Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Lavender Wands Plum Small

I love growing long stemmed English Lavender and have been fashioning them into wands for years now.  This years crop of lavender is better than ever and I have a palette of new colors I am very excited about.  It is called 'Plum' and these are the first new wands in the small size.  I hope you will give one a try!
They are not yet included on the website, but you can find them all here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/104566097/lavender-wands-plum-small

In my Etsy.com com store named "Pedricks"
There is also a link to it to in the right hand column here.
Etsy.com is a wonderful site which gives artists and craftpersons of all kinds a great venue.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

'Autumn Orange' 2012

'Autumn Orange' is one of my personal favorites.  I love the rich colors on this little semi-double blossom.  'Autumn Orange' is now in the direct path of the deer who come through here every night.  She survived freezing this last winter, gophers last fall, and several nibbles by the deer.  Liquid Deer Fence is expensive but very effective if used on a weekly basis when plants are growing fast.  At least once a week, more often if it rains or drizzles, I walk through quickly misting everything.  This has enabled us to even grow a huge vegetable garden out in the open!!  One misstep though, can mean major setbacks.  I missed the new leaves of our young new fruit orchard and in one evening the dear stripped every leaf off of all of them.  Fortunately, I haven't made that mistake again and all are recovering!!

Monday, July 16, 2012

'Mary Miloni' 2012

'Mary Miloni' is proving herself to be a vigorous upright fuchsia bush!  This photo doesn't do her justice.  The flowers are massive, as big as any hanging basket bloom I have seen.  And the corolla or skirt starts out a beautiful shade of deep purple.  The tops of the sepals are white.  I will try to get a better shot posted soon!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

'Delta's Parade' 2012

'Delta's Parade' is a trouper!  I have never seen it without at least one or two blossoms on it no matter what time of year it is.  And I have them in several locations, from out in the full sun to the partial shade, and none of them froze this winter.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

'Quasar' 2012

'Quasar' is one of those I can never grow enough of!  This stock plant did very well near the edge of a huge oak.  So it gets full morning sun and had the protection of the leaves overhead in the winter, so it did not freeze.  Many people grow them in hanging baskets, but it makes a stunning show as a large bush in a 15 gallon container!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

'Fanfare' 2012

'Fanfare' is a stunning reminder of the varied forms fuchsias can come in which most people would not think of.  It is also a great example of how they can survive in a far wider range of conditions than people realize.  This is another one of the stock plants that froze to ground level and has come back with as much vigor as any rose out in the full sun.  Throwing out new four and five foot "canes" with more on the way.  Looking at these huge glossy leaves, one would have no idea it is a fuchsia until it begins to bloom!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

'Blue Eyes' 2012

'Blue Eyes' is often grown in a hanging basket, but doesn't trail well and does much better as a low bush.  Plus, fuchsias grown in hanging baskets cannot live as long as they could because they quickly outgrow their containers.
Fuchsia bushes can live for over a century!  And they develop thick trunks with interesting bark.
This makes some of the slower growing varieties great candidates for bonsai.  A growing technique which should be employed to keep hanging baskets alive far longer than most.

Monday, July 2, 2012

'Dancing Stars' 2012

'Dancing Stars' are in a "cage" to protect them from hungry deer.  The deer this year have been very bold, even feeding during the day along busy highways.  Liquid Deer Fence works very well.  But this time of year, when things are growing fast, it is necessary to spray often.  So I have begun to surround some of the smaller bushes with cages.  That way, if the deer do get to them, they won't get much.
Meanwhile, aren't these the cutest little flowers!?

Sunday, July 1, 2012

'Rohees New Millennium' 2012

'Rohees New Millennium' is such a dark shade of purple it is almost black!  It is a vigorous grower and made it through this winter without a singe.  It is still in a 15 gallon container and is only in the full sun for the first half of the day.  I plan on seeing how well a new one does planted out in the full sun later this fall.
As it is best to either plant fuchsias in the early spring or late fall when it begins to cool down if you are going to plant fuchsias into the ground out in the full sun.  A large and healthy root system is vital to most plants ability to thrive in the full sun.