Crocus

Spring is coming...

Siberian Iris

For years I've aspired to siberian irises like a clump I saw for several years at Elm Bank. However, I wasn't impressed with the options at various stores, that and I'm broke. Back in 09 I bought some roots off eBay, they did okay for their first year but nothing impressive. The next year they got a little bigger, but I panicked about how slow they were coming up and bought more roots in a bag from a big box store. Now I have several pots of slowly growing iris. They'd get about a foot tall then just laze about. I planted them out in the yard around 2010 i think and I got maybe 3 flowers. This year I should get triple that. To most it won't seem like much, but they're finally waist high and look happy.

False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) From Seed

Since I'm being too lazy about posting what I'm doing (ie yard is 80% or so done. I have very little left to move, and just need to sift the compost and mix it in the garden beds) here's a bit about a success.

Last year I collected seeds from my false sunflower plant. There weren't any where near as many as one would expect, but I dutifully tossed the bits that weren't seeds and put the suspected seeds in a sealed container (canning jar) in the fridge once they were dryish.

At the end of April I took the seeds out, left them waiting for a few days to warm up and planted some in a pot. I planned on separating out individual plants before they got too large, once they had a few true leaves. I kept them damp inside for a while (over a week), then I got impatient and put them and a bee balm seeded pot outside and just kept watering them. I planted April 28th and May 16th found seed leaves. So 2 1/2 weeks at temps ranging from 50 F to 80 F (we're having a weird spring.)

The bee balm also just started coming up. So my best advice is be patient. Time to go plant some more seeds from last year.

Christmas Cactus Blooming

I would almost kill for a greenhouse. Then I could surround myself with blooming plants for the winter and spend less time bemoaning our lack of snow. I'd take credit for getting this plant to bloom, but all I did was keep it alive through summer when I picked it up on the side of the road. A 2 foot wide Christmas cactus for free.

Jewel Orchid Flowers

The flower spike last week. More of the flowers are open now, and the other plant in my bedroom is just starting to open (then my mini blind attacked it and crushed some chunks of the plant off).

Daily Photo - Back to Summer

Water lily from Aug 09.

Daily Photo - Bee Balm

I'm going to keep posting summer pics until I feel warm again.

Daily Photo - Flower

Flower from my last trip to NY.

Daily Photo - Flower

While I was visiting New York I went to the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden. I didn't take many pics of the trains, but there were a few flowers hanging on.

Daily Photo - Morning Glory

Yes, it really is that mottled color. I expect the cold night temperatures are causing it.

Daily Photo - Turk's Cap Lily

From the garden.

Daily Photo - Sago Lily

Another one from Zion. It's still too hot to do anything...

Sunrise at Daniel Webster

It would be so much easier to photograph at Daniel Webster if it wasn't 45 mins from my house. I got up at 4 am. The moon looked nice. I startled plenty of deer, up close even. I even spotted two mice. Chicory was just starting to open. The path reflected in this spider web. Two more opening chicory. There were only 4 or so rabbits. (I saw more on my later walk with one of the dogs.) And begging babies rounded out my walk. Then I walked a dog and crashed for 3 more hours of sleep...

20th Hike

Images from a torturous 8 mile Fairyland Loop from the 20th.

The little buggers making the amazingly irritating clicking noise.

I'm gonna go lazy on description now.

Two Posts in One Day

Bryce Canyon's Visitor Center has free Wi-fi. These are all from today's hike, the queens garden trail combined with the Navajo Loop, the other end of which with Wall Street is closed.

Utah From Thursday

We left Zion Thursday morning and took the scenic route to Bryce. We stoped off at Kolob Canyons, the northern part of Zion and drove to the end of the scenic drive. We hiked the short trail there. Collared Lizard from Zion Kolob Canyons. After that it was highway for a while, then we turned and drove uphill to see Cedar Breaks. Which was slightly disappointing. There is still snow on the ground, so it isn't even really spring there yet. The views were okay, but Bryce is better. Cedar Breaks. We were going to visit Navajo Lake too, but got lazy and went straight to Bryce.