The BIC Plant and Gardening Thread

[sister13]

Hello BIC friends and fellow gardeners! Whether you have a container on your balcony, some indoor plants, a whole garden, or even if you just happen to visit a botanical garden or see a lovely space or plant in your neighborhood you want to share, this is the place! Please share pics, tips, plans and tricks about all things gardening!  

For many years I had a container balcony garden with mostly flowers and herbs (when travel allowed), and I am now embarking on my first backyard landscaping and gardening journey. 

I am often taking inspiration from the natural world around me and have recently had some spring inspiration for the Makeup Challenge of the Week and have loved chatting about gardening in our other threads, so I thought a new thread would be nice. 

It’s always so interesting to me to see plants and gardens from different regions and countries, so I hope you’ll join the conversation!  

PS: if you create a makeup look based on some plant or garden inspiration, please feel free to post your look or flat-lay here, too! 

Here are a few pics of my spring bulbs to start and I’ll share more soon (kindly ignore the weeds)! 

 

 

My old balcony (from the outside) - I’ll try to find an internal pic too:

[sister13]

I planted some ranunculus for the first time this spring after our coldest days were passed (I think). Not sure how they will do. They are not winter hardy, so if they bloom, I guess I can decide if I want to try to dig them up over winter. I planted some in two different areas of the house, there may not be enough sun on the one side. But, on the morning sun side, I see some sprouts that must be the ranunculus. 

In those areas, I also planted some bulbs that I did not get into the ground in the fall. I think mostly daffodils, and maybe some tulips and hyacinth. I don’t think those are going to make it but not sure if there’s a chance they can come back next year or just die since they didn’t get roots established before this spring. 

Anyway, here are my ranunculus sprouts, I’ll be so happy if they come up! 

 
I also planted a hydrangea last year out front that is putting out some growth! 

 
I got a couple of herb plants at Costco, and some seeds and I’m hoping to get my herb/tomato bed, my flower bed and some seeds started going today or tomorrow. 

[JoSometimes]

Ooo hydrangeas! I always use them as an example of nature and chemistry at work. It’s fun to see what colours turn up in the petals. @sister13 

[sister13]

Yes, they are really cool. I can’t remember if this was pink or purple to start with, so we’ll see! @JoSometimes 

[Saradestin]

@sister13 @JoSometimes  I purchased my hydrangea being blue but once it went to this sandy soil, even mixing with good stuff, it ended up turning pink. I have used aluminium sulphate to help making the soil acidic and it turned blue so quickly! I love blue flowers so it was awesome seeing working so well.

[JoSometimes]

Love it @Saradestin! I use this example a lot when I get to the acids and bases unit of high school Chemistry. 

[Saradestin]

I wish I had a teacher like you @JoSometimes !! 

[jaaayp]

@sister13 love seeing these baby blooms! Excited to see your herbs coming soon!

[sister13]

Aren’t they cute! I’m looking forward to everything too! @jaaayp 

[Saradestin]

Your ranunculus look amazing @sister13 ! They are gorgeous, with spectacular flowers! Looking forward to the pictures when they bloom!!! 😃 

I think that your spring planted bulbs will survive. They may be late to bloom but I think that they will be able to grow roots and get strong for next year. Not blooming also allows for the bulb to use all the energy in growth. 
Your hydrangea is looking so healthy!!!! Mine are looking very pretty as well. I planted some branches from trimmings last year and they are looking amazing. You just need to cut and plant directly in the ground. It is rare for them not to grow roots doing so. I didn’t even use root hormones. I have to check if I can see flowers showing up already.

[sister13]

Oh wow, that’s awesome and thrifty!! My front yard is a whole other story. The builder does everyone’s front yard so it’s pretty boring but not the highest priority since it’s done. But we’re having drainage and runoff issues that’s creating a mess, ugh. But at least I got this one  thing planted last fall to color it up a little.

Oh and I did some bulbs around our shade tree. The crocuses came up early and were very cute, only 2 hyacinths bloomed and thy were very stubby, then 5 of 6  pink  tulips were tall and lovely for a few days before the hail, pouring wind and rain destroyed them. 

Unfortunately our tree seems dead which is a pain because if they don’t get a new one planted soon, it might die too if it gets planted too late and I’m sad to have missed out on a year of growing! But it will also disrupt my bulbs from getting their nutrition for next year if they get dug up too soon, ugh. 😞 

 

 

[Saradestin]

Those tulips are so beautiful @sister13 !!! 🩷🩷🩷 I love crocus!! My aunt has saffron and collects the spice when the flower is ready to die. So cool! 

[sister13]

Thanks so much! These were mystic van eik tulips, very showy. I was trying to decide if I want to pack more together next year vs spread out like they are now. It’s nice both ways. Ooh, saffron crocus would be amazing! @Saradestin 

[jaaayp]

I LOVE THAT THERES A THREAD FOR EVERYTHING I LOVE!!

I don't have a garden (I wish, it'll be a very "take my money situation" and I probably couldn't afford makeup anymore) as I live in a townhome. However, I am working on an indoor jungle hehe. I have LOTS of pictures to share as my camera roll consists of my cat and plants but I'll spare everyone the excess 🤣

My indoor greenhouses:

 

 

[Saradestin]

Absolutely gorgeous @jaaayp !!! 💚💚💚💚💚  I love your indoor jungle!! I always said to everyone that, if I let myself go, I would have so many plants that I would need a machete to get in the house! 😅 I love your tropical paradise! Now you need some cute frogs although your kitty would take care of them in the blink of an eye! 
You can share as many pictures of your kitty and your indoor paradise jungle as you want. You won’t bore us! 

[jaaayp]

@Saradestin MACHETE!!! 🤣🤣🤣 that's really the dream LOL daaaw thank you. I'll upload them slowly hehe not to overwhelm and blast this page 🥰 thanks for encouraging!

[CookieGirl1]

What cool plants, @jaaayp!

[jaaayp]

@CookieGirl1 thank you 🥰

[sister13]

Oh wow! Lovely!  thanks for joining us here!  I am slightly limited in my houseplants because my cat tries to eat them sometimes. I have just killed a mandevilla that I thought was making a comeback and two other really pretty leafy plants from Costco. But my fiddle leaf fig, my monstera and another unidentified spiky plant are mostly thriving! @jaaayp 

[jaaayp]

@sister13 thank you for letting me jooooin! Ah, I totally get it. I have a little nibbler myself and she just loves to chew on everything when I'm not looking! I definitely have plants that I've buried... we just keep trying! I would love to see your fiddle and monstera 🥰 heres my little chomper, Bandita, and my monstera, Marvin 🤣

She likes to check if I'm looking or not....

 

 

 

[sister13]

oh, and I’ll snap some pics tomorrow of my indoor plants. Mine might not actually be a monstera because it doesn’t have those split leaves, they are solid leaves. My husband calls it a taro, but maybe it’s an elephant ear? @jaaayp I really need to repot them all, poor things. 

[sister13]

Oh my goodness, Bandita is adorable, if mischievous. Our kitty mostly chews on the two small palms, then immediately throws them up, lol, it’s so annoying! Your plants look great! And I agree with @Saradestin , you are welcome to post as many pics as often as you like! @jaaayp