Gardening in the North

This blog is about gardening in the north.

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  • Flag

    Flag

    Flag1

    Flag tulips are doing well up here in the north. Planted a mix of them in the autumn and they seem to enjoy the shady place under an old apple tree.

    Must buy more of them in the autumn to make sure that we can enjoy them in the fourth coming spring.

    We are a bit behind the usual summer schedule this year. Tulips usually bloom two weeks earlier and typically they are already gone by the mid-summer.

    Well it has been cold and dry spring. Not an ideal one for the garden. Many of the plants were take by the frost but at least some are doing well.

    Flag2

     

  • Tuolumne Dog’s Tooth Violet

    Tuolumne Dog’s Tooth Violet

    Dogs1

    Erythronium tuolumnense is known by the common name Tuolumne dog’s tooth violet. Originally from California Sierra Nevada from the Tuolumne County. Not a native plant to this continent.

    I bought the bulb several years ago and ever since it has bloomed every spring. Tried to plant three more last autumn but failed. None of them made it through the winter. Better luck next year. Have to have more of them.

    We are still waiting for the tulips. The first ones should start to bloom next week if we are lucky.

    The spring has been cold and try. No rain during May. Not a single drop. Coldness and dryness have slowed down the plants and it seems that this will be one of those summers where there will be plenty of challenges for gardeners.

    Dogs

     

     

  • Chive

    Chive

    Chive

    Time to harvest. After very many years my chive finally looks good.

    I do not know what went wrong but for many years the chives we have looked poor and modest. Maybe they just needed time and the right weather.

    I have tried many different varieties and to be honest not sure anymore which was the one that was successful. Main thing is that I now have many flourishing hassocks.

     

  • Verbena

    Verbena

    Verbena1

    It has been a cool and cold spring up here in the north. Now all the snow is finally gone and the lake is free of ice. The crocuses just started to bloom few days ago but we still have below zero nights.

    Luckily that does not prevent me from buying flowers to the balcony. Was not able resist the temptation and bought few verbenas. Hope they make through the nights and survive the bite of cold they are going to face.

    Have always admired the verbenas my mom have had. The flower can tolerate heat well and blooms the whole summer. Colors they have are bright and many and I might be able to enjoy the blooms next half of the year.

    Now I just wait impatiently that I can plant more delegate flowers. Still few weeks to go for that.

    Verbena2

     

  • Violet

    Violet

     

    Violet1
    Violet

     

    Spring is finally here! Not yet warm but all the snow is now gone. After a long period of darkness the days are getting longer and longer.
    It is a bit early but first violets found their way to my balcony. Simply could not resist the temptation when saw them in the store. Had to have something blooming outside.
    Cannot wait to get to the summer cottage and start planting. Hope that the winter has not collected too strong toll among the perennial flowers.
    Violet2
    Violet

  • Narcissus

    narcissus3

    The spring is nearly here! Two more months and you can actually do things in the garden!

    To manage the excruciating wait I have been visiting shops to ease my pain. On one of those trips I bought a narcissus which turned out to be a beautiful choice.

    My challenge was that it is too worm inside and still too cold outside for narcissus. I needed to figure out a place in between. I ended up squeezing the flower between the window glasses and to my big surprise it worked!

    The narcissus has been blooming two weeks and it even seems to enjoy the place. Must go and shop for some more…

    narcissus4

  • Orchid

    orchid1

    Days are still short and nights long up here in the north. Few more months to go before you can actually plant something outside. Too dark to grow anything inside yet.

    In my desperate need to have flowers in the flat I always end up buying orchids. Just to have something beautiful blooming.

    Now back to planning what to grow next summer with a glass of nice vine.

    orchid2

  • Merry Christmas

    mc1

    I gapped an amaryllis to go with me while shopping for groceries. When I arrived at home I started to wonder what was the variety of my purchase.

    The label just said Merry Christmas. It took me a while and some googling to understand that Merry Christmas was the name of the variety for this one.

    Beautiful large and red blooms. A good bargain for the price.

    mc2

  • Christmas Cactus

    cc1

    A single bloom and I am thrilled! Usually my Christmas cactus is full of flowers at this time of the year.

    Unfortunately last spring my ten-year-old friend started to die and eventually perished. Luckily I managed to take some cuttings just on time.

    Now I have two new cacti growing and doing well.

    Now my plan is to find an Easter cactus to accompany them. Just learned a trick to tell them apart. It is the shape of the leaf that tells you when you can expect to see the flowers. Never have realized that before.

    cc2

     

  • Popov

    popov1

    It is cold and dark outside. A perfect time to grow Christmas flowers inside while waiting for the spring.

    Popov started to bloom and brightens my day. Like the colors it has.

    Do not know why but I am becoming fonder of amaryllis each passing year. I guess it simply is that they are big and bold flowers blooming when it is dark and hard to grow anything else.

    Must go and buy some more. Cannot have enough amaryllises in the flat.

    popov