Showing posts with label sunflower. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sunflower. Show all posts

Monday, December 3, 2012

First of the Season...


Lots happening here and there, it goes with the time of year I guess :)
We have some new faces popping up through the garden, it is so nice to have some good long hot days in Canterbury!


Harvesting the berries this week, we have had great success with the strawberries (Chandler especially!) and have a pottle or two of other mixed berries - black currant, red currant, raspberries.



Shame about the wind, but its what we are famous for I guess - the ole Nor' West wind!
The tomatoes are starting to appreciate the weather and are growing accordingly - slowly but surely.
A healthy dose of composted pooh and some seaweed is helping.




Have harvested some seeds in the past two weeks and learned how to winnow fine seeds successfully.  Swede, Red Cabbage, Mesculun varieties such as rocket, mizuna and mibuna, Black Kale and two varieties of carrot, and two of lettuce.


Sunflower - Giant Russian (6ft and still growing!)
Salmon pink Hollyhock
The first of my flowers are coming to flower this week - more of the red opium poppies, but after losing one to the wind, I have staked the remainder.

 I also found a purple variety which have just started flowering, and theyre quite smart - an unusual colour, so quite striking and very tall like their red cousin.



Thats all for now,
Happy Gardening!!
Take care
EB
XX


Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Sunflower ... Good Morning!! Tongue-tied Thursday :)

Russian Sunflower 5-8m high

Sunflower
good mornin'!
You sure do make it like a sunny day.
Sunflower
fair warnin'.
I'm gonna love you if you come my way.
Now
if there's a chance that romance will find you

better not find you lookin' the other way.
Now
isn't it time you finally take it.
Make it so real it steals your breath away ?
Hey
hey
hey.

Sunflower
good mornin'.
You sure do make it like a sunny time.
Sun mornin'
good mornin'.
And some day child
I'm gonna make you mine.
Well
if there's a chance that romance will find you

better not find you lookin' the other way.
Isn't time you finally take it
make it so good it steals your breath away ?
Hey
hey
hey.

Sunflower
good mornin'.
You sure do make it like a sunny time.
Sunflower
sweet mornin'.
For ev'ry time I'm gonna make you mine.
love to hear him sing
so I'll adore him just for ever...



Love and Sunshine!
EButterfly
XXXXXXX

(Sunflower by Glenn Campbell)

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Springing Forward - Seed Planting at School

Already we are three days into September. I think I was better or more organized last year. I cant remember why... it just feels so.
Tomorrow we anticipate the anniversary of the first Christchurch Earthquake. Im not sure I should mention it, but Ive never felt such low energy, and Im not alone when I say, Im so glad to see the sun! We  have had several days of these low-feeling days - high grey cloud that sticks around, Nor' West Arch skies and so-so pleasant temperatures, without the cool wind of last month. Fingers crossed we can hover through September and October like this!

The garden is looking good, things are starting to pop through the soil and put their heads up.
Its such a great feeling to see them there.
Im still angsting about some of the seeds Ive planted - are they too dry, too wet, will they pop through at all, is it too early, will there be frost...?

My fenugreek seeds this year seem to be taking forever. I love their golden seeds, the plant is a little less impressive.

This morning spent a very  pleasant and enthusiastic hour and a half with a class of new entrants. Five and Six year olds - 22 of them. I have to say, their very capable teachers have them all figured out, and their behaviour was excellent. They are all gorgeous - each their own shiny promise of whats to come.
Interested, curious and full of questions. I cannot remember being that keen at six. I hope I was.

We are learning about seeds. What seeds need to grow, how to plant them, and what happens when they start to grow.
We drew  and coloured pictures for around the outside of our yoghurt pots, which we stuck on.
Then Mr Wood put holes in the bottom of the pots, and put our names on them.
I put soil in the pot, the children pushed their seeds into the soil, and *covered them up* so they will grow. Then, Ms Hunt put their names on stakes, and they are waiting for some water.

I chose beans, sunflowers and pumpkin seeds for the children to grow. They are bigger seeds, easily handled, and for the most part, they should grow easily.  Beans (Scarlet Runner) were mostly picked by the boys, (Jack and the Beanstalk maybe?) and Sunflowers (Russian Giant (5m high) for the girls, but one very enthusiastic wee chap chose a pumpkin (Grey Crown). I asked why, 'Cos they rock! ... Ok, Good stuff!

Thank You for having me Room Two, I really enjoyed my visit, and I look forward to catching up on the seeds and your progress as things grow and change...

As I mention things growing and changing. I am thinking of those who need change, and  those who have experienced a lot of growing in the past two years. Not just in Christchurch, as our Christchurch Earthquake and its effects run far and wide. I hope things even out, that things stabilise and start to grow good from here.

Love to You and Yours,
EB
XX

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Cracking the Whip ... Sending Free Seeds!

Thanks to Sophie, Im just about to send the second wave of free SISTERHOOD seeds...
We still have lots left, so if you're reading this and you want some (NZ ONLY SORRY) We can send you a selection. You need to send us a wee note here DONT FORGET your address :)

Our seeds include vegetables, some herbs and a few companion plants...and the odd tree.
The list looks something like this ... Flax, Chamomile, Tansy, Sunflower, Poppy, Hollyhock, Pyrethrum, Echinacea, Broccolli, Capsicum, Kowhai, Tagaste, Chilli, Pumpkin (3 types) Squash (2 types) Angelica, Parsley, Carrot, Onion, Silverbeet, Radish, Lettuces (4 var)...Lg Marigold, French Marigold, Calendula, Tomatoes in 15 different varieties...
Im sending in lots of five pkts, and what you get is what the munchkins packaged this weekend, while I cracked the whip (made them a yummy pizza and supplied treats (bribery?). They even made the envelopes, bless them... So there you go, Cockeyed stamping, gluing and sticking all included, totally made with love and devotion... They did a fabulous job!

Any questions about how to grow what you get, dont hesitate to write, I should be able to help, as Im growing most of what Ive sent myself or have done... Just remember, seeds need the soil to be warmed up a bit, and most like some kind of compost. Love em, and they will grow!

Hope youre keeping warm, its been a gorgeous sunny day, but the wind chills you to the bone.
I found my teeth chattering this morning, whilst waiting for things to happen...
Star Jumps... and warm coffee... that ll fix it :)

Love to You and Yours - Happy Growing,
E BUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXXX