Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, April 2012

Each month I promise myself I'm going to put a post up for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

And most months I remember -- on or about the 17th of the month!

But this month I remembered in time!

While the front border is somewhat over-stuffed with some huge indian hawthorn and african lily (courtesy of the builder 4 years ago), the White Gold Lantana and New Gold Lantana I planted are making a good showing along the front of the border, as are the milkweed along the back. (Notice the Monarch Waystation sign in the center of the photo)

There are daylilies in there somewhere too, but just leaves so far - no blooms yet.  Perhaps I'll be able to show them off next month (if I remember in time).

 Lantana is making a good showing in the back garden too -- this one, in front of the wax myrtle is Dallas Red.  The butterflies and hummingbirds love it!


Here's a closer look.

In the "bird feeder" corner, where I gave up trying to plant things in the ground because of the thick tangle of pine roots just under the surface, I have a collection of containers.  

Below is the newest - I love the "half barrel" look, which reminds me of the real half barrels my dad has in his garden. In it, I have some Superbells Grape Punch (calibrachoa hybrid), Supertunia Vista Bubblegum (petunia hybrid), Verbena Babylon White  and a Persian Shield (the tall plant in the middle with beautiful purple leaves).

If you click on the photo to see the larger version, you can see two things.  First, a very sturdy pine root that's come up to the surface (there's a pine tree right on the other side of the wall) and second, a couple of adventurous milkweed seedlings that have sprouted there.  In fact, the yellow milkweed on the right self-seeded there last year.  How it competes with the pine roots I'll never know, but it's doing beautifully, so I'll leave things as they are.

And finally, for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, something else that reminds me of my dad's garden in England -- fuschias.  These are in a hanging basket (with home made macrame hanger, a la 1970's even) just outside the back door. 

I do love them, they remind me of dancing ballerinas.

 That's it for today.  Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day everyone.  I hope your gardens are blooming.


Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.

Dancing Ballerinas

 As I've mentioned before, I'm originally from England and I get my love of gardening from my parents.  My mum always has breathtaking baskets of fuschias in the summer.  They have always been one of my favorite plants, the flowers are just delightful, but they don't handle our hot humid summers.


I was surprised this weekend when I saw baskets of them at the garden center, but I suppose it makes sense they would be there now.  Like the pansies which grow in my garden from Thanksgiving to spring, fuschias should do well in our early spring weather.


I'm sure they will fizzle when summer arrives, but until then, I will enjoy them.

I've always thought that the flowers look like little ballerinas.  Don't you agree?

Last year, when Eric was using the barbecue, I noticed flashes of flame coming out underneath!  It was immediately turned off and I got Eric a new grill for Christmas.  The little old grill I had used for years is now officially retired and this year it's guts will be removed and it will be transformed into a planter.


For now, I just set some containers of plants on it.

Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.