My Garden Potted Plants in Bloom! Part 1 - Front Yard

Welcome to my first gardening post.  I have never considered myself as a green thumb.  I have always been a plant 'em and hope for the best kind of girl.

It took a long time to figure out that you need to give them a bit of love, water, plant food, sunlight (but not too much), fertile soil, and pruning.  Obvious to the seasoned gardener, but oh so foreign to me.

So, after many failed attempts at growing plants in our gardens directly with a "plant and leave" attitude, I decided to move all the (by-some-sort-of-miracle-still-alive) plants to pots so I could really monitor their health.  

And a miracle occurred! They grew and flowered!  Woohoo!

So here is our front garden.  On the left is our garden bed with clay soil, a lot of shade in the morning from the hedge and a lot of direct afternoon sun. (It's pretty bare at the moment.)

And on the right are the plants I salvaged and moved to pots a couple of months ago.

Our 4 roses bushes now reside underneath our bedroom window.  I'm hoping eventually we can look out and enjoy their beauty and fragrance.

I gave them all nice pots of fresh fertile soil with good drainage, rose food, and morning sun/afternoon shade.  I water them ever second or third day, or every day on very hot days. Every 2 weeks they receive a drink of Seasol as well. And at the first sign of aphids I give them a spray of White Oil. How glossy does that stuff make the leaves!

The first bush/tree is a Pink Iceberg. Being the amateur gardener that I am, I know this because I was clever enough to leave the original tag on. 

Despite the obstacles, it has always been relatively hardy, but now it looks healthy too and the flowers are so pretty.

 

 The second one is a crimson English Rose.  It was given to us as a gift and I think we may have seen 2 or 3 flowers out of it in 2 years. But look at her now!

Since moving it a few months ago, we have had a good show of flowers and many buds appearing.  It is bushier and greener and a whole lot happier. 

The third rose bush has just stopped flowering, but still has many buds waiting to blossom soon. I removed the tag so have no idea what type of rose it is, only that it is red. This poor little rose plant has been barely hanging in there for 3 years and we have had literally 1 rose flower each year and a handful of leaves on the stem.  Now, although still small, it is bushy and green and flowering after only a few months of TLC.

And the last rose bush is a white Iceberg. It is producing the most beautiful sweet smelling roses in clusters.

Who said you can't pot a rose bush!

I also rescued my Pink Magnolia or Fairy Magnolia. Again, another miracle plant that is shooting new leaves every day and a few little blossoms as well. I have seen the most magnificent Magnolia trees and maybe one day this little tree will be one too.

I also have had 2 Camellia bushes in the front garden for about 3 years. They have NEVER flowered and constantly have sad yellow leaves. I potted these about a week ago and have placed them on the front verandah near the door entry.  I have my fingers crossed they will come good and produces flowers that will fragrant the entryway with their heavenly scent.  Please cross your fingers too. :)

And finally, these cheap "Potted Colour" plants I planted a few months back are also blossoming. 

Just add food and water. Who would have thought! ;)

Maybe my thumb is a very pale shade of green after all. :)

Stay tuned "My Garden Potted Plants in Bloom! Part 2 - Back Yard".

x Julie