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Fall Gardening for Summer Hollyhocks
Old-fashioned hollyhocks are the perfect plant for gardeners who like to go to seed.
When I was in Albuquerque for the annual Water Conservation and Xeriscape Conference in February, I bought several envelopes of hollyhock seeds at the book sale. A local gardener must have collected them from the garden, packaged them for sale, and donated the proceeds to the conference organizer, the Xeriscape Council of New Mexico.
I’d been wanting to add more hollyhocks to my cottage garden, especially the old-fashioned kind with large single flowers and, at 50 cents an envelope, the price was right for me.
I started the seeds in a planter as part of the patio container garden this summer with the idea of planting in fall so they’ll bloom next summer. Fall planting means these plants will have time to develop a strong root system before the ground freezes.
Easy Fall Gardening with Brown-Eyed Susan
The Brown-eyed Susan is a native biennial plant that acts like a perennial because of its prolific self-sowing.
I’ve been talking about my vegetable garden a lot lately, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the flowers in my cottage garden. One of my all-time favorites is the Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba) because it brightens up every corner where it appears.
My crop of Brown-eyed Susans started years ago with one plant I bought at a garden club plant sale. That one plant bloomed the following summer and I loved its little yellow flowers with dark brown centers.
The next year there were more Brown-eyed Susans that had self-sown along the side of my driveway. The next year they had spread to the front bed. And sow they’ve sown themselves, year after year to create fabulous fall borders. These flowers make gardening so easy.
Name That Plant Gardening Contest
Today’s Name That Plant contest features a plant in my yard that is a beautiful surprise every spring because it grows without any extra care.
To enter today’s contest, study the picture, read the clues and write your guess about this plant in the comments section before midnight MDT tonight. The winner will be selected at random from all the correct entries and will receive a cool prize from aHa!ModernLiving. Good luck!
This plant is an heirloom passed down to family members since the 1880s.
It was brought to Colorado in the 1960s.
It was discovered by a plant propagator while he drove around a Northern Colorado city and released to home gardeners around 2006.
This plant is said to grow 8-12 feet tall, but it’s likely it can grow almost double that size.
It’s an extremely hardy perennial and is rated for Zones 4-8.
The Xeric Transect is Where We Live, Work, Play
The theme for the 15th Annual Water Conservation and Xeriscape Conference is the “Land Use, Water Use Connection” and includes the transect from the natural environment to the urban environment.
The weather in Albuquerque is warmer than it was when we left Denver yesterday, but that’s not due to global warming or climate change. It’s always a bit warmer here in late February when the Xeriscape Council of New Mexico puts on its annual conference.
I look forward to this conference every year, not only to escape the chillier Denver weather, but to hear well-regarded experts talk about water issues. For the first time in several years, there seems to be more optimism in the tone of the presentations.
That’s not to say we aren’t still in the midst of a water crisis, but it just seems there’s more hope in working together to find solutions.
Old-fashioned hollyhocks are the perfect plant for gardeners who like to go to seed.
When I was in Albuquerque for the annual Water Conservation and Xeriscape Conference in February, I bought several envelopes of hollyhock seeds at the book sale. A local gardener must have collected them from the garden, packaged them for sale, and donated the proceeds to the conference organizer, the Xeriscape Council of New Mexico.
The Brown-eyed Susan is a native biennial plant that acts like a perennial because of its prolific self-sowing.
I’ve been talking about my vegetable garden a lot lately, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the flowers in my cottage garden. One of my all-time favorites is the Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba) because it brightens up every corner where it appears.
My crop of Brown-eyed Susans started years ago with one plant I bought at a garden club plant sale. That one plant bloomed the following summer and I loved its little yellow flowers with dark brown centers.
The next year there were more Brown-eyed Susans that had self-sown along the side of my driveway. The next year they had spread to the front bed. And sow they’ve sown themselves, year after year to create fabulous fall borders. These flowers make gardening so easy.
Name That Plant Gardening Contest
Today’s Name That Plant contest features a plant in my yard that is a beautiful surprise every spring because it grows without any extra care.
To enter today’s contest, study the picture, read the clues and write your guess about this plant in the comments section before midnight MDT tonight. The winner will be selected at random from all the correct entries and will receive a cool prize from aHa!ModernLiving. Good luck!
This plant is an heirloom passed down to family members since the 1880s.
It was brought to Colorado in the 1960s.
It was discovered by a plant propagator while he drove around a Northern Colorado city and released to home gardeners around 2006.
This plant is said to grow 8-12 feet tall, but it’s likely it can grow almost double that size.
It’s an extremely hardy perennial and is rated for Zones 4-8.
The Xeric Transect is Where We Live, Work, Play
The theme for the 15th Annual Water Conservation and Xeriscape Conference is the “Land Use, Water Use Connection” and includes the transect from the natural environment to the urban environment.
The weather in Albuquerque is warmer than it was when we left Denver yesterday, but that’s not due to global warming or climate change. It’s always a bit warmer here in late February when the Xeriscape Council of New Mexico puts on its annual conference.
I look forward to this conference every year, not only to escape the chillier Denver weather, but to hear well-regarded experts talk about water issues. For the first time in several years, there seems to be more optimism in the tone of the presentations.
That’s not to say we aren’t still in the midst of a water crisis, but it just seems there’s more hope in working together to find solutions.
Today’s Name That Plant contest features a plant in my yard that is a beautiful surprise every spring because it grows without any extra care.
This plant is an heirloom passed down to family members since the 1880s.
The theme for the 15th Annual Water Conservation and Xeriscape Conference is the “Land Use, Water Use Connection” and includes the transect from the natural environment to the urban environment.
The weather in Albuquerque is warmer than it was when we left Denver yesterday, but that’s not due to global warming or climate change. It’s always a bit warmer here in late February when the Xeriscape Council of New Mexico puts on its annual conference.
I look forward to this conference every year, not only to escape the chillier Denver weather, but to hear well-regarded experts talk about water issues. For the first time in several years, there seems to be more optimism in the tone of the presentations.
That’s not to say we aren’t still in the midst of a water crisis, but it just seems there’s more hope in working together to find solutions.
