High Hopes

This is one of my whiskey barrels. All of my deck containers are finally filling out and looking like I imagined them to. It's nice that they do this just as my main gardens are nearly finished. It gives me something new to concentrate on during the last days of summer.

This whiskey barrel has both of my favorite Tropicana's--the original "Tropicana' with the red-striped leaves and 'Tropicana Gold' with the green striped leaves.

I also planted the 'Elijah Blue' grass in here and the 'Orange Perfection' phlox (way in the back--no signs of bloom yet) that I bought this year. The white blooming flowers are volunteers of the herb 'feverfew'. Way in the back I also have some Russian sage, which will have blue flowers. So far I like this container. I have high hopes that when it all blooms, it will be wonderful.

In the green watering can, I have a Peruvian daffodil that I planted on April 12, 2009. Last year it had nothing but the strappy foliage.
When I went out this afternoon to water the deck containers. I almost squealed with delight when I saw this bud!


Whoo--hoooo!!!! It's going to bloom this year! It looks like some bug has been munching on the bud, so I immediately went out and sprayed it with a plant bug spray. I've tried the 'organic' methods--nothing really works--so now I use a chemical to kill the predators.

Judge me as you will...

I have high hopes that there will be many more buds this year that will open into the spidery white flowers.

Every afternoon when I get home from work, I have to water all of my containers on the deck and in the Arbor Gardens. This is my irrigation system.... a hose, an aluminum bucket, 2 Folgers coffee cans and a white bucket from work. I fill the aluminum can, scoop the water out with the Folgers cans and carrying two Folgers cans at a time, I water all the deck containers. Most of them need a full Folgers can every day--some need two. Then I fill the white container and walk down the steps to the Arbor gardens---six to seven times---to water all of the containers I put out there.

The entire process takes at least a half an hour.

So if you have a real irrigation system, count your blessings!

On a personal note: Frances C who sent me a facebook request--are you Frances in Australia? I don't want you to think I am ignoring you, but I have no Facebook account...I know nothing about it, so I have no idea how to answer your request. I am flattered that you sent it, but I don't think I will begin an account there. All of these blogs are enough for me!

same thing to TC Connor in Penn. - no idea what Linkin is....sorry!