This one is easy to remove.
Some of you know that early August we were called back from vacation because the ice hose maker flooded our house. Late summer and early fall flower bed duties just was not on the agenda. I always let the plants die back and remove the dead things early in the spring but this year it will be quite a job as lots of weeds and grass besides all the blown in weeds like tumble weeds (see the video I posted today). I do have a girl that wants to earn some money and help clean up the beds. I hope that works out. Today instead of it being a horse day, it was a bit of work in the yard. I got the red hot pokers trimmed and a little bit of the tumble weeds removed -- then was requested to show before and after photos. I sure hope the after looks better than these before. Tonight my allergies are in full swing. Face, eyes, etc itch. Headed for the shower for some relief. This bed is 180' long that borders two sides of the front yard.
I broke the stem today so the birds will eat more of the seeds.
ReplyDeleteI love sunflowers and would have scattered the seeds in my freshly dug flower garden towards the back for height.
ReplyDeleteVic is the one to tell you about pruning but you probably will have to do it very soon.
ReplyDeleteThey are so hardy..soon will be attracting the birds and bees.
ReplyDeleteGeeze it is aweful stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'll probably get a few volunteers but will plant fresh seeds. The bob white quail come right by this. I look for them and some of the other birds to eat the seeds tomorrow. The way the seed head was turned the birds were not eating it. I will be able to watch from the living room window.
ReplyDeleteOn the agenda for tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteYou have just had winter there and yet it looks very dry already Lynda.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting, so in about two months you think we will see a big difference?
ReplyDeleteThe nectar loving birds really like them. I have 3 large red hot pokers. Filled 3 times, my large trash can on wheels with what I trimmed away this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteWe have had a very dry winter. Our last freeze date is around April 15th, sometimes later. Hoping for sooner.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope so.
ReplyDeleteDo you plant agapanthus there?
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agapanthus
I think they will grown here but not sure. I have never had the agapanthus. I need things that don't need a lot of water and are very hardy to heat, wind, and cold. I do have soaker hoses in this bed.
ReplyDeleteThese are great when water is scarce and look fabulous as a driveway lining plant. Bulbs multiply well and can be divided over time. They could be ideal there and require minimal maintenance. I don't know how they fair in freezes or snow though. Colours are white or a glorious blue and they have a miniature breed too.
ReplyDeleteAh found this..
ReplyDeleteAgapanthus africanus can be grown within USDA plant hardiness zones 9 to 11. In lower-numbered zones, the bulbs should be placed deeper in the soil and mulched well in the fall. Agapanthus can be propagated by dividing the bulbs or by seeds. The seeds of most varieties are fertile.
Several hundred cultivars and hybrids are cultivated as garden and landscape plants. Several are winter-hardy to USDA Zone 7.
I am in the lower end of zone 6
ReplyDeleteWow it looks so dry there Lynda, I'm amazed....
ReplyDeleteFunny about the Agapanthus, it's considered a noxious weed
here, it grows that well lol...
thats' pretty cool looking
ReplyDeleteyou need to prune pretty soon, before your growth kicks in. what sort of rose is this? it looks like ther'es a lot to take out.
ReplyDeleteI know and I am so behind and I have several roses and lots of other things that need immediate attention. With our windy weather and other things my flower beds have been on the back burner. Not sure of the variety.
ReplyDeletehow do you usually prune. first thing ya want to do is remove any broken or winter damaged growth, then clean out about a third of the old wood.
ReplyDeleteThat is usually what I do. Also if I have time I will snip off any hips that remain and leave for the birds.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be a very healthy bush, so i'm thinking what you're doing is great.
ReplyDeleteI got this bush pruned and area around it cleaned. Now to finish the rest, it's going to take awhile. Thought I had help coming but seems no one wants to earn some extra bucks doing this sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteAnd hopefully it will look like this late spring or early summer. I don't know why the color if off in photo. Happened after the upgrade for Multiply.
ReplyDeletewow, that's a beautiful bed
ReplyDeleteI try to use that guide line. Yesterday I might have even pruned a bit more in places on the big bush but limbs were rubbing, etc. Quite a bit of winter damage this year that had to come out.
ReplyDeleterubbing limbs definitely have to be fixed, one of them removed.
ReplyDeleteSpent the morning removing dead matter, blown in things, and pruning. Hubby helped with the pick up and pack into dumpster
ReplyDeleteSuch a difference in your two photos Lynda..amazing for me to see.
ReplyDeleteAlways a "sucker" for these ready to bloom at Wal-Mart, then I plant and enjoy again next year. They will fill the kitchen with their fragrance.
ReplyDeletedo yours return? i bought a few this year, I usually pass the ready to bloomers up. two are opened, one seems shy.
ReplyDeleteSo far they have returned, sometimes they do better than other years, I just love the fragrance inside so I always buy some ready to bloom in a few days. I have tried forcing and found it much cheaper and results better when I buy them ready to bloom.
ReplyDeletePlaced outside and gave a good bath and soaking watering, moved back into house before dark
ReplyDeleteColt and Doc sure thought I was neglecting them by coming out early and not feeding.
ReplyDeleteI keep an African violet at all times. Plant in an old coffee mug. Wasn't sure this one was going to recover from the neglect during a portion of the house remodel. About the time I thought about replacing it, buds appeared. It stays in an east window with a small over hang porch on the outside. It does get very early direct sun
ReplyDeleteThis little kalanchoe plant was bought late last fall. Small and full of buds. It has had constant blooms. It is also planted in a coffee mug. I just watch how I water things without drain holes.
ReplyDeleteLooks happy. Mine is huge here it grows in the garden.
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely and appears to be in the perfect position.
ReplyDeleteWhat rewarding and beautiful little plants these are. Can be grown out side successfully here too.
ReplyDeleteNot winter hardy here but can go outside in the summer.
ReplyDeleteI bought this from Lowe's as a potted Christmas tree, several in the pot. Still has some "sparkles" in it. It was purchased more or less as a joke because the remodel crew kept saying we'll get you back in the house before the holidays. So a real life portable Christmas tree was placed in the unfinished house and moved around to keep it out of the way of the workers. Even had lights.
ReplyDeleteohhhhh,, nice.
ReplyDeletewow, these are gorgeous
ReplyDeletelol
ReplyDeleteMy helper was doing great until he decided that the roses needed more pruning. Doc got fired from his lawn mowing job.
ReplyDeletedidn't see the fly when I took the photo, pleasant surprise when I loaded to computer
ReplyDeleteTag says: Victory Rose. Grows 2'x2'.
ReplyDeletewow, it's so pretty. 2'x2' sounds like a miniature, is that a mini rose on it?
ReplyDeleteYes. It has opened out more now and is about 2" diameter. I have planted miniatures before that i have bought and they have done well.
ReplyDeleteHave been so busy, didn't even know this was blooming! Even in the wind I could smell it's perfume.
ReplyDeleteThe north/south flower bed still has not had it's early spring cleaning.
ReplyDeletedon't ask what it is, don't know. plant that was in my Mom's garden and she shared one of them
ReplyDeleteThe experiment was to see if this would grown over winter in pots, I think it didn't but did well in the ground. Planted in several different sizes and types of pots plus in the ground.
ReplyDeleteAdded 10 more photos today. 3/21/2011 windy day
ReplyDeleteThanks to a couple of college girls who wanted to earn some extra money, the flower beds are no longer the weed patch.
ReplyDeleteLOL it is a lovely photo though.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed coming back for a look here Lynda.
ReplyDeleteThese are terrific shots!
ReplyDelete