Friday, February 8, 2019

Planning My Spring Garden

Every year around this time I start planning my spring garden. 

I guess it helps me get through the long winters around here!

I know I have a long time to wait, but I can at least start placing orders for what I need, and any plants I want to add to the garden. Because, even though my garden is bursting with color, I still love to add something new each year!

I was browsing around today on Marie's blog, 66 Square Feet, drooling over her tiny terrace that I fell in love with so many years ago.  I was reminded of the Gloriosa Lilies I planted my first year in my house, and how much I adored them. 

Gloriosa Rothschildiana
I decided I most definitely had to plant those in the containers on my deck again - aren't they just the happiest looking flower? They grew along the railings, and climbing on the arch between the herb boxes, mingling with the Morning Glories. 

Heaven!

While I was browsing around, I decided to add some more lilies to my perennial bed as well. I just adore lilies, especially the fragrant ones. 

And, since this year I'm determined to rip out the three useless rose bushes in the perennial bed, I'll have lots of room to add more lilies, as well as a few other beauties! 

Here's what I selected for my spring garden:

Lily LA Hybrid Richmond
There's just something about white lilies - they glow in the evening light, and release their fragrance at night. 

Lily Orienpet Red Desire
There's so much color in the perennial bed, but somehow not a lot of red, so these lovely red lilies will really stand out. 

Giant Hybrid Lily Big Brother
This lily is supposed to reach 6 feet tall within 3 years and put out hundreds of blooms. Yes, please!

Asiatic Lily Mapira
Just look at the rich color of this gorgeous lily, I'm drooling already and can't wait to see it in my garden!

While I was at it, I added some Bee Balm to the mix. It's so hardy, and really attracts the butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. 

Bee Balm Pink Lace
I already have some red Bee Balm in the bed between the patio and the path to the veggie garden. I added more a couple of years ago, but something happened to it and it didn't come back. So sad!

Bee Balm Didyma Grand Mum
I decided to add both a tall and shorter pink Bee Balm to the perennial bed. Anything that can fight with that darned Tansy and crowd it out would be most welcome!

The last item is new to me, but I saw it on Marie's blog and had to give it a try.

Abyssinian Gladiolus (Acidanthera)
She wrote of how incredibly fragrant it is in the evenings, and that was enough for me! I absolutely love to surround myself with flowers that release their fragrance at night - I sit on my swing after dinner and delight in the scents of the perennial bed wafting up to me on an evening breeze. 

What are you adding to your garden this year? Do you have any plants that you adore for their evening scent?

Inquiring minds want to know!  :)



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20 comments:

  1. I have some Loofah plants started inside. I was told it would take a long time for them to sprout so I started them and in three weeks they are about 4 inches high now! I can’t put them in the ground until the fear of frost is over. Im not sure what to do. I do not have a greenhouse.
    Lisa

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    1. Oh how funny, Lisa, I would have never thought about growing a loofah plant!! When is your last frost date? Maybe you can create a cold frame to put them out a bit early? I've seen people use old milk jugs to protect plants from frost also....google it!

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  2. I love that Asiatic Lily Mapira and just went to the site and ordered a catalog. I am wanting to add some flowers to my wagon wheels at the end of the house and this might be just the thing.

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    1. Isn't it gorgeous, Carol? That color!! Too bad they don't bloom ALL season, but they are worth it regardless!

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  3. Gorgeous choices! Your flower garden is going to shine this year.

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    1. I struggle with that garden bed, Carole - it's got some real issues and should truly be ripped out and replanted, but I don't have the time or energy for that!!

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  4. Those lilies are gorgeous!!! I don't know what I will be putting in our beds this year. Our soil is so tricky that I have to be careful what I plant. All the things I love won't live here, so I usually have to buy what the garden center says will live here. North Dallas is totally opposite, as they have different soil and everything grows beautifully up there. It frustrates me greatly! Hope you are having a great weekend! Love and hugs!

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    1. I'm sure in your climate you could grow a lot of perennials in pots, Benita, including the lilies.

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  5. Those are some lovely flowers! I do want to add more perennials along my fence line this year. Bee balm sounds interesting!

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    1. Bee Balm is terrific for late season color, Penny, but it does spread, so if you are looking for something that is more contained, it's not a good choice. If you are looking for more of a cottage garden feel, it's fantastic!

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  6. Not sure yet. I looked at her book 66 Square Feet on Amazon. Has five stars. Do you have it?
    Brenda

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    1. I do have it, I love it!! Her original balcony when she wrote the book was drop dead gorgeous, I fell in love with it immediately! I still go back to those old posts on her blog for inspiration.

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  7. Your choices are all beautiful. I can't wait to see your hard work turn into more beauty.

    Cindy

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    1. Me too, Cindy!! I started my first seeds inside this past weekend, that was exciting - pansies, snapdragons, and cleome. They all need a long time indoors prior to planting out....although I probably planted them later than I should have, sigh. I like to put pansies out in early April to give me some early season color.

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  8. Hi Debbie, glad you stopped by and thank you so much for your kind words for the loss of my Mother. I did enjoy this post and got captivated by the pictures of the pretty lilies!!! We have orange ones.

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    1. I have orange, yellow, white, and pink lilies Debbi - these will be a nice addition.

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  9. Your garden always looks so amazing. Whatever you place there will be beautiful! I'd love to add roses, but since I can barely keep a hosta alive, I'm thinking they're out of my league. But we'll see...poor little flowers.

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    1. I put in a bunch of rosebushes my first year in the house, but they didn't like me....or my winters, I guess. I'm trying once more, adding a climbing rose to Papa's Garden this spring....fingers crossed!!

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  10. Such a wonderful list of flowers, Debbie. I wish I had room at My Wee Abode for more flowers than I do, but one or two of these may need to live in a pot on my porch! ;-)

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    1. If you have limited space, you definitely need to stick with pots that will flower all season long, Julie!

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