Garden Questions?????

“As the seconds of our lives tick away,

you have to realize

that life needs

to be

an adventure.”

No, I'm not back in Sicily where I took these photos, but would love to visit there again some day! Your garden may not seem like an adventure in distance as it's right outside the door. . . . . . .but it can be, and trying new plants might be part of the vision, especially in springtime.

Has anyone tried to grow this giant Mediterranean fennel (Ferula communis), common name Giant fennel or Meeting Seed? It was spectacular on the Sicilian hillsides. I've never seen it growing here in the US but perhaps it does in the UK so you wonderful British gardeners may know of it. I know it can grow very tall, looks quite stunning and is so bright in the landscape.

DESCRIPTION

This superb and spectacular giant from the Mediterranean has dark green leaves, divided many times into delicate, feathery segments. The enormous flower-heads contain countless tiny, bright yellow flowers in early summer. It makes an enormous hardy tuber in time, and can make a spectacular addition to a wild garden, border, shrubbery or on a pool margin.

OK, what happened to my beautiful yellow/pink Peace rose?  For many years this rose bush has grown and bloomed in the front porch bed, with lovely healthy green leaves and many flowers often lasting until Autumn. Sadly it has now disappeared and in its place has appeared a common red Knock Out.....yes that rose seen everywhere these days! Could my Peace have been propagated by grafting onto one of those easy to grow roses? Will I never see another yellow flower?  

This morning, a view of the now blooming red rose.

Have a good day. I'm sowing seeds, including Mammoth Russian 

sunflowers - will be interesting to see if they survive hungry

 deer and squirrels this year! 

All part of the adventure, haha!!!