Grateful

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy: They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”    Marcel Proust

Link to more sunflowers.

Borrowed Sunflower

What a week!  I'll start with this sunflower in a friend's community garden in Renton.  I didn't remember my own sunflowers blooming by now, but there have been some (click on the "Sunflowers" label below to see more).   Not this year.  I will visit Renton for a sunflower treatment now and then.  This link has a bouquet with cosmos from this same community garden.

This was the thermometer outside of the barn on Sunday (see the barn here).  I spent that time sorting and clearing out my barn space.   It has been a while since I've planned my outside time to avoid the sun.

Happy October

This is a reminder of the beautiful weather we had last week. This week has been different!

Here's Emily harvesting her catnip.

This came from some mixed sunflower seeds. It is the first time I've had one like this. Under all that fluff is a full sunflower seedhead! I didn't expect that.

I'll be away from the keyboard for some days. I'm looking forward to catching up with you then. And you know you'll be seeing Petunia's Pumpkins soon!

Lemon Sunflower

So many of my sunflowers are red or partial red. This one in the pumpkin patch stands out for its yellowness. Several of them are over 6 feet (including this one), but none have large flowers this year. May just be the variety. Many are multi-branched, though. This is one from a sunflower seed mixture I purchased from a local grower.

The flowers in the pumpkin patch are the tallest, probably because they are not crowded. They were planted a little late. This is the first in the pumpkin patch to bloom, whereas the self-seeded ones have been blooming since early July.

Click on the label below, Sunflowers, to see other pics.

Garden Sun

In spite of the overcast days this week, the first sunflower has blossomed. He has quite a lead on the other sunflowers in the garden. I did plan seeds from a new mixture so I'm looking forward to the sunflower surprises.

Link to his young sprout days.

It's Time!

My neighbor spotted this volunteer sunflower in my garden last night. To me, this signals the time for planting more sunflower seeds as needed. Last year, we found the first ones in late April.

I think this will be a red & yellow petaled flower, like this one.
It could be all red, like this one. I can tell because the stalk and leaves have darker shades than all yellow sunflowers.

Don't Be Shy!

Mark your calendars for a Garden Bloggers meet-up in Seattle at the Miller Library, UW Center for Urban Horticulture: Saturday, February 7th at 12:30 - 2:30 pm

Go visit Karen at Greenwalks and her We're On post for the details (and the potential group name that's developing a following).

Thanks, Karen, for organizing this event! This is just what we need to get us thinking past the snow storms and the current downpour that's threatening to move us all to houseboats and floating gardens. I look forward to meeting everyone.

Banking Sky & Blooms

I'm saving this photo now for future withdrawals (especially in January)!

Sunflowers & Pumpkins

Spiky sunflower on a stormy day, though this photo didn't capture much of the dark sky rolling in. The green beans have reached the top of the climber (in the background). We had the first tasty harvest for dinner last night. I vow to keep them picked this year (although planting only half as many as last year many help).
And the pumpkins have grown since the Aug. 4th post. There are four plants here, though it looks like two.

Been traveling and having company. In total denial that August arrives Friday. But, glad the peas have made it this long. Hopes for tomatoes and beans in August.
The July 14th Garden, below:

A Welcomed Sight

The first sunflower of 2008 (& a volunteer). I'm back in the garden, but not quite back in the swing of things. DH hurt his knee while I was away and I've been pulled into lawn cutting (I vote to let more of it just grow). The nice weather (yeah!) has encouraged everything to grow.

Harvested some of the too crowded beets tonight! ...adding to the peas and broccoli we've been eating.

It's opening day...

...of sunflower season!

My tomato seedlings are not growing much indoors (not enough light) nor in the garage (too cold), carrots are not planted, beets still to be seeded, fennel seedlings are past due for planting, slugs keep finding the broccoli. It doesn't matter now. There will be sunflowers!The first volunteer sunflower seedlings to appear are the red sunflowers. I can tell by the red stalks and tinted edges on the leaves. Like red/purple peas and lettuce, they don't seem to mind the cool weather. I think that is a baby borage above the sunflower.

And once the first one appears, the others quickly sprout too. Is it the soil or air temps? Is it the amount of daylight? Now I need to determine what sprouting sunflowers signal, and which other plants will be content living in the garden at this time.

Click on the "Sunflowers" label, below, to have a summertime refresher.

Sunflowers for Rainy Days

This sunflower seems to be the star of dark and gray days. This photo is from a dark day at the end of August. The sun would break through for a moment and make these flowers glow. Today, we didn't have any sun breaks in the misty day, but I could see the blossoms on this plant from the garage window and it called me out to visit.

I thought this was an Italian White Sunflower from seeds I ordered this year. See the Italian White from last year's garden here. Now I'm thinking it may be Valentine, also ordered this year. This one has grown to about 7 feet tall, but unlike the other sunflowers, it has these graceful stalks that hold up the 4-6 inch flowers very nicely. More for cut flowers than seeds, I think, but I will check for seed production in the older flower heads next time I'm out there.

Winter Supply (for Somebody)

A few weeks ago, I trimmed back some of the sunflowers and placed the seed heads on this old gate to dry in the sun. I would move it inside the barn at night to avoid the dew (& mildew).

After one drying day, I decided to just place it in the open, but covered stall area outside the barn. This way it would get air but little dew.

A few days later, I went to have a look. Here is what I found....

What does this say about the winter ahead? I would really like to see where the squirrel (I assume) has stashed all of the seed heads! One day, I'm sure we'll find the remains somewhere.

Still, this is better then a visit by the predator the Homesteading neighbors posted about here!

Sunflower of the Year

I can no longer tell which are the volunteer sunflowers and which are something I specifically planted. This type has done really well this year while others didn't seem to grow as well. Lots of branches with medium size flowers which are nice for cutting. Even on the sunniest days, it makes me think of autumn. Quite appropriate in this summer that wasn't (not that I've minded the cooler temps and rain, after last year).

Morning Sunflower

This is the east facing sunflower in the pumpkin patch. I didn't get as many sunflowers to sprout and survive early slug invasions as last year, but the ones growing have lots of room. This one is a Sunseed Sunflower. Most end up facing west, but this one got me out there in the morning to capture its sunny face.

It's Here!

Ahhhh, thanks! I needed that today. The petals still have some opening to do on this first sunflower of the summer, but the heat this week has really moved this one along.

And the warm evening means outdoor blogging! I haven't tried it from the garden yet, but the patio works just fine.

Radiant Flower Power

Good, this warms me up a little! And are you noticing more light at the beginning and ending of each day? I can tell even on these gray days.

A few more extra busy days and then I'll be around to catch up with everyone.

Just One More...

Another sunflower in January is just what I need! I've intended to post this one ever since September. This is an Italian White Sunflower, from seeds given out at the 2004 Seattle flower & garden show, and quite a nice surprise in the garden last summer. This year, I'll plant them earlier and more of them so I can have some as cut flowers also. This plant was around 4-5 feet tall and had a number of branches with flowers.

The seed packet & my usual catalog says they are thought to be an heirloom variety brought to the US by European immigrants. The catalog also says, though, that they've been observed as a wild desert variety. I didn't research further.

So if you are making your list, maybe you have room for this dainty sunflower.

Happy Birthday, Red!

This flashback to August and Red Sun is in honor of my friend's birthday today. Hope it brings a smile and memories of great times. Better watch out world, 'cause we're only getting started!

I hope you did see this post here some time ago too.

Enjoy the day - PG