it's that time of year

it's that time of year

a middle tennessee garden blog


finding beauty in the natural things around us makes for one happy self and a lovely life. ~marmee

dash home farm, leiper's fork, tennessee

Saturday, September 6, 2008

i hate name dropping

we do live in and near nashville. it seems everybody does it.

that being said i have to admit i am swayed by names. we chose our 6 children's names very carefully. checking into all the meanings. we didn't want any of them to have anything negative sounding, like the meaning of alfred: elf counsel. not there is anything wrong with that name. but it was important to take time to research and find meanings that we felt strongly and positive about. much prayer went into each one.


i'm saying all this to give you a little insight into what happens at my
garden center when i am
choosing new plants.

first i like to walk around and just see everything. touching and smelling it all. what they have that might be new to the season.

i knew i was planting containers that had recently been purged of summer plantings. i moved a few of these containers around and it inspired me. plus we got rain and it cooled things off a bit.



so off to the local garden center my dh and i went. after getting a few essentials, ie.. new light fixture for back porch, smoke detector, hooks, i headed outside for what i really wanted to do there. PLANTS! i am in heaven walking around seeing all the possibilities.

okay , FOCUS, FOCUS, container plants for two chocolate pots, two low terra cotta baskets, and
two french terra cotta 12 inch pots. so as i peruse the outdoor plantings.
i am in search for something different.

you know the feeling--- something new and unique.
there are so many choices. well i did make a few new
ones and some good old ones.

in the bottom right corner is stock.
it says "vintage burgundy" looks more like vintage purple.

once the choices were made time to head home for the real fun.
hands in dirt and try to decide which pot gets what plants.
NAMES you say , yes i am getting back to that.
i don't let the names pick the plants i just use it if i
can't decide between something.
of course , colour and size, sun needs
are all taken into consideration but you
know that because it is what you do too.

for me panies and the fall are
synonymous.

my favourite garden colours
GREEN
WHITE
RED
PURPLE
and as
of this
summer
ORANGE!



this beauty is: " majestic giants II red w/blotch"
love it!







something new for me:
"swiss chard/ruby red"

colourful plant with tasty
leaves and stems. pick when
leaves are fully developed .
yummy goodness right
outside my backdoor.











"enduro pure violet" viola
my dh loved these and me too. there tiny faces are so cheery.
abundant blooms provide all season colour.


swiss chard in it's new home.
something else new
bugleweed..."chocolate chip"
what girl doesn't like chocolate?

this is what got me:
extremely easy to grow!
thrives in any soil
in either sun or shade.
sounds too good to be true.




standard for the fall : MUMS
this is "crisantemo de jardin"
i am in love with all things french
and it is a dark red. sold !
the colour 'brandi'.

finally everybody is home and in there new places. honestly, i have never had the greatest success with containers. they usually look good for a part of the season and then i pull them. but i have a hope these are going to do better.

lastly:
the very light limey green is
lysimachia called "goldi".

this is also new to me but against
all the other dark foliage i love the
golden green softness.
creeping plant with oval golden
leaves. i like that it will hang over and
drape the chocolate pots.

all in all i am very happy with the new plants i got to bring home.

NOW!

water regularly and wait to see
what the blooms and the greenery grow into.
hopefully mature beautiful plants!

HAPPY FALL PLANTING EVERYONE!

23 comments:

Cheryl said...

They are so lovely....and the time you spent checking everything and getting the name to suit......I am sure they will be such a success.....

we call the hanging limey plant creeping jenny and I have it all around my garden, it is lovely.......

Anonymous said...

Looks like you made some great choices and their names are just an added bonus. :)

Susie said...

I can't believe pansies are out already. Great to see!! It will be about 3 more weeks before we start stocking them at work. We do have lots of mums out right now.

Your containers look really nice. I think you will be very happy with them. For us here in MS, creeping jenny is a perennial that doesn't really die back too much in winter. It flows out of a pot beautifully!

Gail said...

You had a lot of fun and brought home some very good plants! Your containers look alive and colorful. A nice way to start the new season!

Gail

marmee said...

hey cheryl,
thank you! i did have fun with it.
creeping jenny i think i will always have to have now.

pgl,
yes i am that way with paint too. can't have an ugly name on my walls. thank you

susie,
the garden center had just gotten in the panies the day before.
i usually buy some large mums but decided to try them with the others in the containers instead.
i do believe i am really going to like the creeping jenny.

gail,
thank you! i am looking forward to this fall!

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

The plants you have chosen look lovely in the pots. It is also a lot of fun to choose something new to plant. I sort of always end up with the plants I usually put in to pots. I always plant pinks, because they keep a long time and respond well to deadheading. This limegreen plant makes a highlight in between the others. Pots are a must have!

marmee said...

t,
thank you for coming by again! i love planting new things. it is very invigorating. that lime green plant is quickly becoming a favourite.

Unknown said...

I know all about the time it takes to figure out what plants and where to plant them..I love it though, nice choices.

marmee said...

darla,
thank you, it is time i love to spend picking, planting!

Meems said...

Wow Missy, you have been busy! (Plus you've come a long way from your original photos only posts :-)

And how have I missed so many posts? Oh, yeah, I've been out of town and not blogging much lately.

Great looking finds and great looking combinations. The Lysimachia is creeping ginny... make sure she gets plenty of sun. I want so badly to grow that pretty swiss chard...was looking into it again yesterday but I don't think it does well here. It is so beautiful and will get quite large. Pansies? Well you know how much they hate Florida except in January and February.

I guess you've got someone lined up for tending the containers while you're gone next week? I have had such a time trying to hold off on doing some things not wanting to put too much pressure on my make-shift garden help next week while I'm gone.

Okay, I better be quiet so I can get back outside to finish up tilling my veggie garden beds. They will be ready for seeds when I return next week.
meems... see you soon... woo-hoo!

Q said...

So very lovely...
It is fun to pick what to grow. I tend to go towards the herbs each year....the swiss chard is beautiful and so tasty.
I am enjoying catching up with you this morning.
Sherry

flydragon said...

I especially love stock. I start it from seed every spring so by now it's done around here except for one lonely plant. But that one lonely plant still has a huge scent that fills my back corner.

Your containers look great!!

marmee said...

meems,

i'm glad you had a little time after the football weekend to get in some blogging. it will be so much fun sitting in the mountains, blogging side by side capturing images of the beauty of blue ridge.
the creeping jenny/ginny is so bright, i love it. the other things are so dark and it sets it off great.
i have never had swiss chard in my garden , the looks of it are intriguing.
all of my containers are just outside the back door for now so they can be easily watered while i'm gone. dh will be so busy, hehe.
can't believe you are all ready to plant more veggies i think we are skipping fall veggies. good for you.
q,
i love fresh herbs too we had a purple basil in the summer garden we are still using, as a matter of fact it went into spaghetti sauce just a few minutes ago.
thanks for visiting!
flydragon,
i wasn't sure about how late to plant the stock here but it looked healthy. thx for coming by.

tina said...

What name dropping? I was expecting some juicy stuff. I have that red mum and it is reliably returns each year. The color is so dark and true. Lots of pretty plants and the containers look great.

marmee said...

thx tina, didn't i say i hate name dropping! you see celebs alot expecially here in leiper's fork.
it's a magnet.
i am happy with the way things turned out. that's cool we have the same mum.

Roses and Lilacs said...

I have three containers of plants in front of the garage waiting for homes in the garden. I absolutely cannot get within a mile of any garden center until I plant what I have. I have no resistance when I visit those places.

Love the new pots you made up.
Marnie

marmee said...

tina,
i meant especially!

r & l
stay away from those stores you know you can. at least until the plants you have get a home.
thank you!

Meadowview Thymes said...

Your new plants are wonderful. You will love bugleweed in the spring. It has really pretty purple flowers.And you already have pansies in the garden centers! I have not seen a one here yet. I love, love your all decorations--hope to see more pictures of those!

marmee said...

mt,
yes panies already, i hope it is not to early. you never know here.
the name of the bugleweed got me
chocolate chip, yum! plus i am drawn to the dark colours.
be watching for another post

coming to a blog near you soon!

will feature some more fall decor. i am just getting started.
thx mt for your kind words.

Arissa Mae said...

i like your header...like your post...september is my favorite month, and fall my favorite season!!!

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird, I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." (George Eliot)

Mo..."Mo's Cottage" said...

It seems that I am always in the nursery...I love looking at plants and flowers....all your colors are beautiful.....you will have to show pictures when you are done...beautiful....
Hugs,
Mo :-)

marmee said...

i love the quote...every word.
i am so happy for fall to be
in the air(close eyes tightly and believe) i am glad you like the header that pleases me.
this my favourite beginning of the seasons.

marmee said...

ps... that last ones for you s/s/m


mo thx for stopping by and seeing my new plantings. i love going to the garden center even if i just want to walk around and enjoy!