flower, gardening

Tuolumne Dog’s Tooth Violet

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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.

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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.

 

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flower, gardening

Narcissus

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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…

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flower, gardening

Orchid

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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.

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flower, gardening

Christmas Cactus

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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.

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flower, gardening

Popov

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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

 

 

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flower, gardening

Cyclamen

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Time to wait and dream! Nothing much you can do in the garden during the next six months. The long wait for the spring has started.

What a perfect excuse to start buying flowers to home!

Picked up a cyclamen from the local grocery store while shopping for the weekend. Just to have something on the table to brighten the day.

Sadly never been good with the cyclamen. Usually only manage to keep them alive a short time inside and live too far up in the north to grow them outside. Pity, because it is such a beautiful flower.

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flower, gardening

Twilight Zone

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Twilight Zone sunflowers made it and finally started to bloom. This was the first summer I planted them.

A successful experiment even though part of them were lost to moles who seem to be numerous this year.

As a variety it is small and short. A tiny spectacle among larger sunflowers with a bit peculiar look.

Still have some seeds left for the next spring. Need to look for more different varieties to experiment with.

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Sea Buckthorn

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My mom got interested in sea buckthorn berries because of the vitamins they have.

Three years ago I bought her four saplings – one male and three ladies. Two of the plants made it but I was not able to tell if the boy was still alive.

Sea buckthorn is so called dioecious plant which means that it has male and female plants. You need both to be able to get the berries. The lady bears the berries and the lad – well just hangs around.

This year we were able to harvest which means that we have a happy couple.

Because of the thorns picking the berries was not a joyride. My hands are still tender and achy but got the berries from the spiky lady.

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