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Wow, so as many of you can see, this is not my usual fare. Illicit Magic (Book 1, Stella Mayweather Series).

Both could easily take another week or more before germinating, especially with the rounds of cold, wintry weather visiting my area every few days. The Cleopatra oregano is also still a no-show. The flat-leaf parsley - a notoriously slow germinator - is still meditating on germination. Tiny Sweet Marjoram and German Winter Thyme seedlings began popping up 5 days after planting. Plus, I’ve got a nice, hot, well-drained spot where the thyme, oregano, and marjoram can dangle over the rock border of the Furlough Wall of the bed Wonder Spouse built a few years ago. I rationalized that seeds are cheaper than plants, so I could try again. I don’t usually manage to keep most of them alive for more than a couple of years. North Carolina summer humidity and heat are very hard on thymes and other Mediterranean herbs. I also decided to try growing some perennial herbs from seed. I’m hoping creeping herbs like thymes and oregano will appreciate the heat of the rock wall that contains this flower bed. Fourteen of the fifteen seeds in the packet germinated in 3-4 days. They are purported to bloom well through summer heat and drought. These bright annuals should add some nice color to my front walk. I’ve got my fingers crossed that these prima donnas fulfill my expectations.įirst to germinate for me was another new flower - a Gazania hybrid mix called New Day. I’m hopeful that the other four seedlings will pop up any minute, especially because the next few days are supposed to be sunny, and these seeds require bright light to germinate well. Eight days isn’t really that long for a number of species to germinate, but because I’ve never tried this variety before, I confess I was getting a tad nervous. Finally today, 8 days after planting, one tiny seedling has emerged. The instructions told me to allow a lot of time for germination and for the plants to grow to transplantable size. My packet only contained five pelleted petunia seeds, because this fancy hybrid is quite particular about its germination requirements. I could not resist trying a variety called Carmine Velour, which is described as being “stunning, non-fading, intense and bright, even when cloudy.” I’m hoping that the Ruby-throated hummingbirds that visit a feeder just across from the flower basket will approve of these deep red beauties. You’ve probably seen these prolific bloomers in nursery centers. For the hanging basket, I decided to try a petunia from the Hybrid Wave Series. These non-native, showy summer blooms line a front walkway to my house, fill a hanging basket by the front door, and mingle with the vegetables to attract pollinators and provide fresh flowers for bouquets. Most years, I try a few new annual flower varieties. The feeder for summer-visiting hummingbirds is just a few feet from where I hope to have a hanging basket of red petunias they will also enjoy. Its mycelia kill and digest nematodes, likely as a way to obtain nitrogen. Fun fact I learned when I researched this mushroom: it is carnivorous. They are growing at the base of a fungus-killed tulip poplar. My friend with fungus knowledge assures me that these are edible oyster mushrooms, but we’ll likely leave them for local wildlife to enjoy. Oyster Mushrooms ( Pleurotus ostreatus)įruiting bodies, not flowers, I know, but these beauties stopped me in my tracks on this morning’s walkabout. I must now pack tissues for every walk around the yard. I know, because my allergies went crazy as soon as I stepped out the door yesterday and today. Even before these native trees start, the local elm species ( Ulmus spp.) open their inconspicuous flowers to unleash their pollen on winter winds. I believe their arrival is the first true sign that spring approaches.

Although technically not quite yet in bloom, these swelling flower buds point to an imminent explosion of red flowers within the next few weeks.