Winter

Winter

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Greenhouse Hollyhocks

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Hollyhocks don't like the cool wet weather here on the northern California coast. The leaves get covered with rust, a particular caterpillar likes to much on them, and often times they will never make it to the bloom stage. Plus, they're picky about where they want their feet to be.

When I lived in the Sacramento Valley the hollyhocks would readily re-seed themselves and the ones that flourished the following summer germinated in the hottest and driest places in my garden.  They liked it best up against a sidewalk or driveway where the radiant heat in the valley's 100+ temps could fry an egg.

Still, unfazed gardener that I am, I scatter seeds every fall, in and out of the greenhouse, to see just where they will take root and thrive. This year it's just inside the east-facing greenhouse door in dry-as-a-bone soil where they get morning light and are warmed by the greenhouse temps that top 80-degrees on sunny days.

They seem quite happy. And even though I have to leave the door to the greenhouse open so as not to disturb them, it's a minor inconvenience compared to the beautiful show of flowers.




© Copyright 2006-2013, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Verbascum

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Of course I've lost the name tag for this lovely flowering perennial that pops up in my garden every year at this time.  An online search brought me to this site and darned if it isn't a nursery not far from my garden from which I buy lots of flowering annuals and perennials. I do believe I bought the one pictured here from them, named Verbascum chaixii 'Album'.

Mine is not white, as the name suggests ('Album'), but rather more of a lightly blushing apricot-pink.

So I'm asking Joy if she can either corroborate my name assessment or correct me.






I'm told it will re-seed itself. But then I'm also told that if I cut back spent flowers it will bloom again.

Cut them back, or let them have their own way...

What to do?







© Copyright 2006-2013, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Summer Solstice

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On the west coast, the very moment of the summer solstice is at 10:04 pm tonight.
Um, that would be 3 minutes ago.





Happy Summer Solstice!





© Copyright 2006-2013, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Picotee Lilac

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More blossoms from earlier this spring.  My lovely picotee lilac put on quite a show.
It's now about 12 feet tall amd I think it's time for a pruning.

Summer blooms are on the way!




© Copyright 2006-2013, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Snowball Viburnum

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Snowball Viburnum, botanically known as Viburnum opulus, put out quite a show of blooms this year.
This shrub struggles a bit in our climate and rarely produces many flower heads. I guess it's been saving up.




© Copyright 2006-2013, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Water Lily

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I love my little pond with  it's its (I can't believe I did that) goldfish, small catfish and water plants. 

That's all.




© Copyright 2006-2013, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.