Lots of Growing Going On

Everything is growing fast now. And the spring ephemerals are winding down. Still some coming though, waiting patiently for the Anemone canidensis. Not quite blooming yet, but heading up. Nicest new one is the wild geranium, Geranium maculatum. Don’t have a lot, but they’re dependable.

Also, I have always said “good edges make good gardens”. Kinda like “good fences make good neighbors” by Robert Frost. Bill has been spending hours and hours on the edges of all of the beds in the yard. Today he hauled 160 edging stones to the front of the veggie garden/coneflower front, etc.  over the next week or so he’ll be digging them in so mowing will be easier.

Today’s Beauty

Bill LOVES Columbines.  I let him have them in
the spring, but cut them back after they bloom

This Pulmanaria is prettier than the ones that grow
everywhere and spread aggressively.  This one I have
to protect.

Grape Hyacinths looking lovely this year

I love the beautiful Ajuga in the spring and all
year long it's a lovely groundcover

One of the pretty Alpine Clematis plants on
the gazebo

Early white Iris that I divided and transplanted
two years ago.  The ones I did last year aren't
blooming as well, but they will come

Bergenia looking pretty among the Heucheras

I've seen a Monarch in the yard already, but the
milkweeds are just poking up.  But I am finding
lots of them of three kinds popping up

Creek was up to the top of its banks today after
yesterday's 1 3/4 inches of rain

Dogwood near the compost bins is the first to bloom

That was then.... This is now

If you can't tell, the pictures on the left are from the year we moved here, 1991.  Those on the right I took last week.  A few things have changed....

From front drive 1991

Similar place 2019.  Bought all of the heucheras in a flat that
the vendor thought was of annuals.  I think about $18.  

we planted the blue spruce in 1991

It's bigger now.

There were 3 dead rose bushes in front of the Atruim then

Now there is a bit more. 

Bill and my Dad tilling the veggie garden the 1st time

We've changed it some, adding raised beds

Outdoor living was a bit sparse then

Much more comfortable today

Planting and Edging and Working Hard

Wrote and photographed this last Thursday, before the beautiful holiday weekend. Can’t fully edit on my iPad, but don’t have time to get to the computer to finish. Will do soon, in what looks to be a rainy week, but for now here it is.

Bill is working hard doing the edging on all of the beds. Whew!  I’m planting and weeding, and searching for important emerging plants.

This has been a growth week for sure. Hard to remember all we’ve done. Trying to get everything out of the greenhouse and planted. Weather looks so so, it doesn’t look like the lows will be below 50, but the highs are still 60s, maybe a 70 here or there. Here are this week’s pictures.

Purple coneflowers coming on. 

Want this empty and gone this weekend. It is!  

A lot to plant this weekend

Beautiful red Darwin tulips. 

View from the deck.  Rabbits are making stuff
difficult along this corridor. 

The Water Lilies are coming on strong.  And
the fish are spawning.  Spring peepers sing in
the evening.

Shooting Star!  love it for a short moment.

A yellow violet.  I think it is Viola pubescens

My favorite purple tulips, growing in front of
the garden for many years.  

Can hardly keep up with the asparagus.  Love it!

working on identification.  

A favorite view toward the garden.  Armillaria
from John and Lee Parker

Cool Again.

Gonna be cool and wet for the next several days, but we should be able to really get stuff planted by mid week. There are still new things growing and blooming, though. I’m finally finding the beginning sprouts of swamp milkweed and butterfly weed. No common milkweed showing up yet, but I hope it will come soon. I’ve heard that Monarchs are arriveing in southern Wisconsin. Last year we sheltered, fed and eventually released 18 adults.

Here are some of today’s new bloomers.

Grape Hyacinth

This Oriole really wanted to come into our living room

The Prarie Smoke isn’t new, but so glorious now

White Bleeding Heart

Favorite Spring Bloomer

The Magnolia!  So glorious in May.

Yesterday 

Today

Coming on Faster Now

Lots of stuff blooming and growing now that the weather is warmer. I think frost is past, and I’m planting things a bit more.

Bleeding hearts

Buttercups just popped up

Lots of Jack in the Pulpits all over our he place

The Serviceberry is blooming. Don’t blink your eyes
It doesn’t stay in bloom for long 

Slow Beginnings.

Yard is looking green, buds starting to swell on many trees and shrubs.  But much of what is showing will be gone by the time of the garden walk. Hope to be able to get rid of all the squills, daffodils, and other spring stuff by then. But it’s nice they’re hanging on looking beautiful. Hostas are mostly starting and other summer perennials. Asparagus on meal three.  But things are really coming on slowly. Still covering the greenhouse at night and covering plants on the front porch. Really want to get going!

Queen of the Prairie looking strong

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Spring seems to Really be Here!

Lots of new things growing and blooming in the last week or so. We’ve gotten most of the mulch spread out and off the driveway.  Bill did a whole bunch of edging yesterday.  I've been planting and moving perennials.  Also planted lettuce, radishes, potato sets, broccoli and cabbage plants in the veggie garden.  Working to weed out tree and shrub seedlings constantly.  Here are some photos of recent blooms.  I'll post some wider views soon, but today we're getting dumped on with rain.

Trilium next to the creek.  Hope it doesn't get flooded out

Tons of Trout Lilies

Magnolia struggling to bloom

Darwin Tulips in many places

Of course the violets are all over the lawn

Monarda that died back 2 years ago is back with a vengence

And Pulmanaria is everywhere too