Mid May, and All is Well

Haven’t had much time to post to the blog lately, but the garden is marching on.  Being preoccupied with other things, and unable to do much heavy lifting, this spring I’ve depended on the garden to do its own thing and it has stood up to the task.  One problem has been that the early spring encouraged things to grow faster than they perhaps should have, so some things were set back by the frost last week.  A couple of hostas lost most of their emerged leaves, as did the ginkgo tree.  Even some of the most timid of the native plants got stopped in their tracks.  Most of the shoots of the Joe-Pye Weed got fried/frozen.  I expect the plants will make new growth, but they will be set back. 

Had to take in the plants that were out on the deck and on the front porch for a couple of days, and it is still pretty cold at night for them.  After all of the effort to keep them alive over the winter it is a shame to let them go due to a couple of cold nights.  But what a hassle to bring the in and put them out every day.

But now we are looking at a ten day prediction of rising and above normal temperatures, and by the end of that span the normal will be quite warm.  So I think it is fairly safe to begin acquiring new plants, and acclimating the old ones to the outside.  Maybe even plant the deck planters this weekend or next week. 

I have a bunch of wave petunias to put out to take the place of the spring annuals.  And I’ve been finding some interesting annuals to put in the deck planters.  Lee and Lin gave us a beautiful Mandaville plant from Florida, and I think it will be safe to leave outside soon.  It needs a bigger pot for sure, and something to climb on.  Planted the Cannas last week, but nothing has emerged yet. 

The Shooting Star is in full bloom and so is the Prairie Smoke.  The Ajuga beneath the Willow has really taken hold, and is gorgeous in the spring.  The Pagoda Dogwood on the South side of the house is getting more and more robust and beautiful.  It will bloom soon, as will the dogwood bushes along the creek.  The Pagoda is becoming one of my very favorites.  It is a bit too close to the house, for sure.  But it is beautiful in every season, and not at all difficult to take care of.  What a wonderful plant. 

  

Spring Marches on Quickly

Since the challenge of keeping something in bloom once the Winter Aconite started, there has been little challenge.  It has been such a warm gentle spring that things are just jumping up and into full bloom, sometimes faster than I can keep up with them.  Was away for a week last week, and the change in the yard was unbelievable.  The crocuses have bloomed and are done.  Daffodils are fully out now, some even past prime.  Tulips, Hyacinth, Squills, Grape hyacinth, all emerging. 

The Bloodroot came up, bloomed, and is done, pretty much all while I was in the hospital.  There is a single Trilium coming up next to the clump.  And Forget-me-nots are blooming there too, though I never planted them.  The Marsh Marigold has a single blossum, at least it comes up each year.  Forsythia is pretty much done, though it may have lasted longer if we didn’t have the 5 inch snow a week and a half ago.  Many Pulmanaria around the yard are blooming, as are the Pasque flowers.  Prairie Smoke is beginning, and so are the Darwin Tulips in the first berm.  Snowdrops have come and gone.  Shooting star is just getting ready to burst forth.  And I think the Japanese Lilac will be next. 

We had fresh asparagus from the garden for dinner tonight.  Not a lot, but enough to whet our appetites for more.  Also fresh chives for the baked potato, and a little mint just to smell nice.  And the frogs are singing in either our pond or the neighbors each night.  Hope we get tadpoles again this year.

It is surely good to be home.  Going to be difficult to keep up with all the changes in the next few weeks, but most things can make it on their own.  I poke around doing tiny jobs, and ask Bill to do the big things.  He’s also painting the house this spring, so he’s busy for sure.  Not sure when the garden will be plowed, but we are really still at least a month out from major planting time.  I should be able to do more by then, I hope.  

Foggy Early Spring Evening

Went out tonight just before dark, really not realizing how close the nighttime was.  Took a bunch of photos because the light was so beautiful.  It was foggy and still, having rained about a half an inch today, with more on the way.  Here is one of the pictures I took. 

 

There are many things going on this week.  Things are really starting to grow.  But it does seem quite uneven.  The primroses are up and beginning to bloom.  The wild ginger is just beginning to sprout.  Still can't see the butterfly weed or even the joe-pye weed or the latris.  Spring Beauties are starting.  The buds on the Magnolia are swelling and turning color, and the apple trees will have many flowers this year.  Hostas are just beginning to sprout, but astilbes are up 3 or 4 inches.  Can't find many Jack in the pulpits yet, but the trilium near the sump pump effluent is almost in bloom.  Most of the pasque flowers are blooming now, and the yellow darwin tulips are opening.  Daffodils are almost done, tulips are just beginning.   Spotted the Rue Anenome today, it seemed to sprout up overnight.  Prairie Smoke is beginning it's humble show.