Category: Outdoor Living

I would like to introduce our featured flower of the month Campanula or commonly known as Tussock Bellflower. I came upon this perennial jewel while on a trip to Juneau Alaska. This magnificent flower is from the plant family Campanulaceae and is native to the subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It grows favorably in zones 5 through 8 and is deer and rabbit resistant. The bright blue flowers bloom til summer and the plant should return larger the next season.  You can expect the plant to spread 15 -18” and reach heights of 18”. Enjoy! 

Winter can be a time for extreme temperatures. Did you know that the freezing temperatures during winter is Mother Nature’s way of telling some perennial seeds when to sprout? The freezing and thawing process changes the chemistry of the seed allowing it to sprout only during my favorite season, Spring! Cheers 

Another arctic front has just moved through zone 4.  I am taking advantage of the moisture by shoveling snow under trees, shrubs and on to perennial flower beds. In just a few months the time will be right to improve the soil condition by adding compost and/or peat moss to help stimulate healthy root growth and eliminate transplant shock. Trees and shrubs can be difficult to grow and maintain but with proper guidance magnificent results can be obtained. 

Today I want to give thanks to my readers and supporters. Without you this website would not exist. Your delightful and sometimes curious comments bring me joy and encouragement to continue my blogging journey and do my absolute best to respond to your inquiries. 

I have received several requests regarding posting on the Zinnia Boy blog. I welcome all who love to garden and have comments and opinions you wish to share. You may submit up to 250 words on the topic of gardening to msydnor@zinniaboy.com.  Your post must include your name and email address and may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.  I look forward to receiving your thoughts and perspectives on the world of gardening.  Cheers

Winter is a great time to start seeds indoors. Start flower and vegetable seeds in a combination of vermiculite, compost, peat moss or sand. Mix one part vermiculite and one part (sifted) compost into flats or pots. Sow seeds and sprinkle the tops with peat moss or sand. Water and place the flats or pots in a controlled environment with adequate heat and light. 

Today I will be getting a head start on our featured flower of the month Hibiscus. Hibiscus is a perennial flower from the plant family mallow. It consists of several hundred species and is native to Tropical and sub Tropical regions around the world. The flowers come in a multitude of colors with blooms starting in early summer and lasting till late fall. The flowers can be as wide as 8 inches and reach heights of 24-30 inches but I am planting hibiscus because it is full sun, drought tolerant and above all “resilient”. Cheers 

Fall has arrived and change is underway. Hues of brown, gold and orange dominate the landscape, a scene that delights again and again. The days are getting shorter, the nights  cooler, and frost appears on the horizon yet there are still flowers appearing in early fall. Cosmos, marigolds and zinnias are lighting up my garden’s landscape.  These drought tolerant jewels have survived hot dry conditions in zone 4 and are living up to their reputation. As the last of these blooms fade it is time to sow root vegetables and salad greens, plant garlic and fall bulbs such as crocus, hyacinth, allium, tulips and daffodils. After all, change will come again and Spring will appear.  Cheers