My Garden Now

As many readers know we moved from a house on 8 acres to a retirement community and an apartment on the 11th floor in late June 2016.  My gardening has changed considerably.  Once I had this to take care of:

I have no regrets about no longer having all these gardens because it was a lot of work.  Now I have new ways of gardening: on two balconies and inside.

On the northeast side is this balcony.  It has the wicker chair I inherited from my mother that we repainted red.  I think it was my grandmother's before that.  I'd like to replace the seat cushions but haven't found any that fit yet.

When its not being used I cover it with the canvas cover and a bungee cord.  We get high winds up here on the 11th.

I have only three pots on this balcony because Dan uses it too to paint.  These are shade loving because they primarily get morning sun.

The table I found very cheap at ReStore.

On the southwest balcony I have more pots, most recent purchases from HomeGoods.  These are filled primarily with perennials.  I can have hosta without worrying about the deer eating them!

This table and chairs we brought with us.

This pot came from the old house and I was pleased to have the sedum return.  I knew then that perennials would work.

I added the hens and chicks to this one.

Inside I have these plants.

A jade bonsai.

An air plant.

On the shelf outside our apartment I had rooted philodendron cuttings from the winter garden downstairs on the first floor in water then transplanted them in another beautiful pot from HomeGoods.

From one balcony I look down on Sidwell Gardens.  I'll have to share photos of that in another post someday.

Tuesday Treasures #17 - Hostas

As I prepare for my big move at the end of the month I'm reflecting back on our time at this house by posting old blogs.  I've scheduled one a week as I take a hiatus from blogging.
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This one entitled "Hostas" was also popular in page views.  I don't know why.  It was first posted on June 1, 2011.

Linking to Tuesday Treasures

Hostas

Hostas come in many shapes, sizes and colors. I know they all have names but I haven't maintained that bit of information to accompany this blog entry. I'll let them speak for themselves.

"We are the oldest hosta on the premises, a gift from friends and planted under the study window before there ever was a glen garden."

"I'm one of the newest hostas - a blue one. I was also a gift from a friend just last spring 2010."

"I'm even newer. I arrived last fall in October. I'm going to grow very large: 4-5 ft tall. I"m called an Empress Yu. There are three of us now."

"Sorry I'm nameless. I've already divided myself into two plants but I'm too young to be physically divided."

"I'm from the grocery store. An impulse purchase but I've loved growing in the shade of the glen garden."

"Here I am with two others of the same variety - all from the grocery store."

"We are divisions from other hostas enjoying the glen habitat."

"I'm probably one of the most common hostas you see. And I love to grow."

"We have enjoyed the shade along the glen edge and have spread well. We are content to just be green."

"I'm one of the big leaved variety of hostas. I'm not at my full growth since I've been moved several times and divided each time. I'll get to my full height and width in the next couple of years if I'm just left alone."

"I'm related to the one above but for some reason I didn't inherit the darken edges to my leaves. I'm still growing too so let me be!"

"We are of the tiny variety of hosta with a nice yellow hue to the edge of our leaves. We can't remember where we came from but this glen garden is a wonderful home for us especially here on the edge."

"Didn't you see our parent plants in the first photo? We love to expand and multiply."

"Just let me spread my huge leaves. I'll take over this spot before too long and there won't be room for those durn annuals under me either."

"Hey big leaf! Stop crowding me! I think I need to be moved out so my yellow leaves are shown to their full effect. Hear that gardener?"

"Our yellow big leaves are better than those ones under us. We'd be glad to have them moved out some because we need room to expand. After all hostas take up to 5-6 years to reach maturity and we're almost at that age. Give us the room we say."

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2016 Footnote:  The hosta have taken a beating from voles.  Some have not returned for 2016.

Only the one on the left looks to be of the right size of these three.

And the bed below is sparse with hosta this year.

Compare that with this photo from June 2013.  I guess I'm glad I'm not here much longer to rue this damage to the bed of hosta.

Bunny & Blooms

There's nothing to give you the size of this bunny rabbit, but it is tiny.  So small it fits through the wire fencing around the vegetable garden.  I've scared it out of there and seen evidence its nibbled on ripening green beans.

It is a cute one and I enjoy seeing it in the backyard eating the crabgrass.  Dan noticed it last night up on the deck (one step off the ground so no great distance for it).

In the Perennial Garden the predominate color is now yellow with the black eyed susans blooming.  The moon flower on the trellis gate has grown big but though there have been buds I've missed seeing the blooms.  I believe its an evening bloomer.

The white butterfly bush in its first year has put out the blooms and the butterflies have found it. The fishing line (deer deterrent) is visible there.

Speaking of deer deterrent - I still have hosta.  Love the green of this large one.  

I did have one flaw in my fishing line system that left an opening between my brush fencing and the fishing line.  At least on one occasion a deer got in.  I saw its tracks and with some sleuthing discovered the entry point.  More fishing line went up and that seems to have worked for now.  The final test will be when we are away for a week later this summer.  Deer always seem to know when the coast is clear.