About Me

My photo
I am a retired English teacher and department head, the mother of three grand mother of four, and have been married to the same man for 52 years. I subscribe to Dr. PM Forni's concept of Civility. I was born in South Philadelphia and grew up in the 'burbs. I love soft pretzels and cheesesteaks, the Phillies, the Eagles, and San Diego. I love being Mom, Aunt Kathy, Nona Kathy, and Teacher. I spend a lot of time in my gardens in the spring and summer, and in the winter I plan what I'm going to plant. I also am an avid reader and photographer.

Translator!

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Pots and Plants and Dirt, Oh Yes!

 It's that wonderful time of year when I get to play up to my elbows in dirt!  I did my planning, purchased a few new pots, 



and have made one shopping trip to the nursery.  I split it up into a couple of trips because, 1) buying everything at once was becoming overwhelming; and 2) there wasn't enough room in my car.


I planted some of the purchases and will go back this week to do more.  It's currently raining and predicted to do so until Thursday, so if I don't mind getting a little wet, it's a perfect time to visit the greenhouses -- no crowds.
Meanwhile, my pots await...






We lost about 15 roses (all hybrid teas and two climbers) due to the polar vortex.  (But the stink bugs are still thriving -- go figure!) I'm not certain I want to replace them (roses NOT the stinkbugs, Bilbo!!), but I'll start looking around this week.  My shasta daisies, usually hearty, and lupines succumbed as well.   
Each year of gardening is unique; it's the beauty of it all.

11 comments:

Bilbo said...

Why would you want to replace the stink bugs?

Sally Wessely said...

I'd be heartbroken over the loss of the roses. The winter was so brutal for all living things. I understand the not wanting to replace them. Roses take so much care. I sure do miss the ones I had at my home before we moved. We can't plant them here. The deer would just eat them.

I hoping to get my digging going soon. Here in Colorado, we just don't plant before Mother's Day. It is cold and windy today. We had snow in some parts of town yesterday. I'm ready for some warm weather!

Forsythia said...

I love the blue pot. Sorry that the polar vortex zapped those innocent flowers.

Linda Reeder said...

I love your new pots! I am a sucker for bright clay pots but I have to restrain myself to only those that we have a place for to hook up to the drip irrigation system. Believe it or not, here in Seattle we have summer drought.
We have been buying plants too, at plant sales and nurseries we visit. I am frustrated by not being able to spent all day crawling around in my garden, planting things. We are going to have some warm sunny days this week, but Ill have to spend much of them sitting while tom works. That's what I'm doing right now, with my lap top out on the patio.

Purple Flowers said...

I like the colors of the pots you bought. Your car looks like mine does when I fill up the back with flats of flowers. I just love this time of year!

Mage said...

I'm just struggling to remember to water the few plants I have left. Your's are lovely.

Kay said...

Good luck on your gardening this spring. It will be so beautiful. Would neem oil work on stink bugs?

Gilly said...

Those pots are gorgeous - particularly the blue ones. Sorry you lost so many plants, but you've had it really brutal over there! All of mine are OK, I think, there are some a bit sluggish who didn't like their feet so wet, but apart from them all is OK. My shasta daisies I dug up and split a bit as they were taking over, but I think what I planted out will be OK. what is bothering me are some osteospernums and cosmos plants I had sent to me by an on-line firm, far too early, they are in my garage and utility room growing like mad, but I can't put them out yet, as frosts are still forecast. However, they will have to go out before we go on holiday, come what may!

Looking forward to seeing pics of your luscious garden a bit later on!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

It's so frustrating to lose flowers --especially ROSES (since they take so much of our love and care). We also lost 2 for sure---but there are a few others that still are not healthy.... One we lost which was a favorite of mine from last year, Ronald Reagan. This was an extremely healthy rose last year which bloomed over and over and over.. It was red with some splashes of white. NOW--we can't find it anywhere to re-order... Darn!

It was a rough winter --and even our Holly Bushes (in the front of our house) are losing their leaves. Don't know if they will come back or not...

But--life goes on, doesn't it? Looks like you are off to a good start with some new blooms...

Hugs,
Betsy

George said...

Some of our roses are still looking puny, but one of the container roses is now blooming, so we're feeling better about this season in the yard. I can understand why you might not replace your lost roses, but I also understand why that can be hard.

Barb said...

Hi Kathy, I can't believe you lost the Shasta and Lupine which flourish in my high altitude gardens even though they are STILL covered by 4' of snow! Love the pots.