async defer src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" My Enchanting Cottage Garden

Friday, March 7, 2014

7 Must Have Easy Seeds to Start

Echinacea Cone-fections™ Hot PapayaThis is the year to finally break out of your rut and quit buying ho-hum plants at the nursery and start your own simple and easy seeds or rare and exotic seeds.  Online seed outlets are plentifull and abound with a plethora of seed choices.  I am listening my plants I have in my garden started from seeds.  If I can do it in Hot dry Las Vegas I am positive you can do it too. If you have a windowsill you can start seeds.
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Hollyhock.  From double to single flowering plants, hollyhock is back in fashion.  It is easy to start from seed and, once established, will self sow for years. I grow double hollyhocks just for the sheer pleasure of watching it unfurl into a beautiful rose-like blossom.  The single blooms are better pollinators for bees. Sow seed indoors or outdoors in a hotbed or greenhouse, start in small pots, press into soil and lightly cover. Hollyhocks can also be sown directly into your garden although it will take longer for it to bloom.
blanket Flower Burgandy
Burgundy blanket flower loves full sun and sandy dry soil.. When I moved to my new house in Las Vegas 2 years ago I started with a blank back yard and needed blooms fast, so I sowed blanket flower directly into the ground and the plant popped out almost over night and this is the third growing season and they are still going strong. Butterflies love this plant.
daylily ruffled
Daylily is not the usual plant you think of when you start to buy seeds, but it is among the easiest to propagate.  Buy seeds online and either direct sow outdoors or start indoors in sterile potting solid, seeds germinate in about two weeks, but it takes about 2 seasons for a daylily to bloom.
mullein
Mullein.  Mulleins are either annual,m, biennial or perennial.  You can choose,  propagation is as easy as scattering the seeds outdoors across a prepared bed.. There are new varieties every year, I love the peachy rust tones, but you can also buy violet, yellow and white.  These seeds can be bought online.
pincushion flower
Pincushion.  This is an easy no fuss plant that blooms all summer long. Butterflies love this plant. It is a proven garden performer, Seeds are easy to germinate and can be sown in the fall. The plant grows to 18 inches and is a good border plant.
foxglove
Foxglove is a gorgeous shade loving evergreen perennial with fat, soft green leaves with sturdy 3 ft. tall summer spikes of pastel blooms.The seeds are easy to start and is a self seeder. The seeds need light to germinate so don’t cover them when sowing.
poppy
Poppies. Oriental poppies are so easy to sow all you have to do is throw them in the garden in the fall for a multitude of blooms in the spring.  My favorites are the Opium poppy which blooms on double florets about 2-3 ft. tall.  These poppies come in pastel colors whereas the California poppies are in warmer shades of yellow and orange.

Wayside Gardens

Sunday, March 2, 2014

The Perfect Birdhouse What Will You Choose?

March is here, the birds are coming home and it’s time to spring for a new birdhouse to welcome them back home. Birds enhance your garden immeasurably, just sitting outside and listening to them sing will lift your spirits and drag you out of the long winter doldrums. Buy a birdhouse and put it out where birds can use it for nesting or for winter shelter and spring mating. Once you have a successful birdhouse, you can do some science yourself by observing the birds that use it. You can see what kinds of things they use to make the nest, how many eggs they lay and how long it takes them to hatch, what they feed their young, all kinds of things. Of course you have to be careful not to disturb the birds too much or they will leave the nest.






Vintage Bluebird Bird House   Sturdy, quality wood construction that creates a weathered, whimsical look. Accessories $199.95 













Our fully functional all-wood Birdhouse with Bunting features durable exterior paint, removable back wall, drainage, ventilation and an unpainted interior. 1-1/4" hole invites nesting birds and keeps larger birds out. $39.95 Size 8-1/2"L x 10-1/2"W x 10"H Pole 16" dia. x 43"H This birdhouse takes its design from the classic homes found in neighborhoods all across America. Two distinct roof lines, porch railings and shuttered window are just a few of the details that give our Kingsgate Cottage Birdhouse all-American appeal. Features a 1-1/4" opening to attract wrens, finches, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice and other little songbirds; a removable back for easy cleaning; drainage holes and ventilation for a healthy environment. Size11-1/2"W x 7-1/2"D x 10-1/2"H


Plow & HearthGood Fortune Birdhouse (718323521484) Based upon ancient Chinese architecture, our Good Fortune Birdhouse offers a peaceful retreat for your favorite songbirds. The graceful lines and perfect proportions are highlighted with Chinese characters wishing good fortune and the house number 888, which signifies good luck. Chickadees, finches, wrens, nuthatches and titmice will be lucky indeed to dwell in this high quality, historically inspired birdhouse! -1/2"W x 10"D x 11-1/2"H



Plow & Hearth Exclusive Perfect for attracting songbirds to your garden. This classically styled Cape Cod Birdhouse is constructed of exterior-grade ply board and kiln-dried hardwood, then painted with an outdoor paint. Shingles are real pine shake; intricate details are resin. Two-story house has all the details to attract wrens, finches, chickadees and more to nest: ventilation, drainage, an unpainted interior and a 1-1/4" opening. Back wall removes for easy cleaning. Hang with the attached mounting bracket or pole mount on the optional Turned Wood Pole, sold below. Pole with pedestal base is kiln-dried hardwood finished with outdoor paint. $34.95 •