This is the journal of my endeavours to grow a range of fruit, veg and flowers from seed, grow organically, and my attempts to create a personal paradise with 1/2 acre of maintained gardens and 1/2 acre wild meadows. Northern Ireland's average daily high temperatures are 18 °C (64 °F) in July and 6 °C (43 °F) in January. Soil type: Clay

Thursday 23 February 2012

Perennial Protruders

Lupin in its 2nd year. Grown from seed.
Walking around the garden I've noticed perennials starting to come up. This is a nice sign that Spring is in the air.

Often when I grow perennials from seed I keep them in a pot for the first year so I can keep an eye on them and protect them from slugs and snails.

You'll see from the photos below I have a bit of garden work to do clearing leaves and debris. As soon as I'm over the cold I'll have to get out there and get some work done!

Delphinium in its 2nd year; grown from seed. It didn't flower last year but should flower this year, and for years to come. I'll be planting it in the ground about March.
Variety: Delphinium elatum Pacific hybrids
Geranium (the small pink coloured one) is showing growth. These plants divide easily to make more and they self seed as well. 
Sedum Autumn Joy is just beginning to show new growth - the old stalks still in place.
Lupin grown from seed quite a few years ago.
Aquilegia Long Spurred Hybrids / Columbine - this will be its 2nd year flowering. Grown from seed.
Above and Below: Canterbury Bells, grown from seed last year and hopeful to flower this year. These are biennial and supposed to reach a height 90-120cm (36-48 inches). Will be planting these in the ground in March. First time trying these!

14 comments:

  1. We have perennials popping up too - in fact some have hard;y died back this winter - despite that I think I have some casualties too

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  2. I tend to keep plants grown from seeds and cuttings in the pots too. I just noticed this morning that the hens have been through them. The downside of free range hen keeping! I think your perennials are ahead of ours. It must be mild!

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  3. It's lovely to see everything springing back to life. I've noticed a few things starting to resprout, but I have lots of clearing away to do. I tend to leave quite a bit of foliage around which has died down so there's somewhere for the insects to sleep, and it tends to protect the plants a little too.

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  4. We tend to grow plants on in pots as well. I like to think we keep a better look out for slugs and snails that way too. Trouble is it's usually too late when I actually spot those tell tale slime trails. I'll have to come up with a new improved method this year.

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  5. Lovely to see the spring is starting to awaken. It has been warm here to I am seeing tulips popping up. I can't wait for summer.

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  6. Nothing popping up here, except for a couple of daffodils that know what they are doing--too early. Still very cold. It is little wonder that Ireland is known as the emerald isle with all of the green that you are sharing. I really must try to start more seeds. You are quite patient to let them grow and mature. You have very healthy looking plants and probably they are very hardy, too.

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  7. Some interesting photos you have here. I need to check my perennials if something's coming out.

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  8. Your perennials are doing very well! They seems to welcoming the spring!

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  9. I always wanted to grow lupin but never gotten around it yet. I have to wait 1 1/2 year for our canterbury bell to bloom. Good Luck with them!

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  10. How exciting! I've bought some seeds this year - great idea to start them in pots for a year first!

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  11. Hi Kelli, it may still be cold up there but you have quite a lot of plants trying to break through!You have reminded me to check my lupins to see if they have survived, I grew some from seed and got a beautiful shade of pink from a deep red parent plant!

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  12. Hi Kelli, I can't wait to see how you lupin do....I love them! Also the Canterbury Bells. I hope you get lots of blooms this year.

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  13. I've never thought to grow perennials from seed in pots. I never seem to have much luck with them, so maybe that would help.

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  14. You are doing such a great job!

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