In Bloom

Very busy and very happy to see that the perennials are doing what they do best. I haven't done a thing to this particular garden this year, and I'm happy to see that I don't have to. This is why perennials are so worth it. Once they're settled in and established, they truly take care of themselves. And with time being of the essence these days, I so appreciate that!

Spring Cleaning

This weekend we made a big push to get the garden in order. It's always this particular time in May that sees us scrambling to get everything potted up or in the ground. Calendar-wise our town's garden club plant sale always takes place in the days leading up to Mother's Day. It's a good cause and they've always got a great selection– it's hard not to do some damage. So I always return with a trunk full of green things in need of a home in my already over-stuffed garden. This year I picked up some hosta (the Mister is so pleased after last year's debacle trying to grow it from seed,) a sedum, some lavender, various herbs and veggies, and some portulaca, cosmos and oxalis for our window boxes. This is the first year I feel somewhat confident about my window box selections. For the first time I've made my choices based on my own personal experience rather than gut. Finally I've actually got some experience to draw upon!


To further complicate things, by this time of year the greenhouse inevitably becomes less hospitable. White fly takes over. Making the trip to check in and water is a hassle. Everything is leggy, overgrown and ready to come home. So all the coleus I'd been wintering over is home again as well. Slowly we're beginning to find some order.

Potential

I love lupin. The cool star-shaped leaves. And crazy cone-shape blossoms. It blooms from the bottom up, the color slowly climbing higher each day. It's like a natural thermometer marking our daily progress toward warmer weather.










This daisy-to-be is quite deceptive. Inside that tiny little bundle sleeps all those petals, rows and rows of "loves me, loves me not."















And this rose is an even more efficient packer. When it blooms, it'll be like a magician pulling an endless trail of scarves from his sleeve.

Perrenial Favorites

This is the time of year is all about reuniting with my perrenials. There's the thrill of seeing who's returned. More than that, there's the thrill of seeing which plants are really succeeding.

Take for example our Star of Bethlehem plant. It came to our garden, via another's garden, two years ago right about the time I was starting this blog. I reported on how unpromising its prospects looked.

Then last year I was tickled to discover that it indeed found our little plot worthy of its roots. It not only returned, but also graced us with a few flowers.


And now, be it ever so humble, this year it's decided there's no place like our garden.



I can hardly wait to see what next year will bring.