The Thrill of Victory...The Agony of Defeat

There are no gardening Olympics.  But we gardeners often feel the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  Such is the case for me this Hope Grows Day.

In August I hoped to have started my vegetable garden.  It was imperative that by now I had planted seeds or starts for this fall.  I have failed miserably.  Like the skier made famous by his heart wrenching fall, I feel as though the whole world now knows my failure to succeed.  As with most failures, lack of motivation and lack of action are the reasons I did not complete my goal.  It has been so hot and so dry that mentally, I was not in the game.

So much for the agony of defeat.  How about the thrill of victory?

My roses are going for the gold!

So, what will I hope for in September?

Now that the temperatures are dipping below the triple digit mark, I am eager to start working outside again.  I hope to transplant some roses.  Find a place for the fig I purchased on impulse.  And work on the numerous garden chores that await.

In other words, my hope for September is to enjoy my garden.

Hope Grows August 2011

It's Hope Grows Day again, and I had to look back to see what I could have hoped for in July!  I knew it would be hot.  I knew I would be unable to work in these extreme temperatures.  But, in reading that post, I had a lot of hope!

So, were my hopes achieved?  Yes!

Well, maybe not completely, but mostly.

I hoped that the well would be complete.  And it is!!!!  Thank goodness - my plants would not be making it without extra water right now.

I hoped to take joy in every bloom.  And I have.  It's amazing to me that anything is blooming, so it is especially wonderful to see a bloom.

I hoped to find bees, butterflies, and dragonflies carrying on their lives.  And I have.

I hoped that not too many plants would die, and if so, that I would replace them with something better.  And I think I have done that.  (fingers crossed)

And I hoped that I would have my fall garden started by now.  Whoops!  I should have done that, but I haven't yet.  Need to start working on that one!

So, what's my hope for August?

Rain would be nice.  Lower temps.  Wake me up - I'm dreaming again!

Ok, August.  Let's see...  How about getting that fall garden started?  That's something that must be done!!!!!  It's hard to think of a fall garden when it's so hot out, but I know I'll be so thrilled to have fresh vegetables this fall.

Hanni's right.  Even at the hottest time of the year, in one of the worst droughts, there is still something to hope for in the garden!

Hope Grows July 2011

Most gardeners have a long winter break, then garden all spring, summer, and fall.  Everyone knows there are exceptions, and Texas is one of them.  We have a short winter break, garden all spring, part of the summer, then have another break when the heat gets unbearable.

Right now, I am in my summer break.  It's almost like a second winter.  I always resist this break.  It seems unnatural.  The rose blooms get smaller, plants go dormant, and watering is intensified.  Some plants die from the heat.  I've learned to watch the heat index indicated for the plant as well as the cold hardiness index.

All that just to say, it's Hope Grows Day!  Last month, my hope was for tomatoes, and to finish mulching.  Well, the tomatoes have not produced.  Triple digit heat, lows in the 80's, makes a tomato plant go dormant, or at the least produce tiny tomatoes.  So, that hope was dashed.

So, too, was my mulching hope.  I did get most of it completed before the heat wave, which came about a month early this year.  If I had just had that extra month!

Don't get me wrong.  It's not like I do nothing.  Some years I have even worked all day in 105 degree temperatures!  But I've been told so many times that I'm getting older, that I believe it myself!  So, I try to limit my work in the garden to early mornings, and quit when the temperatures reach 100 or more.  That time has been spent watering, because of the drought!  Well, you get the picture.  Nothing good to report this Hope Grows Day.

So, what do I hope for this next month?  Mid-July through mid-August are traditionally the hottest time here.  So, I have no work-related goals!  I'm reading several gardening and non-gardening books right now.  Decorating a bit.  Making garden plans.  All the things I do in winter.

Do I have hope for August?  I hope the well is complete by then.  Though the hole is dug, there is still the pump, the electrical work, and other matters necessary to be completed before it's useable.  However, these matters are not in my control.

I hope it rains.  I hope it gets cooler.  These are not in my control, either.


But - 

When the world says, "Give up", Hope whispers, "Try it one more time." 

                                                                                 - Author Unknown

So, I do have hope for August.  I hope my fall vegetable garden has been started by then.  I hope to take joy in every bloom, no matter the size.  I hope to find bees, butterflies and dragonflies, carrying on their lives.  I hope the weather doesn't kill too many plans, but if it does, I hope I'll be able to design a better area, with better suited plants.

Yes, I hope.  Because I am a gardener.

Hope's Still Growing!

Last month for Hope Grows Day, I was anticipating what would spring forth from the bulb garden.  Well, look and see:

Lilies!

Lots of lilies!

And alliums.

But there's a problem.

This bed is getting a lot more shade than last year.  The trees in it have grown more than expected in a year, and as you can see, the blooms are trying their hardest to get to the light.

So, my bulb bed is a failed experiment.  It was fun, but these bulbs will all be transplanted in the fall.  What I will put there, I haven't decided.  Maybe a nice flowering ground cover.  One that can take a little sun, but mostly shade.

Goodbye, bulb bed.

My other hope for June was for tomatoes.  I missed the mark.  Lots of little tomatoes, but none red so far.  I should have hoped for squash.   

So, now my attention has turned to July.  My hope for July has nothing to do with blooms.  I believe everything in my garden is now blooming, including my fall mums.  Even the bluebeard (caryopteris) has started blooming!  So, I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what my hope for July should be.

That my plants won't die in the drought?  No, that's not positive, or all together possible, as I've already lost some.

That it will stay under 100 degrees?  No, that hope's already been shattered.

That I can finish some project?  No, it's too hot and dry to do any projects right now.  A recipe for guaranteed failure.

Hmmm......

Then it came to me!  I hope.... that I will have tomatoes!  Tomatoes to eat, tomatoes to share, tomatoes to can.  Hot sauce, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, ketchup - all made with home-grown tomatoes!  Yes, I'm back to the tomatoes!

It didn't come true for June, but I have hope that it will for July!

May 2011 Hope Grows Day

I realize I'm a little late in posting my May Hope Grows Day hosted by Sweet Bean Gardening.  It has been an incredible month, so although I'm late, I definitely wanted to chime in for the month!

As expected, my roses put on a show:

James Galway

Julia Child

Buff Beauty

Rock & Roll

About Face

And now, their flush is complete, and I am waiting for the next round of blooms.

My bulb garden, I am sad to say, is not blooming.

But there is great anticipation in wondering what will burst from these buds!

I like them even in the bud stage.  They remind me of a fireworks show.  It will be so exciting when they explode open!

So, for June, I will continue to let you know about the bulb garden's progress.

And in addition to that, I am hoping that we will have tomatoes.  Actually, I'm not a big tomato eater.  But I want to eat something out of the garden that's not lettuce.  And the best part about tomatoes is they can be made into sauce.  I am anxious to can something this year.  It will give me such pride to see part of the harvest sitting on my pantry shelves.  So, I'm counting on the tomatoes!

And, I want to be finished mulching the beds!  Yes, I know, I know, I am WAY behind!   Should have completed this long ago.  And now I can't put it off any longer!  Just a few days of toil, sweat, sunburn and backache - and in the long run it will be well worth it!

April 2011 Hope Grows Day

It's Hope Grows Day again!  Last month, my hopes were for my crabapple trees and my crossvine to be in bloom, and for continued blooms in the bulb garden.

I am happy to report:

The crabapple trees put on a beautiful show:

And my crossvine is in full bloom:

As for the bulb garden, well, it looks a bit messy, but the Dutch Irises are beginning to bloom.

Hope Grows Day is hosted by Sweet Bean Gardening and these are the simple rules:

Post a photo of something in your garden that you are looking forward to in the next month.  It could be a plant you're hoping to see bloom, a project you're hoping to do, really anything that you are hopeful to see/do in your gardens.  Next month (on the fifth), come back and show us:
1.) the results of what you were hoping for, and
2.) what you are looking forward to for the next month

So, for next month, I am hoping that all my roses will be in full bloom.  Some roses have blooms, but all of them seem to have buds just waiting to pop open:

If they all bloom by next month, as I expect they will, it will be a little early.  But everything is a little early this year as we've had warmer than average temperatures.  It may not seem like a lot to hope for, but my garden is filled with roses - it is definitely the majority stakeholder in my garden - so this will bring my entire garden to life.

And, of course, I am still hoping that the bulb bed will be a success.  Since this is my first year with it, it is a surprise to see what emerges!

Since this is the first year for the bulb bed, I figure some bulbs are still getting their bearings.  Like the above, aren't those cyclamen leaves?  I think they were supposed to have bloomed several months ago.  So, will they figure it out next year?  This bed will probably be ever-changing for several years.

I did plant peonies in this bed, too.  Was that a mistake?  Will they get too big and shade out all the rest of the bulbs?  I may never know.  Peonies are not common in Texas, but I have "heard" (but never seen) that it is possible to grow them here.  Do I have what it takes?  Will they die before they are mature enough to bloom?  All these questions won't be answered for several years.  


That is part of what makes gardening such a fun hobby.  You just never know for sure.

March 2011 Hope Grows Day

Sweet Bean Gardening has come up with a great idea!  Called Hope Grows Days, these are the rules:

Post a photo of something in your garden that you are looking forward to in the next month.  It could be a plant you're hoping to see bloom, a project you're hoping to do, really anything that you are hopeful to see/do in your gardens.  Next month (on the fifth), come back and show us:
1.) the results of what you were hoping for, and
2.) what you are looking forward to for the next month


Well, I am hopeful.  There are buds on my crab apple.  I'm hoping that soon they will open like this picture from last year:

I am also hoping my crossvine will bloom.  It puts on a magnificent display when in bloom.  Again, another picture from last year:

However, my biggest hope comes from the newest little bed I've planted.

This little area has given me lots of problems.  Situated 1/2 in shade, 1/2 in full sun, I wanted not only a miracle plant, I wanted flowers!  So, I came up with a plan:  bulbs.  All kinds of bulbs.  Bulbs for the entire year.  I planted as many bulbs as I could squeeze into this tiny space (actually, I probably planted more than would really fit).  This is what the space looks like now.  It is full of grape hyacinths (muscari), with just a couple of crocus bulbs starting to show up.  It's a little messier than what I had envisioned, but the blue bulbs show up well, even though they are tiny.

Since this is my first year for this experiment, I am a bit curious which bulbs will come up next, and of course, very hopeful that this area will have more blooms next month!