Clivias

My whole garden is practically in shade, which make my choice of plants very restricted. My favorites obviously clivias and zantedeschia. Got my first yellow clivia today so had to learn how to pollinate it in order for me to grow even more yellows. Found this great website http://www.clivias.info/polunation.php the directions are straight forward and that's exactly how I did it, will see in a month or so if it worked.

I have a little lamb

I've grown up on a farm and unfortunately had to move to the city after university as that is where the work is.  Last year Christmas when we went to the farm I decided that I want my own sheep.  I bought 5 ewes that now live on the farm together with my parents sheep.  In the midst of winter this year I got a phone call from my parents that one of the ewes had a little lamb. 

My mom sent photos and I must admit I have no idea who the daddy is of this one as we don't have rams on the farm with brown in them.  She is too cute though, had to be bottle fed daily as her mommy didn't have enough milk.  Today she is a happy 7 month old sheep and will spend her days grazing and running around.  I'm a vegetarian so she will spend her days on the farm till she passes away of old age.  Just had to share the pictures. 

Dahlia

Dahlias

 

A tall plant with a long lasting flowers.  One of the first plants I got when starting my garden.  A perennial grown from tubers.  Dahlias prefer sandy to loamy soil and full sun.  Dahlias bloom for extended periods of time and will add some colour to your garden when most summer flowers have died down. 

 

I have to say this was one of the easiest flowers in the garden for me, planted the tubers and about 8 weeks later I had luscious plants in full bloom with only the rain and sun taking care of them.

Pictures above of the only two dahlia colours I have in my garden at the moment.  But I'm a happy gardener.  Give them a try and plant a dahlia or two in spring.

Day lilies

As you all know from previous posts I'm completely new to gardening and only know the flowers I've seen in friends and family gardens.  Saw a daylily for the first time this year and it completely blew me away, what stunning flowers.  I was a little disappointed when finding out the name daylily literally means that every flower is only open for one day.  After planting a couple I've realised however that when they start flowering they will have a succession of flowers so it wont be just one flower for one day a year on a plant.  A couple of daylily pics from my garden below as well as caring for your daylilies. 

Tolerates a variety of soil conditions.  They are very easy to take care and prefer full sun to semi shade. 

Should be planted in spring or autumn. 

Daylilies multiplies readily.  Some varieties increase very rapidly and will have to be divided when they become crowded. 

Daylilies should be deep watered once a week. 

Daylilies vary from full sun to evergreen varieties.

Lilies

The butterfly garden

So we

 bought a new house about 5 months ago.  Big garden but the previous people planted lots of trees and no flowers.  My first step to get this garden up in colour was to plant loads of flowers that will attract butterflies and add colour.  Here is what I've achieved so far.  All plants grown from seeds here.  Through research this is what I've learned about their care.

 

Above papawer

                                     The garden as it looked before the flowers (pic above)

Above  Flox
Spring and summer blooming.  Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.  Multiplies readily.  Well drained soil.  Some prefer full sun, others shade.  Plant in spring.  Water in dry conditions.

Above Zinnia
Annual flower.  Full sun.  Die with first frost.  Attracts butterflies.  Prefer well drained soil.

Above Zinnia
Annual flower.  Full sun.  Die with first frost.  Attracts butterflies.  Prefer well drained soil.

Above Celosia
Plant in spring.  Keep soil from drying out by watering regularly.  Well draining soil and a minimum of 8 hours sun a day.  They can grow in poor soil.

Above Daisy
Bloom from summer till late fall.  Attracts butterflies.  Plant in spring.  Full sun.                                                       

Above Gazania
Wide variety of soil types.  More than four hours sunlight.  Plant in spring.  Fairly drought tolerant.  Perrenial that blooms for long periods of time throughout the year

Above Allysum also known as Carpet of snow
Sow in spring.  Like full sun to semi-shade.  Bloom spring to early summer. Do well in most soils and can tolerate dry conditions. 

Above Coreopsis
Coreopsis are easy plants that tolerate a variety of soils.  They should be planted in spring in full sun and well draining soil.  Coreopsis can be annual or perennial and flowers in my garden lasted for extended periods of time.  Water in very dry conditions otherwise rain will be efficient.

Below Candytuft

Candytuft flowers are perennials and evergreen.  Should be planted in full sun but can tolerate some shade.  Bloom in late spring.  Attract butterflies and bees to the garden.  Prefer well draining soil.  Drought tolerant once established