How Does Your Garden Grow?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

 

My garden is a constant work in progress. I have no plan other than to buy a flower, plant the flower and sometimes move the flower to a better location. Each year is different, in fact, my garden, as all gardens, changes weekly. The flowers are always changing. Throughout the growing season, there are early blooming flowers, mid-season flowers and late season flowers.  

Here are my two favorite roses currently blooming. The yellow rose is a hybrid and named, Henry Fonda. The blossoms have been numerous and constant. The red rose is a floribunda and named, Oh My. I planted this rose bush just this spring; already there are several deep, red blooms.

My tickseed perennial is doing well. At the beginning of the season, it was infested with brown and white striped beetles that were happily munching the plant to the ground. I sprayed it with insecticide about a month ago, and now it is doing very well. The color combination of the deep yellow flowers next to the deep red rose is gorgeous.

I have three pots that I planted with pink petunia waves. They are now growing profusely. Eventually the blooms will spill over the pots.  Wave petunias are very dependable. They take the full sun and heat well.

I planted my dahlia plants a bit late this year, but they are doing well and are growing at least an inch or more a day. They get morning and early afternoon sun but are in the shade during the most intense heat of the day. I can’t wait for their blooms later in the summer.

 

Tell me about your favorite flowers currently blooming in your garden.

 

Lovely Lavender

 

 

The Blue Mountain Lavender Farm sits in the Walla Walla Valley. Beautiful rows of lavender grow on hilly fields. Lavender blooms are just emerging from the plants. It is the time of year when early varieties are budding out.

I spent a recent morning wandering the lavender farm grounds. Besides rows of many different lavender cultivars, you can purchase lavender starter plants. Also, there are classes on making a lavender wand.

The cutting station provides you with a colorful bucket, clippers, plastic ties, and your choice of ribbon color for the final touch to your self-cut bouquet.

There are also free samples of lavender lemonade and a gift shop that hits you with the familiar fragrance as soon as you enter.

Lavender is a herb native to the Mediterranean. There are two types of Lavender; English and French. English lavender is considered hardier than the French lavender since they can thrive in colder regions. These two types have different flower and stem characteristics as well.

All lavenders need at least six hours of sun and well-draining soil. They are easy to grow since established plants can grow in hot, dry conditions. Also, they do not require an abundance of amendments to the soil.  Lavenders do best when pruned back at the end of the growing season or early spring. Lavender growers recommend pruning back to about 2” of the green portion of the plant. Lavender plants have a woody, gray portion above the base. If pruning takes place in this area, the plant may not return to bloom.

Dried lavender flowers fill fragrance sachets of all shapes and sizes. The herb has been used medicinally for centuries. Today, lavender is recommended to help remedy headaches, insomnia, and tension.

The young girl in the picture was cutting lavender with her mother and brother. They told me their trip to this lavender farm was an annual event for their family. The mother said that this event had replaced visiting Santa Claus. How nice for these children to be creating unique childhood memories.  

Have you visited a Lavender Farm?