Oh, beautiful!! I just love your garden PV!

That Abutilon is simply amazing, PV, and the white columbines are divine. Enjoy!!!
Looks like you're going to be putting on another grand show this year.

Mary

I always enjoy your patio pictures, pvick - thanks so much for sharing - Carrie

Glad you enjoyed, ladies!

PV

Lamium in a pot! Looks great!

Gorgeous....Do you use commercial potting soil or do you mix your own? You plants look so lush. You've taken wonderful care of them.

pit - I use mostly MG potting mix, because that's mostly what's available around here. I do save old soil, and remix/refresh with a little compost and worm castings.

And it's really easy for me to take care of the plants - see the door in the second picture? All I need to do is come out that door and I'm in my space ...LOL!

PV

What do you do with the plants in winter? How do you protect them?
I took a risk last winter and left my beautiful potted Hosta 'June' out with no protection. She is dead. I need to have my head examined.

I pull the pots closer to the building wall, all clustered together, and mulch them. Shrubs I spray with Wilt-Pruf to protect them from the winds up here.

With the Easter freeze this year, I did lose a few things, like the salvia 'Mojito' I was looking forward to seeing bloom this year, and my lovely patch of Sweet William. Some other things suffered a bit, but were salvagable. And my 4-year old fig up and died! That was my fault though; the warm winter made me foolhardy, and I didn't cover it.

All in all, I don't do too bad up here. Even though the winds can get fierce, there is a sort of microclimate created. I think most of the things I've lost were mostly due to being in too-small pots.

Sorry to hear about your hosta - my mom had/has a 'June' in her yard; this year we had to move it because it was being overtaken by some other monstrous hosta. I've got a 'Golden Tiara' in a pot - 4 years now, I think - and it's doing really well. With that one, I mulch over in the winter and leave all the foliage on to die down and then clean it up in spring.

{{gwi:341136}}

PV

It really is a beauty, that hosta. I am still knocking myself over that June of mine. Shoulda planted her in the ground.
I really need to take better care of my potted plants. Sigh....
Thanks for the tips on taking care of potted plant, PV. It's colder here than in NY, though.....

Hi PV,
I haven't visited the gallery in a long time. Was glad to see you posted pictures. As usual your plants are stunning! I had to smile at your mesh "bird protectors". I do the same thing because of squirrels. I use the wire baskets used for hanging baskets, just take off the chain and turn them upside down over my potted plants. If I don't the squirrels dig in them and ruin every one. When the plants get big enough to cover the soil the squirrels tend to leave them alone so I lift off the basket. Find a lot of the wire baskets at garage and estate sales.
This coming Saturday I am going to attend my very first plant swap. I am so excited! There will be a luncheon (we are bringing food to share) then the swap. It will be such fun to meet people from this area who love to garden as much as I do. Our hostess will be WebKat5(Kathy). This past year I didn't winter sow but will this coming winter. The plants are so much hardier when winter sown. I have seen real proof of that fact.
Thanks for sharing your pictures, I will look in again soon to see what you have that is new.
Tina/trowelGal

Very beautiful patio garden. Especially loved your abutilon. It is looking very healthy. I have one that I had in the house last winter. Not winter sown. When I put it outside I thought I had it in enough shade but nope..the leaves all burned and I had to cut all but two small branches back to the ground. So, I am trying to find the perfect spot for it to grow larger before it has to go in for the winter again. What light conditions are you growing yours in?

pm2

pm2 - the abutilon is in morning sun, from sunrise until about 11 a.m. Then it's in shade for the rest of the day.

PV