soaphouse's Blog
soaphouse's posts about: fern
Apr 18, 2008 | 1:15 PM PST
Tags: fern , robust male , ostrich , tulip , peony , mexican heather
The other day I picked up a couple of ferns to naturalize by the creek and I finally got them planted. One is an Ostrich Fern:
The other is a "Robust Male Fern" Tee Hee:
From what I have heard, these can be invasive when happy and both of the plant tags confirmed that. I am hoping that is true. I would love for this creek to be just FULL of fluffy ferns!
Also got the 10 Mexican heathers dotted around the front yard and picked up a Pink Peony (thats all the tag said). She went by the other 2 peonies that I had originally planted 4 years ago from a bag of rhizomes that I got for $6. But, only 2 came up and they have required much patience. This is the first year they have really looked like much of anything. One is red and one is white, so I though a pink one would complete the grouping nicely. Its the one to the far left:
p>
The Bearded Iris in the back that came from my hubby's grandfather's farm started blooming yesterday. I haven't had these very long. The first season I had them, they didn't bloom, last year they didn't bloom due to the drought, so I didn't even know what color they were. SO, the whites are blooming and the ones about to come out look purple.
See that lady bug? well, once I got down close to take this picture, I saw that the entire bed of irises is infested with Aphids! Yuck! So, I gave them a good spraying of insecticidal soap and will rinse them off tomorrow with the hose.
The tulips are really looking good! I planted 60 in the fall and figured this would be quite a show...it looks great, but I realized I probably could have planted double that amount and planted them closer together to really get an even better show. They tend to be annuals here, so maybe I will try that next year...
And, finally...a good shot of my view of my front yard as seen from sitting on my front porch:
Apr 5, 2008 | 6:11 PM PST
Tags: Hosta , Fern , azalea , grecian , acanthus , creek
Well, I have had a few very fun nursery shopping trips over the last few days. Somehow the blow to the wallet hurts less when smaller, but multiple trips are made HAH!
Anyway, each time, I came home with quite a few goodies! I found some 1 gallon azaleas for $2 each, so I got 4 of them to complete and fill in some empty spots in the existing azalea bed.
They were all labeled "assorted azalea" I have learned that there are SO many varieties of azaleas that identifying what I currently have may be more difficult than initially thought. So, for now...its "assorted".
I also got a cool looking plant that I had never heard of. "Acanthus Mollis 'Oak Leaf'" (Grecian Pattern Plant) The plant label says that it is extremely fast growing to a hight of 4 feet tall and wide. It also says that it is semi evergreen and somewhat invasive when happy. Oh, and it likes shade too...so I thought, isn't that PERFECT for the creek bank! The guy at the nursery agreed :). So, in it went and I have great expectations...
Right after that pict was taken, I got up there with the weed eater and trimmed everything back to our property line. I had been struggling as to how to control all the growth back there...with roundup, by hand, or with the weed eater. I had been hesitant about the use of roundup...I really don't like to make a habit out of using that stuff and especially being on a creek bank. Plus, I am planting a lot of plants that are said to naturalize well and if I continually spray roundup that certainly will not help things. Then, I saw a gardening show about a lady who had a huge moss garden and she said the best thing to do to help it along is keep it free of debris, so I set out with my weed eater and did notice that once I got everything trimmed, there is a layer of moss under that...so I hope to help it along.
Also, while I was weedeating, the tornado sirens started going off!!! Its such a chore climbing up the creek bank with weed eater in hand (and at 9 mo preggers) that since I was already back there, I just wanted to get it done, so I went super fast and was able to make it inside before the storm hit!!!
I also picked up some other things at the nursery that will stay in my studio until the last frost date here (April 15th). Even though they are all perennial, all their nice spring growth would get zapped should we have another late freeze. Here is a breakdown of the goodies waiting for their homes:
10 Annual Mexican Heathers (These will get dotted around the front and back yard. They are so drought tolerant and always perform well for me. Last year, when I waited until after the frost date to purchase things, I had to drive to 3 different nurseries to find these, so I went ahead and got what I wanted.)
2 Sum and Substance Hostas (I really wanted 6, but the budget wouldn't allow, so I got 2 that looked like they could be divided and i will break them down into 6 total. They will look puny this year, but in years to come will be awesome. 3 will go in the shade bed in progress with the azaleas and the other 3 will go under the saucer magnolia in the front yard.
1 Minuteman Hosta - Nice variegated variety. I will divide this one as well. Not sure how many divisions I will get, but they will all go in the azalea shade bed.
2 Blue Cups Hostas - Very cool cup like leaves in a nice cool blue. Will also divide these ...hopefully into 4 total and will put 2 with the azaleas and 2 under the saucer magnolia.
1 Ostrich Fern - I wanted 3 of these to put under the saucer magnolia with the hostas, but once again the budget prevailed. This one can not be divided, but I will plant it by the creek and if it lives up to its reputation as a fast growing clumping spreader, I should be able to take some clumps in the next couple of years to dot around the garden.
1 Robust Male Fern - Never heard of this one...funny name, semi-evergreen, glossy fronds, fast growing to 4 feet tall...so, it will be another plant to find a home by the creek.
Whew...and imagine, when I set out to write this entry, I didn't think I had that much to say. HAH!
