st nada,not happening,too much rust
hollyhocks queeny mix dwarf yellow rust-july 14 no buds yet-flowered late july
profusion apricot hybred zinnas dwarf-must plant 10 in pot,looks good early july
spider-started too late(most died) but found millions self sown from last year(only plant in pots!!)
Their everywhere, same with old "touch me nots">



Journal
April 1 and 2nd
started seeds -smaller selection than last year-things change


below 2 days to germinate
hyacinth bean-april 15 too tall for under lights-going outside/april 28 plants survived.
cardinal climbers
dwarf ladybird scarlet cosmos
dwarf large yell zinnia
4 days
lupine(few)
dahlberg yell daisies
hollyhocks
hollyhocks queeny mix dwarf yellow
profusion apricot hybred zinnas dwarf-nice

April 17
used Neem Oil on most plants(bugs started eating hostas)


April 20
Will be gone for 1 week-plants have completely absorbed the water in tray and are sitting in 1/4 inch of water with a 1/2 inch reserve.Plants survived with no losses.
Planted gladiolis bulbs(50 from bargain store)


May 14
Used neem oil. Put plants outside to harden off.
started more seeds-
spider flower-2 weeks 1 germinated
tashkent marigold-info-2 weeks 1 germinated
hyacinth bean-2 days then in ground 2 weeks later
tall orange cosmo direct sow

May 21
planted my plants in ground and pots.
orange cosmo not up yet.

May 24
cosmo starting to come up outside
spider and marigold-nada

June 8
spider have germinated
marigold nada
cosmo direct sow-2 inches tall

July 7
Spider too small to flower
cosmo direct sow are 2 1/2 feet tall no flowers
hollyhocks not ready to flower
cardinal climbers starting to flower
hyacinth bean 4 feet tall not ready to flower
gladiolis not ready to flower

Aug 1
Too hot to work outside so everything is getting neglected.