The BIC Plant and Gardening Thread

[sister13]

Hello BIC friends and fellow gardeners! Whether you have a container on your balcony, some indoor plants, a whole garden, or even if you just happen to visit a botanical garden or see a lovely space or plant in your neighborhood you want to share, this is the place! Please share pics, tips, plans and tricks about all things gardening!  

For many years I had a container balcony garden with mostly flowers and herbs (when travel allowed), and I am now embarking on my first backyard landscaping and gardening journey. 

I am often taking inspiration from the natural world around me and have recently had some spring inspiration for the Makeup Challenge of the Week and have loved chatting about gardening in our other threads, so I thought a new thread would be nice. 

It’s always so interesting to me to see plants and gardens from different regions and countries, so I hope you’ll join the conversation!  

PS: if you create a makeup look based on some plant or garden inspiration, please feel free to post your look or flat-lay here, too! 

Here are a few pics of my spring bulbs to start and I’ll share more soon (kindly ignore the weeds)! 

 

 

My old balcony (from the outside) - I’ll try to find an internal pic too:

[Samtian]

Horrible pictures but I was finally able to log on and had to get something to share my excitement. If you've heard my stories you know I am a black thumb. Last year a friend gave me oh 7 or so lilac starts. I was out mowing the yard earlier this week and noticed that it looks like 2 of them might have survived! Well maybe three, but two of them were connected. I was so ecstatic. 

Sorry I didn't want to risk not being able to log in so I snapped that this morning.It's in there I promise. I pulled the weeds away. They'll grow back in 2 hours though.

I also planted a tree I got from my Power Company I chose a Chinkapin Oak. I named it Chickpea. I'm worried about it. I'm not able to get my finger to scratchy anything off to check underneath, before winter hit I did see green. But the branches aren't snapping when I bend them. I'm hoping it's still just transplant shock. I will not ever try to do trees again, so back breaking. Though I want a Weeping Willow so badly. 

[Titian06]

Hi, @Samtian !  Logging in is so hit or miss!  Congratulations on your lilacs 🥳  You have to be so diligent with weed pulling sometimes. 🙄  Good luck with your tree.  I've never had much luck with transplanting trees.  Keep us updated. 🌷🌳

[sister13]

Some updates from around the garden! 

2 French Lilacs planted last year:p came back nicely:

Obsessed with these tulips that start out creamy white with blush tips then deepen to dark pink. I love the little mini baby ones too! The peony has come back too behind this patch, planted last spring.

This corner is a bit crowded so I may adjust in the fall. Paperwhites narcissus and tulips. One of he mock oranges came up

Mock orange in front and hibiscus in the back there. 

I think these are Big Love tulips. They grew so tall and withstood some wind, hail and rain. 

Paperwhites from my mom’s. 🤍🤍🤍

Can’t get over this chamomile, it overwintered and it’s massive. The petals fold down night and open in the sun. This I grew from seed and most f them died, none thrived last year but wow!

[CorgiMommy]

Your gardens are lovely @sister13 

[sister13]

Thanks! I saw something that said: a garden is not a place but a journey, and that really spoke to me.it’s always changing and evolving! @CorgiMommy 

[Samtian]

@sister13 So beautiful! Want to come help me lol?

[sister13]

Haha, that would be awesome! Bulbs are the easiest (in theory) just plant them once and they keep coming back ! @Samtian 

[Titian06]

Your flowers are gorgeous, @sister13 ! 🌷💖🥰  Teine looks so cute supervising your activities! 💖💖💖

[sister13]

Thank you!! I have to keep an eye on her, lol. @Titian06 

[sister13]

I am thinking my pretty tulip/hyacinth/allium bulb combos that bloomed so nicely last year may have gotten waterlogged over last summer from the neighbors’ watering. But, I’ll keep an eye out if they may return! 

Otherwise, some nice bulbs below! I’m worried whether my two shade trees will come back, they haven’t budded out yet and they seem behind others in the neighborhood . The lilacs are leafed out and getting ready to bloom. The DogTuff grass is greening up nicely, though we still have some patches that didn’t fill in last year before winter. 

The same tulips and muscari flowers under the heavy, surprise 6 inches of snow we got the other day!

 

 

 

 

[faeriegirl]

They look beautiful @sister13!🌷

[sister13]

Thank you!! @faeriegirl 

[Titian06]

Your flowers are gorgeous, @sister13 ! 🌷🌷🌷  I hope they survived the snow.

[sister13]

Yes! They bounced back, that top pic is actually AFTER all the snow. Only the hyacinths got a bit worn and don’t pop back up after the snow. Thanks! @Titian06 

[sister13]

So, a couple of March snows have done a bit of a number on my emerging bulbs, the hyacinths only lasted a couple days, and the earliest tulips and daffodil have kinda flopped under the snow. But, there should be plenty more to come, it’s probably since they’re planted near the patio foundation where they get full south sun. Maybe they’ll learn March is our snowiest month in Colorado and typical for warm sunny days intermixed with snow, lol.

Anyway, in other news, my chamomile I grew from seed that was only ever a tiny frond last year is growing every day and at this rate will take over the entire yard by summer. My thyme and strawberries that I planted last year seem to be coming back, and I was super excited to see some emerging green buds on my mock orange! Our landscaping was done pretty late last year so I was a little worried about everything. 

Also saw some crocuses out front.

Chamomile:

[peculiarzmakeup]

Beautiful! You win some, you lose some, but the strawberry and thyme sounds so amazing something so special to look forward too as well as the daily notice of blooms. Can’t wait to see more as it unfolds ❤️🫶 🍓 @sister13 

[sister13]

I found a strawberry blossom today! I’m not sure that’s viable since we’ll still be getting freezing temps, but still super cute! @peculiarzmakeup 

[Titian06]

@sister13 - Too bad for the "early birds," but how exciting to see more greenery poking through! 🥳🌻🌳

[sister13]

Haha, I kind of forgot how many bulbs I planted now I see them all popping up! Still wondering if the ones from last year will come up, I was a little worried since they get so much water from the neighbors grass. They also get a little more shade than the rest, and didn’t come up til mid-April May last year anyway, so we’ll see. @Titian06 

[sister13]

Progress - My hyacinths got a *little* taller! 

 

Even saw a buzzy little bee yesterday! These smell amazing, especially with the heat of the sun. 

 
I can also see the little tips of the muscari  - I planted tons of those because I love them. Also, one of the daffodils is getting pretty close. 

I’m planning to plant some more perennials and natives this year.