October 7, 2011

Looking Back

Do you ever go through the "stats" on your blog to see where some of your readers are coming from?  It can be really interesting to see how someone has come across your blog and what they are reading.

A lot of hits to my blog come from people looking at images.  Today I clicked through to the posts where the images were found and had a good laugh.  One was called GBBD ~ Ever Hopeful.

To recap, I had transplanted a hydrangea that had somehow managed to survive the previous spring/summer/fall and winter but hadn't thrived.   Imagine that!  A hydrangea that hadn't thrived in Central Texas - go figure!   The hydrangea was handling the move pretty well; I mean, at least it wasn't dead.  Why, I ask myself, do I always insist on pushing limits?  I've always been somewhat of a rebel!

Later while grocery shopping, I had come across some hydrangea blooms and in lofty anticipation of the gorgeous flowers that were surely to come in my garden, I bought them.  Now these were worth buying.  They were so lovely that I'll post them again...



This white pitcher makes any flower/branch arrangement look good.  Or should I say, any flower/branch arrangement makes this white pitcher look good?  Anyway...



This is one of those humbling moments in gardening:



because this is what the hydrangea looks like now...deader than dead can be.

It doesn't thwart my optimism though.  Not in the least.  Because the gardenia that I posted about for which I had no hope of surviving has not only survived but thrived!  The shrub has more than doubled in size this summer. 


And I'm looking forward with crazy, unbridled optimism to more of these fragrant, luscious blooms next spring!

As for the hydrangea?  Fortunately, there are tons of them to be found at the flower market!
 

19 comments:

  1. If I had to choose it would be the gardenia for me! So glad yours is thriving! And how wise to focus on what thrived!

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  2. How do Oak Leaf Hydrangeas do for you? I have found them to be much more drought tolerant than the regular mopheads. Mopheads are wimps. I have an Endless Summer absolutely on its last legs. In its defense I did transplant it in May. I transplanted an Oakleaf in May, as well, and it never even skipped a beat. Love the smell of the gardenias, but no way I can grow them here -- soil is too alkaline. Been there, done that. I might could try one in a pot where I can control the soil. Hoping for rain this weekend!

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  3. Funny. I can not keep a gardenia alive. Our climate says, NO, even indoors. They are one of my favorites too.

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  4. That hydrangea is not dead. It's pining for the fjords.

    My hydrangeas (except for the oak-leafed ones) are the thirstiest plants I have, or at least in the top 10. Not surprised by your results, but still hate to see the "shriveled stem" look of a dead plant that I'm oh so familiar with.

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  5. I haven't seen stats for my site, as i only have the visitors' number. I don't know how to look for the stats as you did. That hydrangea fits perfectly on that beautiful pitcher, very beautiful. In the case of my hydrangea, it looks very weak with small leaves, yet i don't fertilize them. Maybe i can do that sooner!

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  6. I look at the plants that die vs. the ones that thrive, and sometimes I can figure out why, but sometimes, it's just a puzzle. Your hydrangea was gorgeous. Definitely try again! My gardenias are the ones that are puzzles to me!

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  7. I look at my stats every day. It's really cool to see all the different people from around the world. And since I have a Sitemeter tracker, I can also see the search words people have typed in to get them to my blog...some of the words are hilarious.

    Is that a Kleim's gardenia? I tried one of those once, and it didn't make it. Then I tried one more time with an August Beauty, and that's one is doing awesome.

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  8. Cat I remember that post because those blue hydrangeas are my favorite. It is funny how we anticipate something will grow and are sure that something won't. Then they surprise us and do the opposite. So glad the gardenia is growing...they are so lovely and the fragrance....mmmm!

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  9. Thanks Ginny. I think between the two I would rather have the gardenia too.

    That's my experience too Alan...a girl can dream every now and then.

    Toni, my oak leaf is doing well...not as well as I'd hoped but it's hanging in there and that's about all I can ask in these conditions. The gardenia is in a pot so I'm able to amend the soil conditions. I have two actually and they've added a nice glossy foliage to the patio.

    Andrea, I'm not sure what platform you use to blog from but Blogger has a dashboard with "stats" that you can click on to get an idea of where your visitors are coming from.

    HolleyGarden, my girlfriend has her gardenia planted in the garden. I was fearful about that route so planted mine in pots on my patio. So far so good!

    Kyna, mine is August Beauty too. In total agreement about the words people type in and arrive at my site...this week, the funniest are 'tour bed' and 'gets some in the morning'...hmmmm....

    Mmmmm, yes Donna, the fragrance...heavenly!

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  10. I looked at some hydrangeas at WH yesterday. They were so beautiful. You gave yours a beautiful home. So sorry about your ones in the ground. It makes me wonder what my son's look like in his Dallas garden. I have some of the dried ones from a few years ago. They are brown now but I still love them.

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  11. Poor hydrangea but you have a memory of it here and that picture is beautiful.

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  12. I'm with Toni on trying an oakleaf. Think of the death of the hydrangea as a memo from nature to buy more gardenias!! She just has an odd delivery system. :o)

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  13. Hi Cat, Gardenias have the most wonderful of scents. Heavenly! Here the weather is getting colder and the blooms fewer and fewer. I too will be buying flowers at the market. The hydrangea shots are beautiful BTW.

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  14. A true gardener, with a true gardeners heart.....it's not dead, it's just resting. LOL.

    The gardenia probably loves the heat, and slightly drier soil. A perfect match for your climate.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

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  15. Cat, hydrangeas are temperamental up here, too. I'm not sure what their optimal climate is. And gardenias...oh, be still my heart, there will be no growing of gardenias here in the Rust Belt, either.

    I look at my stats and find my CPAP post is the most popular. Figures, I look like an alien in that one, lol.

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  16. It's raining in Texas!!!!! Hooray!!! :o) Happiness and joy to you!!!

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  17. As one becomes a more experienced gardener you try more and more borderline plants, and more and more die. Death is part of the process of gardening, and I have to say, it doesn't really bother me.

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  18. Shame about the hydrangea, if not entirely surprising (!), but hey, we have to experiment, where is the fun in playing safe all the time! And sometimes plants surprise you in a good way...

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  19. Funny! Hydrangeas are one of the few plants that grow easily in our acidic shady yard. I envy you for your dessert blooms.

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