Murphy's Law?

Know how they say "The best laid plans can go awry"?

Or Murphy's Law about "Anything that can go wrong will"?

My garden is the picture in the dictionary that demonstrates both of these.

It's not always a bad thing...

This is a zinnia that reseeded from last year. Last years were a reseed from the year before. The year befores zinnias were Profusion Apricot. This is not Profusion Apricot.

This is not what I expected. Still, I like it. Maybe the Profusion Apricot is an offspring of Profusion Cherry, as I think that is what this flower color looks like.

Don't count your zinnias before they hatch...um...bloom.

This beautiful snap dragon is white. Right?

Wait...you see a bright salmon flower, too?

Whew, I thought maybe it was just the sunstroke I might be suffering from in the 90F temps we had today. I planted white, which 11 of the plants are (part of the all white plantings this year), the 12th has managed to not be white. 'Tis OK, I like it.

This is a very tender annual, coleus. It hates the cold. Its the first to take a dive in the fall with a light frost. It is a reseed from last year, but who am I to tell it that it shouldn't have come back? I like it. I just wish I remembered what the name of it is? I can't at all remember the name at the moment...Florida SunSpot...maybe?

So...

It's 'Chitweeds Law' in my garden instead...

"What can go wrong will,

the best laid plans will certainly go awry,

but dude... it's all good".

Nature Lends a Helping Hand

I love Nature, but often I find myself fighting her in my garden.

That sounds terrible, but its true. Diseases. Weeds. Drought. Bird droppings. Birds biting the plants. Bunnies biting my plants. Bugs biting my plants and me. My plants biting me. (you know, poison ivy & oak, and prickles and thorns of all kinds)
All this is nature I'm fighting...or better to say 'rebelling against' I suppose.

Sometimes Nature is helping
...when at the time I thought she was fighting me.

Case in point. My lavender.

This is the lavender I did not trim back. I did not get around to it in time. When I did have the time it was too late in the season, so I just let it go. Its a mess. Wild and crazy.

More Lavender I did not trim.

Yup. A mess. Blooming like crazy, yes, but such a tangle. I've taken 5 bunches off this snarl. They are not the best looking bunches as they are twisted and crooked. I'm just wanting the dried buds for lavender cookies...so it's OK, but I still would have liked nicer bunches.

Here is the Lavender Nature helped with.

The bunnies trimmed it for me. They trimmed it back to about 2 inches. (8" is what I would have done) I was not happy when that happened. Now it is the best lavender in the yard. Straight. Neat. Blooming nicely, tho a bit behind schedule.

Frosted Kiss Gazania....and friend ?

The Gazania are part of my white garden this year. Next to her is a 'volunteer' zinnia from last year. (there were also volunteer weeds that I pulled before taking the picture) Nature has given me about 20 of these seedlings as returns from last year. They should be 'Profusion Apricot' Zinnias, as that was what volunteered last year as well.

(see the light green? more volunteers!)

I'm letting some of them stay where they are, and moving others away from the grass where they've come up, to better places. They aren't part of the white scheme, but hey...they are free. It's just going to have to be an amendment to my white theme. If it's free it can stay no matter the color. Who am I to fight Nature? Especially when she's being so helpful?

I Came Home to This

massacre (v.)
1581, from M.Fr. massacre "wholesale slaughter, carnage," from O.Fr. macacre, macecle "slaughterhouse, butchery," perhaps from L. macellum "provisions store, butcher shop." The noun is attested from 1586.

Modern Language Association (MLA):
"massacre." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 08 Jun. 2007. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/massacre>.




People this is not good. I went away for a few days on a business trip and came home to this. In my driveway. It's rather pitiful. Very hot weather, and nothing watered, not a good combo.

I really thought about getting it all planted before I left, but I just ran out of time. Who would think 2 days would make such a difference. I put them in a spot where the sun isn't too bad. (I assumed) I watered them really well just before leaving for the Airport. (I assumed) I asked Hubby to keep an eye out for them, as it would be really hot. He's a really busy guy, but he would take care of them. (I assumed) I really should have pushed and gotten it done.


as·sume /əˈsum/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[uh-soom] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb (used with object), -sumed, -sum·ing.
1. to take for granted or without proof; suppose; postulate; posit: to assume that everyone wants peace.

American Psychological Association (APA):
assume. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved June 08, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/assume
Chicago Manual Style (CMS):
assume. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/assume (accessed: June 08, 2007).
Modern Language Association (MLA):
"assume." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 08 Jun. 2007. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/assume>.

This astilbe might be a lost cause, but I will plant it any way. If it makes it, it will be nice for next year. Arrrggghhhh.


1. arrgghh

To show madness and shouting
Arrgghh my little brother broke my ds lite

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=arrgghh

The begonias did surprisingly well. They are a bit sun burned on the edges, but otherwise I am pleased with their hardiness.

I have faith in the zinnias even if they do look the worst. They are such tough guys, they should actually bounce back with new leaves.

faith (fāth) Pronunciation Key n.
Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.
Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. See Synonyms at belief, trust.

faith. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved June 08, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith
Chicago Manual Style (CMS):
faith. Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith (accessed: June 08, 2007).
Modern Language Association (MLA):
"faith." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 08 Jun. 2007. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith>.

This coleus seems totally unaffected by the lack of care. I think of coleus as being some of the weenies of the garden, needing special care and attention. I love them anyway, even if they are a lily-livered plant. (I've always wanted to write lily-livered in a sentence!) This gal didn't even wilt, and it was SO dry! She has so changed my opinion of coleus. Hopefully everything is better than I first thought. If the coleus can make it, so can everything else.

Hope, Bob Originally Leslie Towne Hope. 1903-2003. British-born American entertainer. He costarred with Bing Crosby in the popular "Road" films, beginning with the Road to Singapore (1940). Since 1940 he has traveled extensively to entertain U.S. troops overseas.

American Psychological Association (APA):
hope. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved June 08, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hope
Chicago Manual Style (CMS):
hope. Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hope (accessed: June 08, 2007).
Modern Language Association (MLA):
"hope." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 08 Jun. 2007. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hope>.

OOps...wrong Hope, though maybe the best one. Here's the one I meant to use.

Hope
The delusion that your situation is not as objectively bad as it is.
Hope is the fruitless denial of the more realistic pessimism.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hope

So...Here's the Plan

The plan is coming together. Work has begun on the all white plantings for the garden. Here are some of the flowers that are going into it. These are a few of the pictures I took in the greenhouse of my choices before bringing some of the stuff home.

This is 'Molimba Helio White' Argyranthemum.

These will go into the Front bed against the part of the house that has cream colored siding. They should show up nicely.

They are 'Nightlife White' Begonia

These are 'Super Olympia White' Begonia.

They will be going into one of the beds in the backyard. I have an affinity for begonias. It runs in my family. My Grandmother liked the funny, funky, weird and exotic begonias, and my Dad always chose wax begonias for his flower beds.

As it goes...I've never met a begonia I didn't like.

These are 'Patriot White ' Zonal Geraniums. (I hope you can tell the ones in the front are the whites!)

They might go in the front corner bed. They are if-y. These are actually in a tie for space with some lover-ly Tall Cutting-type Snapdragons. The Snapdragons are in the running because they are such great cutting flowers, and I love to bring flowers into the house. The geraniums might win the race because...well they are gorgeous. I might end up flipping a coin between these 2 choices. (or extend the bed :) hmmmmmmm?)

These are 'Classic White' Zinnias.

I had some of these great flowers reseed themselves in the grass last year, and I transplanted them into the flower beds. I was hoping some would come back again this year as freebies, but so far...no such luck. So... I have to buy some for the garden this year. Well...at least I will be sure to have them that way.

-------------------------------------------------

I've also gotten:

• 'Bells White' Snapdragons
• 'Pot n Patio' Asters
• 'Moonflower'
• Stevia (a very sweet herb)
• 'White Horse' Lavender (yes, a white flower!)
• 'Hello White' Gazania
• 'Hummingbird White' Nicotiana

None of the above are very big, nor are they showing color right now...so I will take pictures after they are finished being planted, and then again as the garden starts to fill in. So far 36 plants are in the ground...with obviously more to go in.

I also need some vine-y things to add to the flower pots sprinkled in different places around the house. Also some coleus for pots on the back deck. (it's quite shady back there, so they do great)

There will also be more Hostas. Plus, Hostas. I might also add Hostas. And then of course, there are new fabulous Hostas which must be added. (I love hostas by the way....)

It's a shame I have no control when it comes to flowers. It's just like an all-I-can-eat-buffet...my eyes are always too big for my stomach at the dinner buffets, and they are to big for my garden when at the greenhouse buffet. I tell my hubby he really can't complain...as the gardens get bigger...he has less to mow. (he complains anyway)