Sunflower Success

Yay, Success with sunflowers!  Some things I learned:  They germinate really quickly.  Start seeds inside the middle of may.  The ground has to be a certain temp for them to thrive.   When you plant the outside, cover with soda bottles to protect from bugs, bunnies and to create a greenhouse.  They need to be fenced in or you will be feeding the bunnies their morning breakfast everyday!  I put down ladybugs to keep the bugs away.  They don't need much water once they start growing.  Don't plant mamouth unless u r using these for privacy, you only get one flower.

 

 

Beautiful Dahlias

Flower Study..Ranunculus...Persian Buttercup

Amazing Grace

 

 

My new favorite flower! I'm obsessed with these.  When they are finished blooming they turn upside down and reveal about 5oo petals!  The bloom on top took my breath away:)  So, the best time to plant these in NY is early spring around March 1.  The more you cut  blooms the more blooms they will send up.  I planted some in pots with violas and pansies and just put some in the ground.  On one of my pots, the leaves have all turned yellow--could be lack of nitrogen, lack of water or not enough sun light.  I think its the sunlight.  They don't like to be too hot but they need a lot of sunlight (hence, early spring flower!)  Also like to be wet but not muddy.  Should grow to about 16" tall.  A really pretty color combo is red, yellow and melon.
This is an experiment!  Learning as I go....

***These did much better in pots, plant in the sun,waster every other day. Short lived, beautiful spring flower.  Didn't do well at all in the ground.  Another variety is a Persian buttercup, taller,  Want to try those next year.

Keep the cats away!

Lavender, lemon Thyme, Rue, Scardey, Cat Plant Plant

Ranunculus are better known to most people as Buttercups. Their beautiful

double flowers look almost like miniature peonies, but their color range is much wider including
red, white, yellow, pink, gold, and orange. The Persian reference in the common name is from the
legend that a shy, handsome Persian prince died of longing because he was unable to declare his
love for a nymph. After his death he was changed into the flower we know today. Persian
buttercups become available as blooming pot plants in late winter and are a wonderful spirit-lifter
until plants begin to bloom outside.