Hi all,

I have a small strip of space where I can do some gardening. Last season, I tried some unplanned plantings and got mixed results. I made the newbee mistake of overcrowding so I got lots of a few types of flowers, and the rest either struggled or just didn't come up. This season, I've done better planning and raised the beds to allow more space for roots. I also had to dig up some nasty-big stones! Had to have help with that one!

I just planted the first 1/3 of the strip, after putting several days into preparing it. I've mapped it out on paper, and have marked each planting with stones so as to not overcrowd. This will also help me to know which come up and which don't so I can decide what to do next season!

I asked some questions in a couple of forums and was asked to post pictures so I'm doing that now. I just have one question left: Since I put three days of work (four if you count the 5 hours a burly man put into digging out the stones) into this small strip, WHERE ARE MY FLOWERS? Shouldn't they be here already?

Back row are lilies (up to 4' height, extended bloom season), front row is Grape Hyacinth, just behind are crocus (local rabbits love them but seem to be repelled by hyacinth), to the far left is Clematis Josephine (to climb and intertwine the deck railing), and to the far right is Lilium Silk Road. The space between the lilies and the crocus is for tulips and narcissus, which I will plant tomorrow!

The picture with the circle of stones around it is my very first Peony--it's Bowl of Beauty. I am really excited about all these beauties. I really hope they'll thrive.

Everyone talks about cultivating plants, and many talk about cultivating the soil.

But the most important thing for any gardener to cultivate is PATIENCE!

And yet more patience. Then more patience.

Then, usually, cultivating enthusiasm for trying again next year. It sounds like you're well underway!

RickCorey said:Everyone talks about cultivating plants, and many talk about cultivating the soil.

But the most important thing for any gardener to cultivate is PATIENCE!

And yet more patience. Then more patience.

Then, usually, cultivating enthusiasm for trying again next year. It sounds like you're well underway!

Thanks Rick, I adore the work. I love the waiting too. Like when I was a kid and the mailman would come. I can't wait to see what happens in the spring! I've done a lot of planting, but never organized anything like I am this year.

It sometimes takes time. But are you planting seeds now? I'm probably not understanding that part.

The lilies should do fine next year. They tend to sit and sulk the 1st year but expand nicely the next. And they are tough plants, so they should survive.

Does that area get at least 6 hours sun? If not, you may need shade-loving plants like impatiens and Coleus. Or caladium bulbs.

Yardenman said:It sometimes takes time. But are you planting seeds now? I'm probably not understanding that part.

The lilies should do fine next year. They tend to sit and sulk the 1st year but expand nicely the next. And they are tough plants, so they should survive.

Does that area get at least 6 hours sun? If not, you may need shade-loving plants like impatiens and Coleus. Or caladium bulbs.

Hey Yardenman,

No seeds in that area, it's all bulbs. I was joking about wondering where the flowers are. I know it's not magic. Actually, it is in a way! You put the bulbs into the ground in the fall, and they survive temperatures and conditions we could not! And in the spring, just like some kind of magic, they come up! Yes, it has 6 - 8 hours of sun, I have lilies, tulips, crucus and narcissus and clematis. I'm very excited to see how they do in the spring.

Lol. I was thinking, she's got bulbs planted. They won't be here til spring! Thanks for the laugh.

Spring bulbs are great. If you can keep the voles and squirrels away, they are fabulous. I planted tulips and hyacinths on wire cages last year and they came up great. I'm addig more. Plus 200 more daffodils because nothing bothers THEM!

Yardenman - Thank you for the heads up. I did not even think about the voles! Maybe you can give her a few tips for keeping them at bay? I don't have vole problems so I can't be of any help there.

KarenHolt said:Yardenman - Thank you for the heads up. I did not even think about the voles! Maybe you can give her a few tips for keeping them at bay? I don't have vole problems so I can't be of any help there.

Thanks Karen and Yardenman, so far, we (touch wood) don't have any problems with voles, but there are squirrels around so I've planted my tulips inside a ring of narcissus and grape hyacinth. I understand that squirrels don't like either of these. I do have that chipmunk problem but this last season, I used Shake Away and it seemed to do the job of keeping them out of my beds. Now to get her out of her nest! The one for rodents is less effective than the one for rabbits: http://www.critter-repellent.c...

@Joan You are funny. I thought you were thinking they should be all blooming now. Yes you are going to have to wait though the winter and dream about all the beautiful flowers next year.

Don't be disappointed if your Clematis and Peony does not bloom next year sometime it takes them 2 yrs to bloom. The first year they bloom will not be heavy but you will get more blooms the following year.

Cinta said: @Joan You are funny. I thought you were thinking they should be all blooming now. Yes you are going to have to wait though the winter and dream about all the beautiful flowers next year.

Don't be disappointed if your Clematis and Peony does not bloom next year sometime it takes them 2 yrs to bloom. The first year they bloom will not be heavy but you will get more blooms the following year.

Thank you Cinta. Yes, I am dreaming! As long as they're healthy looking, I'll be happy and patient. Thank you for mentioning that they can take as long as 2 years--I would have been wondering after the first. I love the idea of working the soil in the fall and preparing for a beautiful spring flower garden! But what I don't understand is why so many stores stop stocking bags of garden soil in the fall. I can't be the only one preparing garden beds, can I??? However, I'm glad they do because it forced me to go to my favorite nursery to get some of the Coast of Maine products. They make great stuff, far better than the normal things and their prices are nice and low too: http://coastofmaine.com/

You are going to want some flowers after your Spring bulbs and early summer plants are done. I like to sprinkle Zinnia seeds around my Peony bushes and it looks like the bushes are blooming all summer until Fall.

What you have planted so far is good but if you are like me I wanted something blooming July - Sept. Zinnas are easy and fast. I am not good at growing seeds so they worked good for me because they were so easy.

Cinta said:You are going to want some flowers after your Spring bulbs and early summer plants are done. I like to sprinkle Zinnia seeds around my Peony bushes and it looks like the bushes are blooming all summer until Fall.

What you have planted so far is good but if you are like me I wanted something blooming July - Sept. Zinnas are easy and fast. I am not good at growing seeds so they worked good for me because they were so easy.

Many thanks Cinta! I was wondering what I was going to do with that "blank" space!