Saturday, May 18, 2013

What's coming up from seed and root: seedlings in the garden

Early Saturday morning, end of a long week, before anyone was up but the birds (and the cats, then, of course), I slipped out of the house to see what was up in the garden. We had a day planned in the city, which is as I write successfully completed, but in the early dawn, almost before the dawn, I had to get out into the day to check on all the seedlings coming up out of the ground. Here is what I found.

Snapdragons ...


... and (slightly cheating) seedlings of the foxglove from last year that aren't getting enough sun to grow. They've lived a full year like this, so I think I'll try transplanting them.


around the corner, zinnias ...



These are special zinnias. They're seedlings from seeds I saved myself, from a very happy garden of zinnias that flourished unexpectedly last year, planted from two packets of seeds from Renee's. Here are the blooms, last year ...



I wonder if this year's seedlings will come true.

Then, over behind the garage, lady ferns, from bareroot stock I planted a month ago. Just this week, the last two came up and there are now three.




... and a volunteer nasturtium from last year's plants ...


And on the way from garage to front yard, early morning sky ...


Alyssum. I planted 4 packets of 4 kinds and have eagerly counted every seedling. I'm up to about 50.


Russian sage, from a bare snag I feared had died, but transplanted anyway into what I hope will be happier surroundings.


Lilies ...


... and under the tomatoes, marigolds, big 30" ones ...


... and little 8" ones. Use your imagination!


A dahlia.


Not sure. I'm hoping these are verbena bonariensis, not weeds. But I've never planted verbena bonariensis, so I'm not totally certain ... but I'll claim them, for now.


Cleome? Again, a new one for me.


Lily.


Hollyhock (not the grass ...)!


More hollyhock, between the lilies, to bloom next year, not this.


And, in the shade of the ancient rhododendron stand by the porch, down in the lower righthand corner of the photo, rhododendron seedlings? Rootlings? I pruned it hard last year because it is failing, and I have to do some research to know if new rhoadies can grow from the roots.


Closer ...


And, in the mugo pine that was attacked by sawfly larvae last year, ugly blind yellow and black worms that I picked off myself with my bare hands, but ...


... as promised by my research, new growth straight out of the bare branches that the critters devoured.


Across from it, foxglove that I planted from seed last year, happy and -- FINALLY -- about to bloom. These will be my first ever foxglove from seed.



Then, around the other end of the house and along the north boundry line, my problem border, weeds. Mugwort. Ugh!!!


With Poison Ivy. Double Ugh.


And a weed, in the backyard, that I cajoled Capel into mowing around. This is what my mom called Indian Paintbrush, when I was little and we'd go to my grandpa's, though I don't actually know what it is (not until it blooms this year and I try to look it up, anyway). There was one here last year and I mowed around it, and now there are more. Yay. Weeds. Happy weeds.












No comments:

Post a Comment