First Evening Walk-Around the Garden

 It's 6:30 p.m. and still 82 degrees.

Time to see what's occurring in

my late May borders.

From the cul-de-sac, I 

headed first to the right

along the garage wall.

The variegated iris 

bloomed this year

after being transplanted

two summers ago.

The bunnies are eating the

asters and the yarrow.

I found a plant they are

not supposed to like.

It's too stinky!?!?

The May Nights salvia 

are at their peak 

for the first bloom.

They have performed

steadily for a decade.

Down in back,

another iris is blooming 

a deeper purple.

A new At Last apricot rose

replaced the hydrangea. 

I planted a different salvia

on both sides of the bench,

New Dimensions Blue,

 to keep the purple color

going around the house.

And, rabbits don't like

it either??

We shall see...

I planted a cardinal flower 

and some Phlox

Flame Purple Eye

and some lavender.

Will they become

brunch?

Around the patio,

the peonies are

ready to bust out.

The Miss Kim lilac is too.

I can already smell it!

The shade garden

is filling in with a

ghost fern, astilbe,

wild ginger and some

garden ornaments--

including a fairy garden.

And up the hill, the

bleeding heart and

primrose are passing

with the heat and the

late spring season.

The weigela is blooming

over a carpet of blue

wildflowers.

And the hostas are rising 

up as the lilies of the valley

fade under the birch.

End of May!

Here comes summer!

Busy Time for Planting Pots

 

In the front, an old pot

with a new combination: 

Prince Tut Egyptian grass,

Citrus lantana and 

Terra Cotta petunias.

On the patio, another set of

old containers but a new 

combination: Black Cherry

Supertunias, Cancun dahlias

and Wicked Witch coleus.

And another old pot with

bright orange zinnias.

More containers to pot up

tomorrow early. It's been

unseasonably hot as we

head into Memorial Day

weekend.

Transition Time

 

I didn't get photos of my garden

mid-May, but will transition to

my daughter's garden for photos.

She's been working on this

garden for several years.

It is coming together nicely with

wild ginger, Ajuga, iris,

sweet woodruff, and lilies

filling the bed near the deck.

My granddaughters' mud

kitchen was on the wood 

platform last year, but

this year they like to play

there and use it as a path.

She has also been working on

this area across her driveway.

The fence needed repair after

a limb fell in one of our storms.

The girls always play at the bench

and now want to climb the tree!

On the other side of the fence near the 

street, she added this old

teak swinger and

lots of bright color

as the lilies of the valley

transition to being

just a green ground cover.

You need to catch these moments

fast as they pass quickly and

change yearly.

Garden Men

Larry watches the Garden Angels

do his job, but we needed help.

Now the bushes are 14 years old

and unmanageable since 

we, too, are 14 years older!

Out went the hydrangea and

the butterfly bush.  Too big!

Out went half of the fountain grass.

Out went the flowering quince.

The gardener took most of the quince

and the hydrangea.

Sara took the fountain grass.

The gardener replanted 

a bit of the butterfly bush.

Now the plants have room to breathe.

And we have more room

to add new, smaller plants.

Definitely, angels were here!

 

Busy Day in the Dirt

 

Best day of all is when

you get down on your knees 

(with a cushion these days!)

and dig in the dirt, adding

compost and manure with

a little bit of long-lasting

organic fertilizer, Espoma.

I also spray painted the table,

the garden bench and a trellis.

Just sprucing up the garden!

It's been two years since I 

last was able to bend down

after the fractured tibia.

I slowly took a tour around the

beds looking for some

blooms or buds...

Newly painted trellis

with a small gazing ball

on top.

New meditating frog

and base to upgrade

the bird bath.

Poppies and peonies

primed for blooming.

New stake for the secret garden

sign where the fairy village

will appear soon.

And back to the table 

for a much-needed rest

and to view the rest of

the garden needing

some TLC.

Another Spring Project for the Grandgirls

The day before Earth Day

we planted lima bean seeds

in our little greenhouses.

We hung them in the window

for several days to watch for

roots and first leaves.

We also enjoyed some dirt dessert:

chocolate pudding with crushed

Oreo cookies mixed in with a

couple gummy worms too!

In five days, we had roots.

We needed soil as soon as

we saw the first green leaves.

More on these developments

coming soon...

A Beautiful Day in the April Garden

 

The pansies in the planter

on the front porch have

survived snow and frost

and freezing temperatures.

I did bring them in the house a 

few times in the past month.

But, I have also pinched them 

back and given them

some food for reblooming.

The spirea in the front is

looking great this year

after a pruning last June.

It is really striking with the

red tulips blooming at

the same time.

The color is coming into

the garden again!