Hello!

Well no, I didn't fall off the face of the planet, just more into the laziness zone.  This summer has held successes and failures both personally and in the garden.  But thankfully I can learn, and have learned, from them all.

Many of my plants did not arrive, my assumptions being they rotted under ground or are preparing to surprise me next year.  Some of these include: my bleeding hearts, freesia, lilies of the valley, hostas, and more.  I know one of my hostas didn't like the snow we received in the spring and consequently fizzled out.  But I have hope: maybe it spent the summer on its roots instead of foliage...

But many of my plants arrived, and arrived with abundance.  The self-sowers out-did themselves, and I had a chore of thinning out my sunflowers, calendula, and cosmos.  My violas are spreading like wildfire and Jacob's Ladder is popping up everywhere as well.  In one of my weeding fiestas late this summer I finally started ripping out some of the violas just to help the east bed look a little tidier.  I also spent an afternoon or two collecting seeds from my Jacob's Ladder, cosmos, calendula, and snow in the summer.  I even kept the color varieties separate for the first 3.  Thankfully, I only have two varieties of Jacob's Ladder, and three of cosmos.  The calendula, however, ended up having at least 12 different flowers,  which I have a feeling I will never identify (without help that is) owing to the amount of time I would have to spend researching.  But I am okay with that for now.  I would rather be outside in the garden or skiing, than toiling away on the internet...

But one thing I was not lazy about this summer was taking pictures, and taking them in abundance.  I have hundreds of photos to go through to find the few I will post on the web.  That is something I am looking forward to!

Cilantro

Coriander sativum

Variety:

Leisure Slow Bolting

Plant Height:      18-24"

Spacing:               6-12"

Sun Preference:  Dappled to Full Sun

Self-Sowing

Annual with aromatic, glossy, green leaves on long stalks. In mid-summer begins bearing 5 petaled, white or pink flowers, followed by golden-brown berries. Plant in spring. Cilantro is the leafy portion of the plant, resembling parsley. Popular herb in Mexican and Chinese dishes.  source

Dave's Garden info

Chives

Allium - schoenoprasum 

Common

Hardy to:             3a

Plant Height:      12-18"

Spacing:               6-9"

Sun Preference:  Full Sun

Zone info

Perennial. Hardy to USDA zone 3. With beautiful edible lavender-pink flowers and delicate onion-flavored foliage, chives should be in every garden. Not many plants do as many things as this plant does AND are easy to grow, maintain, and come back every year! The edible flowers make a tasty pink-tinted chive vinegar (recipe inside packet), look & taste great in salads, and dry well when chopped for use on baked potatoes or left whole for dried floral arrangements. The foliage and flowers are an excellent garnish for most foods. Chives are easy to grow in almost any soil, containers, or a sunny indoor windowsill for use year-round. With chives on hand, your fish, chicken, vegetable, and baked potato dishes will never be lacking in flavor! 
When to plant outside: : In early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked, or as late as 2 months before first fall frost. 
When to start inside: 6 weeks before average last spring frost. 
Special Germination Instructions: Seed requires darkness to germinate. Make sure seed is planted at a depth of ¼” – ½”. 
Harvesting: Cut the outer spears of the chives when they are at least 6” long and cut back to 2” above ground. Once or twice a season, shear the plants to 2” above ground. This will keep the new, tender foliage available. The flowers can be harvested when in full bloom.  source

Dave's Garden info

Crocosmia

Crocosmia
Variety:

Emberglow

Hardy to:             5a

Plant Height:      24-36"

Spacing:               6-9"

Sun Preference:  Full Sun

Flower Color:     Red

Zone info

This will be the first year I grow Crocosmia.  I think I will have it in a container and I will definitly have to remember to dig it up in the fall since it is only hardy to Zone 5.

Crocosmia are a popular and attractive flowering bulb. Native to South
Africa, Crocosmia are members of the Iris family. They are easy to
grow.
The plants grow two to four feet tall in a season. Tube shaped flower
colors include red, yellow, orange-yellow, and orange with splotches.
Flowers bloom from July-October.
Crocosmia grow well in the flower garden and in containers on patios or decks.
Crocosmia plants are easy to grow. They grow best in full sun. Plant
in in rich, loose garden soil. If the soil is heavy or doesn't drain
well, mix in a generous amount of sand. Plant corms four to five
inches deep, and four inches apart. Water during planting, only if the
soil is dry. Keep soil moist, not wet. Add fertilizer only if the soil
is poor.
Plants will grow two to four feet tall, and begin to produce flowers
in the summer.
If growing Crocosmia in containers, select a large pot with drainage
holes. Keep well watered. Add fertilizer regularly for best growth.
After the plants have died back in the fall, they can be cut and
removed to the ground. In cold areas, add a generous amount of mulch
to protect the corms from freezing. Or, dig them up and store them for
replanting in the spring.  source

Easy to Grow Bulbs

Dave's Garden info

Cosmos

Cosmos bipinnatus
Variety:

Sensation mixed colors

picture

Plant Height:      3-5'

Spacing:               12-15"

Sun Preference:  Sun to Full Sun

Flower Color:     White, Pink, Red

Self-Sowing

Common cosmos is a tall, bushy annual that originates from Mexico.
Plants have very fine medium to bright green foliage. Throughout the
growing season they bear a profusion of delicate single daisies that
may be white, pink, violet, or crimson. Regular deadheading will
extend the life of these everblooming annuals.
Heat-loving and colorful, common cosmos requires average, well-drained
soil and full sun. All cosmos attract butterflies and are best used in
cutting gardens, mixed borders and wildflower gardens. Members of the
dwarf Sonata series may be grown in containers.  source

Dave's Garden info

Columbine

Aquilegia
Varieties:

Mrs. Scott Elliot Mix
McKana's Giants Mix

Hardy to:              3a

Plant Height:       24-36"

Spacing:                6-9"

Sun Preference:   Shade to Full Sun

Flower Color:      mixed

Zone info

McKana Hybrids are vigorous but not long lasting. Leaves are 3-ternate
and grow from 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches long. They also have terminal
flowers and spurs to 4 inches long. Columbine is a clumping perennial
found in meadows, woodlands and mountainous regions of the Northern
Hemisphere. Leaves are finely divided, ternate, bluish-green, divided
into leaflets 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. This is a graceful upright
perennial. Grows well in fertile, well-drained soil with partial shade
to full sun. For alpine species a gritty, sharply-drained, humus-rich
soil is required. Excellent in a light woodland setting or herbaceous
border.  source

Dave's Garden Info

McKana's

Mrs. Elliot Scott

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum x morifolium

Varieties:

Blushing Emily (window boxes)
Warm Megan (northwest bed)

Hardy to:                4

Plant Height:         6-18"

Spacing:                  18-24"

Sun Preference:     Sun to Full Sun

Flower Color:        Coral/Apricot, Orange/Bronze

Zone info

I bought these last year and loved their fall color.  I can't wait for them to come back this year.

 Chrysanthemum is made up of both annuals and perennials and are best
known for their showy flowers. There are twelve different flowerhead
forms which distinguish the different chrysanthemums. Colors range
from yellow to red to pink to brown and bloom time ranges from
midsummer through fall. There are seven main groups of chrysanthemums:
1. Exhibition, which are perennials grown for show, garden use, and
cutting. 2. Spray, which produce multiple flowers per stem and are
grown for garden decoration and cutting. 3. Charm, which are dwarf,
bushy, and rounded in habit and are grown primarily for indoor
decoration, exhibition and bonsai. 4. Cascade, which are similar to
charm, but trained as fans, pillars, pyramids, or cascades, are grown
primarily for indoor decoration. 5. Pompon, are dwarf and bushy,
providing multiple (up to 50), dense flowers per plant. 6. Rubellum,
is a group of bushy perennials with woody base. Leaves are pinnatisect
and have a silvery cast and flowers have yellow, daisy-like centers.
They are perfect for the border and for cutting. 7. Garden
chrysanthemums have a bushy, branching habit and bear clusterd
flowerheads. Flowering over a long period, they are perfect for the
border. Chrysanthemums do best in full sun in soil that is slightly
moist, fertile, neutral to slightly acid, and well-drained. Make sure
that plants are fertilized every two weeks from midsummer until buds
begin to show color. To ensure a full flush of flowers, discontinue
pinching by July 15 in cooler climates, and July 25 in warmer
climates. At the onset of winter in really cold areas, crowns may be
lifted and stored once tops have been cut back to 6 inches. In milder
climates, cut back and mulch well. Because the centers of
chrysanthemums die out, you will want to divided the plant and replant
either in the late fall or early spring every couple of years.

'Warm Megan' is a decorative garden mum with an upright nature and an
abundance of coppery toned flowers

source




Dave's Garden info
Blushing Emily

Warm Megan

more good info

The Garden Helper

Catmint

Nepeta faassenii

picture

fabulous picture

Hardy to:             3a   

Plant Height:      10-24"

Spacing:               12-36"

Sun Preference:  Sun to Full Sun

Flower Color:     Purple

Zone info

This will be another first for me to go along my south bed.

Attractive gray-green, oval leaves form mounds up to 2 feet high.
Flowers are lavender-blue with purple spots, held in loose spikes.
This is an aromatic plant which is adored by cats. As with many other
herbs, this is a nice companion plant with roses. As will all members
of the mint family, this is a vigorous, spreading plant. Cut back
spent flowers to encourage another set of blooms. source

Dave's Garden info although I am not sure that I have the 'Walkers Low' variety

Cardinal Climber

Ipomoea x multifida

plant

flower

Plant Height:      3-10'

Spacing:               6-9"

Sun Preference:  Sun to Full Sun

Flower Color:     Red

Vine/Climber

This will be my first time growing cardinal climber and after rereading the info below, I am not sure if I knicked the seeds, so I may have to start some new seeds...

Deep green, finely-cut feathery foliage and dark stems have a small
but brilliant deep scarlet trumpets for blooms starting in mid-summer.
 (from package)

Cardinal climber is a hybrid morning glory with bright red tubular
flowers and large, deeply lobed leaves. It is the result of a cross
between the red star morning glory (Ipoemea coccinea) with cypressvine
(I. quamoclit). The red flowers attract hummingbirds.
Sow the seeds of cardinal climber in a full sun location after the
knicked seeds have soaked in water for 24 hours. Provide average water
and a structure upon which to climb, and the plant will take off.
Flowering continues from late spring until frost. New plants arise
from the previous season's dropped seeds in the same area.  source

Imprtant info:  They are frost tender at 45-50F. Red spider mite and whitefly can occasionally cause problems.  source

Dave's Garden info

Calendula

Calendula officinalis
Varieties:

Pacific Beauty

picture

Plant Height:      12-24"

Spacing:               6-18"

Sun Preference:  Sun to Full Sun

Flower Color:     Oranges

Self-Sowing

I have had Calendula growing along the back of my vegetable garden for a few years.  It easily self seeds and adds great color.  The stems and leaves are sticky.

Cheery yellow or orange, single or double daisy-like blooms 2 inches
to 4 inches across, flower non-stop from late fall through spring in
areas with milder winters. A carefree choice for spring and early
summer color in colder climates. Bright yellow, double, somewhat
branching, leaves are narrow and long, with rounded ends. Long asting
cut flowers. Easily sown directly into soil in late summer or early
fall (milder climates). Will do fine in moist soil, but requires good
drainage. source

Dave's Garden info