Monday, April 29, 2013

Backyard Gardener Festival


This weekend the local Master Gardeners
hosted their annual plant sale.





Most activities were outside in a nearby field.




One of the first tables I came across displayed orchids.


Never saw one with this shade of brownish-red before.
Glorious!



Orchids have a bad reputation for being difficult to care for,
but in our humid climate, they thrive with very little effort.




There were edibles for sale,




as well as a vast array of beauty for the eyes.





Textures were varied.



The contrast between the leaves and the blooms 
on this lovely is stunning!



Just look at the center of the blossom.




Zinnias are a personal favorite.
These were exceptionally large and vibrant.



There were many I'd never seen before.




The foliage was as diverse as the blooms.





There was a demonstration about worm farming on a small scale.




These critters can really improve your garden soil.
It's something I'd like to try.



There were a couple of garden design displays...



to give ideas to those of us who aren't so good at designing.




Rain barrels and mulch could be had for a small price.




This is perennial peanut.
Our city landscaper has used it in town
along the sidewalks throughout the downtown area.




It's drought tolerant, takes sun, heat, cold and some traffic.
It can die back with a freeze, but bounces back.
It's a great choice for the city, 
as it saves money on water and maintenance.




Here's what I brought home.

The perennial peanut will be tried in a test area in the backyard.
If it were up to me, I'd plant it everywhere we currently have sod.
Since we live in a deed-restricted community, 
I don't want to fight the HOA,
so we'll keep it in the backyard, away from prying eyes.
The Asiatic Jasmine will be planted under our weeping elm.
The Society Garlic found a place in our mailbox planter.
The Bald Cypress will be given to a friend 
who has the space to let it go.
Three more blue-eyed grass plants were brought home as well.
(Forgot to get the picture of them.)

All of the new plants join the rest 
of our growing native and Florida-friendly menagerie.
It makes gardening easier and provides habitat for local wildlife.
Enjoy your natives!



  http://www.anoregoncottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/jtgpfinal.png



The Chicken Chick

21 comments:

  1. Glad you found some nice goodies to take home with you. Those HOA sound like a pain, sometimes....but I guess it can also prevent some problems from cropping up too (like my neighbors dog that NEVER shuts up!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, HOAs have their place. But you can believe we won't be living in a deed-restricted community when we move! ;0)

      Delete
  2. Aw Man! I really liked the idea of the perennial peanut, My first thought was "This is going in my yard for sure!"

    Too bad it won't survive in NC...@:(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are probably some natives in NC that would work. Start your search here: http://pamlico.ces.ncsu.edu/2010/06/lawn-alternatives/
      Imagine not having to mow but a couple of times a year!

      Delete
    2. I found a better website for you to start your search.
      Try this: http://www.ncsu.edu/goingnative/howto/mapping/nplants/index.php

      Delete
  3. Looks like you had a nice time . Lovely photos ! I cant wait to get my flowers in now that we have prepared all of our gardens with fresh topsoil and Ceder mulch ! Thanks for sharing ! Have a good day !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is such an exciting time for gardeners, especially further north!

      Delete
  4. Our local Master Gardener Plant sale should be coming up soon. Oh how fun yours looks!

    ReplyDelete
  5. So awesome! Everything looks beautiful, but I especially love the orchids. So neat!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nice selection of plants. Love the new look of your blog. The yellow and blue look great together.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Those Orchids are just fabulous. I rather like the Perennial Peanut too. Such a lovely flower.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would so love to plant the peanut all over our yard. Big K would have more time on the weekend to play instead of mow!

      Delete
  8. What a fun day! Beautiful photos. We are just getting into orchids. Hope I can grow them. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are pretty easy. Down south I've seen them growing in trees. If they have humidity, they're pretty happy. Best wishes!

      Delete
  9. What a fun day! You got some super plants. Our Audubon has one in May. Happy Bloomin' Tuesday! Jean

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I look forward to seeing what you bring home!

      Delete

Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts!