Yes, it is that time of year.... The no-see-ums are in full war-waging regalia and out there just waiting for us to offer up our most tantalizing skin for them to chew on. Last night just walking around the front flower beds, I could feel them. Now, mind you, I had on long sleeves and slacks, but I could feel them immediately on my hands, neck, and even in my hair. They were biting my head where my hair was parted!
I thought I would be able to plant some more Champagne Bubbles poppies and red Rocket snapdragons, but it was not to be. The little, barely seen chewing monsters took that away from me last night. I've tried the yard sprays that are supposed to drive away biting and stinging insects, but it has no effect on these little varmints as soon as the breeze blows the spray vapor away. These sprays are effective on our little teensy mosquitos, but not on the no-see-ums.
So, I will have to cover myself with the sticky, stinky bug repellant to try to hold the nasty biters at bay long enough to get the rest of my baby plants into the flower beds. Then there are the Gerbera Daisies to plant, oh, and the rest of the delphiniums, snaps, poppies, fuschia, Home Run roses, and the azalea cuttings. I'll just have to fill a big vat with repellent and take a dip!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Florida Delphiniums
YES! Those cool-weather beauties known for their presence in English-style gardens are blooming in my front yard in sub-tropical Central Florida. Further, a self-seeded dwarf Hollyhock has begun blooming where the seed fell from last fall's display. I left the baby plant where it sprouted, and it is now rewarding me with that all-elusive, more temperate zoned beauty.
In Illinois it is not too uncommon to see Hollyhocks and delphiniums (the fuscia plants are still in their coddling stage in 4" pots) in the colder Zone 5 areas. Grandma's flower garden about 35 miles northwest of Chicago regulary rewarded her (and us!) with the stately Hollyhock spikes, many times growing over six feet tall! But people that "close in" to Chicago are no longer the gentrified folks of Grandma's day. True areas dedicated to artistically planted cutting gardens are rare or non-existent in most areas as the pace and distractions of life have exponentially multiplied since Grandma planted her dalias, foxglove (and I'll tell you about THOSE IN MY FLORIDA GARDEN in the next post).
Ah, but I digress from the above stated titles of Delphiniums... sorry. The King Arthur strain have done the best of the types I've tried. I love having fresh cut flowers in the house, so the "chore" of deadheading is no chore for me. My flowers almost never get to the stage where faded flowers must be cut. The flowers are normally cut and in the kitchen in a vase long before they have the first hint of a droop! One of these days (soon, I promise!) I will take some pictures of the delphiniums and the volunteer hollyhock and post them here as proof that these cool-weather, English garden types can be successfully grown, and loved, here in Central Florida!
In Illinois it is not too uncommon to see Hollyhocks and delphiniums (the fuscia plants are still in their coddling stage in 4" pots) in the colder Zone 5 areas. Grandma's flower garden about 35 miles northwest of Chicago regulary rewarded her (and us!) with the stately Hollyhock spikes, many times growing over six feet tall! But people that "close in" to Chicago are no longer the gentrified folks of Grandma's day. True areas dedicated to artistically planted cutting gardens are rare or non-existent in most areas as the pace and distractions of life have exponentially multiplied since Grandma planted her dalias, foxglove (and I'll tell you about THOSE IN MY FLORIDA GARDEN in the next post).
Ah, but I digress from the above stated titles of Delphiniums... sorry. The King Arthur strain have done the best of the types I've tried. I love having fresh cut flowers in the house, so the "chore" of deadheading is no chore for me. My flowers almost never get to the stage where faded flowers must be cut. The flowers are normally cut and in the kitchen in a vase long before they have the first hint of a droop! One of these days (soon, I promise!) I will take some pictures of the delphiniums and the volunteer hollyhock and post them here as proof that these cool-weather, English garden types can be successfully grown, and loved, here in Central Florida!
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