Tuesday, April 26th--a very strange day!

It started out foggy and cool, but when the sun burned away the fog, the temperatures soared into the 80s!  We are just not prepared for that kind of weather in late April.  We were wearing fleeces last week (because we couldn't bear to put on our winter coats) and still shivering while working in the garden. I planted Mary Ellen's Nikko Blue hydrangea yesterday afternoon and expected rain overnight, but none occurred.  She carried out many watering cans full of  water for the poor thing as it withstood the sun, southerly wind, and high temperatures late this afternoon.

The landscapers are mulching this week and word has it that they cover anything that is not a shrub with mulch.  I pulled the concrete stepping stones out of the landscape bed so that I would not lose them under the new mulch. Alice and I made them two years ago by filling giant hosta leaves with concrete.  We had fun and were pleased with the results --but it was a mess!
A couple of the stepping stones broke this year. I should bring them into the garage next year.

Hosta leaf concrete stepping stones

I chopped up the old mulch, which had crusted over to an almost inpenetrable layer, so that it will further decay under the new mulch, and add some nutrients to the poor soil left after construction of our stand-alone condo in this "active 55 community" we live in.  Still no sign of earthworms in the thin layer of contractor's topsoil on top of the compacted clay of the landscape beds. The 'Ogon" spirea in the front bed is blooming.  The small, white blossoms have five petals only 1/4 inch across, but are so profuse they color the whole shrub. The bloom is followed by charteuse green leaves on willowy branches.

 Spirea thungergii 'Ogon" in bloom

I moved the Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' "grass" (actually Japanese Rush or Sweet Flag) from the south side of the garage to the north side of the house under the birch tree.  I hope it does better there (although it seems to have survived this harsh winter of 2011 with no problems) where it may escape the brutal sun and drying winds of August.  I love this grass-like plant with a subtle fragrance and evergreen leaves that are actually variegated yellow and shiny--but it doesn't like to be dried out!

Japanese Sweet Rush under the birch tree

I helped clear out the gazebo yesterday evening with the Belltown garden club.  It went quickly with lots of help this year and much pruning and dividing done last year.   We were able to divide a couple dozen perennial plants, mostly Siberian Iris, for the plant sale   I have about 8 newly divided and potted plants to "nurse" along until the end of May. I moved them to the back of the house for the impending mulching.

So, strange, summer-like weather, some ordinary "spring housekeeping" garden chores, and assorted memories from past years provided my garden moments for this day.