"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Friday, May 13, 2011

Fertilizer Friday the 13th!

Finally a chance to join in on Fertilizer Friday!  Blogger had been down so I guess many of us are late in getting our posts up.  I was so happy to have sunny weather, new blooms and my husband off for a couple of days during the week.  Nothing unlucky about this Friday the 13th!  We spent most of the last two days outside enjoying sun and nice temperatures in the low 60's.
Here is just some of what has started blooming now:

The apple tree is covered in blossoms, more than I've seen on it in years.  Luckily the bees have had some dry days to come to visit and pollinate.

Columbines are just starting to bloom.  These ones face way down and are hard to take pictures of (especially since I was on the phone with my sister while trying to take these).

Bergenia flowers.

Saxifraga 'London Pride' which was shared with me by my blogging friend Linda from Gardening by Trial and Error.

My first bloom on a Trillium, does it do more than this?  It's seems to be stuck at this stage.

A new Clematis growing in one of my wine barrel containers.

Geums are starting to bloom.  I'm waiting for one called 'Double Bloody Mary' to open, sounds yummy right about now.

Polemonium or Jacob's Ladder the grape scented flower.

Weigela 'Minuet' is the first of the Weigelas to bloom in my garden.

A new plant Erysimum 'Apricot Twist' smells really good.

Yesterday at Sweet Pea's track meet the Littlest Gardener and her friend played in this grassy field full of tiny daisies.  They were collecting the cut grass and decorated the piles with flowers and pine cones.  I loved how they didn't need any toys to have fun.  And it was even better since the track meet was 3 hours long, the previous weeks have been cold and cloudy and rainy.  Sweet Pea is a 7th grader and running varsity against 8th and 9th graders and doing really well, especially the 400 meters.

This is another thing my husband and I did yesterday, put together a new potting bench.  We are trying to decide how to paint or stain this potting bench - any suggestions welcome!

I hope you'll take time to visit Tootsie Time to see what other gardeners have blooming today.
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress. Pin It

38 comments:

  1. Catherine, I love the potting bench just the way it is. What if you just put a clear sealer on it. I can also see it painted to match your little shed but then again this is maintenance.

    Eileen

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  2. Hi Catherine,

    Beautiful potting bench!! I agree with Eileen...maybe just a sealer!
    Ive just posted a photo of what I use as a potting table...not as nice as yours but it gets the job done.

    glimpsesofglory-karen.blogspot.com/

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  3. Happy Friday Catherine! I love all your pretty blooms but my favorite is Jacob's Ladder. Love the potting bench. That's a great photo of the Littlest Gardener and her friend. That brings back memories from my childhood with my best friend just playing outdoors. Sounds like Sweet Pea is doing great in track. Hope you each enjoy the weekend.

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  4. Happy Fertilizer Friday! You have some great flowers, as usual, ahead of me. Love the Jacob's Ladder. I never grew it before I moved here, even though it is hardy in Massachusetts, and now it's one of my favorites.

    I love the potting bench just as it is, with the lovely wood grin showing. I think a clear polyurethane sealer is all you need.

    What kind of Trillium is yours? Some don't open all the way, they stay closed. Our native one, Trillium ovatum, should open all the way, with white flowers that gradually turn pink and then dark mauve. But I think there is a yellow one that stays closed. Even though it's closed, yours is very graceful.

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  5. Your new potting bench is gorgeous! Love your geums, Jacob's Ladder, erysimum and bergenia - the columbine too. All of those are new to me, except for the Jacob's ladder and columbine. You have some fantastic and unusual flowers and a VERY green thumb, Catherine! I was glad to see your new bunny - he is so adorable, I had to call my husband over to the computer to see him! Glad to hear Sweet Pea is doing so well in track. Have a wonderful weekend, Catherine!
    Hugs, Beth

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  6. The trillium is pretty even if it stays like that.

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  7. What a beautiful potting bench - jus wonderful. Like you, we have plenty of blooms following plenty of rain
    nellie

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  8. You flower selection is pretty nice. I especially like that Geum. And the little cuties in the second to last image. Such an adorable photo.

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  9. Such bright and beautiful pictures!! You have such an amazing collection, love the pic of the girls.

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  10. Catherine, I agree with Gatsby Gardens. I love the colour and the grain of the wood. A clear sealer would be lovely. Your garden looks wonderful!

    Come visit me at The Gardening Life

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  11. The potting bench is fab! How about some bright colors like a lighter shade of blue to contrast against the house? Or a soft green or a crisp white might be nice too.

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  12. Loved your flowers blooms! My fertilizer Friday entry is at my Love home grow garden blog.

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  13. I love the photo of the little girls playing in the field. I immediately thought of the days when I would play for hours in a field near our home. I liked to make daisy chains of the clover that grew there. You did a great job on the potting bench. You should paint it in beautiful colors you love. (For me, I would choose turquoise with blue and pink accents!)

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  14. The growth in your garden is remarkable! It seems to magically change into a park almost overnight! Love your new potting bench!

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  15. I am so glad you are getting some good outside weather...I have three geums, new this year, haven't a clue on how to grow them...any suggestions? I adore that potting bench...Littlest Gardener and her friend look o sweet playing in the field. Kudos to Sweet Pea, I know you are proud.

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  16. Beautiful potting bench. I think I would stain it..at least the work area, then poly it. The rest could be painted and would be very nice. Well done!
    Congrats to Sweet Pea on her track skills.
    Lovely blooms!

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  17. I cannot believe all your flower color this time of year ~ amazing!. I could steal that garden bench. I believe it needs stain with a sealer. You could "antique it", sort of a white-wash look. I've seen that done. I'm jealous! Debi

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  18. What a pretty potting bench! I don't know how I'd paint it but I would for sure consider the best finish to protect its beauty. You know I have bergenia and it has never bloomed for me? I'm glad someone has luck with it. What a beautiful picture of the girls!

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  19. Gorgeous potting bench!!! I would stain it to show the beautiful wood grains. Our blooms are about the same here too but maybe a little behind. Oh well...

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  20. Catherine, that is a beautiful potting bench! I'd encourage you to do a light stain as the wood finish is very pretty. My trillium bloomed and it looked like yours. That was it..the whole show. I was not impressed. I know, I'm terrible.

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  21. Catherine your garden is really starting to bloom now. I love your Jacob's Ladder. Mine like it has not bloomed. I think it need more sun so I see a move in its future. The Columbines are so pretty in the sunlight.What a great potting table. Sweetpea looks like she was having fun playing in the sunshine.I think it is wonderful when kids can find fun outdoors too with what they can find.So many need all the gadgets now to inspire them instead of using their imaginations. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  22. Gosh, I've never seen a trillium that stays "stuck" and if this is all yours does, I agree that it's not much of a show. Our native trilliums in Oregon opened to a beautiful flower: in fact, we have a painting of one that we cherish.

    I agree with the comments that your lovely potting bench is great just as is, and I'd probably go the sealer route, myself, but I can see the point of staining to show wood grain.

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  23. Catherine, You do seem to keep really busy with family and gardens and etc. Have been having the same weather as you, but you have many more flowers in bloom. I am getting jealous! Cold and rainy today and thus another good day to catch up on your recent postings. I agree with you in your recent comments that sure seems to be a long time coming this Spring. I must tell you about my fertilizer here. I have an Alpaca farm right near by so I get plenty of their poop and it is great for the garden. Almost no seeds in it - great. Check in again soon. Jack

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  24. Catherine, so glad to see that spring has finally arrived in full force for you! Our apple trees finished blooming a couple of weeks ago, so it's lovely to see apple blossoms again. I only wish I could smell their fragrance from here!

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  25. So many lovely blooms... and the potting bench looks great! L

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  26. the two little ones playing in the field are adorable and i love the picture of the apricot twist. the fence in the background is so pretty.

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  27. You sure were busy. Great selection of flowers. Have Jacob's flowers...so that's what they're suppose to look like. Maybe this year.
    Just got Bergenia flowers...never heard of them before but anything that can handle shade is worth trying.
    Cool bench !

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  28. I love to see your flowers, because they're normally ones I don't have. Yes, I love to see children occupy themselves with their imaginations.
    Brenda

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  29. What lovely brilliant blooms! I love your pottting bench too - can't wait to see what you decide to do with it. Paula in Idaho
    http://bucketideasforgardening.blogspot.com/

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  30. That bench is too pretty to paint or stain! Just put a clear sealant on it.

    Love that you've gotten your girls so into nature!! I hope to do that with Clara.

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  31. I too love the potting bench just the way it is. I think a coat of sealer should be all it needs :-) Love the photo of the girls in the meadow :-)

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  32. Catherine, I love the color of your new plant Erysimum apricot they look like tall pansies. What do they smell like?

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  33. P.S. I also love your Weigela 'Minuet'... They are one of my favorite shrubs, but mine are late blooming here in Michigan, I guess because spring is late arriving here due to the odd weather..We are still cool and rainy in the low 50's and 60's!

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  34. My geums are blooming right now, too. They are clashing happily with a purple rose. I love the potting shed as it is. The natural wood is beautiful. Maybe a nice stain? I really love that your youngest wasn't hooked up to anything electronic!! Hooray!!

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  35. I love your new potting bench! I pot things in the kitchen sink and make a big mess there. :)

    I'd stain it, but keep the natural colour.

    You have a lot of great things blooming.

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  36. So many colorful blooms! Must be a welcome sight after such a long and gray winter. Great picture of the Littlest Gardener and her friend playing in the field.

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  37. There's definitely lots going on in your garden. I hope the rain holds off for the next track meet. Your little daughter and her friend look so innocent and sweet. :)

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  38. Forgot to say thank you for updating your blog roll with my new blog address. You're a dear--thank you! Grace

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