The Good Witch: Polish, Pictures and Pixie Dust: Gardening Time

So since we moved we’ve been super busy even on the weekends… Either unpacking or running round or going to family functions. Yesterday I got a wonderful break and was able to get some flowers planted that I’ve had out on our front porch for what seems like forever.

I always found gardening cathartic. And I wish I could say it ran in my veins, for my grandpa was an avid gardener and one of the best I’ve known. But unfortunately anything I put in pots is destined to die. I don’t know why, but I can’t keep anything in a pot alive to save well.. It’s life lol. So hopefully this round of flowers won’t meet an untimely end like all their brothers and sisters before them.

So yesterday Biscuit and I decided to take over residence on the back patio for an hour or so to test out our green thumbs before it got too ungodly hot.

I got my pots, my flowers, my potting soil, my watering can… My overflowing butt bowl… Yes, I smoke. Get over it. We all do here. But I must say- we haven’t been smoking in the house and holy hell can you tell the difference!!

While out there I noticed how a giant mullberry bush has created an awesome viney overhang against our brick wall out in back here. I can envision some AWESOME pictures being taken out there!!!

First off is a treat for the hubs….. A pepper plant. I secretly hope this one dies lol

It’s called a Fooled You hot pepper. But upon reading about the Fooled You pepper- he might be in for a rude awakening. Evidently the FY is a hybrid version of a Jalapeno pepper with virtually no heat. The fruit is heavy, thick-walled, and will turn from green to red if allowed to mature on the plant. I might even be able to enjoy this one- but I doubt it. Even if it has the slightest hint of heat my esophagus catches fire.

Next up is a gorgeous purple pretty called New Wonder. It’s a gorgeous annual hailing from Australia of all places. Usually when you think of Australia you think of barren, desolate landscapes and shitton of kangaroos. Not pretty little flowers.

These little beauties can bloom until it frosts and are heat and drought tolerant. Even though we’ve gotten quite a bit of rain in the past few weeks, we’re still in moderate drought conditions so having a plant that’s a little more hardy than others is definitely a good thing. It can grow from 10-12 inches but has a bit of a trailing habit which makes it perfect for hanging baskets and window boxes.

These little beauties are Angelonia, this version is the white one called Archangel. They are also called the summer snapdragon.

This beautiful annual will grow to be a foot or two high and closely resembles salvia. This tough plant blooms all summer long with spirelike spikes of blooms. You can even winter them through in more temperate climates indoors in a sunny window. I guess I should have read the description on this one before I planted them with the others.. Hopefully they won’t overtake the more delecate blooms.

The next one up is the annual Gazania which reminds me of….

So therefore, I love it. These are called the Kiss Mix variety

I got the purple variety

And the burnt orange variety.

These gorgeous little cuties are a South African transplant and are excelent in drought ridden areas and produce blooms from early summer until frost.

Like see, there’s a baby one!

And another!!!!

Gazania can be a perrenial in zones 9-11. But being in zone 6, that makes this cutie an annual. It grows to be about a foot wide to a foot tall, making it an excelent ground cover.

Here I have New Wonder potted with Archangel. Like I said, I hope it doesn’t overpower the whole pot. I’ll have to keep a close eye on it and if it does, I’ll have to transplant the New Wonder to a new location.