Happy New Year to you too, Jim. And to all of us people who like to grow things :)

It's going to be a nice New Year's Day here in Rhode Island. How is it in Pennsylvania? Have you gotten any of the snow some areas have? We have had very little so far this year.

Nice sunny day today here 56steps... :-) Just alittle snow left outside like maybe 1 inch.... Have a great day!

Hope everyone is ok...Just wanted to say hello to everyone!

hello!

Hope all is well rob33! I can't wait for Spring to come...

All is ok here... Our Feb broke records for being warm... Our roses budded and started leafing out then cold March came in and probably will kill that growth...Today is 29 degrees tonight is 15 degrees same tomorrow....Waiting for Spring to arrive and stay...lol

That happened here in Rhode Island last year with many early buds being hurt by a subsequent freeze. This winter has been more typical - (although low on the snow) but not too warm.

Things are popping up out of the ground. It's wonderful to watch things coming to life after a long winter.

Spring is such a miracle.

jim1961...yes, wicked windy yesterday 50 mph ...I was trying to hang flags out there..haha... here, it's currently 28* going by my computer...but it's nippy.

Oh your poor roses...cover with a towel or something tonight..it's going to get below freezing here......I don't think we have anything that came up yet, I'll have to go take a walk around......My Mr. sees crocuses & flowers when working that he doesn't know the name of.

One year, our Japanese acer budded out leaves, then here came a hard frost & every leaf bit the dust...that poor tree didn't really recover that year...it's ok now tho...we actually brought it with us from our old house where we had planted it....we moved here in '99.

Great to hear from you 56steps& Debra .....

Nice pic of your tree!

We had those high winds also..dipping to 13 degrees tonight... brrrrrr....Come on Spring!

I listened to the wind howling all night....single digits here.

Yes! come on Mother Nature & Spring time.

We got a couple inches of snow a few days ago and 5 more inches yesterday...Temps in the teens with high winds...:-( Yes come on Spring...

This is my first year growing anything from seed, so I decided to start with something easy. Started these French marigolds in January. Not all of them have made it out of their solo cups yet. Also grew a variety not pictured here called Jolly Jester (sold under other names, too), which is really strange with broad-striped petals of deep red and gold. They're like if Griffindor was a flower. I don't know why some people don't like marigolds. They're easy, the flowers and leaves are both pretty, they smell nice and peppery, and even though the color palette is limited to warm colors and now white, they can be very interesting. Even my little box contains many unique characters.

Lizzie

Love French marigolds, my favorites.

Nice Marigolds Lizzie! I also really like French Marigolds! :-)

Hope everyone is doing well! Things warming up here now...:-) Can't plant Marigolds until late May though as we get frosts up until then... 2015 I planted mid May and they all got wiped out by a frost... :-/ So I wait the little extra time now...lol

I started mine indoors under a cheap shop light in a steamy, windowless bathroom. They loved it. Have since moved my setup to the laundry room (way more room, but not as hot or humid). Seedlings don't seem to like it as much. Bah.

I use one of those seedling heating pads...This year just buying instead of starting seedlings...lol

newly planted & temporary......they'll be planted in the sun out front by the steps but not yet, too early.

Just planted a new & improved variety of Rosa Rugosa, 3 Delphiniums, 3 Verbascum (My fave), 20 Hyacinth bulbs, 3 dwarf purple Daylilies, a dwarf rose (bare root) & that's as far as my memory takes me...I kinda just stood & pointed where I wanted these planted..Hahaha. He's so sweet.

This is the variety of Rose he [planted for me. Sweet Hips or something like that

Planted an Empress Wu hosta at the edge of the woodlands about 4-5 yrs. ago...boy are they slow growing..can't wait to see it this year.

Nice Debra!

Hi

Is it Too Early For Them To Go Out in The Midlands England Yet?

Thanks

We plant our Marigolds out May 30th...2 years ago I planted Marigolds May 15th and we got hit by a frost and it wiped them out...

Oh just noticed your in England... Plant them when there is no chance of frost to kill them...

Pansies don't mind the cold...they can take a light frost. they are always the 1st things I plant. tough little things. and so pretty.

I'll be buying Marigolds soon...:-)

Picked French Marigolds up today.. Along with some petunias and others..

Looks like you're all ready! What's in the bottom picture? Coleus and ?

I planted my french Marigolds in my Tipsy pots my Mr. made for me a couple yrs. ago.

Bottom pic is Hen& chicks & Hypoestes phyllostachya (looks like Coleus)

Memorial Day Weekend coming - that's when I plant my zinnia seeds directly into the ground and buy a few marigolds !

Awesome 56steps! What type of Zinnias?

I just pick up a few packs of no-name seeds and put them in the ground! Lol.. Whatever looks good. Maybe I will go today and see what's available.

Lots of rain this spring - everything looks so full and lush.

Lots of rain here too...lol

Here's our neighbors yard during a big rain just the other day...We got 4.5 inches of rain within 18 hours...

You could send some of that rain this way. The 3-4 minute rains we've been getting lately have been doing little more than jacking up humidity levels.

If I could I would Paul...

Here some Marigolds etc...

Hope everyone is doing good!

Very pretty!

Thank you!

Mix of petunia, Marigold, and roses...

Jim, great garden pics. I finally got around to growing marigolds from seed. I forget the name of these, "queen" something. When do you think is a good time to collect seed? It's been unseasonably warm here in Zone 5. Today's high was 93. Here's some pics from this year.

Very nice Marigolds bella rosa! :-)

Started these Lemon Gem Marigolds late in season just to see what they look like... These are said to bring in beneficial insects such as....Ladybugs, hoverflies, PARASITIC MINI-WASPS, MINUTE PIRATE BUGS, DAMSEL BUGS,BIG EYED BUGS...

http://www.farmerfred.com/plants_that_attract_benefi.html

Jim, those are pretty! I have to collect seeds of mine. They were so easy to grow and are still blooming beautifully.

Thanks bella rosa! Seasons coming to a end soon here.... :-( Probably same with you...

Lemon Gem Marigold... Strong spicy lemon scent...

I know that marigolds are annuals, but do they reseed themselves and come back next year?

Not here... I see new seedlings sprouting up right now but next year I'll have to plant new ones...