Adina's Garden--a DK Garden Group Project

[F, Calla & Luca]

Since OFL (our fearless leader) has if not asked, at least implied, she could use our help we must rise to the occasion. I must remember though that it's Adina's Garden and not mine. At least the 2,000-3,000 miles and a knee problem may help there. But we all have lots of ideas I'm sure. We also need to remember that with Natalie, Rosco,  and Clark as well as work, Adina is busy so the garden ideas need to be practical, low maintenance and hopefully not exorbitant. This should be fun and may be the beginning of a second career for some : ) Also, remember Adina is in the Pacific northwest, actually a terrific area in which to garden. Any backyard ideas need to be baby and doodle friendly and baby and doodle proof! An idea in the bud.

[Adina P]

Weed or Flower? (some flowery things in my backyard):

Okay so I was just teasing with the dandelion...but are the first two plants weeds or flowers?

[F, Calla & Luca]

The first may be some kind of campanula or bell flower. It is lovely and therefore who would care if it were a weed. Certainly not me. I try to cultivate some weeds like Queen Anne's Lace and goldenrod.The second is a perennial sweet pea and I love them too. I,as I have said before, love purple flowers, rosy flowers...Even dandelions would be pretty if they didn't have such awful seed heads and didn't crowd out the lawn.

[F, Calla & Luca]

On second thought, these could be the very plant I jokingly said was named afetr you in a previous comment:
Comment by F Parker,Calla & Luca on May 24, 2010 at 7:49am
Delete Comment Did you know there's even a plant named for OFL--well almost any way.
http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/ADBUS.html

[Adina P]

I also have roses...lots and lots of roses. That have made me think that Roses are way easier than Petunias because I've never done anything to the poor things (good or bad) and yet they keep blooming:

[F, Calla & Luca]

Roses,a whole other discussion brewing. Yours are lovely. I think perennials, rose, flowering shrubs, daylilies, bulbs etc. are all easier that annuals. Annuals need deadheading to keep blooming although perennials benefit from this too. Perennials have more robust and well established roots and so don't need to be watered every 2 minutes. And best of all they return year after year although some are not as good as others about this. They even stand up to doodle damage better. For the last 2 years have been negligent about feeding the roses and perennials, as well as not giving lime to those plants that benefit from it. Lo and behold every thing looks great. Go know.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Could the beautiful purple flowers be lupine?

I love roses. They get a bad rap. Unless you are growing them to sell so that everyone must be perfect, they are super easy. The newer roses are disease resistant. Don't need a lot of water, compared to annuals. They just get bigger and better as they get older.

Adina you are so lucky to have lots of roses.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Definitely not the lupine I know. The flower is different, Adina's is bell shaped.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupin