"Might I," quavered Mary, "might I have a bit of earth?"
In her eagerness she did not realize how queer the words would sound and that they were not the ones she had meant to say. Mr. Craven looked quite startled.
"Earth!" he repeated. "What do you mean?"
"To plant seeds in--to make things grow--to see them come alive," Mary faltered.
While most gardens across the country are settling down for a long winter's nap, my garden here in the desert will still provide a lot of colour and green. Some things will die back but this is the best time to plant all the cool season flowers I have been longing for.
The geraniums are in bloom and will most likely continue to bloom until the first frost. The potato bush is still putting out its little purple flowers and the Four O' Clocks are also putting on a bit of show.
I will be preparing a large flower bed with all sorts of winter and early spring delights including stock, nasturtiums, daffodils, amaryllis and so much more.
The Queen's Wreath is about finished I think. I need to figure out how to harvest seed from it. This has been a top performer this spring.
Finally, I have a little sunflower type plant that is about ready to put up blooms.
I grow many things in containers because I have yet to have a sense of permanence when it comes to where I live. We are renting the house we live in now. We had aspirations to buy it but that may not happen so we may move again. The best way to ensure all of my favorite plants are always with me is to grow them in containers.
Over the weeks, I will have more and more detailed information and photos of my container plants. Here is a list albeit incomplete:
Under the covered patio I keep my creeping charlie that also has a wandering jew mixed in (I hope it doesn't die back in the winter though it might a bit), several Tasmanian violets, Andrew's ivy, another larger leaf English ivy, a Cranesbills geranium, patchouli with V. Herderacea under planted, two salvias, a purple robe and a large pot with yet more Tasmanian violets. In the center is a large Elephant Ear.
Out in the main garden I have a Sheila's Perfume rose, ivy geraniums, queen's wreath, irises, blanket flower and a sort of sunflower plant I need to find the name of.
What served as the summer's tomato and pepper vegetable bed will now be converted to a large flower bed. I have left a tomato plant growing but I am certain it won't produce again so I am going to take it out and get to work on completing the conversion.
As mentioned earlier, I will be starting this bed off with many of my favorite winter flowring plants. I will also mix in some flowers that will come up in the summer (like blanket flower) in hopes I will have year round colour.
Sometimes in the garrden, one must sacrifice. This is what I have done with many of my ornamentals to make way for a small kitchen garden.
As mentioned in the garden journal, I have already planted strawberries, peas and carrots. Please visit the journal to track my progress!
