Step into my garden!
My column this week in the local newspaper is about my life as THE BLACK THUMB GARDENER. I promised to show pictures on my blog, so here you go:
"I tried. It died."
(My green thumb friend Nancy called today and said she saw this quote at the garden shop and thought of my column. It's so true.)
On the other hand, I have had some successes, thanks to my fairy godmother of the garden (from the Olympia, WA, farmer's market) and the garden bunny (from last summer's Gig Harbor Garden Tour). The bountiful pink blooms behind them are from a divided wild geranium plant that a friend gave me last year. (I think that's what it is.) I actually got it into the ground and it survived!
Here is one of my front porch pots, with flowers that another green thumb friend, Rosemary, helped me select. See my column for details on that trip to the nursery.
Now, which pot looks better, the one above (No. 1) or below (No. 2)? Do you detect anything unusual? No? Good.
Our side yard is full of ferns, which I love not only for their ferniness but because they don't need any care whatsoever from me. I painted the silk fabric and plopped it in the center of this fern for a photo.
So there you have it. Proof that even the black thumb gardener can have a piece of green.
Have a colorful day!
Hardy geraniums or cranesbill geraniums is what you have there. Just a wonderful plant which has so many lovely dependable varieties. The leaves are just as nice as the flowers, in my opinion. And they are practically evergreen here in the South. They divide effortlessly, and reseed willingly and fill in dull spots with lovely color, in shade or sun. Can be beat!
ReplyDeleteMelody -- Cranesbill! That's what my friend said it is! It's so nice to have friends who know their plants.
ReplyDeleteSherrie, Unfortunately your Cranesbill geranium, also known as Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), is an introduced species in our part of the world and is on Washington State's list of noxious weeds.It's a lovely plant in many ways, but LOOK OUT - it tends to take over rapidly, crowding out everything around it. I know because I loved it the first year or 2 that I had it until I learned the hard way. Love your site here, tho, and I, too, love a wild looking garden.I'm a fellow beach watcher, so we have some things in commom. Keep up the good work!!
ReplyDeleteDear Ladybug: Darn! Just when I thought I had a good thing going in the garden I discover its true sinister colors. Thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to contain it and not spread it around. Love your site, too.
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