My garden consists of plants I like, plants I don’t, but I thought I would, and plants gone wild. Most of the aforementioned plants I have purchased or have been given and a few I have started from seed. Many are weeds or have become weedlike. I don’t have a green thumb, but I love to garden so my thumb keeps getting a little greener each year. Some would say that I have a green thumb, but I know that I work hard in the garden that I have. Most green thumb people I know just have the touch. Okay, I plan to take some photos of my garden, but concentrate on the cut flower part. I will take some photos of my tomatoes just because I love them so much and I raise them from tiny seeds, but mostly I will take photos of my flowers and a few bouquets because I love flowers too. I never knew how to make bouquets until I started gardening with my friend Anne. She is an expert bouquet maker so I owe my bouquet skill to her. Maybe I will feature her some time. I have several gardening buddies that I want to feature. My friend Pat has a very large garden on several acres. She is extremely busy constantly trying to keep up with that. It is beautiful! My friend Margie has an English garden design in her backyard. Very manicured with wonderful specimen plants and only a small amt of grass for the dog. Anne’s garden is a sight to behold. It is also very manicured and well taken care of. All of these gardens have minimal weeds. But not mine. Blah Blah Blah
I have two sons who both know alot of flowers and their names. I am extremely proud of them both for many many reasons -knowing flowers is only one.
It is February and there is snow on the ground so it is time to plant seeds. Last week I planted eucalyptus, cilantro, parsley, bee balm, and butterfly weed. All have germinated except for the parsley. The eucalpytus make great filler in bouquets. It loves hot sun and can winter over in Oklahoma if it is in a protected place. All my flower buddies love it so I grow if for all of us. The butterfly weed is a flower, not a weed, and attracts butterflies because of its color and nectar not because butterflies like to smoke it. haha It is especially attractive to monarch butterflies so I am hoping to lure a few more of these to my garden this year. The bee balm has a spicy frangrance, lasts a long time in a bouquet and will grow in part shade of which I have a lot. The bees and other polinators love it for its nectar, and humans use it for tea, spices and medicines. I have read that it is a good companion plant with tomatoes. I will use it for bouquets.
Butterfly Weed seedling with its seed coat still attached.
Cilantro babies
Rosie on snowy birdbath wishing it was spring.
This is the monkey man face on the tree outside of my upstairs kitchen where I grow my seedlings. I named it Monkey Man in honor of Andria.
Okay this is my first time blogging. Please make corrections, additions, or suggestions. I have lots more photos and many many more seedlings to grow.
Blandria's Backyard Garden 
Posted by Andria on February 7, 2011 at 12:23 am
Kathy, I love your first blog post! I hope you continue posting and writing more to share with everyone! For anyone who doesn’t know Kathy (aka rosienose), it’s Blair’s mom. 🙂 Kathy, I remember when I fell in love with your flowers. It was the first time I stayed at your house. You made me such a beautiful boquet for my room that I admired all weekend. And you’ve made me plenty more over the last several years that I have loved. Good luck with the seedlings; they are looking great. And you have to remind me to check out monkey man face the next time we’re in OKC! Haha.
Posted by Chris Maricle on February 7, 2011 at 9:39 am
At first I thought I was reading Andrea’s post, but by the end of the first paragraph, I went “Aha, that’s Kathy!” OK, I’m sort of slow, but the two sons part gave it away.
Anyway, I enjoyed reading this and seeing your little seedlings start to grow. Good for you for blogging! See you (and your plants) soon I hope.
Chris
Posted by Nancy on February 7, 2011 at 1:22 pm
I loved reading your post, too, Kathy! I remember the time (before you became a serious gardener) you took me down the street from your house to see an elderly neighbor’s lush flower garden … it completely filled her yard, as I remember, and you were delighted with it and with her. Was that the spark that got you started? Well, whatever it was, I know gardening brings you (and Pat and Blair and Andria) so much joy. And that makes me happy, too. I look eagerly forward to your future posts.