I would like one day of warmer weather when it isn't also raining so I can get my shutters back on the house.

We have a fun week ahead weather wise, many days with highs in the teens and then on Wed 5 to 8 inches of snow, Thursday 3 more inches of snow, and then back to cold. The polar vortex is doing its job. Speaking of weather, we haven't seen our friendly weather man on here lately.

This was about what I did in the garden yesterday, since there will be precious little to no garden time for me in the next ten days.

In addition to more dead-leafing (of irises and daylilies), and putting things away (tidying up, putting them undercover for the supposed incoming rain), I took a few pictures.

First, two stalks of 'Snow Day' (on maybe the 2nd day of bloom), and then closeups:





Next, is an image of my "deck" bed (between a pool deck (left) and a wooden deck (off image to the right)); it has some sparse bloom at the moment from Euryops, Osteospermum 'Blue Eyed Beauty', some Iberis 'Alexander's White', and the iris 'Luminosity'. (I am still debating yanking out the Verbena lilacina between the Euryops, and replacing it with maybe dwarf box. To the left and between the two mini clumps of 'Luminosity' is a small plant of Hemerocallis 'English Lavender'. To the right of the Iberis and above the Osteospermum are 3 small rhizomes of 'Sara's Beauty'. Three other irises are going to go into this bed, when I get a chance to work on it.)



The single bloom of 'Luminosity' was looking somewhat ragged and the worse for wear, and I think maybe the slugs/snails have been at it. I have yet to get what I consider to be a decent image of this iris. At first I used to think it was the lighting (too shady: meh looking blooms; too bright: blinding reflection and it all looks like a brilliant blob), but now I am beginning to wonder if maybe (apart from the rebloom) it just isn't all that great/beautiful of an iris.

Love the color echo with the daisies! Your wooded property looks so serene and lovely.

Lovely to see some colour this time of year!

It's so hard for me to watch my frozen garden and not be out there tending to it. At least I have 15 happy little seedlings to keep me entertained indoors. I so love wakimg up each morning and seeing if any new ones are poking through. This may be my new pass time for getting through winters.

Nice seedling box, Liz!!

...and thanks for reminding me to check my seeds. No new seedlings today!

Blew the leaves off of the beds yesterday before the reported rain(s) come in.

8 out of 20 seeds planted have germinated so far. These are the tea-treated seeds - inconclusive, but somewhat faster results, I think.
Liz is having good results with just water soaks. I may just put fresh seeds in the ground next year.

It's raining again.

janwax said:8 out of 20 seeds planted have germinated so far. These are the tea-treated seeds - inconclusive, but somewhat faster results, I think.
Liz is having good results with just water soaks. I may just put fresh seeds in the ground next year.

Of all mine sprouting, the ones that were brick hard and just dropped in the soil are showing the most so far. Liz's look happy in the window. I left mine for the elements with a little bit of mulching.

Will this increase be fine? The root laps right over it.

I don't see anything bad happening because of that.

I had some weird roots overlapping outside of the ground too Gabe, I think it will be fine.

As far as my seedlings go, it seems that particular cross was generally successful as far as sprouting is concerned. My 2nd seedling box only has 3 sprouting and they get the same sun and have the same soil and were prepared the same way.

How wonderful Liz!

It's very exciting for me!

And it's only December! That is great progress.

temp 18° Seedlings sleeping in their trench.

Removed some soggy iris foliage, hope there will be no rot! Wet and gloomy today.

I think I'm in a similar boat Lucy I don't think I'll be seeing anyone popping up anytime soon it's cold!