I don’t know if you all remember my big Turn Into A Gardner Attempt for 2009! (refresh yourself by browsing from Feb on because I started picking out my posts and I have a ton… maybe I should make a new category for hobby/resolution attempts)(but the gist is this: I started growing my seeds in Feb due to bad advice, then my seedling babies got attacked by Jasbaz-Kayla-Sunny aka Ignorant Blond Dependents, they all died, and it was sad – the IB Deps are all alive though) but I have some fantastic news to report.

There is a blooming marigold in one of my pots. I GREW A MARIGOLD TO THE POINT OF FLOWERING AND BLOOMING! YES! SUCCESS! XD I am going to take a picture tonight because I still don’t really believe it myself.

It wasn’t one of the original 72 seeds but one of the seeds that I planted after they all died. I set a bunch of my pots outside, threw in the remaining seeds and left them to nature. I think that’s how I’m going to do things in the future. Outside in pots. Go go gadget Mother Nature!

Also, I’ve planted a bunch of shrubs that I ordered for Mothers Day (a gift from Andy and Jasbaz) over the past few weeks. So far in my yard I have:

• 1 dwarf burning bush
• 1 yellow forsythia
• 1 dogwood tree stick (the company I bought from offered a Four Season Hedge and when it was time for my order to be sent out they were missing two of the plants from the collection so they sent in a different version of the forsythia and a dogwood — I hope it grows but doesn’t get too big although if it does, I planted it in a space as far from powerlines as my yard permits)
• 1 pink splash variegated weigela
• 1 rainbow butterfly bush
• 2 red Grootendorst rose bushes
• 2 rose bushes that are the ‘crawling’ variety, one in a lush red and the other in orange? I think? I dunno, they were the first ones that I planted and neither one has done anything other than remain stickly at this point.

Right now the only ones that resemble living plants are one of my Grootendorst rose bushes, my dwarf burning bush, and my forsythia. All the rest are sticks still. But in a few years, I hope to have lovely blooms and happy healthy plants. I’m excited about all the colors I have to look forward too.

Next year I plan on filling in my shady areas with hostas, this weird groundcover that I don’t remember the name of that has really awesome red and dark green coloring with really neat leaves, more lily of the valley (which was already in the yard when we moved in and I’ve really taken a fondness for – pictured above), some ferns, and more columbine (pictured below) if they’re partial shade lovers which I think they might be.

I’m sad that my columbine didn’t come back up this year. They were so gorgeous last year. Just lovely plants. I have a feeling that they got mowed down by some blond male that lives in my house.

Blonds are bad to have around plants, I think.

I’ve also decided that I’m going to do my veggie and herb garden similar to Crazy Aunt Purl in that everything will have it’s own pot. I’ve also decided to try to grow corn too. Because if that works, it will drastically cut down my grocery bill. I love corn. I use it in everything. Tacos, chili, chicken/steak wraps, quesadillas, stir fry, stew, casseroles.

And since I’m sharing awesome links, I’ve got two more for today.

#1 – For any person who grew up with the Disney Princesses and has a sense of humor, let me present The Fallen Princesses.

#2 – Chanel’s article on Sharp Little Words for those of us whose empathetic radar has been running a little low.

But back on topic, I’ve already got seeds for corn and carrots, basil and some other herbies. I really want to grow peppers so I’ve started savings seeds from when we eat them and I want to have a thriving mint plant. I love the scent of mint. Love it. Also, I want to grow some jasmine in honor of my lil princess.

I even toyed with the idea of growing tomatoes and then making fresh spaghetti sauce since I have some online friends who RAVE about homemade sauce but I’m just not so sure about it. Andy and I don’t eat tomatoes. Jasbaz does… but I doubt she would consume all the tomatoes that would come off a successful plant, if it were to survive. Plus I imagine that making the sauce is kind of involved and while I like to learn new things, I tend to put off learning things that look like they require a lot of diligence and attention to detail.

I also want to try strawberries although I’m thinking about buying those from one of the farm stores around here when they are youngish instead of doing them from seeds. I want a variety that will taste good so it only makes sense to consult with people who sell plants to people who make a living doing this. Illinois is full of farmers. I guess it’s about time I joined in a little.

I wonder what will actually prosper in my garden next year. My going rate so far is… well, I don’t want to do the math.

One marigold at a time, I guess. =)