Sunday, June 11, 2017

The Patio

May Night Salvia

I live in a townhouse and have no yard, but I do have a patio and thought I'd share some pictures from this Spring. I keep the pentas for the butterflies and hummingbirds, but I buy new plants every year:


The coneflowers came back again but still haven't spread like I'd hoped they would:


My daylilies are a common field lily transplanted from the yard where I grew up:


I tried lavender a couple of different times before I found one that would live, but this one has lasted:


I keep my oxalis in little pots even though I've heard it's hardy here:


I didn't have much luck with my zinnia seeds this year, as the chipmunks and birds got to them as soon as I was back in the house. I did get enough to make up a pot, and this is the first bloom:


I've tried the Shasta Daisy from seed, from plants, in the ground, in pots, and in various places on the patio. It does well at first before gradually fading. It has not once come back. This is my last attempt:


The bee balm has begun blooming:


I rooted some abelia in a pot a couple of years ago, and it continues to do well:


I always keep mint in a pot, too. I use it in lemonade and don't have any trouble using enough to keep it in check:


My houseplants do much better outside than they do in the house. My peace lilies, for example, are very happy:


I have several bird feeders but have no luck getting photos of the birds. I'll keep trying and hope to be able to put up a post featuring them.

8 comments:

  1. I didn't know you lived in a town house, but knew you had a small patio. I really LOVE it when you share yours, because it looks so, so, so much better than anything I could possibly create.

    You have a wide variety of plants that seem to do well, including your peace lilies and coneflowers. They are all doing well, too, in spite of your worry they are not. BTW, I STILL haven't found a lavender that will overwinter here, even when I bring it indoors. I bought five new ones this year and one died shortly after I planted it. So much for my brown thumb!

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    1. Lavender is so picky. I needed one that would survive our muggy heat in the summer, and this one does pretty good. It's a bit more rambly than I expected.

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  2. You have a great patio space with all those beautiful flowers. I think patio gardening is fun because its a lot more controlled than a big garden, which is what I have been starting to do. So many weeds to clean out. :) Hope you're having a great weekend. Hugs-erika

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    1. I get carried away with the pots and tend to fill up the space lol Weeds are _so_ much easier to keep control of in this small space. I love patio gardening!

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  3. This was so cool to see your patio plants. I am new to this. Well, been so long it is new again (over 40 years). The color, life, and bug attraction make it so much fun already. Bees have already been here. :) Enjoy!!

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    1. Yes, I love how birds, butterflies, and bees will find even the smallest oasis :) They are a joy to watch, aren't they!

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  4. What a beautiful patio you have created with all those pretty colourful flowers! I enjoyed reading your learning about which plants do and don't grow too 😀. It's wonderful that you can grow peace lillie's outside alongside all your other lovely plants and I must try some mint in a glass of lemonade - it sounds delicious and very refreshing! Hope you had a great weekend and Happy Monday! J 😊

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    1. Lemonade is perfect with mint. I crush it a bit and just put it in the glass. A summertime treat :)

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