Garden Surprises

[Stephanie]

I'm talking about things that pop up in your garden that you hadn't planted or thought would find your garden as a new "home".

For me, I like to plant alyssum and I have noticed that they do re-seed themsleves. But, has anyone ever had impatiens do that? I noticed about a year ago that in a garden that I normally plant them, I had a few additional stragglers pop up next to them. Actually, the colors (deep purple) are not colors that I recall planting there before. I usually go for the hot-pink, light pink or lavendar. Well, I was weeding this afternoon and I noticed that not only do I have my stragglers from last year, but there are tiny baby impatien plants popping up too! Pretty neat!

[pvroses]

I love those little surprises ! Like Az , I always leave the sunflowers.Although they don't always make it to the point of having seeds,dang squirrels. I like to plant johnny-jump-ups (small violas) because they spread all over the place ! The cracks in the sidewalk,up on the porch,into the neighbors yard..... I've noticed that the snapdragons do the same thing,just pop up all over ! Come to think of it,that's how I have a new redbud tree ! I spotted it growing next to the drive way last yr and let it grow.It's now almost four foot tall ! Ready to be transplanted this fall. ~K

[Stephanie]

Cool story PV!

I do have alot of little pine trees and shrubs that sprout up in my backyard, even a little holly bush. The majority of the backyard is wooded and I do have a 10' tall holly back there. We're trying to protect the little "babies" from being stepped on or mowed over by surrounding them with bricks.

[Bestofour]

Stephanie, I don't know about your area, but in the south where I live, if you cover your impatients up with mulch or leaves during the winter they will come back next season. It seems too, that they get bigger and thicker every year. I noticed the same as you yesterday, little baby impatients coming up all around the original ones.

[Stephanie]

Bestofour -

I do have mulch around all of my plants and flowers. When the flowers die and the seeds drop, they must just like what they land in! I've just never seen so many - maybe I should open a plant stand in front of my house!

[breeze]

Stephanie, my Mom has petunias to pop
up and surprise her, every year! Also,
one particular purple one has decided to
sprout through a small crack, in the concrete
front porch steps - you have to step over it!
Nature does has lovely ways of making us smile.

[Stephanie]

Stephanie, my Mom has petunias to pop
up and surprise her, every year! Also,
one particular purple one has decided to
sprout through a small crack, in the concrete
front porch steps - you have to step over it!
Nature does has lovely ways of making us smile.

Indeed she DOES!

[Bestofour]

Million bells volunteered up all over my garden this year. They look just like petunias and are everywhere. I know you can plant them from seeds but I've never done that. I don't know where they came from but I have A Lot of them. I've left them alone. They do well rain or shine.

[Stephanie]

I've seen the million bells and they are cute!

I had another little surprise today, but it's not all that uncommon. I was back some of my perennials, like my catmint and underneath one I saw something orange and brown. It was a box turtle! I haven't seen one in my backyard at all! That was a nice little surprise!