Tuesday, August 25, 2009

polka dots...and petunias

We had friends over for dinner on the weekend...


...and my friend admired the planter at the front door. Then she stooped for closer inspection...and wondered about the black polka dots on the leaves.

Is it a polka-dotted potato vine...or are they bugs? Smile! We live on a farm...and I call them fly specks...when I'm being polite. Polka dots look lovely on my granddaughter's green dress...but not so much on my plants...and walls...and windows...and white motorhome. But...it seems they are part and parcel of country living...and so I will need to learn to live with polka dots!

As for the petunias...I cut off all the blooms...and all the polka dots about three weeks ago. I've been told that they should be cut back severely once they get leggy...and they will thank you for it! Until this year...I've always been afraid to try it. But just before we left on vacation I decided to go for it...I wouldn't be here to see the sad looking flowerbed anyhow. And look at them now...

...blooming for all they are worth. After decades of pink petunias...I switched to pale yellow this year...and I like them. I guess change is good...sometimes.


Have a terrific Tuesday...

15 comments:

  1. Yep polka dots and dust are country accents..I sure remember that from living on a farm.
    The petunias look great..I hate cutting them back but there sure is a reward in doing that..good time to do it when you are headed out for a vacation.

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  2. I've always been afraid to cut the petunias back too. I guess I won't any more. Yours are so full and beautiful!!!

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  3. After seeing this post, I'll be cutting back the blooms on next year's plants.
    Those polka-dots - we have them too, I'm afraid. Thanks for the smile!!!

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  4. That is a very pretty driveway ...

    I love petunias ... have purple ones in mine ...

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  5. How beautiful your petunias are, along such a pretty driveway!
    I always plant petunias but didn't know about cutting them back. That would take a lot of courage! smile....
    There ARE poka-dots and then there are poka-dots... smile.. I agree some are prettier than others !

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  6. I gave my hanging baskets a good prune before we left too . .it adds so much life. Your petunias are perfect.
    Polka dots .. that's farming.
    I am about to do an experiment on keeping flies at bay .. .I'll let you know how it goes.

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  7. I am so glad to learn that you can cut back the petunias like that. I have mine in pots and they are alwasy the firt ones to look like summer is done. We'll see what we can do next summer.

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  8. Polka-dots and petunias - I love them both. But, I think I prefer "regular" polka-dots. ;-)


    Those petunias are gorgeous, and I don't recall ever seeing yellow ones. Yellow is my favorite color.

    And yes, I am actually productive in my home office. And, it is so much fun now.

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  9. It is good to be back and reading all of these fun posts. I would truly be excited if my petunias looked that good. They are beautiful! So are your sweet potato vines. Thank you for the advice about cutting back the petunias. I would have been scared to do it, but not anymore.

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  10. Well, I learned a couple of new things here today ~ fly spots on the farm & cutting back petunias really does work. Yours look beautiful.

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  11. Your entrance way is so beautiful. The petunias are gorgeous. I think they are a happy flower. Great job.

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  12. What a beautiful garden! Very impressive with that curved drive and the vine covered arch, and, of course, those masses of pretty petunias.

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  13. Your driveway and entrance is beautiful with the flowers and other plants. A few years ago, I read that you should cut your flowering annuals back when you go on vacation and I didn't do it until this year either.It was worth it wasn't it?

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  14. You know how to give your yard that special touch. It's so well coordinated especially with your heritage garden.

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