Close... soooooo close!

[Judy G. Russell]

Is it spring yet? Is it is it is it???

It's soooooooo close...

http://www.pbase.com/jgr/image/57893351/medium.jpg http://www.pbase.com/jgr/image/57893353/medium.jpg

[Mike Landi]

I guess you are not worried about the bulbs anymore, huh?

<g>

[Judy G. Russell]

I guess you are not worried about the bulbs anymore, huh?
<g>Are you kidding? I'm gonna worry and whine until all the flowers are a faded memory in the height of summer! Then I'm gonna worry and whine about NEXT year's flowers.

And I still haven't decided what I'm going to do with the front porch flower boxes. I can't decide between marigolds and begonias... or maybe dahlias... or...

[Lindsey]

And I still haven't decided what I'm going to do with the front porch flower boxes. I can't decide between marigolds and begonias... or maybe dahlias... or...
I vote for begonias. There as SO many nice varieties...

--Lindsey

[lensue]

>It's soooooooo close...<

Judy, you're ahead of me! Maybe with this week of real spring I'll start to catch up pretty soon! Regards, Len [g]

[Judy G. Russell]

It's supposed to be close to 70 tomorrow!!! Waahooooo!

[Judy G. Russell]

The only concern I have with begonias is finding ones that are not too tall. The containers will support (in looks) plants up to maybe 10-12" and that's about it.

[Mike Landi]

Are you kidding? I'm gonna worry and whine until all the flowers are a faded memory in the height of summer! Then I'm gonna worry and whine about NEXT year's flowers.

And I still haven't decided what I'm going to do with the front porch flower boxes. I can't decide between marigolds and begonias... or maybe dahlias... or...


Lady, if that is your worry today, compared to last year, I wish you more of the same. <wink>

[lensue]

>It's supposed to be close to 70 tomorrow!!! Waahooooo!<

Judy, we bought our first plants of the young season--60 pansies and a heath--we'll plant some of them this afternoon--what a superb day! Regards, Len

[Judy G. Russell]

Lady, if that is your worry today, compared to last year, I wish you more of the same. <wink>Amen, brother, and again I say, amen. (With hallelujahs sung in the background by surgeon, oncologist, etc.)

[Judy G. Russell]

we bought our first plants of the young season--60 pansies and a heath--we'll plant some of them this afternoon--what a superb day!Sigh... it would sure be nice to be out there with you. Instead, I'm stuck in an office. Waaaaaah!

[lensue]

>I'm stuck in an office<

Judy, this is why I had to retire--tomorrow and Friday are supposed to be just as nice or better than today--today was absolutely perfect so I can't imagine what the next two days will bring! Regards, Len [g]

[Judy G. Russell]

I could retire now... if I didn't want to fight the cats for their catfood while we all lived on the street.

[Mike Landi]

Amen, brother, and again I say, amen. (With hallelujahs sung in the background by surgeon, oncologist, etc.)

All kidding aside....

Congratulations/blessings/good wishes...whatever is appropriate. I'm very happy to hear that the events of last year are becoming more distant "past tense".

[Lindsey]

The only concern I have with begonias is finding ones that are not too tall. The containers will support (in looks) plants up to maybe 10-12" and that's about it.
You should be able to find wax begonias, certainly, that will stay within those bounds:

Wax Begonias (Begonia x semperflorens-cultorum): Few other annuals can beat the wax begonias for hardiness and continuous flowering throughout the summer. These begonias are not restricted to a partial shade; they can be grown in full sun as well. Wax begonias with bronze foliage do better in the sun than green varieties. Wax begonias withstand drought and heat better than other begonias, although they definitely prefer moist, well-drained, fertile soil.

Bushy plants, with shiny heart-shaped leaves of green, bronze-red or mahogany are covered with small white, pink, rose or red flowers.

Set plants 6 to 8 inches apart in the garden after
the danger of frost is past. Plants may also be started indoors from stem cuttings taken in the spring or fall.

Cultivars


‘Victory’ is a series with bronze leaves. They grow 8 to 10 inches in the garden and sport large, showy flowers.
‘Challenger’ comes in a mixture, where the red, rose, pink or white flowers contrast with its green-and-bronze foliage.
‘Ambassador’ series has large flowers on compact, green-leafed plants.
‘Cocktail’ is a well-known series with bronze foliage. The flower colors are ‘Brandy’ (soft pink flowers), ‘Gin’ (soft rose-pink flowers), ‘Rum’ (white flowers with a rose red band around the edge), ‘Vodka’ (bright scarlet flowers) and ‘Whiskey’ (pure white flowers). Compact, 6-to 8-inch plants.
‘Prelude Series’ hold up well through rain and heat. The compact plants have bright green foliage.



But depending on how much sun your your front stoop gets, you might consider the Rex begonia:

Rex Begonias (B. rex): Rex begonias are not grown for their flowers, but for their beautiful leaves. The leaves can be a kaleidoscope of colors – green, red, pink, silver, gray, lavender and a maroon, so deep that it appears black. These spectacular begonias grow best in part-shade in rich, moist, well-drained soil. They grow well in hanging baskets and other containers.

Cultivars


‘Merry Christmas’ grows 10 to 12 inches tall with smooth red and green leaves shaped like lopsided hearts.
‘Silver Sweet’ is an especially easy-to-grow 12 to 18 inch tall cultivar. Its leaves are like those of ‘Merry Christmas’ but are silver with green veins.
‘Helen Teupel’ grows to 12 inches tall with pointed, sharply lobed leaves that are purplish red brushed with pink and silver.
But my favorites are the tuberous begonias (http://www.gardenguides.com/articles/begonias.htm) -- they have truly spectacular flowers. They require a little fussier care, though.

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

The front porch gets lots of direct sun, so it looks like the tuberous begonias are out: those say they need some shade. But the others are possibles. The cocktail wax begonias sound wonderful.

[lensue]

>They require a little fussier care, though.<

Lindsey, Sue and I love those but they are really tough for us to grow--we saw spectactucal ones at the Mendocino Botanic Gardens out in California. Regards, Len

[Dan in Saint Louis]

The front porch gets lots of direct sun
The bronze versions are quite nice looking, the more sun they get the more the green in the leaves is replaced by shiny bronze. Direct sun is not required, ours sit against the house at the back side of a roofed porch about 6 feet deep.

[Judy G. Russell]

Direct sun is not requiredMy problem is that the place I'm talking about is in direct sun. So I need something that thrives in direct sun. Ralph gave me some gorgeous impatiens last year that were supposed to do well in direct sun and he and I both discovered that wasn't so. So I'm really looking for something fairly small (12" or less), with very colorful flowers, that LIKES direct sun. That's why I was thinking marigolds.

[Lindsey]

The cocktail wax begonias sound wonderful.
I thought those might appeal to you, if for no other reason than that the names would be great fodder for conversation.

--Lindsey

[Lindsey]

My problem is that the place I'm talking about is in direct sun. So I need something that thrives in direct sun.
Geraniums might work there, too. Long hours of direct sun is tough, especially for a plant in a container. Clay and concrete pots absorb a good deal of heat from the sun, and the soil in them gets much hotter (and dryer!) than would be true in the ground itself. Even geraniums don't do so well in that kind of environmnet. My mother puts geraniums in the pots around here swimming pool every summer, but they always look rather heat-stressed.

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

At least the pots I'm talking about are wood, so they're not quite so bad. And there is a little shade in the afternoon. But it's still a location that has to be considered full sun.

[Dan in Saint Louis]

At least the pots I'm talking about are wood, so they're not quite so bad. And there is a little shade in the afternoon. But it's still a location that has to be considered full sun.
Our geraniums sit out in clay pots, on stone steps and a concrete sidewalk in full southern sun, and the brighter it gets the more they bloom -- IF they get water<G>!

[Judy G. Russell]

Ooooh. Those look very nice, Dan! I'll definitely look at geraniums too.

[lensue]

>I'll definitely look at geraniums too<

Judy, we are very big geranium lovers but not the kind you're talking about--ours are the perrenial geraniums--super plants that are hardy and with great foliage as well as flowers--they also divide very reliably so you can get new plants free. Slowly spring is reaching our garden--another fabulous spring garden day! Regards, Len

[Judy G. Russell]

It is just GORGEOUS out... sigh... I hope the weekend is half as good...

[lensue]

>I hope the weekend is half as good<

Judy, I agree but let's remember one thing--March was very dry--we could use some rain! Regards, Len

[Lindsey]

At least the pots I'm talking about are wood, so they're not quite so bad. And there is a little shade in the afternoon. But it's still a location that has to be considered full sun.
Wood sounds good; it doesn't soak up heat like clay or concrete. And a little shade in the afternoon sounds good, too, since that's the hottest part of the day.

--Lindsey

[Lindsey]

IF they get water<G>!
Yeah, water may be one of the big problems with the geraniums my mother puts out. The urns she puts them in are made from crushed stone, and they're not terribly large, so they dry out pretty quickly.

--Lindsey

[Lindsey]

Judy, I agree but let's remember one thing--March was very dry--we could use some rain! Regards, Len
The rain can just hold off a bit and come down during the week!

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

I'm with Lindsey: it can rain at night and during the workweek!

[Judy G. Russell]

So... begonias are still probably out, no? Geraniums and marigolds are more likely?

[Lindsey]

So... begonias are still probably out, no? Geraniums and marigolds are more likely?
I should check with an elderly friend of mine who grows a lot of container plants outdoors and has a marvellous green thumb. But she lives in a neighborhood with lots of large trees, so she doesn't get concentrated sun. I know she grows hibiscus in pots on her front stoop during the summer; can't remember just what else.

--Lindsey

[lensue]

>The rain can just hold off a bit and come down during the week!<

Lindsey, you just may get your wish--last night's supposed rain passed us by--now they're talking Monday showers. Hope the weather is nice in a few weeks when we head to Atlanta and try to catch the azaleas just right at Callaway Gardens. Regards, Len

[lensue]

>I'm with Lindsey: it can rain at night and during the workweek!<

Judy, why not just retire--then you wouldn't have to think in such narrow terms! Regards, Len [diving for cover!]

[Dan in Saint Louis]

The urns she puts them in are made from crushed stone, and they're not terribly large, so they dry out pretty quickly.
If you like the looks of stone or clay pots but not the frequent watering, you could line most of the pot with plastic kitchen wrap before adding dirt. Don't close off drainage at the bottom, though! I usually cover that with a piece of broken pot so the dirt doesn't wash through.

[Judy G. Russell]

I'd love to retire. But having spent my life working for companies that don't have full funded pension plans, funding my retirement is 100% my problem, and my cats have told me they will not tolerate living on the street and sharing their catfood with me.

[Judy G. Russell]

I'll also spend some time with the experts at the local nursery as soon as it's planting season for container plants. It's still just a tad early here.

[Lindsey]

If you like the looks of stone or clay pots but not the frequent watering, you could line most of the pot with plastic kitchen wrap before adding dirt. Don't close off drainage at the bottom, though! I usually cover that with a piece of broken pot so the dirt doesn't wash through.
What would we do without pot shards? ;)

I think I'd rather just stick a regular pot in the urn and then fill the space in with sphagnum moss or something.

--Lindsey

[lensue]

>But having spent my life working for companies that don't have full funded pension plans<

Judy, yeah, I hear you! Our pensions and medical plans are of the utmost importance to both Sue and myself--now the social security checks have kicked in--they help! Now it's out to the garden to tackle two of the toughest new dawn rose plants I've ever seen--they want to grab me and scratch me to pieces but I'm gonna get them first--I may wind up needing my medical plan today! Regards, Len [g]

[Judy G. Russell]

Our pensions and medical plans are of the utmost importance to both Sue and myself--now the social security checks have kicked in--they help!Ain't gonna be any such thing in my life. Every penny of my retirement is coming from my savings (and oh BOY am I saving) and the medical stuff... well, let's just say that there's no way I can even dream of retirement until I can go from group plan to COBRA to Medicare/Medigap.

[lensue]

>and oh BOY am I saving<

Judy, thank goodness you can save money--I feel bad for these people who live from pay check to pay check. BTW the climbing rose project is finished--I came out pretty unscathed but not completely unscathed--Sue let me do most of the dirty work! But they'll be no need to make use of the medical plans! I do hope the roses have a medical plan! Regards, Len [g]

[Judy G. Russell]

thank goodness you can save money--I feel bad for these people who live from pay check to pay check. Been there, done that, at times in my life as well. Plus I just read that, for the first time in history, nobody making minimum wage can afford the average rent on even a one-bedroom apartment. Geez...

BTW the climbing rose project is finished--I came out pretty unscathed but not completely unscathed--Sue let me do most of the dirty work! But they'll be no need to make use of the medical plans! I do hope the roses have a medical plan!Aha! So you're unscathed but the roses are not???

[lensue]

>So you're unscathed but the roses are not???<

Judy, pretty much the case although there were a few moments where they nearly trapped me--I had two layers of outer rough clothing and strong gloves for protection. Well they're neatly tied into the wooden posts and the metal chains that hangs from the posts for another year. We go through this every year--it's amazing how much new growth they put on. Regards, Len

[Judy G. Russell]

I haven't decided about roses yet. I like them... but do NOT like things with thorns.

[Lindsey]

I haven't decided about roses yet. I like them... but do NOT like things with thorns.
I started to say "Plant camellias (http://www.camellias-acs.com/) instead," and then I thought maybe New Jersey wouldn't be a good climate for camellias. The ACS says they grow on Long Island, though. And there are some cold hardy hybrids (http://www.camellias-acs.org/qanda/growing08.asp).

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

Cold hardy hybrids would be necessary here... it gets coooooold in the winter.

[ktinkel]

I haven't decided about roses yet. I like them... but do NOT like things with thorns.Roses are (or can be) fussy, and they attract a lot of deadly pests.

You might like to try peonies (http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/peonies.html) instead. (Here are some pictures (http://www.paradisegarden.com/shop/home_peonies.php?aff=goop).) They do not have as distinctive a smell as roses, but many varieties are even more dramatically blowsy and sensual looking. In fact, they are among my favorite flowers (up there with irises, even!)

If you choose a mixture of varieties, you can have blooming almost all season, beginning in mid-June or so (around here) and running at least until August. The foliage is pleasant looking as well, so you are not left with a bunch of weedy stuff when the blooms are gone. They also need very little care.

Once established, they grow anywhere (my mother was a serious peony-grower in Anchorage, Alaska — and they even thrived after the Mt. Spur eruption dumped all sorts of weird minerals on the soil).

Give them a look.

As for camellias I am not sure how well they would do in N.J., but they grow well in Portland, Oregon — in fact, the famous rhododendron test gardens there also have thousands of well-established camellias. But the main problem with them is that they take forever to mature — by which time you would be ready to retire!

They too are gorgeous, though. I do love a nice voluptuous flower!

[Judy G. Russell]

Ooooh... those are nice. Now I have to figure out if I have any nice sunny places in the yard for them. Except for the small area at the front of the house, most of my planting area is part or full shade...

[Lindsey]

Yes, I like peonies, too. The big double blooms usually need support of one kind or another, but the flowers are gorgeous, and the plants themselves are very litter-free.

--Lindsey

[Lindsey]

Ooooh... those are nice. Now I have to figure out if I have any nice sunny places in the yard for them. Except for the small area at the front of the house, most of my planting area is part or full shade...
Light shade would be OK, I should think, especially if it's afternoon shade. You'll have fewer blooms, but they'll last longer. (And single blooms handle shade better than doubles.)

Irises are great flowers, too. Easy to grow, and spectacular flowers. They also like sun, though. And for bearded irises, at least, once the bloom is gone, there's not much to look at. Peonies do at least give you some handsome foliage before they bloom.

Oh, speaking of something that is interesting over a long season: The sedum "Autumn Joy (http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/38242-product.html)" is terrific in that respect, but this one, too, requires full sun. The flowering season is officially August to September, but the flower heads emerge much earlier than that, light green at first, and then slowly changing through pale pink to a dusty rose (http://www.bloomindesigns.com/product/PSAUTJOY) and finally to a rusty red (http://www.joycreek.com/075-004.htm) in the fall. And they continue to look nice even after the flower head dries out. You can leave them all winter without dead-heading them. Handsome foliage, too.

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

Hmmm... I'll have to see if I can find a place that has those. What I don't want is a lot of long plain stems.

[ktinkel]

Ooooh... those are nice. Now I have to figure out if I have any nice sunny places in the yard for them. Except for the small area at the front of the house, most of my planting area is part or full shade...I have not found peonies to be extra fussy about sun (and different varieties are tolerant of different conditions).

I do know that once you get them going on your site — whatever finagling you have to do — they keep growing and growing and growing.

I do love peonies.

[Judy G. Russell]

Things that keep growing and growing around my yard are usually weeds...

[lensue]

>but do NOT like things with thorns.<

Judy, well these new dawn climbing roses are fierce! And talk about things one doesn't like we are having a mini-blizzard out here--three inches of snow have completely covered my garden--and we have to get into the city tonight for an opera! Regards, Len

[lensue]

>I thought maybe New Jersey wouldn't be a good climate for camellias.<

Lindsey, you're right about that--we did put one so called hardy camelia in our garden and it lives but flower production is very spotty--too bad because we love camelias but it's just too cold for most of them where we are--of course Judy is in a slightly warmer part of Jersey. Regards, Len

[lensue]

>In fact, they are among my favorite flowers <

K, we love them too--and we also have a few tree peonies that get some of the largest flowers we have ever seen. We keep adding peonies to our garden--they are so beautiful and so care free and reliable! Regards, Len

[lensue]

>The sedum "Autumn Joy" is terrific <

Lindsey, we're in complete agreement--one of the truly great perenials--we keep dividing them and planting more and more--an incredibly powerful and lovely plant! Another powerhouse but it needs sun are shasta daisies. Regards, Len

[lensue]

>Things that keep growing and growing around my yard are usually weeds...<

Judy, you're right about that--we use alot of containers of RoundUp each year and it ain't cheap. Regards, Len

[earler]

However, peonies are very fragile when there is a heavy rain, which knocks all the petals off.

-er

[Judy G. Russell]

Tell me about the snow... my tulips are about to bloom and I will be very annoyed if this weather kills 'em now!

[Mike Landi]

I should have daffodils by this time next week!

[Lindsey]

However, peonies are very fragile when there is a heavy rain, which knocks all the petals off.
Too true -- especially the large double blooms, which seem to shatter like glass.

But it's often that way with beautiful things. My mother has a tulip (or "saucer") magnolia (http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/99339/) in her front yard which has gorgeous white and pink blooms at the first hint of spring weather. Unfortunately, it's not terribly cold-tolerant, and it's at the very northernmost limit of its range here, so about three springs out of four (this season being one of the three), the blooms are tempted out by unseasonably warm weather, and then are blasted by cold when night turns frosty again. But one season out of four -- oh, my, is it ever gorgeous!

--Lindsey

[Lindsey]

Tell me about the snow... my tulips are about to bloom and I will be very annoyed if this weather kills 'em now!
Tulips will be fine. Spring bulbs are very cold tolerant.

http://www.sharp-design.us/img/sympathy_tulips%20snow.jpg

--Lindsey

[Lindsey]

I should have daffodils by this time next week!
My daffodils have bloomed and gone!

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

Mine bloomed and are still blooming beautifully! I had enough that I didn't even think twice about cutting one bouquet for the house and one for the office!

[Judy G. Russell]

Oh WOW!! They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that picture gave me a lot of hope. I have sooooooo many tulips that look like they're gonna bloom nicely!

[lensue]

>Tell me about the snow... my tulips are about to bloom and I will be very annoyed if this weather kills 'em now!<

Judy, well fortunately the snow is all melted today and we even had a chance to plant some perennials in the garden. The snow of about 3 inches didn't damage our daffodils or the pansies we've put in the flower pots. Regards, Len

[Judy G. Russell]

As long as it doesn't hurt my tulips! They're soooooooo close to blooming!