The 2016 Garden....
Last yr taught me a lot about our new "digs". The biggest lesson was SPACE. It was/is hard to get used to "downsizing" from a lot and a half of suburban Permaculture to a Patio Home(basically, a condo with two courtyards not much bigger than the standard bedroom). Container gardening wasn't that big of a switch since we did most of our non-landscape gardening in raised beds...which are basically big pots;>.
Another was Exposure. No other place I've lived has there been such a big swing in such seasonally as here at Royal Oaks. The SE courtyard is Full Sun in Summer and Full Shade in Winter due to the Oak forest surrounding us. The NW one is Part Sun in Summer and Full in Winter. Needless to say, stuff I planted when I moved in Xmas before last were in the wrong zone in Summer;>.
Beyond the physical, I've noticed a "pull" toward Flowers more than Food. At the old place I was big into Permaculture and Self-Sustainability. Can't do that in the limited space here and last yr's limited Veg production really made that obvious. I think that with the exceptions of rare Herbs(at least rare here in "The Dangly Bits" ;>)I'm focusing on Flowers, particularly those that are Fragrant. The two Citrus trees I've already planted with fit with the program as well.
One interesting thing is that I've noticed a preference for White over other Blossom colours since Moving in. Since the house is a brownish Green and a greenish Brown it's not that. Maybe all those yrs of the riot of Colours at Hummingbird makes me prefer a calmer palate.
Already, thanks to that Warm Fall/early Winter the Paperwhites and some of the Narcissus have already bloomed(as well as our neighbor's Crabapple). I'm giving the Jasminum officinalis one more yr to Bloom and if not....
The White Philippine Violets have finished and the White Parma and Wild Violets(gathered from local lawns, not Woods) have buds. None of the Lenten Roses are showing buds yet. I had them for 5 yrs at the old place and this is the 2nd and only one's Bloomed yet and it was the sickly one! if it wasn't for the nice foliage I'd have Composted them by now.
Right now I'm scouring catalogues and Ebay for Ideas of what to plant for this yr. There's a White cultivar of the Maypop but my experience with this plant at Hummingbird makes it a big Invasive thrat to the local Woods. At H it could only escape into other lawns(where it got Mowed down). I've seen what both Kudzu and the Air Potato have done locally and don't wish to add to the mess...even though it IS a native plant. I've my "eye" on some Heirloom Roses that would do well in containers and may try my hand at Dahlias in them because I certainly didn't have luck with them in ground!
Here in the really Deep South(Florida Panhandle) January is when you choose and order so that you can, in most cases start stuff Indoors, esp with European Veg and Annuals. They can't handle our Hot and Humid Summers so you have to get them in and growing before July hits nd most of them end up looking like they've been put in a steamer(which in a way they have;>). The earliest catalogues oft get the business in my house!
Cheers,
Pat
Another was Exposure. No other place I've lived has there been such a big swing in such seasonally as here at Royal Oaks. The SE courtyard is Full Sun in Summer and Full Shade in Winter due to the Oak forest surrounding us. The NW one is Part Sun in Summer and Full in Winter. Needless to say, stuff I planted when I moved in Xmas before last were in the wrong zone in Summer;>.
Beyond the physical, I've noticed a "pull" toward Flowers more than Food. At the old place I was big into Permaculture and Self-Sustainability. Can't do that in the limited space here and last yr's limited Veg production really made that obvious. I think that with the exceptions of rare Herbs(at least rare here in "The Dangly Bits" ;>)I'm focusing on Flowers, particularly those that are Fragrant. The two Citrus trees I've already planted with fit with the program as well.
One interesting thing is that I've noticed a preference for White over other Blossom colours since Moving in. Since the house is a brownish Green and a greenish Brown it's not that. Maybe all those yrs of the riot of Colours at Hummingbird makes me prefer a calmer palate.
Already, thanks to that Warm Fall/early Winter the Paperwhites and some of the Narcissus have already bloomed(as well as our neighbor's Crabapple). I'm giving the Jasminum officinalis one more yr to Bloom and if not....
The White Philippine Violets have finished and the White Parma and Wild Violets(gathered from local lawns, not Woods) have buds. None of the Lenten Roses are showing buds yet. I had them for 5 yrs at the old place and this is the 2nd and only one's Bloomed yet and it was the sickly one! if it wasn't for the nice foliage I'd have Composted them by now.
Right now I'm scouring catalogues and Ebay for Ideas of what to plant for this yr. There's a White cultivar of the Maypop but my experience with this plant at Hummingbird makes it a big Invasive thrat to the local Woods. At H it could only escape into other lawns(where it got Mowed down). I've seen what both Kudzu and the Air Potato have done locally and don't wish to add to the mess...even though it IS a native plant. I've my "eye" on some Heirloom Roses that would do well in containers and may try my hand at Dahlias in them because I certainly didn't have luck with them in ground!
Here in the really Deep South(Florida Panhandle) January is when you choose and order so that you can, in most cases start stuff Indoors, esp with European Veg and Annuals. They can't handle our Hot and Humid Summers so you have to get them in and growing before July hits nd most of them end up looking like they've been put in a steamer(which in a way they have;>). The earliest catalogues oft get the business in my house!
Cheers,
Pat