Springtime is Coming

 Flowers, flowers, flowers

Today, I must admit, I'm too lazy to write a regular post. So, I'm publishing this poem
by Julia A. Moore which describes precisely what we all long for at this time of the year in the southern hemisphere. Hope you will like it.





 Springtime is Coming

Julia A. Moore

Beautiful Spring is coming,
Ah, yes, will soon be here,
For the clear bright sun is shining
All human hearts to cheer.
One the brightest gems of nature
Is the orb that o'er us shines,
And o'er the wide creation,
It'll shine to the end of time.

The birds will soon be singing
On shrub and bough of trees,
Their notes will soon be ringing
Out, forth so merrily.
They love the merry spring time,
Those little birds we love,
They love the pleasant sunshine
That comes down from above.

We can hear them sweetly singing
From early morn, till night.
They make music in the woodland
Those little birds; so bright,
We should dearly love them,
Those little harmless things,
And when we hear their music,
We know that it is spring.

Springtime Is One Month Away

Winter is almost gone

If you are like me, you get fed up with the cold weather and long not only for warmer temperatures but especially for the flowers that blossom out everywhere in springtime.

In the northern hemisphere, people are still enjoying summer with all its good things while we, in the south, are having a hard time coping with this freezing cold.

Fortunately, springtime is only one month away. This means that a month from now we will be seeing the first blooms... gardens will be filled with flowers...trees will be greener...and people will rejoice with nature.

Summertime Flowers

Back again to blogging...

After the last post, time simply flew...other projects came in the first place, and  I ended up putting off this one that should have been my priority in 2010. After all, it was the idea of creating a blog like this that helped me to get through the first months of the year as a retired teacher. I found in it a substitute for the classes I no longer had to teach. And, in the end, blogging turned out to be a great pastime.

But, once a teacher, forever a teacher... my teaching practice was required, and my blog was set aside for a while.

So, after a few months, here I am writing about summer flowers - which are just gorgeous. Every garden, every corner is filled with colors, from bright pink to light rose, from dark purple to light blue, not mentioning the numerous varieties of yellows.

The bougainvilleas this year are incredibly colorful and so are the gracious hibiscus. My neighborhood is specially blessed with so many beautiful gardens. Were not for the boiling heat this summer and I would say this is my favorite season.

Flowers For the Garden

You may want something like this for your garden.

Or you would rather have only a flower bush like this one.

Annuals or Perennials for Your Garden

The choice between annual or perennial plants for the garden may be solely economical. However, there are other factors to be taken into account, depending on the time you can dedicate to gardening or to the type of garden you want to grow. Linda Jenkinson gives us some ideas on the topic, and hopefully, after reading them, you will be able to make your own decision.   Do You Need Annuals or Perennials for your Garden?
by: Linda Jenkinson*
The crocus delights us in early spring as it dares to peek through the snow and lift its face to the sun. Soon after follow tulips, narcissus, iris, lilacs… all perennials that welcome spring with vibrant color and fragrance. Perennial plants bloom at different times during the growing season and delight you with variety in color and size from earliest spring to late autumn. However, many perennials like those mentioned, bloom only for a few short weeks and then disappear from the landscape until the following year. Annual plants provide a garden with continuous bloom and color throughout the summer. The “mission” of an annual is to produce seed. Seeds sprout, foliage grows, flowers bloom and then the plant goes to seed. When the annual completes its mission, the entire plant— flower, foliage, and root system —dies. Some annuals have a very short life span and depending upon when they are planted, may reseed and go through two or more growing cycles per season. Other annual plants grow continuously from spring planting until the first frost of autumn. Since annual plants die completely at season end, they need to be replaced yearly. Depending on the cultivar, annual seeds can be planted directly into a garden or sprouted indoors for transplanting when weather conditions and soil temperatures are right for growth. Annual transplants are also available each spring at gardening centers and many are sold in inexpensive flats that contain four or more plants. Annual plants can often be closely grouped to fill in barren areas of your landscape whereas perennials often need space to multiply and/or to grow to maturity.

* Linda is leading author of GardeningGuides.com -Your place for information on gardening topics and free e-books .
 

Flowers and Other Garden Plants - Part Three

 This is the third part of GARDENING TIPS by Hege Crowton. Some of the tips may sound like obvious to the advanced gardener, but they are important to be remembered, especially if you do not have much practice. Check them out below:

10.Flowers are beautiful, but they are also expensive. Get one that is resistant to many elements. Flowers from your local community already have developed resistance to conditions present in your area.

11.For most garden plants, their roots go only as deep as 6 inches. Putting fertilizer deeper than that would be a waste of money. Put them shallower as they seep down when the plants are being watered.

12.Earthworms are important to plants. They till and aerate the soil for the roots to breathe. Non-organic fertilizers can kill them. This gardening tip dates back to the old days of gardening.

13. Having several kinds of insects that are beneficial to your garden would be good. These insects can be encouraged to stay by having diverse plants in your garden.

14. Spot spraying weeds with household vinegar, instead of using commercial weed-killers, can eradicate them. This is another environment friendly gardening tip. 

 

Basil in the Garden

Basil will add to your garden with its good-smelling leaves. Plant it in pots along with other herbs or in a garden corner next to taller species.

BOUGAINVILLEAS ON THE ROOF

Bougainvilleas are naturally beautiful and are able to leave any corner of your garden just gorgeous. Like this roof:

AZALEAS

Either grown in pots or in flowerbeds, azaleas will add to your garden.

SUNFLOWERS BRING OUT JOY

Yellow looks just great in any garden. That's why sunflowers with their beautiful design will leave your place surprisingly joyful! Check out 03/03/2010 post for more ideas about flower types.