Nearly all the garden bloggers I follow seem to be reading seed catalogs and ordering seeds. So I decided to poke around too, and be tempted msyelf. Except I know I already placed a seed order in the Fall, and have forgotten what I ordered. So instead of ordering more seeds, I actually ventured out and ordered some plants from Breck's. I haven't ordered from them before, but I found a $35 off a $75 order offer, they ship to Canada, and they take payment in CAD (they also have a US website too). So I ordered:
Double Pleasure Lily
Lollipop Helenium
Mexican Shell Flower Pink
Toad Lily
Toad Lily Mixture
I'm quite excited about the Toad lilies (Tricyrtis hirta) because I've been admiring them on other garden blogs recently. I don't know if I've seen one in "real life" before - if I did, I didn't know what I was looking at. So I've ordered a few different colours. I am hoping to put them in my new garden bed.
I took a walk about the yard recently, looking for signs of Spring. The cherry tree (above right) shows healthy clusters of buds.
So does the rhododendron (above left).
In other spots, there are skeletons from the previous year's blooms. The coneflower seedheads look pretty funky, I think:
In other spots, there are skeletons from the previous year's blooms. The coneflower seedheads look pretty funky, I think:
The gunnera is safely tucked away behind its own leaves, to protect it from the cold. I found the "recipe" or instructions last year for making cast concrete leaves from gunnera and other large leaves, and am really hoping that this summer I will make time to try it out.
Until then, I feel a bit like the gunnera. Tucked away and waiting for Spring to arrive.
Hi there Garden Lily! You are Really going to enjoy your Toad lilies! :-) Do you have any pulmonaria (lungwort)?? You'd like them, too. They're also wonderful for shade. I'll look forward to seeing your birdbaths! Those are some great leaves! Isn't Winter a good time for all this garden planning?? Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Shady! I love Toad Lilies. I also grow Mexican Shellflowers -- indoors. They can't handle my zone. What fun choices!
ReplyDeleteyou will absolutely love your toad lilies. very attractive, long lasting and unusual blooms (in a good way). just when everything was spent in my garden last year, the toad lilies got going. and they kept going, and going, and going.... you've reminded me that i should get some seed orders in. have a great garden year in 2010.
ReplyDeleteirena
SG, Kate & Irena - Okay, now I'm really excited, I can't wait for the shipment.
ReplyDeleteSince I posted this, I went on to purchase some seeds also, including the Platycodon grandiflorus "Komachi" which I have also been dreaming about. So now I'll need to get serious about starting some seeds.
I am blessed with a Mom who has a very large stretch of windowsill, and is able to start seeds in small pots for me. I hope she'll agree to it again this year.
Staying tucked away and waiting for spring is sometimes the best we can do during winter.
ReplyDeleteI have seen Goldfinches feeding on our coneflower seedheads during early winter, a very good excuse for not removing them promptly.