My Wish List

Today in the Wall Street Journal "Off Duty" section, there is an article suggesting new plants available this year. They are listed A to Z. You won't be able to access the article without a subscription, but you can view the video for a quick peek and some information on the plants. Some of them are great improvements on plants I already have or used to have and lost or gave up on growing. Here's my wish list from the article--in alphabetical order.

C Is for Comeback.  I have never really liked impatiens but it serves a great purpose to brighten to dark spaces. Impatiens 'Beacon'is now improved to resist the blight or "downy mildew" which has hit it hard these past few years.

E Is for Everblooming. A new sunflower Helianthus 'Suncredible' will bloom all summer on a 3-foot stalk. A definite must for me!

G Is for Gleam. A new Brunnera 'Sterling Silver' is bigger and brighter for dark areas like the shade garden under my deck.

H Is for High Contrast. I've never liked hibiscus either, but they do well on my hot deck in August. This Hibiscus 'Evening Rose' is a real stunner for that time at the end of the summer when you need a lift.

L Is for Lilliputian. I've grown successfully and lost drastically Knock Out roses which contracted rosy rosette disease and were infested with gypsy moths. Now there is a new Knock Out rose, Rosa 'Knock Out Petite'. It's disease-resistant and smaller than a regular Knock Out rose. I want to try it!

N Is for No Staking. This new peony will not flop because it has sturdy stems. But I might need to wait for next year due to its expense! Paeonia 'Tonka Extravaganza' can wait at $250?

Q Is for Quirky. I have a Baptisia or False Indigo for its deep blue bloom and black seed pods in later summer but it's not doing well after a decade in its spot. A new Baptisia 'Flying Saucers' has cup-shaped leaves that provide water for hummingbirds! I love that idea and yellow blooms are fine too!

If I could make these improvements in my small garden bed, I would have improved plant health, sturdier blooms and light in my dark areas.  That would be a great accomplishment for a gardener during a pandemic so I might try mail order?

Delightful Day in the Early Spring Garden

My gloves and tools are drying out

before I put them away.

It was great to be out in the early spring garden

this year. Last year at this time I had a broken leg!

I started to work on clearing out the old Lily of the Valley leaves

before the new ones formed. I worked under the birch tree 

with my winter coat on.

As I moved down the hillside garden bed, I uncovered 

some Lamb's Ear. I remember reading during the toilet paper crisis

that this plant has been used as toilet paper through history.

Click here to read about the 7 plants used as toilet paper.

It got warmer but the breeze was chilly. I moved under the deck

to neaten up the patio beds, but kept my winter coat on.

The pattern of light from the Trex deck above is interesting

when there are no plants growing to distract the eye.

I did find a little bit of Pulmonaria or Lungwort growing

very slowly and not too hardy. It used to be a large clump!

But the white Violet has no problems growing in that same bed!

It looks lovely now, but I'll pull it out all summer to keep it 

under control. The wonders of gardening: too cool or too hot; 

too much or too little; weed or wanted?

Before the Snow

Snow expected tomorrow and Saturday morning.  Accumulation on Saturday.
Took some photos late this afternoon while the blooms looked so much like April.

Tete-a tete daffodils--without their face masks!

Narcissus. The apricot ones are lovely.

Primroses full of bloom

Tulip buds ready to burst.

Will the snow get them--or the bunnies?

Spirea 'Ogon' blooming even though

they were pruned too late in the fall.

Spirea, tulips, daffodils and the herb pot

on the driveway outside the garage.

Signs of spring despite the weather prediction!

It's No April Fool!

The coronavirus has not jumped to the plant world! The flowers are starting to bloom despite the state of the world.

I discovered my herbs growing in last year's pot

which was stored over the winter in the garage.

Not sure what these beauties are.

Maybe bluebells?

Don't remember finding them in the cul-de-sac before.

Primroses are lifting their heads in bloom.

Narcissus in the garden bed starts to bloom.

Pansies on the front porch get afternoon sun.

Tete-a-tete daffodils are usually first to bloom,

but have some competition this crazy spring!

No foolin'!