Flowers Shrubs & Trees Archives – Page 15 of 27

Spring Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

The Sweetheart Rose

By JM PerezApril 4, 20141 min read1.2K views

For two and a half years we had a couple of Potato Vine growing in the front yard, alongside the arches. The plants were thriving until early last year when they died. We had quite a rough Winter and they didn’t survive the repeated freezes. We dug them out last Summer and replaced them with climbing Roses.

Cecile Brunner Climbing Rose (also know as The Sweetheart Rose and Climbing Mademoiselle Cécile Brünner Rose) were quite small when I purchased them and have doubled their size since then. I trained the main canes of my ‘John Cabot’ Rose to grow horizontally on a trellis to encourage the plant to put out more blooms and it is always full of flowers. I planted the Cecile Brunner Climbing Rosebushes on each side of a Vintage wrought Iron Arch set, a gorgeous decorative feature in my front yard, by the garden gate, leading to the backyard. These arches will support and showcase the plants.

During the coming days, I will begin training the Roses to grow horizontally on the arches, to create a beautiful and inviting gateway. The Rosebushes bloom profusely from mid-Spring until frost with fragrant light pink blossoms.

Click here, here or here to learn about Training Climbing Roses.

Linking up to Beverly’s Pink Saturday

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By JM Perez

Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Surprises in The Garden

By JM PerezMarch 28, 20142 min read855 views

The Wind has calmed down, at least for today and we focused our energy on ridding the yard of weeds. We spent part of the afternoon in the backyard, finishing up some projects, starting new ones and tending to the plants. Our little helpers pitched in as much as they could, which was awesome.

I noticed a couple of flowering plants here and there including some California Poppies. The ones I received from a neighbor last year reseeded so much that I am finding them growing all over my property. I am not fond of having things popping all over the place, so I have been busy relocating most of them to create a neat garden. A few are blooming with orange and golden yellow flowers. I love their silky texture.

While walking around in the yard, I spotted what seem to be either a young growing Almond tree or a young growing Apricot tree, still at its early stage of growth. In a few months, I will know for sure which tree it is since the sprouts of both are somewhat similar. I am guessing that the seeds were buried last year by Squirrels and now that they are sprouting the threat to their survival include rabbits and the same Squirrels, which may return to collect the seeds. We dug out the young plant, placed chicken wire at the base to protect the roots and we also enclosed the young plant with chicken wire to keep squirrels from getting to the plant.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see that a broken root from a Rosebush I relocated early this year has emerged from the dirt with healthy new growth. I simply pulled out the loose root and buried it in the dirt – it reminds me of hope, new beginnings and strengthens my belief in the idea that nothing is really lost in the World.

Unbeknownst to us, one of our wonderful neighbors has been sick. My husband and I decided to do something for them, which is to rid their entire front yard of weeds; a process we started late this afternoon. We are glad we can assist them in such a time of need and we wish them a speedy recovery as we miss seeing them around.

It’s been a week rich in emotions and today was a good day.

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By JM Perez

Spring Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

High Desert Windy Days

By JM PerezMarch 25, 20141 min read550 views

Windy days have returned in the High Desert and thankfully for us, we are done with our Spring cleanup.
This afternoon we accomplished so much in the backyard. We planted and transplanted a few plants. We started weeding all over again since more weeds are actively and rapidly growing from the last rainfall.

I was delighted on Friday morning as I captured the moon as it was still up in the clear blue sky.
Click here to learn more about this occurrence.

I am loving the beautiful sight of our High Desert Mountains. From my backyard these mountains are southeast of us as opposed to the snowy mountains which are southwest. The view is lovely whichever way you look.

The first Tree Rose in the backyard to bloom.

The Dwarf Cup Flower are starting to produce beautiful purple, cup-shaped flowers.

Dwarf Cup Flower (Nierembergia Caerulea 'Purple Robe'). — *Dwarf Cup Flower (Nierembergia Caerulea ‘Purple Robe’).*

Coleonema Pulchrum “Pink Breath of Heaven” bursting with beautiful tiny pale pink flowers and fragrant leaves.

Three years ago I purchased a Saucer Magnolia tree from Lowe’s, which I found in the plants clearance area. It flowered the following year and hasn’t since then. On Friday we relocated it to the backyard and it’s leafing out. I am confident that it was the right move to help the plant thrive and I am looking forward to see some gorgeous blooms in the up coming days, hopefully.

We finally parted with the huge bare root Ocotillo we’ve had for three years. It never rooted.

Happy Spring Gardening!

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By JM Perez

Spring Birds Insects Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

New Season of Regrowth

By JM PerezMarch 20, 20141 min read862 views

It’s the first day of Spring and a lovely day. I took pictures of a few lovelies blooming in the garden this morning. Some Freesias, which are said to symbolize innocence and friendship.

According to Teleflora.com, the 7th Wedding Anniversary Flower, Freesia, is a symbol of trust and fidelity. Freesia is an antidote to the proverbial saying that the seventh year of marriage provokes restlessness. Representing faithfulness through the seasons, it’s a traditional reminder of love’s honorable character.

A lovely lone Purple Tulip amongst Freesias.

The Purple-Leaf Cherry Plum is blooming with beautiful delicate scented light pink flowers.

The Martini Tea Trees are starting to produce reddish-pink flowers.

For about a minute, I watched a pair of Crows perched on a wire share a moment of tenderness.

This first day of Spring wouldn’t have been complete without the sound of the Female Nuttall’s Woodpecker drilling holes in a utility pole. Click here or here to learn more about this bird.

A White-Lined Sphinx Moth resting on a wood fence panel.

“It’s Spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!”
― Mark Twain

From my Garden to yours: Happy Spring and Gardening!

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By JM Perez

Insects Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Fighting Plant Pests

By JM PerezMarch 13, 20141 min read515 views

Today in the backyard garden, I was a little sadden to find out that one of my Stella D’Oro Daylily wasn’t thriving as the rest and I knew the soil was infested with a bunch of Cutworms since I made a similar unpleasant discovery on another Stella D’Oro Daylily last month when I noticed that the leaves were getting eaten by something. The moth larvae hide under the soil during the day and come out in the dark to feed on the plant leaves.

I sprinkled GardenTech Sevin at the base of the plant and then I deeply watered it. The product label states that it can be used on vegetables, fruits, flowers, shrubs and lawns up until harvest and it kills 65 varieties of insect pests. There is about a three weeks gap between the before and after picture below and I now have a healthy plant.

I have seen ants fighting others ants, but I had never seen ants fighting their queen before this morning.
According to the article Queen Ant Will Sacrifice Colony to Retain Throne written by Jeanna Bryner it looks like this ant colony had more than one queen and the worker ants are attempting to eliminate this queen. The article states that soon after the young workers hatch, the little ones begin to slaughter surplus queens until only one remains, but occasionally they are so revved up that they kill all the queens.