It's Almost Spring in Alaska!
Tuesday, March 10th

In some ways this is my favorite time of the year: The days are getting longer, it is light when I go to work, and the stores are stocking up with plants. Talking of plants, I bought at Costco one of my favorite Oriental Lilies, Dizzy, and the eye-catching Dahlia, Pooh, plus some Suncrest lilies and Eryngium.

As to delphiniums about 800 have been seeded. Some are in 10 inch pots; others were started using plastic salad trays and damp paper towels. As the seeds germinate they are put into a seed tray. In this way, you should have as eedling in each cell in the seed tray and no wasted space or space due to the erratic germination that some delphinium seeds exhibit(probably due to old seeds or ones that have not been stored in a fridge). Moreover, I attempted propagating lilies by scale divisions.

I also started 3 Aerogardens, 2 with herbs and one with seeds. Using the polystyrene seed tray, means I had to remove the top that activates the pump. To remedy this I hooked up an aquarium pump with an airstone. Unfortunately, it is way too powerful and the bubbles overflow. Anyway, I will see how the seeds compare to others started in potting soil.

Here are the seeds started so far:

February 28
1 Tray Lavatera Mont Blanc
1 Tray Stocks - White
1 Tray Nicotiana - Alata

800 or so delphinium seeds(mostly blues with some cream, lavender, purple, and cranberry colors

March 1 1/2 Tray Lauren's Grape Poppy
1/2 Tray Love Lies Bleeding
1/2 Tray Karma Blue Pansy
1/2 Tray Salpiglossus Kew Blue
1/2 Tray Calceolaria Cinderella Mix
1/2 Tray Nicotiana - Perfume Blue

March 7 1/2 Tray Malva Sylvestris
1/2 Tray Papaver Ohh La La
1 Tray Calceolaria Fothergillii
1 Tray Stocks-Lavender
1 Tray Snaps Wild Salmon

March 8 1/2 Tray Lavatera Pink Beauty
1/2 Tray Pansy Orchid Desire
1/4 Tray Pansy Cornish Rose
1/4 Tray Pansy Darjeeling Ruby
1/2 Tray Snaps Elegance Bronze
1/2 Tray Perennial Stock
1/2 Tray Cheiranthus Cheiri
1/2 Tray Salpiglossus Peacock Flame
1/2 Tray Stocks Sugar n Spice

Aerograden Seeds:

Cardoons
Viburnum farreii
Viburnum carlesii
Cestrum nocturn
Murraya paniculata
Anise
Amaranthus caudatus
Centaurea hydrocephala

Also Started:

Globe basil
Agastche - Apricot Sprite
Dracocephalum Tanguticum
Eryngium Miss Willmott's Ghost
Eryngium Superbum
Eryngium Blue Glitter
Eryngium Silver Ghost
Knipfofia Tritoma
Primula Gold Lace
Primula Silver Lace
Primula
Penstemon Hot Lips
Penstemon Sweet Lips

Greetings from Alaska! The recent warm wet, and very windy weather makes it look like spring a false spring that is since we still have a month and a half left of what is usually very cold weather. In fact, we still have about 2 months left of winter.

Meanwhile, There a are a few Red Lion Amaryllis in bloom. In addition, I ordered some of the new stunning dark red amaryllis, “Benfica” aka “Royal Velvet.” Alas, just after I placed my order we endured a prolonged cold snap. Now minus 15 F. during the day is cold by anybody’s standards, especially mine as the hairs in my nose froze as I got in and out my car. The plants arrived as complete mush. I can’t blame the shipper because only a silly gardener, albeit a fanatical one orders tropical bulbs in the middle of an Alaskan winter,
Fortunately, Smith and Hawken were very gracious and sent a new order. I will take some pictures of them when they bloom.

Now is the time to plan which seeds to start and which plants to order. I have no luck starting many of the Eryngium species from seed with the exception of planum, so this year I intend to order Eryngium gigantium, Miss Willmott’s Ghost from 2 plants sources. Moreover, I would like the clematis, the Vagabond and Horn of Plenty in my collection.

I am thinking of what may be the highlights of this year’s garden. I now have 5 or 6 plants of my favorite peony, Red Charm which is one of my first peonies to bloom, well it is by the foundation of the house and faces South. Red Charm seems to grow quickly and the blooms are a stunning dark wine red. Many of my new peonies were not given much room to grow last year, so this year we will be more careful of what we plant around them, well until they get established.

This year, either side of the main grey arbor, we will see if a couple of Cardoons will lend their drama to the entrance of the upper garden. Previously we had 2 large pots containing that wonderfully fragrant English rose, Gertrude Jekyll.

I did buy about 800 English delphinium seeds, mostly blue with a few creams. Where I will put them all who knows. Also, I hope my imported named English cultivars have survived, so I can attempt to propagate them.

I think the highlight of the spring garden will be all those primula auriculas I bought last year from Pops plants, and Mt. Tahoma nursery. These plants are some of the first flowers I have in bloom and multiply quickly.

I end this week’s blog on a sad note; According to its owners Salmon Bay Events, this year’s Northwest Flower Show will be the last. Below is a list of the seeds I am growing this year(excluding my delphinium seeds).

From Plants Of Distinction:
Bellis White Page 26
Bellis Deep Red Page 26
Snaps - Cinnamon Blue Page 20
Lupin - Millenium Page 59
Aqiliegia -Red Star Page 22
Snaps - Wild Salmon Page 7
Pansy - Kashmir Blue Page 8
Pansy - Darjeeling Page 8
Ranunculus - Macki Page 10
Snaps - Elegance - Page 10
Aster - Lady Carol Page 14
Pansy - Cornish Rue Page 15
Eryngium - Little Hobbit Page 17
Eryngium - Silver Ghost Page
Calendula - Orange Star Page 28
Calendula - Neon Page 28
Calendula - Gold Star Page 28
Calendula - Porcupine Page 29
Eryngium - Silver ghost Page 43
Nicotiana - Perfume Blue Page 62
Pansy - Orchid Desire Page 64
Pansy - Kharma Blue Page 64
Penstemon - Hot Lips Page 66
Penstemon- Sweet Lips Page 66
Primula Gold Lace Sachet Page 68
Primula Gold Lace Silver Page 68
Primula Gold Lace Black Page 68
Salvia Patens Page 71
Salpiglossus Peaches Page 73
Salpiglossus Kew Blue Page 73
Sweet Pea - Jilly Page 75
Sweet Pea - Bristol Page 75
Sweet Pea - Ice Cream Page
Sweet Pea - Hampton Court Page 75
Sweet Pea - Charlies Angels Page 75
Sweet Pea - North Shore Page 75

From Chilterns, The Fragrant Path and Diane's Seeds:
Amaranthus - Cruentus
Calceolaria
Calceolaria
Cardoons
Centaurea- macrocephala
Cestrum nocturnum
Cheranthus -Chieri - Progress
Cheranthus -Chieri - Fair Lady
Cheranthus -Chieri - Paris Market
Dracocephalum - Tanguticum
Dracocephalum - Moldavicum
Eryngium - Miss Willmott’s Ghost
Eryngium - giganticum
Eryngium - alpinum superbum
Eryngium - Blue Glitter
hesperis - Blue
Hesperis - Purple
Hesperis - White
Lavatera - Mont Blanc
Lavatera - Pink
Mecanopsis - Lingholm
Murraya Paniculata
Platycodon - blue
Stocks - Lavender
Stocks- White
Stocks- Crimson
Verbascum Phoenicium - Purple
Verbaccum bombyciferum
Viburnum Carlesii

Still To Buy:
Amaranthus Love Lies bleeding
Apricot Foxgloves
Cerinthe
Night Phlox
Night Stocks
Purple Malva
White Foxgloves
White Malva

Bears

The bear pics are from a trip to Wolverine Lake.

The primula auricula is called, "Ice Maiden." The asiatic lilies are called, "Knock Out." The stocks are lavender stocks from the Fragrant Path seed company.

Flowers 2009

My plants of distinction order has arrived and the Fragrant Path order has been sent. here are a few pictures from last year's garden:

Sunday March 16th. Finally, I Have A Greenhouse!

Greetings from Alaska!

Yes we are back from the Northwest flower show. We brought back a suitcase of plants such as perennial geraniums, eryngium, campanula Kent Belle. Also, lilies such as: Kentucky, Sumatra, Salmon Star, and s a few giant oversized Casa Blancas. Normally at the beginning of February we would have started many flats of seeds, but since we were going to the flower show we decided to start our seed when we got back rather than worry about having someone water them while we were gone. Below is a list of the seed we started this year.

Yippee I finally have a greenhouse. Although it is a modest 6 X 6 from Sams Club I deem it a good buy at $583. It will probably be situated in a bad spot, but where else do I have room what with so many plants and no free space? I though about putting on our flat roof, but being in a windy spot I thought it might blow away. Now I can get my brugmansia to bloom early. I can grow herbs, especially Basil and Rosemary. I can get my roses in pots to bloom earlier, and get a good start on next year's biennials.

Our dahlia tubers looked great in their zip loc bags a couple of weeks a go. Now they have all molded. Did it get too hot? Or should we have taken them out of the baggies? Anyway they are a bust for this year. So too are my pots of tulips. They did not get established enough before the first frost. Next year I will keep the bulbs in a refrigerator then pot them up as I go.

As of right now my clematis have over wintered nicely and Dave Taplin's greenhouse and the few I kept in the garage. So too have my huge Brugmanisa. The roses in pots look awful and I may have lost Just Joey, but with a little luck the rest should pull through.

I did purchase a few bags of perennials from Costco. I liked the idea of 40 columbines for $15, and 18 Hollyhocks for the same price.

What is going to be the highlights for our 2008 garden? Will it be the primula auriculas, the delphiniums, or the clematis? How about the thought of 5 early blooming Red Charm peonies instead of 2? This year, we are planting swarms of lilies, especially the red America, and the dark red Black Out.

Most of our new auriculas came from Pops Plants in the UK? We divided all our other auriculas too, so we can expect them to put on quite a show, and of course they are almost the first flowers to bloom here.

Hopefully, my skill at propagating delphiniums from cutting will improve. Last year, I was a little too eager to pot them up after they had rooted this year I will be more patient and let the roots really get established.


Tray Salpiglossus Kew Blue
Tray Love Lies Bleeding
Tray Stocks - White
Tray Celtic Copper Snaps
Tray Appleblosson Snaps


Tray Malva Moshata
Tray Lavatera Pink - Silver Cup
Tray Nicotiana


Tray Love Lies Bleeding
Tray Salpiglossus Sinuata
Tray Stocks - Lavender
Tray Danish Flag Poppy
Tray Lauren's Grape Poppy


Tray Stocks - Crimson
Tray Erysium
Tray Coral Fountain Snaps
Tray Amber Kiss Viola
Tray Lilac Bronze Viola
Tray Malva - Sylvestris
Tray Malva- Merlin
Tray Lavatera Pink Beauty
Tray Cardoon


Tray Stocks Beauty of Nice
Tray Stocks - Antique Blue
Tray Stocks - Hot Cakes Blue
Tray Calendula - Gold Star
Tray Calendula - Orange Star


Tray Lauren's Grape Poppy
Tray Karma Blue Pansy
Tray Calendula - Neon
Tray Calendula - Porcupine