Tag Archives: north

flower, gardening

Iris

Iris1

This is the first summer that I have planted irises. I do not know why I have not tried them before. To my surprise I managed to keep them alive.

Well not exactly all of them made it. I planted some in the autumn and some in the spring. Unfortunately none of the ones I planted in the autumn made it through the winter. It seems that the varieties I used were not hardy enough.

Luckily the spring planting proved out to be successful. The blooms are beautiful.

I guess I just need to find varieties that tolerate cold winters.

Iris2

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flower, gardening

Xanthos

Xanthos1

My first Xanthos started to bloom today. A new cosmos variety I have tried for the first time and I think it just became a longtime acquaintance.

Yellow is a totally new color to me when it comes to cosmos.

This year seems to be dedicated to annuals. I lost so many perennials last winter and had to quickly replace the empty spaces with something. Luckily had tons of cosmos seeds available to hide the damages.

Xanthos2

 

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Hungarian Yellow Wax

chili

For the first time I managed to keep all my three chilies alive over the winter. Usually the long period of darkness and the cruel central heating is too much for them.

It means that I get an early harvest this year. The first chilies are already ready for picking.

And as I already learned last year the Hungarian yellow wax turns red when ripe. I guess I need to find another variety if I want other colors. Sadly do not have much space for wintering them. Need to figure out a solution for this limitation.

 

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Snowball

Snowball1

About ten years ago I bought my father a snowball tree. One of the most successful purchases I have made.

Ever since the tree has produced beautiful snowballs each year. Growing larger and larger each summer and producing hundreds and hundreds of white flowers.

Now I am considering to buy another since the tree has survived the winters and it simply looks stunning when blooming.

Snowball2

 

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flower, gardening

Columbine

Columbine1

I do not know why but I have always loved columbines. I used to have only one pink variety which my grandmother had had for many years. I started to calculate that the variety must have been here more than seventy years.

As a child I used to like collecting the aquilegia seeds. That must have started my enthusiasm for columbines.

Currently I have several different colors and shapes growing. Not as many as I would like to have but I guess there is no limit to my greed.

All of them have been grown from a seed. Up here in the north it always takes at least two years to see the first blooms. Well, I guess waiting just makes it more worth while.

Columbine2

 

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flower, gardening

Snowdrop Windflower

Snowdrop1

One of the early bloomers is snowdrop windflower. Six were planted last year and only two made it through the winter. Not sure that I will have any next summer.

It is nice to try new flowers but you do not always succeed.

Snowdrop windflower has beautiful white flowers and when they are gone decorative seedcases remain.

It would be nice addition to the garden. Just need to wait and see if it decides to remain here.

Snowdrop

 

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flower, gardening

Purple Prince

Purple Prince

Spring came early this year. Normally we can enjoy tulips early June. Purple Prince started to bloom few days ago and it is just mid May!

It is a new variety I bought last year and one of the few survivors!

I can now see that I have lost most of my tulips. The winter was hard on tulips and only a handful of them could take minus 33 degree Celsius we had in January. The thin layer of snow could not give them the protection desperately needed.

Well a good reason to me to shop more in the autumn.

Purple Prince2

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flower, gardening

Spring

Seeds1

The lake is now free. Liberated from ice and ready for the spring.

The cats are happy. The fishing season has started and they are ready for the fresh fish.

I am thrilled. Finally I can start to plant and grow flowers. My pockets are full of seed packs and I am running around wildly.

The spring came early this year. I have never ever been able to plant anything at this time of the year. It still tries to snow a bit but I do not care.

Only the early Siberian squills are blooming but they are so beautiful and the first promise that others will soon follow.

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flower, gardening

Narcissus

Narcissus2

This spring seems to be all about the daffodils. Each time I go to a store or shop I manage to buy one pot more.

I have been trying to collect different varieties and there are so many available this year.

My plan is to take them all to the summer cottage after the snow is gone. This way I can enjoy them during the forth coming years as well.

Still two more months to go before the spring flowers start to bloom outside. Cannot wait that long! I am getting impatient!

Narcissus1

 

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