It wasn't all ice at the nursery

Well, it wasn't ALL ice up at our local nursery this week!  I love to find water on flowers...so pretty!

Ice at the local nursery

It was 21 degrees here in our valley two mornings ago.  This morning it was 34 degrees on the front porch here at home.  I'm keeping an eye on my sunflower seedings.  They didn't like the cold and most of them are bent.  I hope they survive.

I went up to our local nursery that morning.  This is what I found at 8:30 that morning...

Some garden color (FINALLY!)

I bought a couple new daisy plants this weekend because one of them that I bought at Lowe's died.  YES!  Already!  I also found a red verbena, which the butterflies and hummingbirds will enjoy!  I added 3 other blue daisy-type plants, so I now have a variety of color!  And, the lavender is starting to open up and bloom!   Life is good!

TA DA!

More flowers for the front yard

I went back to the nursery center yesterday and bought 4 more snapdragons, 1 mint, and 2 verbena.  Now the garden looks pretty full and I think I'm set for the season.  I also bought 3 packages of miniature sunflower seeds which only grow to be 2-3 feet tall.  These will make a nice hedge against the railroad ties raised bed, I believe.  I also planted the 7 cabbage plants that were leftovers from Friday.  All 125 of our 3rd graders got to take home a cabbage plant, but there were about 15 leftovers, so I took 7 and put them in the raised bed.  I planted the mint in the middle of them, so maybe it will keep some pests away!

Here are some photos of the newest plants:

 Verbena

 Snapdragon

Snapdragon next to the daisies

Daisies ~ Today's Flowers~112215

I planted these a couple of weekends ago.  They are thriving in the garden I'm making out front.  Today's Flowers for November 22, 2015.

Here's the link to Today's Flowers (although their join up link isn't working...):   http://anenglishgirlrambles.blogspot.com/2015/11/todays-flowers-373-november-20th-2015.html

Winter garden

I can't believe it's been over 6 months since I last posted here.  It wasn't a really hot summer, but it was H-U-M-I-D.  Ugh.

Anyway, I'm slowly getting my fall/winter garden put together.  Every weekend I visit our local nursery, which is just up the street.  Their prices are a little higher than Lowe's and Home Depot, but their plants are of a much better quality.  And, I can ask them questions and they will answer them.  They also are used to me walking around with my camera and put up with that, too.

So far, I've planted daisies, blue salvia, a red salvia, a red/orange salvia, Rudbeckia, lavender, and something blue.  Oh, and a red snapdragon which attracts hummingbirds.  I may return today and buy a couple more snaps.  I'm also going to buy a package of sunflower seeds to put next to my railroad ties garden.

Here are some photos of the garden so far...

 Daisies...

 My 20 year old cat loves to "help" me.  He usually plants himself right in the middle of my photos!

 Rudbeckia...

 The blue thing...I don't know what it is...

Cholla cactus bloom

I thought I would do something a little different this week.  This is a cholla cactus bloom.  You have to be careful where you step because those barbs will attach themselves to whatever they can find!  One time we stopped in Lone Pine, at the visitors' center.  Fortunately I was wearing socks and tennis shoes because I got 3 of them stuck to my shoes and I was carefully watching where I put my feet!  You cannot pull them off with your hands...you have to use a comb or something hard.  Dogs step on them, too.  They get caught in horses' tails.  Ugh.  One time, at the Superstition Mountains museum, I looked over at a cholla and there was a dead bird in it!  But, some birds DO make their nests in this cactus because it WILL keep away snakes and other predators.  While their blossoms are beautiful, beware of them!   Enjoy their beauty, but stay AWAY~!

Flowers by my fence~Good Fences~031315

More of the flowers out front by my fence are blooming now.  I can't wait until that entire area is covered with them!  To visit more fences, please go to:   http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com/

Roses, roses, and more roses~~Today's Flowers~030815

I don't have any roses in my yard.  I've tried to grow them for 30 years, to no avail.  My parents had gorgeous roses, but I've managed to kill every rose I've ever planted.  Yes, that includes bare root, container, and transplants.  EVERY SINGLE ONE!  My neighbors have beautiful roses, but, alas, I simply don't have the ability to grow any.

So, I always love to see beautiful roses, like these, at our neighborhood nursery.  They were kind enough to allow me to prowl around a couple of weeks ago with my camera and take photos of their container roses.  There were so many varieties and color!  I nearly caved in and bought one, but I withstood the temptation.  Others will have to grow roses.

So, ENJOY!   :-)  Please go to:  http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/ to enjoy more beautiful flowers.

Today's Flowers ~ Daisies~ 022215

I planted some daisies out front in my garden, next to the lavender.  I went back last weekend and bought 2 different kinds of lavender, but their blossoms are quickly fading.  The daisies, however, are still in full bloom.  I love their cheerfulness, don't you?  Today's Flowers for February 22, 2015.  Here's the link:   http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Garden update 021515

I've been busy working on my garden this year.  Last year, I didn't even have a garden.  I didn't even plant sweet peas.  I was either too sick or too tired to plant anything.  And, with the drought, we all cut back on our water use.

My total water bill is only $20.00 per month.  It is expected to rise with the continued drought here in California, however.  And, this year, I DO have a garden.

I have a sunny area on the wooden fence between us and our neighbor, so I've planted California poppies, cosmos, and sunflowers along that fence.

Then, in the front yard, I went to Lowe's and Home Depot and I bought lavender, daisies, snapdragons, stock, phlox, and some kind of Tacoma stans which is orange.  From my neighborhood nursery, which is more expensive, I've bought 2 kinds of verbena, 1 jasmine, and various seed packets.  I now have zinnias, chocolate flower, butterfly flower, and Rudbeckia, as well as Tithonia seeds to plant.

So, here's what I have so far:

 Damn cat wandered into my photo!  He likes to drink in the garden, as do the birds.  The birds just ignore him.  He's 17 years old and senile and they all laugh at him!

 I LOVE lavender.  I'm going to plant it every year from now on!

 I love my daisies!  They are so sunny and cheerful!