Spring. Scott. Again.
For the eighth year in a row, Scott planted flowers in the pair of porch urns. I have never seen him do this, actually, and wonder if he is taking credit for an industrious garden gnome.
See the tiny red-leafed plant? That is the seventh-generation offshoot of the 2014 red leaf plant, which will grow into a large red bush. At the of every season, Scott (or the gnome) clips off some of the bush, takes the clippings home, and makes them root out. Come spring, the rooted clippings are replanted in front of the Cross House. I love this. So, even though I have never seen Scott do this, either, let us give him the benefit of the doubt and offer our appreciation. Thanks, Scott!!!!!!!!
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Yay Scott! What a great guy! An Ubermensch!
Boy I bet the gnome still has a hand in things!
But who knows, these lovely flowering plants in the urns are wonderful!!
I love this. The chain of keeping life going.
My Mother has a pussy willow she has nurtured for more than 50 years. It was planted in the yard and pruned in the spring and cuttings were rooted and when it grew too old was dug up and one of that year’s rooted cuttings was planted in a different spot. And so on. We’ve also shared fuchsia cuttings and she has divided her iris, although mine always seem to rot. Three things I can grow without killing are roses, geraniums and fuchsias. Even so I do lose a few. Thankfully we don’t get much in the way of frost and I can keep everything watered through hot spells.
I’ve always wanted urns like that in front of my house. My porch and steps are not configured in a way that I can put anything of any size like that in front or on top. It would have to be big as things that are small and attractive tend to grow legs and walk away. But I am lucky. Many things I can plant in the ground and they will be fine year round.
I do have a lovely rose-scented geranium that I have kept “new” with cuttings. I nurture it for jam as I like to make strawberry rose geranium jam.
And are those begonias? They look like they might be the tuberous kind. You lift them over the winter and then replant the following year. I have never been successful at it but I think all of Scott’s fingers are greener than my one brown thumb.
I love that your mother has nurtured a plant for 50 years! You have grown lovely things as well! I love fuchsias!
Thank you. Sadly her health has declined this past year. I need to check the yard to see if the pussywillow is still alive as so much is dying from lack of water. If I can find it, I may take some cuttings and see if I can root them. I know where she got it the original cutting. She and a neighbor took a class from Walter Andersen nursery in the early 60s. If it’s no longer alive, I may go to the nursery location in Poway and ask them if they can get me a cutting. I’ll be Mr. Andersen has one in the yard. It’s a native of California so I’m sure I can find a plant somewhere. I have been watering her geraniums and keeping the birdbaths full as she likes to watch them just outside the living room window from her spot on the sofa. That is the planter I’m trying to keep blooming year round.
So sorry for these difficulties and your mother’s illness. You are such a lovely daughter and it’s very kind to take care of her plants.
I have a Garden Gnome too! She lives in the storage shed in the orchard. She weeds flowerbeds, spreads mulch, and makes glorious compost.
I usually see her under a big red and gray umbrella.
She wears a red bandana on her head, and I keep meaning to buy her a pointy red hat. I do keep her well supplied with gardening tools, and thick rubber pads for her hard-working knees and butt.
I’ve had her for just over ten years, and she’s a valuable asset to our little farm. My daughter keeps threatening to steal her, but I have cast a spell that makes it impossible for my gnome to leave the property.
Keep your gnome happy!
That’s awesome. Years ago, someone put a wooden angel on a pole in my little flower bed. Asked my lovely neighbors, who denied it was them (wanted to thank them) Still don’t know where it came from! Maybe it was my very own gnome!
I envy all of you with your Scotts and your gnomes. I need one to help me, as I lack the family green thumb. Don’t get me wrong, I can keep plants alive — but I’m not nearly the gardener my father is, and I don’t have the knack with grass that Dad or my sister do. I’m grateful to Scott and the gnome for keeping the urns in Ross’s planters pretty, as I enjoy them all summer when I visit Emporia.