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.