30 March 2015

Just Looking

 It's not very often we take this route, but how happy I am we did. 
Joy for my eyes , look what I found .
It's only a 25 min. drive south from where we live
but it's amazing how much warmer it is.
The temperature is always a few degrees higher.
which means the blossom is more advanced than where I live.
.

Then we took a detour to our daughters house and I was even happier
as we found a garden center which had opened last year
I spent most of my time inside .
I was in awe of the beautiful Camellias.

I hope you like Camellias, as there were so many I couldn't stop clicking.
and before I realised that the battery was running low
 on my camera, I had spent all my time photographing them. 






Outside were rows of shrubs,
Each row had a sign showing the type of shrub and where to plant them.

Easy to grow.

Climbing plants suitable for walls and arbours
I was very tempted to buy a Clematis, but as I hadn't done any research
on them, to know which one to choose, I resisted temptation
for the next visit, which I know will be soon.
So a few more different Camellias to show you.
I hadn't realised there were so many varieties.

My only disappointment with these flowers
is they don't last very long.
If they get caught by early morning frost they turn brown
and they don't like wind and rain.
Which seems to have been our type of Spring weather
I have one in my garden which is struggling,
apparently due to all the things they don't like.
Now after the expert advice I was given by the owner
 of the garden center, I need to move it, after it's finished flowering.
It was planted last year, when my heart was not into gardening.
I thought I'd chosen a good position for it, but apparently not.
Also we do have very acid soil, due to the hundreds of pine trees
that were growing here when we bought the property.
So I need to correct that, when I find a suitable place to replant it.
But not just yet, it will have to wait, as I have climbing roses 
waiting patiently to be planted and grow up the new arbour.
If it's stopped raining tomorrow, I'll take a photo to show you.
It will be like  ''before and after.''

 What ever you are doing in your garden
Enjoy your planting.


à bientôt
Barbara Lilian

It hasn't stopped raining, but I did what I said I'd do.
I took this photo, to let you see my pitiful Camellia. 
As I say I'm not a gardener and we all make mistakes.
It wasn't a plant I bought myself, as  I know all the difficulties
of growing a good plant  (it was a prize ) from our Floral competition.
Yes you did read that correctly  a prize. But I do grow lovely
hanging baskets.
.
The flowers were battered even more during the night
This is my Camellia looking very sad, waiting to be moved.

4 comments:

  1. The camellias at the garden centre are so pretty. I think yours was pretty before last night's rain too. With gardening it's a lot of trial and error. I've never grown a camellia probably for the same reasons that the garden centre staff suggested. We still have lots of snow here but my Crocus and Daffodils are up next to the warm basement wall on the south end of the house, just a foot from the snow bank. I have 2 geraniums blooming in the dining room window but that's it for 'gardening' so far. I hope you have a great day. Pam

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  2. The only thing I am doing in my garden is waiting for the last 2 feet of snow to melt ;)
    For several years, I traveled 40 miles west of my home for school each day, and 70 miles east of my home to visit my parents. There was enough topographical difference between the three areas that I used to enjoy seeing Spring arrive THREE times each year! Which was especially nice because my own home was always the last.

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  3. It looks like the PERFECT garden center! I love a great center to browse, dream, plan . . .
    I have minimal luck with Clematis because of so much shade, acidic soil too I imagine adds to my less luck. I had a gorgeous brilliant blue for a few years, early on when some of the trees were younger and less shade. It scrolled up the north wall of our screened porch. (The north wall is the clue, too much shade and always cooler on that side of our home.). I try each year but I must confess, I gave given up and now I enjoy the success of others. (You are tempting me though . . .) a friend of mine has a huge flowering clematis . . . I will see if I can get a picture for you! Thank you for the springtime inspiration!

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  4. Thank you for the link . . . I HOPPED right over! Love those papers of Peter Rabbit for sugar cookies!
    THANK YOU . . .

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