Blogiversary Week, Day 2

Day 2 of my week long giveaway is here.  If you missed day one, well head on over here.

If you're going to have a garden journal, well you need something to write about...  For my veggies and annuals, I do a combination of seeds and starts.  I keep track of what seeds I like based on how well they do and whether I like what they produce, vegetable, fruit or flower.  I like to keep track of the package information regarding size and germination.  It's not good to plant the little Zinnias behind the big Zinnias ya know.  I also keep track of what brand they were as well.  Today folks, it's all about the seeds. 

Some of my seeds come from local stores, but some, like my white impatiens I get through a catalog online... because nobody, and I mean nobody sells plain white impatien seeds.  These I start early, like the end of February, in my enclosed south facing front porch.  By July they look like this... yes they are slow growing little buggers.























Most of my other seeds get a jump start in my hand me down greenhouse.


















I like a variety of sunflowers...

















and the adorable, "Teddy Bear" sunflower.


















Cucumbers, my hands down favorite is the Lemon Cucumber.  If you haven't tried one of these you're really missing out.  It's an heirloom seed, although you may inclined to think it's something "newfangled".












Cutting flowers in the vegetable garden include, lots of zinnias, a regular riot of them...


















my favorite, "Envy" zinnia.  I've heard it's Martha Stewart's favorite too.


















Lots of different kinds of pumpkins.
























The breathtaking Hollyhock named "Peaches and Dreams".


















Purple Lupines...

















and purple and green beans.


















This year I tried a new variety of beets, they had stripes!


















And one of my favorites, Sweet Peas, I cut them for my kitchen window.  Oh, how I love their spicey smell.























So if you're following along, you've probably caught on... today's addition is a little something for you to start your own seeds.

Bamboo plant markers, pulp pots and a $15.00 gift certificate to Park Seeds... the only place I've found online that has white Impatiens.  A wonderful company that's been around since 1868, offering a HUGE variety of seeds.  And they ship to the US and Canada.
























Good luck to all,
Chris at Red Gate Farm

PS - Here are rules that I posted on Monday, January 24th.


Starting today, and each day until the drawing, I will be adding something NEW to the GIVEAWAY, so each day you get an additional opportunity to enter... by leaving a comment. The final addition will be one week from today, Monday January 31st. This means you have up to 8 times to enter! The winner will be announced on Tuesday, February 1st.


And of course, my followers, well they get an automatic "extra" entry.... for a potential of nine entries.

Comments

  1. Chris, I appreciate the party on here with the prize but, forgetting all that you know I am going to comment anyhow. You have a major green thumb . I wish the fruit of my labour could turn out so well....mine sucks...and you should have seen the yard this summer....it looked like a dried up piece of crap! Neglect will do that!

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  2. My mother has to have her lemon cukes every year..Shouldn't we be planting our Sweet Pea seeds soon?

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  3. I just cleaned out the greenhouse today... ready for planting! Your greenhouse is so beautiful!

    ~Heidi
    http://vansteaders.blogspot.com/

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  4. Moving and need to build a new greenhouse! Count me in!

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  5. Okay...I'm in for day 2!!! What beautiful impatiens!!! And if you look back to fall I commented (coveted) all of your amazing pumpkins. They are my very favorite thing to grow!!!
    I'm almost getting the itch to be outside, but I know how long the season lasts so I'm pacing myself!!! time to look at those catalogs though!!

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  6. Oh I adore your hand me down greenhouse, and I love, love your taste in flowers. What a delight! I'm off to check out Park seeds, they ship to Canada...what do you know!

    Have a great day ~Andrea~

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  7. Oh, what beautiful flowers and vegetables! I grew some mammoth sunflowers last year- lots of fun! Happy blogiversary to you!

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  8. How do you find time to do all of this gardening? Count me in for the second day...and first and third and fourth...lol..fun!

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  9. LOVE your greenhouse! Who handed that down to you? Lucky gal! That is a spot where I would be spending ALL OF MY TIME getting everything ready for spring! Your giveaway is so much fun! Great prizes for the gardener! And your vast garden ... what can I say? TO-DIE-FOR gorgeous! You really do have a couple of green thumbs! Lovin' day 2!

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  10. I'm in lust and envy with a little bit of coveting thrown in there, too, over your sweet peas. I finally gave up trying to grow them, since they don't love me back!
    I'm new follower to your blog, and am enjoying the many things we seem to have in common. Our house used to be home to the neighborhood nursery in our little community about 40 years ago. I remember coming here to buy plants when I was a little girl! We still have the greenhouse, and it's great for sprouting seeds and getting a snoot full (hahaha) of that loamy, dirt smell, even when it's still quite chilly out.
    I'd love to win this giveaway - it's just about time for me to start buying seeds!

    s

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  11. Oh my goodness, more lovely photos and a greenhouse that has me green with envy! It's snowing here at the moment and we're expecting close to a foot of accumulation. I love snow, but now you have me dreaming of spring. Think I'll get browse through the garden catalogs!

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  12. Chris, I do so love your greenhouse! You have inspired me to start thinking about starting seeds! The pics are so lovely! makes me yearn for spring it really can't be that far off right? Traci

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  13. Love the greenhouse and I ADORE those hollyhocks!
    *´¨)
    ¸.*´¸.**´¨) ¸.**´¨)
    (¸.*´ (¸.*´* Lori Lynn *

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  14. Thanks for your garden sampler of ideas. You have some great flower selections. I have never heard of Park Seeds,I'll be sure to check them out.

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  15. Your hand me down greenhouse is just perfect! You can't buy new and get that kind of patina. Gorgeous. The zinnias and lupines are so colorful and gorgeous, and the hollyhocks are something I hope to plant soon.

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  16. I LOVE sweet peas....they remind me of my grandma and her garden. I remember her scraping the seeds on a piece of sandpaper before planting. Great memories. Your flowers are spectacular....veggies too. I love growing beets. What a generous giveaway :)

    Blessings!
    Gail

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  17. This year will be my second kitchen garden and cutting garden. I didn't find you in the spring/summer last year so I'm looking forward to what your garden holds this year. Thank you so much for this chance and what a fun way to do a giveaway!

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  18. I want those hollyhock seeds...really...

    I have got my dirt makers up and running - just gave them a round bale to work on lol and have a nice pile composting in part of their paddock. Hopefully we will move this over to the other side of the house, and between me, the rattlesnakes and the critters (*feral woman picks up some compost in the moment, but looks at it and quickly drops it and brushes off her hand on her jeans indiscretly*) "as God as my witness i will garden again...carefullly!!!"

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  19. Ok, this is the best giveaway ever and I so want that greenhouse. I LOVE your place--first I’m really seeing all this stuff and it’s FABULOUS out there :)

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  20. There's no doubt about it, you've got a green thumb! Last year was the first one where I started alot of my flowers from seed, and the savings alone is enough for me to do that again this year!

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  21. Oh Chris Sweetie...
    Please share a variety of your seeds. I would so love some of those sunflowers, the Teddy Bears look so delightful.

    Your zinnias just scream LOVE and are they ever so pretty. I love those purple lupines as well. They are superb. You have such great taste. I don't know if they would survive here in Phoenix, but I would love to have some of the color in my garden that you have. They are exquisite.

    Your green house is gorgeous. I wish I would inherit one. What a treasure and it fits in your yard so wonderfully.

    Someone is going to be one lucky person that wins this package. Oh my what a dream it is for us gardeners. I LOVE it.

    Please add my name again sweetie. Oh I love this game. What fun it is.

    Many hugs and much love, Sherry

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