Being Fickle

I pulled up some plants just now. Well, all of the Golden Marguerite, Feverfew and French Marigolds. I planted them originally because I wanted to try natural dyeing and both of those plants produce the colors I was looking for. Now, I've moved on from wanting to try natural dyeing. And the plants didn't seem too healthy (especially the marigolds), especially after the heat wave on Monday. (I'm still trying to bring back a lavender seedling and hoping that it's still possible.)

So now the Sweet Marjoram is all on its own.

And I've two containers freed up.

And there is a bit more fodder in the pile of dirt that is sorta like a compost heap, except it's not really a proper one.

-Sami

Restart Button

That's what I'm hitting in regards to blogs. I've fallen completely behind. I've pretty much been an internet ghost this past week - I turn on the computer to print something for homework and then I'm done. Sorry about that, I just have to figure out better time management.

This past week, I... got sick! I started noticing it when I was a work, so of course, after work I went to the mall with my two best girlies (and ran into other friends on the same mission) to look for a homecoming dress. I found mine, but I still have to buy my ticket!

Yesterday I stayed home because of the cold I got, and we had our hottest day of the year. It reached (I think) 111 degrees Fahrenheit here in Newbury Park. Normally our really hot days are in the upper ends of the 90s or maybe 100 degrees. I think we're about 8 miles as the bird flies from the coast - so we tend to have cooler days than say, down in the valley (about 113 degrees there yesterday). We had a mild summer, so we're paying for it with an Indian Summer.

Soo, uh, I didn't water as soon as I should have yesterday. The Feverfew and the Golden Marguerites planted with it took a beating, and one of my lavender seedling still hasn't perked up. I have my finger crossed though.

Now, I have dinner to eat and homework to do (yay for makeup work). Hopefully we'll return to our regularly scheduled programming soon. Really soon.

-Sami

More Hours, Please

In the day, that is. By the time I get home from school, I feel (even if it's not true) that I have no time left to get things done. Today I took a long nap, feeling completely exhausted (which doesn't really make sense). A couple hours later, I still feel ready for bed.

Homework, or avoiding it, has kept me off the computer, which means a couple things. I have a whole lot of blogposts to read. I also haven't written one in almost a week (here, at least. At my other blog, more like 3 weeks.).

This is just a quick drop in to say that I will write a post tomorrow that is actually about my garden, with pictures even! Just wanted to let you know that I haven't dropped off the face of the planet.

Until tomorrow,

Sami

First Sighting

Another new pair of leaves showed itself today!

From Seed of Serenity

I noticed the seedling when I got home from school. Boy, was I excited!

A new Ficus religiosa (I hope) has entered the world... perhaps this one will consent to be my companion?

-Sami

Little Ones

There are four new little ones in my garden! All four English Lavender seeds have germinated!

From Seed of Serenity

From Seed of Serenity

I only have pictures of two of them because the other two were out of focus (and I apologize for the lighting in the second one).

I wish I could say that the same of the Sacred Fig seeds. I'm still waiting, but I promise not to begin panicking for another two weeks. I know that even then I shouldn't worry, but that's just who I am.

Those of you who have visited my blog before may have noticed (well, probably noticed, it's a decent enough change) that my background changed. Blogger recently enabled us to use our own backgrounds in the new template designer. This picture has the leaves of my parents' Weeping Fig, Ficus benjamina (which in my head I always pronounce ben-ha-mee-na, darn Spanish pronunciation) and the only part of the photo that is in focus is the edge of the leaf.

I mentioned in the comments last post that I removed all the leaves that had the odd browning from the Golden Marguerite plant. This is what it looks like now. (And thank you for your comments and suggestions!)

From Seed of Serenity

In just two days, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is here, but here's a sneakpeak of the French Marigolds (they decided that it was finally time to show off their colors):

From Seed of Serenity

Until Wednesday,

Sami

(Sorry this post feels like a mishmash of things - I have a lot of homework to do tonight that I don't really want to think about but know that I need to get done.)

Three for Thursday: A Mystery

For several weeks now, since probably the beginning of August, my plants have been victim to something very strange. The French Marigolds were the first to show the symptoms - the Golden Marguerites, Feverfew, and Sweet Marjoram soon followed suit. It seemed to stop progressing for a while, but now it's raging in the Golden Marguerites.

From Seed of Serenity

First, the edges of the leaves start to brown and dry - they become very crinkly. Eventually, the entire leaf dries up.

From Seed of Serenity

I was merciless this morning and cut off every leaf I could find that had the browning on one Golden Marguerite (I uprooted the other two in the bed because the one was so big). Now only the newest leaves remain.

From Seed of Serenity

Does anybody have an idea what would cause this? I'm rechecking soil pH again after this post, but I don't think that's the issue....

-Sami

Thanks to Cindy at From My Corner of Katy for hosting Three for Thursday!

A Few Adjustments

Well, just when I thought everything was going smoothly, my dog put her foot in it. Literally. On Saturday, she knocked over the little pot that held the Sacred Fig seed. I wasn't going to find the seed in the spilled dirt, so I prepared some more. This morning I planted two more seeds in the little pot (after I added more soil). I did take a picture, but it looked the same as before, so no new picture.

From Seed of Serenity

My dog (I love her, but sometimes she frustrates me so much) also stepped on my Sweet Marjoram plants. They are all okay, and I replaced the dirt that was lost. I also moved all of the plants that were hanging out in the partial shade back over to where the lavenders are. Sunny will be less likely to step on them over there, and I figure since there's less sun now, they can get away with it. Only the little pot that holds the Sacred Fig seeds is staying in partial shade.

Catharine (I don't have a link, sorry!) posted in the comments that she was intrigued by Ficus religiosa. Just a little background knowledge (though if you googled it, I'm sure you already know this by now): The Sacred Fig, Ficus religiosa, is the tree under which Buddha sat when he attained enlightenment (note: I am not a Buddhist and the information I know is what I gleaned from Wikipedia). A giant snake entity, a naga, was coiled in the tree and protected Buddha from the weather of the world. I have a connection to snakes and that is why I decided to go for this tree.

Well, I have to go to school now, have a great day everyone!

-Sami

New Beginnings

Four of them, to be precise.

Here is the little pot where I planted a single Ficus religiosa in.

From Seed of Serenity

And here are all the pots that have Munstead Lavender seeds planted in them (the three to the right were just planted today).

From Seed of Serenity

Now to sit and water and wait.... Maybe I should grab a book....

-Sami

Good Mail Day

Look what arrived in the mail yesterday!

From Seed of Serenity

I only saw them last night when I got home, but I'm so excited. About 10 or so seeds are soaking in water right now.

I ordered the seeds from World Seed Supply via Bonanzle, and the delivery time was excellent!

I need to run by Home Depot again tonight or tomorrow morning to pick up a container (not a whole lot of other places I can get a cheap plastic pot) and then we're off!

-Sami

Three for Thursday: Shades of Lavender

I've had this post mentally written for a few days now, but it almost missed it's creation because I remembered that the pictures I had really wanted to use were on a different computer, and it would be too much like work to get them over to this one right now (plus I would have to wrestle it away from my mom, who is catching up on the blogs she reads). But happily, I found a suitable picture on this laptop, even if it's a little old and... limited.

My Three for Thursday (hosted by Cindy at From My Corner of Katy) is the three kinds of lavender that are grown at my house.

English (Munstead) Lavender (Lavandula angustfolia)

From Seed of Serenity

Spanish Lavender (L. stoechas)

From Seed of Serenity

French Lavender (L. dentata)

From Seed of Serenity

(Note: Some of the common names for L. stoechas and L. dentata may vary, but I'm basing my identification of the species from the identification stakes in the original pots.)

Enjoy,

Sami