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Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Am I Ready for Summer Gardening? Maybe

     Normally around the first of June I discard all the winter annuals and replace them with hardier ones that I know will thrive in our desert summers. That includes the geraniums.  Geraniums do so well here in Fall, Winter, and Spring but become spindly  and unsightly when the temperatures start to soar.  They just don't want to bloom during our three digit summers.  All the low-desert gardening experts say to just get rid of them and plant new in the fall, so usually I do.  But this year they really outdid themselves in my front planter box,  and even though I know what they'll look like in a few months, I just can't bear to toss them.  So.....I'm moving them to my shaded patio  to try and squeeze a few more weeks from them.  You can't blame me for trying, can you?

     I  tend to roll with the punches where my garden is concerned now, unlike the first  couple of years we lived here in Phoenix.....I was in garden culture shock!  So many things were different! But I've learned now to appreciate those differences, and  I've found that with a little ingenuity I can grow things year round. Gotta love it!





     The potato vines have been amazing.  I planted them last summer and here we are almost a year later and they're doing great. Now that I've found them they are definitely going to be a staple around here.  As you can see, I've already started to clear away in the front  to make room for the little toughies that will hold down the fort until September.




     In the backyard the red Oleander bush has burst into bloom and is already topping out at 7 feet. It totally fills up the southwest corner at the fence. I really won't have to think about it much at all this summer.....I just get to enjoy it!  When the temperatures get to be over 110 degrees,  any plant that can take responsibility for itself is a beautiful plant!





     Then there's my favorite climbing rose "Golden Showers". Roses have to be babied a bit to keep them blooming in our heat, but I think they're totally worth it......especially troopers like this one!

     So I'm off to the garden center this weekend and will surely run into other gardeners who are determined, like myself, to have some color even under the hottest of circumstances. We won't be able to duplicate the easy-going successes we've had during the other seasons, but we are, evidently, willing to try.


Optimistically Yours,




Today I'm linking to:

24 comments:

jewaicious said...

Lovely captures of colors and contrasts.

Ginny Morton said...

Wow, certainly don't blame you for keeping those geraniums as long as you can. They are absolutely gorgeous! :)

Danielle said...

I love yellow roses too. I haven't tried growing golden showers. It sounds as if they're pretty hardy. Maybe I'll try to find one. Do they give you repeat blooms?

Hungry For Living said...

Thanks for coming by, I am now your newest follower. Love the photos, cant wait till I have the space to have a big garden.

Andrea said...

I've been trying to find a "Golden Shower"! Where did you get yours?

Pam @ over50feeling40 said...

Hi Elaine, Thanks for stopping by!! I am now a new follower of your blog as well...I look forward to reading what a fellow over 50 and fabulous women has to say!! Being from Texas, I have always loved yellow roses!

Vanessa said...

Hi, Elaine

I love your lovely flowers and plants. I don't have a green thumb, wish I did. Thank you for stopping by www.homesweetbutterfly.com. I am following you back too. Have a great weekend.

Vanessa

Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine said...

hi elaine glad to follow this lovely blog thanks so much for your friendship

Anna Lisa said...

So pretty! I've seen the potato vines in a varigated purple too in hanging baskets with the lime green ones. It was gorgeous. I had no idea they withstood heat like that. I'm going to have to give them a try. Great post....hope you have a lovely Mother's Day Weekend!

Happy Gardening, Kim said...

Hi - thanks for the follow at Fun Friday Blog hop. I love being the co-host there. I am now following you.
Here's to a 50 something gal!

http://mommieagain.com

Katherines Corner said...

Beautiful. I didn't know that potato vines were perennials. Yours look terrific! Thank you for joining in the hop fun xo

Rajesh said...

You have a wonderful garden with colorful flowers. Looking forward for more.

Unknown said...

Thanks for stopping by and following me. I just wanted to let you know that I am now following you back.I look forward to reading more from your Blog. I hope you'll stop by to visit my blog from time to time. http://lifewithtwinsandadramaqueen.com/

Jessie @ Dream and Differ said...

Hi~ Thanks for stopping by my blog and following me :) I am not following you back! Your geraniums look amazing! I had to laugh since here in MN, I plant geraniums because they are tough enough to survive our summer "heat"!

I look forward to seeing what a desert summer garden looks like!

Jessie @ Dream and Differ said...

Gaaa! I am *NOW* following you back...
Sorry for the inadvertently rude misspelling!

lol! :)

Amanda said...

I am a new follower and would love a follow back at http://lefthandedideas.com

Anonymous said...

I grew up in Phoenix, still living in AZ. It's great that you're still able to garden even though you had to adapt to the differences in weather. I think we get summer and a mixture of fall/spring but I'm used to it and love it! Stopping by http://acostaeveli.blogspot.com/p/5-day-blog-hop.html
from BHE! Great blog, hope to see you at mine soon! :)

Unknown said...

How beautiful! I'm a new follower and am excited to see more beautiful pictures. I would love if you followed me back at http://iheartpears.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Beautiful! I love flowers and gardening! I just followed you from the blog hop and I'd love a follow back! http://asterriskjewelry.blogspot.com/

Jenna said...

It's probably a good thing you're staying "optimistic" because I see it's going to be 106 in Phoenix on Sunday! It sounds like you're on top of it though! Gorgeous flowers~ my hubby and I absolutely LOVE Phoenix and we hope to be able to move there one day! BTW I also love reading your blog....who knows maybe we'll be neighbors someday in the near future. :)

Unknown said...

That window box is amazing. I have been growing potato vine for years. You do know if you clip it and place it in water it will root in about 3 days ..

Anonymous said...

What beautiful images! Your potato vines are stunning and that rose? Well I don't blame you for babying it to keep it going! PS, thanks for stopping by my blog this week...hope you'll come back again sometime. ~Hugs, xoxo

❀~Myrna~❀ said...

Amazingly beautiful flower pics!

Unknown said...

Found you via Pam!
Great blog and i must find out how you grow such beautiful flowers-I seem to kill them all!
Reva