Sometimes the things you plant surprise you in good ways - that's what happened here a few times this week. The temperatures are now in the high 80's, even the late iris are almost done and the phlox foliage is about 8" tall, so the season should be early summer in this part of the long fence bed. Look who just showed up-
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-cicY5ia6rQH9qUsl_-UhaTVtVIY5xCJBPxdogRsMOmbb2HMhk_WqzlwyLRNU4y_RwFDuzzxPL0lMy3xj5OJOK4VubfMdz7e_O_b71XD9WZ4K6NlZKZ_hWyAK6Ff-uY25PyRpk1PBgJK/s400/4,25,nars+pink+pride.jpg)
My daughter and son-in-law had a mini-rose sent to me last year for Mothers Day - they didn't get a choice of color but knew it would be pretty.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMy0EWczexCIgoWODSEQD-_sQm62k3dgsrlor7gf2RHYtREB_okntC58VNikKmL1rBjUlo29e2JihoPHYGx4DwjQq2ZCyw6CyBC_1HVT0QVgjmP9d1vt6zo9rAj3AAb1kjob1yce2JUR69/s320/5,12,+rosebud.jpg)
Because of last summers flooding rain I kept the mini-rose in a container so it wouldn't drown. It didn't bloom again but branched out and then when cold weather came it lost all its leaves. I kept it in the pot, bringing it in the garage whenever we dipped below freezing.
The rose leafed out early this spring and I planted it near the blue scabiosa and the coppery orange ranunculus.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBssCKKx3yFlLe_u_a0ErRmcndNxhxynb-ELKNnryEeKNhS_uUShXqEwFXY0sB85n0KI7ixgPx3ddcqirGf-70_NiSeRTcVOD7WZ-6jHmiVe6yOvlQvKJLmonIEOIRLWYdWIZm2rSYCX3/s400/4,25,+apricot+rose.jpg)
I wonder if the more intense color is a response to more heat and sunlight? I don't see any other buds but the whole plant seems to have more substance and vigor since it left the container. Maybe it will take a little longer for this little rose to settle in and display its true color.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJp-5YShsyrh4RSDHMU1TIvQhoT79JpF8qeMFs3Fz550nlASrgRos4duoLsUBbOtjsv-5MGCZuHaZe9j5C837xO7NM8usIMmvt0MRTznKmlevAFnGgJ7SuHnQvR3fUvlnheN6ihc01Rugx/s400/4,25,+confused+schlum.jpg)
Larkspur is one of my favorite annuals - one reason I love the meadow at Zanthan Gardens. I bought double lilac larkspur seeds in fall .. after we had the long fence bed started, and threw them around. For three springs they've sprouted and grown, and usually bloomed, but the flowers in Central Austin usually bloom a few weeks earlier than mine here in NW Austin. Larkspur like air and sun so last year's wet spring made their flowering season very short.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KYN_kQMLLpqxK2yx6iPjMIYdA-I3dIkZvc3xLEnOHypcL6J7dOWe2WdEc3Bhpg6zjPJf_5A-cGEBMZv7h6prKBX27L-a5_BWuTHMLV77eifLc5udsjbtYK3cuszsS0XMu8ffQULM0uqC/s400/4,23,+ruler,+larkspur.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPpUKKzBNlJrk5rwCoumGosqllk8fXGM8kIOHBcdnhi3Plh06zIWFR6WaDdJoZUWjXMK33EVTNBndtf_FvmW1UlkEfSxKtsl4Ebpgm5Ju72v3yu8_H3T9Y7HC2sOxVZeYr7Etsx0ddFbN/s400/4,25,radishes.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSmTpH4e9_VxUCr0Xy6wTGz0MdI_uPIoeS2sbNLx6NZxy9HlPDyrCGAwyPOOGKkoVIHHkZbpvSyG7MIFwGCpOn4_KB7sujoHmReAcGmrTkx0zrkTBEJDwjgQ2-qsOc9IkDaMnHkixMejp/s400/4,25,radish+sandwich.jpg)
Have you ever planted a seed from an apple or orange or the pit from a cherry or peach? Garden experts will tell you not to bother doing this when starting the home orchard - to always buy a named tree instead.
But my nephew and his parents weren't planning a home orchard a few years ago - they just wanted to find out if something special could happen. Grandma had ordered a box of luscious Harry & David peaches for the whole family and after enjoying the fruit Jake and his mom & dad ceremoniously planted the peach pit in the back yard. The peach seed sprouted and grew and was watched over. Last year it was swaddled in net to protect it from the Seventeen Year cicadas.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPnrXqbvKLIfBETvr5Xng_bZ4F2_hSa1sZ_2CRTMcYm3G0Dut0cfNFA5CkVIw6jGR4VxFgB8N-kE8kHfOhVyGsWKgxNmudfixhWAKU65SPPott6HA_76cSso8UNpX1ti-MUKvbWbHzW8-q/s400/4,23,+J+with+Harry+and+David+peachtree.jpg)
My nephew is justly proud of starting the tree and I'm impressed that my family believed in the power of a seed.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8beexB7wfG3qS4PtD15m8yMR00B57eMC57PplKmPqr-C21WE_luq9zR1pz7DobM7ByVC2xvUkbq0D5Ace1pfOLaoohW6HawarYPQ51rOd61IR9naAQLHieIMxts-ce6T1nZBosdFbPUgt/s400/4,23,+Jake+%26+peachtree+...jpg)
This post, "Enjoying the Unexpected", was written for my blogspot blog called The Transplantable Rose by Annie in Austin.
No comments:
Post a Comment