suesaad's Blog

I might be moving......
Jul 30, 2008 | 7:53 PM PST
.....as I was strolling through Moonlight Garden I decided I want to live there.  Ha Ha I just spent an hour perusing the Thomas Kinkade Gallery and I decided I want to live in one of those cottages.  I have never seen trees with blooms the colors he paints them, I just want to be there....please visit the site, it's amazing....Sue

Zucchini, Zucchini, Zucchini
Jul 29, 2008 | 9:35 PM PST

....what on earth to do with it all.  Hmmmmm. Can't give em' away at this point, have made A LOT of breads for the freezer, have eaten it steamed, grilled, fried, in a casserole and in a salad. (That almost sounds like a Dr. Seuss book!)  Why do all of us gardeners plant soooo much? It's just like when you have a gathering, there is so much food it almost goes bad before you can use it all! It's like feeding a small nation without the population.....we had some of our beets yesterday, they were fabulous.  This week we will start cutting up and freezing the onions and peppers for over the winter.  Tomatoes are slow coming, but before you know it no one will want to look a tomatoe sandwich in the face..!!!! 

I saw in a gardening magazine a pic of a climbing rose someone had growing up a post that had a bicycle rim affixed to the top.  The finished product looked like a rose umbrella.  That is definately on my list. 

My Mom would like a cutting garden, so that is another project. My brother got the wood to build her a raised bed about 4' x 15'.  So she has been shopping on line at Park Seed deciding what she wants. She enjoys it so much and I enjoy so much watching her enjoy so much....(that was a mouthful).

My folks 50th is next month so me and the sibs want to do something they will enjoy.  They are very simple don't go for flashy, don't want any party, (we have been warned) so.....we decided to put in a patio underneath the Wisteria, no more grass, (not that there is that much now) a nice smooth surface for the furniture and just a sweep to clean it up.  They sit under it all the time, I think it will be a wonderful addition for them.  (Dad even takes his afternoon siesta under the Wisteria).

I finally potted my trees for the deck.  A Forest Pansy Redbud, Catalpa and a Maple.  I'll keep my fingers crossed that they do well through the winter in their pots, they say they will be fine.  Deesi sent me some Passiflora seeds, I will start them I guess early March and hope they look as beautiful as hers. I will put them on my deck to trail across the railing. I have a nice wooden chaise and a plant stand that I will paint tomorrow.  I still have a long ways to go with this project, but it will come. 

In the meantime there is plenty of mowing, weed wacking, weeding, pinching, staking and picking to do, as you all know.  So have a terrific Wednesday and get down and dirty!!!    Sue 

practice
Jul 27, 2008 | 7:40 PM PST
I am just practicing putting a pic in my blog.....

My deck project
Jul 25, 2008 | 8:05 PM PST

Hi all, I working on plans for my deck project.  My deck is @ 12' x 25'.  I want to put 3 trees in pots for year round on the deck. I don't get any shade until @ 6:00p.m., so I don't use it. I don't want an umbrella, I want it to look and feel natural. I want to incorporate a lounger, a couple of leisure chairs and a small table with a couple of chairs. On the outside wall I want to put a wall fountain.  What I am not sure of is things I can plant in containers that are "tropically", large leaves that blow in the breeze, give a feeling of privacy (even though the deck is 12" off the ground! I just want to surround myself with beautiful foliage, different textures and colors, not so many flowers as in the gardens. I have been looking in many different seed and plant sites, but I'm not sure what kinds of things have that look I'm reaching for.  I have a root cellar I can put things in or I can dig em up and store them.  But I don't know what!!! Help...I know alot of you grow those kinds of things regularly where you live, out west or south.  Let me know some of the things you really think fits the bill...please...thanks Sue

p.s. I put pics on of my deck area....

Uhhggggg, so much rain.......
Jul 24, 2008 | 4:59 PM PST
Hi again everyone.  I am sooooooo bored today.  It rained buckets all day yesterday, all night and again all day today.  I'm going insane, I need to be outside.  I just took a walk and everybody is so saturated and hangyyyy...The rain has been so heavy, @ 10 inches according to the bucket I put in the middle of my deck. I know I shouldn't complain because so many of you all are having flooding issues and such. Sorry...The only good thing about it is I have begun the process of planning my deck garden for next year. My deck is about 12'x25'. I already bought a Forest Pansy Redbud and a Lance Leaf Maple to plant in pots. I have been researching keeping trees in pots year round for my area and I was surprised at how extensive the list is. I know I want at least one more but not sure what yet. My brother, Mike, is the manager at Bonsai West in Littleton, MA. He's full of knowledge about potted trees and such. I don't really get any shade on the deck and I want a more natural look, I don't want an umbrella.  I do want it to have a "tropically" feel with lots of movement, and rustling sound. I know there are some bulbs for large foliage plants (like Elephant Ears) that I can grow as annuals around here and hopefully put in the root cellar for the winter or dig up and store in a specific manner. I hope you all in the South and Southwest can give me some ideas of some of those types of things. I think I want it to be more foliage and only some flowers. Tomorrow I will take some pics of the deck and you guys can help me "see my vision". I guess I will make it through the night and say my prayers for a sunshiny day tomorrow. Remember to get down n dirty and have fun out there people...Sue

My new avatar
Jul 24, 2008 | 8:54 AM PST
I changed my avatar to my own kitty, Louis.  I don't know if it will change automatically if I am on your friends list, but it is me......Happy Day  Sue

So glad to be back here....
Jul 23, 2008 | 10:20 AM PST
Hi all, you have all probably forgotten about me by now, my computer died, had to get a new one. Took a while but am so glad to be on-line again.  How are you all? I'm good.  Been fighting the humidity here for the last few weeks.  The older I get the harder it is to work in the gardens in that kind of humidity..I hate it!! It's July 23, 2008, it rained really good last night and is continuing through today and possibly tomorrow. But the air feels clean and fresh for a change....My old fashioned cone flowers are having a spot of trouble this year with wilt and browning, some of the buds are just drying up, actually they look pretty bad.  Anyone else having this problem?  My new,(from last year) red coneflowers are looking fabulous.  Veggies are going crazy though, they love the humidity...tons of squash, beets, onions, cukes, cabbage, green beans etc.  Have been experimenting with zucchini recipes from on-line, I have way too many, you all probably do to.  Still waiting for tomatoes, except for the grape yellows, plenty of them.  Right now in the flower bed the daylillies and liatris are show stopping.  Oh yeah can't forget the phlox, beautiful.  The Rose of Sharons are almost ready to burst.  My persicaria "firetail" are fluffing out.  The annuals started from seed are looking great, larkspur, cosmos, gallardia.  Been cleaning in the cellar and garages while it's been too hot to play outside.  Yuck, what a job.  Anyway, you all let me know what up and new.  Looking forward to hearing from you and have a beautiful day...Sue

Busy, busy, busy
Jun 24, 2008 | 8:34 PM PST

Hi Everyone!

I have been busy resetting the brick with my Dad on the stairs leading to the back deck. Finished putting in Hostas and mulch around Rose of Sharon trees in the Italian Courtyard, which my Dad wants to change the name to Bird Court because we have tons of birds there (houses and feeders etc.) My folks have decided they want to add street signs to the yard, Wisteria Lane, Daylily Hill, Astilbe Ave. etc.  Took many pics (have added some) will add more. It takes so long as you guys all know just to upload 5 pics! I was the Yearbook Advisor for my towns high school for many years, and uploading pics was a snap, but I'm learning to be patient.  Wednesday I will pick up the things I need to prepare the ground for "Astilbe Ave." They like rich, loose soil so I need some garden soil, manure and peat.  Then the digging will start, the edging placed and a ton of Astilbes planted, that will keep me busy for a couple of days anyway...once I get my groove on I can't stop!!!!  I'm thinking I want to get some Fairy Roses....where to put them, that is the question.....Of course, that will be AFTER I finish my other projects, you all know how it goes LOL

Have a happy Wednesday, enjoy the sunshine (if your having some) and get down and dirty!!!

Achy back day
Jun 20, 2008 | 8:29 PM PST

Hi all, it's Friday nite, 11:30, I'm still awake thinking about what I am going to do tomorrow.  Today I dug, split and replanted about 2 donzen hosta.  Planted a ring of them around each of my two Rose of Sharons by the Italian Courtyard.  My Mom and I had about 100 irises that needed dividing and replanting, so we dug them up ,cleaned them up and planted one edge of the Courtyard with them, the other edge we will do tomorrow.  We did one row maybe 20 feet long, I think there will be enough to add another row to each side. The house I live in is with my folks.  I had my own house but sold it in February.  Lonely with the boys gone, didn't need all that house for just me.  So this new life back with the folks is really great.  I have one side, they have the other, we share a dining room and kitchen and of course the yard.  My Mom already had so many plants, but when I moved here I brought ALL my plants with me, (even the trees!) I wasn't going to leave them behind, what if the next owner didn't take care of them?!!!!  Folks are getting on in age and they definately love having me around.  I'm on unemployment right now, (perfect time of year for that!) They are happy to have someone with lots of energy and a brain full of ideas (Too much HGTV probably!) Anyhow, this way they can just say how about this or that, and I snap to it.  So, the Italian Courtyard is almost done, then it's moving on to the steps leading from the driveway to the back deck, pull out brick, more stone dust, put the brick back in, will look fabulous.  More pics to come. Have a great Saturday and talk to you all soon......

Sue  

Wednesday June 18, 2008
Jun 18, 2008 | 9:21 PM PST
Hey Everyone, How are you? Well off to the Casino I went early this morning and YES I won a jackpot. $800..very exciting day, now plenty of dough for more flowers..LOL Glad to get home though. I actually miss my yard like I miss my children!! Had to take a walk around to see what's happened while I was gone.  The rose arbor is starting to bust out, the Delphiniums are ready to burst open and the Black Eyed Susans are right behind.  Louis (my cat) is always so happy when I go and come back. I love that little bugger...he left a chippy on the front step, good boy that he is. It's nice to take a day off and go somewhere, but for some reason I feel like I fell way behind in my gardening chores! I bought one lousy "crown vetch" some years back and boy am I payin' for it.  I now call it "crown crap".  It is everywhere, but I keep yankin' and probably will be for another ten years!! Ground cover alright, every piece of ground you got!! Thursday I'll upload pics of my newest bed, almost completely done, call it the "Italian Courtyard".  Will be dividing some Hosta, didn't get around to it earlier in the spring and are they Gigantic.  I could border my 2 acre property with them!!  Does anyone have a piece of the curly leaved variagated type of Hosta? I would love a piece. I can spare a piece of big blue. The last thing I have to do in the Italian Courtyard is edge the outside borders with Iris.  I dug up about 200, separated, cleaned off bored tubers and cut tops, now ready to plant for next year. I planted a couple of Ligularia down by the pond, but the wild stuff has completely covered them, they get tall but I don't know if they will get that tall. Need to clean the pond out good, so much work, been overgrown for a while now.  It's on my list...I know you will all be workin' on your lists too..LOL Have a good one.......

Hi all
Jun 17, 2008 | 8:00 PM PST
I want to thank everyone for their great welcomes!!  Well today was "weed" day it seems.  It wasn't the plan, but the plan always ends up taking on a life of it's own.  I stopped to pick just a couple weeds and "BAM" it became weed day...and after I weeded of course I had to make a run to the nursery to get some more annuals to fill, that seems to have the "snowball" effect too.   It was lovely here today, 75 or so, partly sunny, the kind of day that makes it wonderful to be outside....But tomorrow no "yardening" as I call it, I'm off to the casino to play some keno and make some moneyo, LOL.  You all have a fabulous day Wednesday....

My Cover Photo
Jun 15, 2008 | 7:31 PM PST

 

This is my first ever blog, I'm still not really sure what that is, but here goes.

This pic is of a gorgeous Verbena I purchased and shot a photo kind of "through it" so I could have my shed as a background, it came out great if I say so myself......