Catalogs

Pity the companies whose catalogs land in my mailbox the same day Renee’s Garden’s arrives; they will be lucky to get a quick glance.

What makes Renee’s Garden’s so outstanding? Well, first of all, it is pleasing to the eye. It is also well-organized. And . . ., I guess it does not hurt that a seed packet is bound to accompany it. Great marketing tactic!

From last year, one of the garden flower seeds I liked best was Cerinthe ‘Pride of Gibraltar’. Not having heard of Cerinthe before (remember, I am still a relatively new gardener . . .), I had no idea what to expect. Well, this plant made itself at home in my garden and persevered as others wilted in our hot summer of 2010.

In the vegetable category, the lettuces were my masterpieces and made welcome appearances at my table – both in Spring and in Autumn.

So, what am I ordering this year? More lettuces, of course, also an arugula, and a white lavender I have not tried before. There is an Alyssum mix I’ve got to have: ‘Summer Romance’, and I am confident that the Zinnia ‘Bling Bling’ will be an asset to my garden this year – keeping my fingers crossed that the humidity keeps itself in check! And, I am going to test Renee’s Garden’s ‘Easy to Grow Container Herb Garden’. Many of my neighbors complain of having been born without a green thumb and I hope my trial of this combination of cilantro, basil, chives, dill and parsley will set them straight; I can’t wait to take my containers to them as a welcome to our local garden club.

When does a garden get listed as 'critical'?

Mine may be approaching that point. I'm throwing out the last of the tomatoes. Those pretty Cerinthes? Not so pretty any more. The stately Butterfly Weed? Seriously drooping. The Salvias? Gasping for air. Aye, aye, aye!

I still water, but with less enthusiasm. Especially since receiving a water bill more than twice the usual amount. Rain chances today range from 10% this morning (not a drop!) to 40% this evening (here's hoping!) and less tomorrow. It's tough to be a gardener in North Georgia these days.

Cerinthe 'Pride of Gibraltar'

This Cerinthe came up well in my garden and has been producing pink flowers; according to what I read in other blogs and in seed catalogs, the flowers should be blue. Oh, well . . .

Cerinthe

Last Saturday, during a garden tour, one homeowner (with a very nice garden -- actually a 'garden within a garden') told me she had been at it for 13 years and was still far from finished. That gives me, as a 6-year gardener, all sorts of excuses, doesn't it?

That includes not knowing much about many plants. Cerinthe is one of them. Never heard of it, but when Renee's catalog (see blogroll, on right) arrived in my mailbox last winter, I thought I should give it a try. I don't even remember what appealed to me. But I'm glad I added it to the list. It now grows (from seed) in two areas of my garden, and here is a picture of the first-blooming plants.