Ten Best Tuesday: The Best Annuals In My Garden This Year

These are the top ten annuals from my garden this year.  Low maintenance (no deadheading required for continuous bloom, many were new to me and pleasant surprises.  

Ageratum Cloud Nine Pink

I always have Blue Ageratums, but Pink! always appeals.  Pink Cloud went well with every plant I paired it with, and it was in several containers.

 

Begonia Beauvilia Lemon

I've never seen a sweet soft yellow begonia like this before.  It just bloomed and bloomed.


Caladium

I love caladiums.  Though they're a natural for shade, this and a white variety really did nicely in southern pots.



Castor Bean

I've read about these and grabbed it when I saw it this spring.  It took most of the season to gain its full height, but those big spectacular leaves even stood up to a couple of frosts before toppling.

Celosia Kimono Mix

I've always loved Celosias, even the ones that look to me like "brains".  This color combination is such a pretty, happy little mix.

Cosmos Sea Shells Mix

I've never grown the seashells mix before, it is so pretty.  They get very tall and the bees loved them.

Lantana Lavender

I love lantanas and pick some out each year.  I've been unsuccessful in overwintering them.  I wish they'd cooperate.  I hadn't seen such a nice pink shade before, and hope I can find it again in spring.

Rex Begonia Red Splash

This was beautiful all season and stayed alive and lush as the last potted plant standing while we were on vacation.  It is happily in my dining room for the winter.

Tuberous Begonia Non Stop White

I think next spring I'll try to get one of each color of tuberous begonias I see offered.  They're just lush.


Verbena Tuscany Peach

The first peach colored verbena I've ever seen, it was perfect in a terra cotta pot.

Wordless Wednesday: Pink In The Garden

The Garden This Week

Cool temperatures this week were a challenge as I brought plants in at night or stored them in my little greenhouses.  I'm seeing predictions for more cool night temps coming next week which is discouraging. I'm working on potting up my plants in any case.

This week's nursery trip was to Highland Nursery in St Paul.  I enjoy their selection of annuals.

Here's what is in bloom this week in the garden:

 

 

 

Epimedium Rubrum

 

 

Daffodil Perhaps Mount Hood

 

 

Iris Cristata

Dicentra Alba

Vinca in a cocoa fiber pouch (and pot). It doesn't fill the space though I imagined the fiber would puff out and expand quite a bit.

 

 

Gerbera Revolution Mix

Over the years I've collected the animal shaped pots from my annual trip to Farmington Greenhouse.  I just love them.

I'm putting as many of my potted items around the outside of the veg garden as I can this year. It is my sunniest spot, and there is always the hope that the flowers will lure bees to the garden.

Ready, Set, Germinate!

Renee's Garden Seeds has been posting tantalizing pictures from their seed catalog selections for a couple of months now.  I'm at the point all of a sudden where I want to order everything they have.

It really is a bit early in the season to be feeling Seed Lust, but I'm only human and am looking ahead to my first spring and summer EVER since I began gardening in the 80s where I will be able to pamper my seedlings and water and feed my plants as much as I want to, need to.  Incomprehensibly glorious. 

This picture from Burpee Gardens of a three pound!!! "Steakhouse Tomato" just snapped something.

Mine will probably come out the size of a cherry tomato, but, ah, isn't a large portion of the garden a dream of lovely, lovely perfect plants and a tomato the size of your head?  Yes, yes IT IS!

I have catalogs from last year I saved, but I'd like to grow more herbs (and use them fresh).  Several different lettuces, check.  A regular cucumber and one to try pickling.  I have never eaten a turnip, but reading perhaps a few too many food blogs makes me want to try one.  I want to try Kale for the health benefits (though Mr. DOA tried some and said it was awful.  Bitter tasting, perhaps?)  I'd like to try celery once more, that did well for me.  Gourds.  Pumpkins.  More potatoes, those were really excellent in my grow bag.

Pamper my three blueberry bushes.  Grow rhubarb.  Maybe get one of those three tier strawberry planters from Jung's.

Must make a list of seed catalogs I'd like and write for them now so I'm ready to sow my seeds in January.