The Gnome's Gardens

14 Jun '06 7:32 pm

I have always known them as Granny Bonnets too.
I think this name describes them best dont you?
I know, why dont we all call them Granny Bonnets from now on so there is no more confusion. It appears there are a number of us growing these precious plants they are very popular. Very Happy

14 Jun '06 8:51 pm

We spent most of today out in the yard. Nice and warm, but almost too hot. I think the Clematis is in a bad spot as it is getting too hot and drooping for the most of the day. The southside garden is a very hot place. the heat just bounces off the white wall of the house. I'm after mom and Deb to let me put in some hanging baskets to try and break up the direct sun with a little shade. No decision yet. I think I will move the Clematis to the corner of the new deck once it is built. In the heat of the afternoon that part of the yard is in the shade of our Elm tree and is real nice.

I'm working on a drawing of a plan as to what we want the yard and it's gardens to look like eventually. We plan a brick path around the yard going from place to place. The time I have to spend drawing these days is fleeting at best. I still am hopeful to get some carving time on the gnome. The days are just racing by with too much to do. Once the flowers are in then we can breath again.

The greenhouse is almost empty. Not many plants left. Mom was over today and got some planting done on the south fence garden expansion project, and she is coming over tomorrow to finish it off. Pix will follow, but I was in such a flap today I didn't even get the camera out! Surprised

One or two more days of planting will settle all my babies in to their new beds. That's not counting the planter building I have to build, so maybe by this weekend.

I bought a new axle for the trailer today. Just another job for the tinkering gnome.

Christopher the tiered Gnome

14 Jun '06 9:09 pm

Ha ha ha...Christopher. I get out of breath just reading your account of the work that's going on there. Chuckle. It may be hectic...but as an outsider with distance, I can see that things are falling into place. I mean, everyone is mobilized. It's great. Too bad you didn't have your camera with you, but more pics will be forthcoming. I dare say everyone is chomping at the bit to see more of how things are unfolding.
About that clematis...it maybe wilting a bit in the heat, but it's the first year in that place, right? One of theimportant things about growing and maintaining clematises is that you have to cover the roots and lower stems from the sun with something. If you do that then the rest will be allright. It is also important to keep it well watered, esp. the first year. It seems that the clematis likes to have moist "feet". heh heh. I usae a roofing tile to cover the base of my clematises, but you could use other things that would block the direct rays of the sun.
As for moving it next year - I can only tell you that my experience with moving already established clematises was not good. I don't know if it's their nature not to like this, or if I didn't handle them properly...but I would advise you to read-up on it before undertaking the transplanting.
-- Any of you guys know the score on this?

15 Jun '06 10:33 pm

That is interesting, Sjoerd. I will put a shade device on the bottom of the Clematis. I'll take your advice and not move her either.

We had a hasty day in the garden. There was a big storm brewing all day and we started things off by trying to protect our newly transplanted flowers from toppling in the wind. That darn prairie wind! It really blows good, I can tell you that. That's the reason I have so many windmills around the yard. One day I'll post pix of them.

We only lost one Zinnia to the wind before we could get stakes and string to coral the bobbing plants. Then we were hard pressed to get the border in on the south fence garden before the storm hit. Mom was on a mission. She wouldn't be stopped by wind or the odd rain drop. Lucky for us it didn't pour until 10 pm.

Deb and I worked in the greenhouse moving plants to larger pots. There was a most unusual discovery today.

We planted 8 pumpkin seeds. 7 of the 8 sprouted and are growing. One of the seedlings looked rather strange. It was a stump with a couple of small leaves at the soil line. Deb had said it was growing upside down. I said that was impossible. Where would the roots go? Today we transplanted the little pumpkin seedling and found that indeed, it was growing upside down. The split seed pod was stuck on the first leaves and the leaves we saw were the second set. Most unusual. I planted the poor thing right way up and we will see if it takes. Pix are below.

While we were out this evening we bought some more pots and plants. Yeah, I know....like we need them. Deb found a beautiful New Guinea Impatiens. A very unusual flower with variegated leaves. Pix will follow.

Why am I always posting here at 2 am.? I just can't seem to get to bed any earlier. Not enough hours in the day!

Christopher

16 Jun '06 5:22 pm

I'm out of gas. The well is dry. The wind has ceased.

I've got the Heart and Ars Disease.
Do you know what that is? That's when you sit on your ars and don't have the heart to get off it. Rolling Eyes

Sometimes you work in the garden, happy as a gnome. Other times you run around town in the rat race practicing to be a target!

I did get some yard clean up done today. (Land-o-Goshen!)

While I was cleaning the yard I suddenly thought of an interesting planter my old friend had made long ago. I just happened to have an old tire, so when we got back from our excursion, I set to making one for Deb. She is so surprised! Shocked

Also in the gardens, the Malva has bloomed. Very Happy

Just one bloom on a lot of plants but the show promises to get better.

That's all for tonight, my loyal thread-followers.

I'll be sleeping in my boots if I'm not careful.

Christopher

16 Jun '06 7:30 pm

What a novel idea! It looks really nice. Have you got plans for this great planter? Good thing your bride likes it. After all the work you did on it I gues anyone that didn't like it would have to tread lightly when commentiung on it, eh? Have you had the idea long and just now got around to it? And what about the job you were doing...did the work come to a schreeching halt? What a job it must have been...you must be really tired. If you were a real wheeler-dealer, you could go into business and sell these things. I hope that all these questions didn't rubber you the wrong way. Wink

I think it's fantastic and there are lots of possibilities. Where will you place it?

18 Jun '06 6:41 pm

I got the idea for the inside out tire planter from my friend who lives in Vancouver. He owns a tow truck outfit and he made some planter like this for his back yard. We have a spot picked out for it. also what will go inside it in the way of plants. It wasn't that hard to turn inside out once I decided to use tools to help me. Big "C" clamps helped a lot, as well as a 5 lb. sledge hammer to help convince the rubber to bend the other way once it was turned inside out. The next one would be a lot more easy now that I did one. I've no plans to sell these things, that's not my bag.

Rain again today. Sad

So I found myself in the shop making something. Turned out to be another planter. When we were out last night at a shop, we saw these watering cans for sale and Deb said she would like one for a planter. Well, today I rounded up the parts and cobbled one together for her. Not as a watering can, but as a planter. I used a five gallon pail for the body and cut the handles out of a piece of 2" x 12" plank I had kicking around for a while. I think this was a good use for the wide board. I don't like to waste odd stock like that.

So it was a slow day around here. The wind blew over one of our Lilium Lilies and broke it off, and the poor thing just bloomed yesterday. I didn't even have a chance to take a pic of her. I need to come up with a way to block some of that wind. My Granny Bonnets are all blown over too. I don't know what else the wind did. I couldn't look no more today. It's supposed to rain for the next three days too. Evil or Very Mad

The Wild Rose bloomed. She is one fine plant. She has a new shoot coming up too.

While we were out last night we bought 2 more rose bushes, well....soon to be bushes, I guess. One is a red and white Climbing Rose, the other is a Senior Prom Rose. we got them for $3 each. As well we bought a Saskatoon Berry Bush. Saskatoon berries are sort of a cross between Blueberries and Black Berries. It is a native plant of Saskatchewan. We buy Saskatoon Berry jam, and boy, is it good! I can't hardly wait for the fresh berries.

Christopher

21 Jun '06 7:28 pm

Well my friends, not much to report here. The weather has not been very nice at all. Of course yesterday when I had to take Deb to an appointment, then it was sunny and nice, but when we are around home then the clouds unzip and the downpours start. At least I don't need to water the gardens these days.

I got some potting done in the greenhouse. Big whoop! But the Lilium that broke off did bloom. I stuck it in water and yesterday with the sun, it opened.

The thing is, that even if the sun comes out tomorrow, I can't get in to the yard because the ground will be too soft. Takes at least a day to dry out enough.

Christopher the Gnome.

24 Jun '06 4:19 am

It sure is, Christopher! So full of action and enthusiasm in all your endeavours, had me chuckling intermittently with your humorous narration of your gardening and other tasks! Love all the pictures that accompanied it! The tire and watering can planters are awesome! You're not only creative and skillful, but tender and loving too...even the odd-looking pumpkin seedling had your TLC. Thanks so much for sharing...it takes effort and sacrifice of your precious time/much needed sleep! Wink

Aaaw...you kept me awake past midnight perusing this delightful diary of yours. I'm off to bed now...good night!

The Gnome's Gardens

Re: aquilegia

Aquegias

A hot day in the yard.

Day of the Thunder Storm

To bed early tonight.

Another day, another planter.

Rain and Storms.....even hail!

A delightful garden diary!