January 01/21 New Year garden resolutions & pictures

wishing all this site’s fine contributors a peaceful, creative, joyful New Year 2021 (in less than 11 hours in Vancouver BC “pacific Standard Time zone)

I had huge plans for March 2020 onward — hmmm - well I thought about the projects and of course soon became looped in to the vortex of beautiful photos avail on line

I realize I have way too many ideas and ambitions!

So I need to list and finish what I started already — or pass forward responsibly the materials that are not jelling for me

I hope to grow some coleus from seed and found coated seed at McKenzie website

And I plan to post a Jan 01/21 garden photo tomorrow

It’s fun to share our happy success, or something that happened bigger than us (I saw a bat on my garden wall in June!)

I hope you can join in this thread too

 

I may live many thousands of miles from the PNW, but have grown to look on people on the forum as my close friends and neighbours. The banter is so much fun.
I totally understand Georgia's quandary, as soon as Christmas is over we gardeners minds start racing about what our gardens are going to look like in the weeks to come.
For me I'm going into the foray of Bonsai. This is mainly due to the fact I've run out of room, but still have trees on my wish list.
I had lots of pots and composts delivered today. Yes very early but I can't wait to get started. Actually I've already potted one up, my Turner Oak that my eldest granddaughter collected as an acorn and planted 9 years ago, very nervous as it means so much. I will update the forum when it leafs out.
Anyway, a very happy and healthy new year to everyone.

 

-3°C here on the 1st January 2021 and some rather frosty Rosehips that have held on to give a little colour amongst all the white stems this morning.

 

Thank you so much - we're all counting on 2021 being a big improvement over the year just ended.

I haven't done as much done in my garden since March as I could and should have; it sometimes seems such an effort. Despite my lack of enthusiasm, it looks surprisingly nice for January 1st. Many plants besides evergreens are still green - especially the ferns. (I do hope we will have dedicated fern and moss forums.)

My #1 resolution for 2021 is just to keep on top of things - pull weeds before they go to seed, deadhead when flowers fade, mulch areas that need it and so on.

After the bog garden is finished and a drip irrigation system in place, I'm going to quit taking on big new projects and just concentrate on keeping the garden well maintained.

The picture shows evergreens (mostly rhodos) and deciduous plants that have still not lost all their leaves.

 

I am late with garden pix of Jan 01/21

Yesterday was torrential rain and today is huge rain wind storm so I do not want to go out in garden and be winged by a large Douglas fir branch

On the patio - there is faded blossom of
1. Santa Claus “Hardy” fuchsia in a container - I highly recommend this one. hummingbirds like it —- it is not as hardy as the old style Magellan but if you have a sheltered spot, you can get this appealing red -white bloom.

2. And a very reliable easy purple aster next to a small water pond

My fav hardiest rosemary I have grown (and it survives wet and then snap below freezing and then hot dry summer) is Arp - and its container was sent flying across the sundeck today (wind gusts off ocean) ... plant still looks great and the rough trip it took released a delicious aroma!

I realize this thread has some similar ideas for plans and wishes as this previously posted topic here
2021 plant wish list

 

Margot - your forest stream moss & fern garden is my dream!

Is that a seasonal (ie winter only) stream?

I read on other thread how you wish for lilies - I have pretty good success w lilies of Asiatic and Oriental names

My practice is to plant in well drained soil in container - shallow soil perhaps Max 9” deep

I use same style container for all my lilies so when they expire - o know it’s not just a pot of soil - it’s a lily in case name tag is lost

Now yes - deer do nibble so pots are helpful then you can change in and out of a disastrous deer party

I start with blooming Asiatics around St Jean Baptist day (Quebec) or around Solstice June 24

Then gradually I end up with the usual stargazer or Casa Blanca sometime early August - in the first week

I keep them out of the hot sun to make them last

I have some - and I will have to look up name - that are very tall and even Coast wind and rain of late July can not ruin them all - see EDIT below

The key - I think - is once in the pot, I never disturb them

Plus the price per bulb is really expensive now so they make little bulblets in the container - I don’t know how long til maturity and bloom but I can always hope!

Another plants for someone else to consider is Brookside geranium — if you were enamoured of Johnson’s Blue ... I suggest you look in to Brookside. The dear deer chomped some but I think it was disagreeable to their taste and left the remaining blossom alone.

Edit - Margot - have a look for this one - I have had it in a very large and well drained container for at least 10 yrs and it has multiplied and is very tall and soft fragrant — and it stands up in ocean wind and rain that happens in our 2020’s coastal BC summers - see the photo of label, below .... it’s often in the typical decent garden Center display of Florissa brand

 

Hello Georgia Strait -

I have always admired how much you know about gardening on the west coast of BC and WA. I see you divide your time now between the South Okanagan and Greater Vancouver, which certainly encompass a wide range of garden habitats. You've been places (gardening-wise) and done things I can only dream of. :-)

Your experience and advice growing lilies is very good to know. I really, really appreciate your detailed explanation of how to have success with them and will put it into practice as soon as possible in the spring. Spring can't come soon enough, can it?

As you guess, my 'stream' is seasonal - November to April at best - but pretty exciting while it flows. There are a couple of waterfalls along the 300 or so foot length of it and it's pretty noisy at times. Uncharitable people might call it a ditch but I love it while it lasts.

PS I'll also look into Brookside geranium. I thought I had a Johnson's Blue until @Ron B told me otherwise.

 

Good morning - the huge wind has just started again

What I like about Brookside geranium is the 2 I have in pots exhibit
A. A more upright taller look than Johnson’s Blue - and even w some torrential rains at coast, they do not flop over.
B. The flowers seem to last longer than the older types of geranium
C. The green leaves turn a mahogany kind of color as the season progresses

I know some people like big lush mounds of solid flowers - I suppose like English Border style ... and of course I like it!

For us in rural areas, with low maintenance ambitions (and low water use), I like natural greenery like sword ferns and salal with some daubs of color mingled in (more like how you’d find some columbine or tiger lily in the wild forest up in Okanagan)

 

Well we are 6 months further with MUCH longer daylight and it’s getting warm here too in BC / Cascadia

Any updates?

Hère are some prev threads incl this one LINKED BELOW started around Dec 25 2020

This question re: updates is for everyone near and far and of various garden interests

———
It was not on my « list » (and isn’t that often the best gift!) - to be so lucky this past spring to learn more of flowering ornamental cherries right here close to our small coast town - thank you very much to @Willard and @wcutler

And an energetic forum contributor @Keith Elliott from the dry side of BC Cascades and Coast Mtns reminded me to revisit some of my favorite books (field guides)

I had never previously known of Haida potatoes either (another recent thread)

And a little bit about Northern Europe and the ancient architecture (@Sulev)

And Bonsai a la français (with exposed roots in Chinese style)

So much to learn from everyone -

——-
Yes, I did plant what I bought earlier this bedding plant season (oh it’s an old bad habit!) - thé easiest solution is to buy less - impossible!

I remember @Margot was thinking of planting summer bulb lilies (I noted my first Asiatic blooming today)

And Mrs @Acerholic looking forward to a gingko amidst the acres of acers
Th list continues ...

————-

If you are inspired to make a quick note about your garden wishlist and/or résolution progress journey to date — it’s always interesting

There is also a thread (virtual garden tour)Virtual Garden Tour

And this garden plant wish list to cross reference
2021 plant wish list

 

What a reminder of all the topics we discuss on these forums.

 

Good morning Georgia, well my wife's Ginkgo is coming along nicely, albeit slowly. It has been such a difficult Spring, that everything this year is not as good as past years.
So here is the little Ginkgo biloba variegatta. With not too much variegation at all atm.

 

Good morning - I put that link to 2021 WISH list in there because I’m my mind, it somewhat relates to 2021 RESOLUTIONS

Haha yes the range of topics — I think I know just enough to be dangerous