karynthegarden's Blog

Persistence Pays Off
Jan 31, 2008 | 7:18 AM PST
I was determined to find double impatiens seeds in single shades only  in  soft pinks and  white in packs of a least 25 seeds since  I like to use them as  fillers in my perennial  beds, that turned out to be a bit difficult. All I could find were mixes with darker pinks, reds, and corals of about 10 to 15 seeds per pkg.......   not good enough! Spent a good deal of  time searching for  my shades in singles  with no success.  Thought I would give another quick search this morning and I hit the jackpot!!!!  Found just what I was after and they were right under my nose all the time at a very  well know seed house (Stokes Seeds )in my area and since I had not recieved their catalouge this year  they just did not come to mind. Placed my order and made sure I was put back on the mailing list  They had a great selections in  good quantitys and everything I needed  I am very pleased  I have ordered  a fanciful mix impatient  the flower is frilly and double in shades of white & pastel pinks,and a mixed pack including corals, reds,  and mauves  for my baskets, planters and such,each a pack of 50 seeds for $8.00  also a multiblooming geranium in a coral shade 100 seeds for $ 14.00 and my double petunias orchid mist ,and pirouette rose. this will be the third summer I have grown these petuinas and they are great performers and very fragrant. In my travels they other day I aslo picked up an new zinna called polar bear with pure white blooms long stems said to be an excellant cutting flower and amazing garden accent.  .Yet again I will try to grow from seed a blue poppy (its that persistence thing again)  for me they have proven to be a challenge from seed as well as when purchased in pots, I just want 1 blue poppy in my garden thats all I ask!!!!!! I think they are so pretty and I have a fondness for blue flowers so if anyone has some  experience or tips for growing blue poppies from seed and keeping them going once planted out I would be grateful for the help.  Well on to other things.  have a great day all!

Better Part Of My Day
Jan 29, 2008 | 7:48 PM PST

I have spent the better part of my day searching  for double impatiens in  white and soft shades of pink  and this has proven to be a difficult task.   Seems they are plentiful on the other side of the border but    no shipping to Canada and any of the Canadian seed houses I have found do  not have the seeds I am looking for  So.............  I will  look to some of the seed houses out  west  and to the east  and see how I do and if not might have to go to plan B  what ever that is ! Its been raining all day and most of the snow has been washed away although temperture is going to drop a fair bit and there talking freezing  rain for the morning.   Well time to call it a night . 

Not much to do
Jan 29, 2008 | 6:31 AM PST

Not much I can do outdoors right now but sit and daydream about being outdoors, so I am thinking getting my seeds going would be something to get me started   I am keeping it simple this year  growing what I need the most  of  and the money I save I will use for the new and interesting things I find at the garden centers.plus I will need a couple of new trellises this year for the side of the garage for the clematis  I planted after the fire  I am going to revamp that area I think this year .  I have geraniums picked out and will grow several flats of them for my planters, window boxes,  and such plus I want to try them this year as a border plant in  in my front garden for sure. I have found the double impatiens in white but finding softer shades of pinks only seems to be difficult I will search online and perhaps I might pop out for a bit today and see what I can find at a couple of the nurseries in town, and this weekend get planting :-) I have to admit the thoughts of having flats of seedlings on the go makes me smile!

Garage Pics
Jan 27, 2008 | 10:38 AM PST

Well its time to drywall the new garage  and that will  finish the job  and we can put that behind us and get back to other things .  I know Rudy will be pleased not to have that job to think about everyday.and to get back to working on his hobbies. Posted some pics before and after and will post pictures of the new garage  very soon .  For a winters day its been rather nice we took a walk  this morning before 7 it  was quite pretty I enjoyed  being out in it. and  took some winter photos of the front garden as well. 

Been Awhile
Jan 26, 2008 | 4:54 PM PST
Its been while since I was here and  I had forgotten what a neat site this is   We had a bit of a mishap........ to put it mildly.  Last May  we lost our garage and everything in  it including my car due to a fire  So this past year has been about rebuilding and since my husband took the job on himself its been a long haul ,but we are nearly there . Some areas of my garden near the garage suffered but by late summer most had returned although some shrubs and plants were lost for good . Luckly though no one was hurt and the house was fine .  So its January and I find myself dreaming of my garden and looking forward to spring. I plan to dust off my grow stand and prep my trays and pots so I can get started  I want to grow geraniums and impatiens as I found myself buying them alot at the nurseries last year I will also grow my usual  double petunias as they have become a favorite of mine.   I would like  to have things   underway by the end of the month. My potting shed worked out well for harding off my seedlings last season,  once I put them in the shed that is where they stayed untill I was ready to plant them out it was great not having to move them in and out all the time.  Speaking of the shed it was remarkable that it was not damaged at all buy the fire not even by the heat  :-)  which  is  amazing since it stands so close to the garage.  I  will post some pictures of the changes  we made to the side fence We opened it up by putting in a gate  and a flag stone pathway leading to the back yard   Once the  rose and clematis grows over the gateway it should be nice .   Till next time :-)