Sunday, February 27, 2022

Digging Holes


I spent much of yesterday working in the garden. I'm trying to get all my foxgloves into the ground -- the ones I grew from seed that have been overwintering in plastic pots. As usual, I have too many. 

While working I noticed that quite a few things are blooming -- like the Polyanthus (above)...


...and crocuses of various colors...



...and jonquils...


...and our ornamental plum tree.


Here are some of the newly planted foxgloves. I got 13 of them done, and I have about ten more. I may keep some of them in pots, and may give away a few at school. I think we have a few coming up naturally, too, so we should have no shortage of foxglove blossoms this spring.

I know I have said this before, but I am never doing this again. Faffing around with all those microscopic foxglove seeds and seed trays and pots is exhausting. I have a few more seed varieties to plant when the weather gets a bit warmer (zinnias, datura, corncockle, hollyhock and some wildflower seeds we got in the mail) but I think those can mostly be planted in situ.

I'm going to take it easy today. We're back at work tomorrow!

40 comments:

Moving with Mitchell said...

So beautiful. Never doing this again? I’m not quite convinced. But I’ll humor you.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Foxgloves are brilliant at re-seeding themselves and I rather like that randomness - not quite knowing where they will crop up next.

gz said...

A lovely array♥️
Pirate has just acquired some Auriculas as in the first photo..I really like them..now he has to build a Theatre to display them!! Just like in Victorian times!!

Bob said...

We did yard cleanup yesterday because the weather was nice, though cool. Still, we saw several things s[routing and blooming and growing so Spring is in the air!!!

Ms. Moon said...

Whether you do or don't bother with your foxgloves this next winter, you will still have a most remarkable garden.

Ellen D. said...

Our snow is finally melting away but nothing blooming yet as it has been too cold here. I enjoyed seeing your lovely blossoms!

Susan from the Pacific Northwest said...

At my place in the Pacific Northwest the foxgloves spread themselves willy nilly. I wonder what the difference is.

Wilma said...

The first flowers of spring are such a delight.

NewRobin13 said...

Your flowers are so beautiful there. It really looks like spring is happening in a wonderful and colorful way.

ellen abbott said...

I can't believe spring is busting out everywhere but here!

Jennifer said...

What beautiful flowers, Steve! You definitely have a green thumb! Back to work for me tomorrow, too. This week off went by super fast.

Red said...

Crocuses are one of my favorites.

Sharon said...

I love seeing all these blooms especially when I know it's still chilly there. Certainly chilly by my desert-dweller standards.

Beth Reed said...

I really wish I had a place to have a garden, but I am planning on a patio garden. Mostly herbs and some easy to grow plants because we don't really have a lot of sun.
Have a wonderful Sunday before the work week. xx

Margaret said...

I did no planting but I did mow and start on some weeding. My body is feeling it!

Allison said...

It's snowing here, so no yard work for me!

Kelly said...

It's starting to look like spring there! Such lovely blooms. We got some much needed rain yesterday and we're still having wild temperature swings (70s in the day, but below freezing at night). Do you think you'll have any more frosts?

Boud said...

Spring not here yet. Sunshine and icy winds. Just a few daffodil stems up the street. It's great to see your garden bustin out all over.

The Bug said...

Pretty pretty! I took a couple of photos of blooming things yesterday (phlox & forsythia). I tried to photograph the henbit but I wouldn't crouch down far enough to get a good photo. I noticed on my way home from my dad's that some of the fields are turning green. Ah spring - can hayfever be far behind?

River said...

I planted foxgloves once and very few came up and those that did weren't much good, they never got to flowering stage. I wasn't entirely surprised, most homes I've rented had very poor soil. Your polyanthus is very pretty.

Steve Reed said...

It may be a coping mechanism to tell myself that!

Steve Reed said...

I like it too, but ours don't re-seed as well as I'd like. We might get one or two but if I cultivate them we get dozens. (Which is also the problem!)

Steve Reed said...

That IS very Victorian!

Steve Reed said...

It's great to see the seasons changing!

Steve Reed said...

We are definitely fortunate to have this outdoor space.

Steve Reed said...

Things will soon be sprouting!

Steve Reed said...

I don't know! We occasionally get some that come up on their own, but they don't re-seed here as thoroughly as they apparently do elsewhere. Maybe it's our soil?

Steve Reed said...

They are indeed!

Steve Reed said...

It's definitely in the air!

Steve Reed said...

I can't either -- seems like you'd be ahead of us!

Steve Reed said...

It DID go fast. It always does.

Steve Reed said...

I agree! I like them a lot.

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, the early flowers don't seem to mind the cold at all. I'm not sure what's supposed to be pollinating them, though. I haven't seen any insects to speak of!

Steve Reed said...

A patio garden is a great solution! You might need sun for herbs, though.

Steve Reed said...

Mine too! I am exhausted!

Steve Reed said...

Well, managing the snow counts as yard work, right?

Steve Reed said...

Those are some crazy temperature swings. We could have frost right up until the end of March, but given how mild this winter has been it doesn't seem likely.

Steve Reed said...

Must be good to see those daffodils!

Steve Reed said...

Our forsythia isn't out yet. That usually comes in March.

Steve Reed said...

That's a bummer! And foxgloves are usually pretty tolerant of bad soil. We have very heavy, clayey soil and that can be a problem for seeds getting started, I think -- which is why I've been starting them in pots and then planting them out.