Last weekend flew just as quickly as the time preceeding it did...

This weekend is cooler, rainy, tired... We plan on going to Logee's greenhouse in response... (after all, I don't have "enough" plants yet!) Looking around at the yard, I almost wish it was sunny out so I could plant out the pots to winter over~ I don't want to wait for the ground to freeze.

I am trying to embrace the changing of the seasons~ its difficult though. I miss the sunshine :(

When I found this picture... I realize how amazing these birds are!

Growing up so quickly... how fun!

It is so sad to see the seasons changing...

I realize that some people love this time of year... and there are aspects of it that I do enjoy... but watching the gardens wind down is sad. The temperatures kill me the most. Tonight is forecasted to be 43 degrees...so I had to move all of the plants in the screened porch inside. A few are in the greenhouse, but we have yet to turn the gas on, so I am hoping that the day temps warmed it up enough to make it through the night okay.

Tomorrow is October 1st. The greenhouse night temps will be set on 50... we will try to keep it a cool house this year until February. This seedling alone proved that we can still get first year blooms. It was planted out in February...and even though it didnt follow the hybridizing goals that I had hoped (it took after mom rather than dad), it is still a welcomed sight. We have at least five more out there scaping...but I am not banking on seeing blooms due to the cold night temps (hoping, but not holding my breath!)

So here we are... the close of the season is upon us. Pods are maturing left and right~ completely covering my kitchen table in bowls and cups filled with seed.

Seedlings are being planted out this week... our last bed is quickly filling up. Smaller seedlings are being individually potted up to winter in the greenhouse. I ordered seed for growing tomatoes during the winter out there. From what I am reading, they need to be at least 55 degrees at night. We were hoping to keep it at 50, so I am researching it further today. I truly hope that we can maintain it this winter... it was sad last year having to wait until February to open up.

I have two seedlings scaping right now~ one is from BLUEBIRD BUTTERFLY and the other is from SPACECOAST REBEL YELL... both are highly welcomed... I am looking forward to seeing their new faces so much that I cannot describe it!

Having a birthday at the close of the seedling blooms is bittersweet. As much as I am looking forward to the return to the classroom, I am inherently at peace while here in the gardens.

You would think that the unbelievable humid conditions would put a damper on gardening, but the dayllies are thriving...edges are larger and more pronounced, colors are vivid... they take no notice of human sweat :)

A mere six days remain. I need to focus and make the most of the time I have left...

While we were in Maine, all of the flower beds are inundated with weeds! The soil is dry due to the endless hot temps and dry days... Needless to say, the blooms are GORGEOUS! Daylilies apparently LOVE hot humid weather... and we are seeing perfect blooms on our rebloom scapes... so, even though there are fewer blooms... the majority of them look perfect :)

Maine was stunningly fabulous. The weather was just as hot, just as humid. The point was to relax which is what we did... walking everywhere... relaxing in the pool enjoying watching families from Quebec play with their children... two to four years old... lovely beautiful French babies... loving parents playing together in the sunshine. Time actually slowed down for a change... Wish I could make that happen again :)

The clean-up has begun... Two out of three beds are completely cleaned up. A bit more work needs to be done prior to planting out the seedlings from this year...

We are taking a much-needed break to Maine before taking on the gardens again. As much as I love this farm... my body is tired. The beauty continuously keeps me moving forward, but aches are warning signs... and I need to keep my body taken care of.

I am so torn... My days are spent learning and that should be enough...

Trouble is, we have such beauty all around us... and the blooms march on without me. Thankfully today was rainy... and tomorrow there is a 50% chance of rain. I want to be able to focus and not wish I was out in the garden...

When I am home, I am greeted by beauties such as this one!

My heights are finally appearing to be organized...

The red bed was my primary focus when the season started~ now that the bloom season has commenced, it appears that my work is paying off. I am desperately trying to focus on hybridizing~ but the culling chores have truly sapped my energy and body capabilities. Arty was instrumental today in keeping me focused (and prevented me from giving up!!!); Hopefully a good night's sleep will allow me to see the yard with new eyes?</p>

Our red bed has been vastly altered this year... I have finally smartened up and moved plants around based on height (duh!)

Directly after this... I received several plants via trade from my dear friend, Becky, in Michigan. Luckily, I was able to give them room to grow.

Well, now that time has passed and the plants are started popping... I realize that my new seedlings captivate me more than the ones I first saw bloom four years ago... so the change commences again.

All of my reds that are blooming that captivate me are being flagged for the red bed. I am moving the older, but still lovely, seedlings to the back, back yard to line the property... the best of both worlds...

Life is good!

Playing with the ducklings, weeding gardens, taking pictures of daylilies~ life is filled with sumptuous moments :)

Summer is finally sinking in. As difficult as it is, I am adjusting to the open schedule that summer lends us... moments like these are so lovely, that they have to be devoured...

Last day of school... and I get to come home to this :) Truly a lovely surprise!

I am saddened by the end of another year, but thrilled to see babies begin blooming. This was this bloom's debut, looking forward to it and all of its' siblings putting on their show!

It was raining here... again. We have had rain for endless days now. Its holding the daylily blooms off until I get out of school, but the Japanese iris made their debut despite the weather...

I am thrilled to be starting summer break, but at the same time I am sad to see the school year end.

Wednesday's agenda:
Garden between raindrops.
Eat a fabulous salad with fresh juice.
Paint all night :)

Our newest bed ~ created in order to allow these babies the best chance possible for a happy life. I have ordered three new ones from ebay buyers to supplement this row. We will be adding ORANGE MARMALADE, STRIPTEASE and RAINBOW'S END as soon as they come in later this week.

The past few days of sunshine were pure bliss. My true happiness lies in working with nature :)

The daylily seedlings are slowly getting planted... our tomato plants (greenhouse) are ripening... I will take pictures tomorrow of their beautiful fruit.

Potting up the seedlings from this one... I will bring them into my classroom come fall~ then bring them home once the greenhouse is opened next February.

I am totally excited about each of the crosses I made~ I only wish that I could have produced more seed from them. I guess that is what I will work on this summer :)

I figured that by taking one of my favorite crosses and potting it up would be a better decision than last year. Last year I planted out all of my favorites... which was lovely except for that I wasn't able to see any first year bloom anyway... and that once I ran out of room in the garden, I potted up my last cross and that is what came with me to the classroom. This way seems better... hope so at least!

The heat from the sunshine drives the greenhouse temps up... on a great day, it is over 100 in the greenhouse. Between the two of us manning the vents... we can bring the temps down to a decent temp... but we have become infilitrated by spider mites which are now being dealt with daily showering (they do NOT like being showered... they thrive on dry heat)

So, it is time. The time has come to begin planting out. I started yesterday... we are becoming creative at finding places for the babies to live... So far so good, but it will become increasingly difficult once I get to the larger crosses. They will probably have to wait until July when we start culling again.

I was able to get the first 50 into the ground... only 500 to go!

This is a picture of the FULL SIZE papaya tree... Mine of course is only in a four inch pot, but it still a stunning specimen. Next month, I want to add a SNOWFLAKE plant to our collection. The only thing that stopped me right now is the fact that I have several now that I am trying to learn how to take care of ~ I didn't want to add yet another one before I know what I am doing :)
We saw so many beautiful... truly beautiful plants yesterday~ the greenhouse is brimming!

I was also able to get a BUTTERFLY LILY (alson known as WHITE GINGER?)... I first saw this one in bloom last fall at Tower Hill Botanical Gardens. It has a beautiful scent... I am thrilled to be able to add it to our collection.

Our newest parents are arriving... ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL is blooming her head off~ and has just started a rebloom scape. As delighted as I am to see blooms this time of year here, I remain acutely aware that this probably seals the fact that there will not be any fresh pollen to use in the garden from this one this year. I intensely dislike using frozen pollen, so I will most likely not save any pollen from it.

My trades go out this week... and all of my orders have arrived except for Norris' order (two more weeks); then I am done. Still poking around to see what hostas are available on ebay... but I have so many seedlings to plant, and I have also found the new hobby of taking cuttings from the weigela and spirea... plenty to keep me busy!

Our tomatoes have taken over the greenhouse...we had to run string up to the ceiling ~ I will take pictures tomorrow :)

Now that the daylily seed is set and growing... we are focusing on our veggies and some new houseplants newly purchased from Logee's Greenhouse in Connecticut. Not only have we purchased numerous GORGEOUS plants to share our space with...but I have a list ready ~ and hopefully we can go just one more time this coming Sunday to pick them up.

I truly believe that the gorgeous leaves that I saw last week at MAGIC WINGS butterflies... was a papaya tree now that I have seen Logee's newest catalog. If so, I have to try to grow one in a pot :)

Here is the link to my Magic Wings pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hiddeninthecity/sets/1139732/

and here is the link to our Houseplant pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hiddeninthecity/sets/72157615782134338/

Yesterday was the premiere bloom for this beauty.... What a delightful start to this bloom season :)

Most of the seedlings in the greenhouse are FAR from the blooming stage, but it does give me the incentive to keep seedlings in my classroom for the winter until the greenhouse is opened up in February.