Friday, December 7, 2012

Deck Day Dreams

When the dreary clouds of late autumn and early Winter pour out their buckets of rain for days on end, don't you just day dream for the time when your deck will be once again dotted with beautiful blooms, with colors galore?

This is what I am dreaming of::  flower pots filled with  deep pink, fire engine red, and bright white geraniums overflowing in great abundance. The picture below is one example of what we saw this past summer immediately out our back windows overlooking the deck and thick woods.  The spike plant adds a nice variation of texture and complements the charming rich green leaves of the geranium plant. One of the amazing traits of the geranium is the fragrant scent from the leaves. My memory of this scent goes back to my childhood, when we used to plant geraniums on my Gramma and Grampa's graves, every year on Memorial Day. 

Do you take advantage of the hardy geranium as you adorn your deck with color & beauty? Properly planted in rich soil, you will have a bounty of blooms all season long. The key is to dead-head the spent blooms to make way for the new buds that are just itching to begin multiplying. Geraniums are a staple of our summer Deck Decorum.  Don't heed those little rain puddles huddled on your deck; Day Dream with me. It won't be long and you can start your geranium cuttings for next summer.

   

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