Tag Archives: Spring

Cold Front Sunday

The weather prediction is for cold–in the 50’s Fahrenheit overnight–and staying on the cool side all week. But no rain.

The lilies are starting to bloom and most of the daylilies are sporting scapes. I’m waiting for the garlic plants to die back. Ditto the few potatoes that survived the cold, wet spring.

The asparagus is done and in fern–more on that in Monday’s post. I’ll be talking about the ugly side of gardening. Weeds.

Just in time to replace the asparagus, here comes a bucket load of sugar snap peas. And little green tomatoes are forming, along with little green blueberries.

All in all, a happy Sunday. Hope yours is happy too.

Asymmetrical Parterre: Part 3

The new garden is about as finished as it’s going to be. This year.

We moved the bench from a side garden and laid a path from the front of the garden to the pond, and then to the bench. Jim and I talked about creating a small shelter around the bench. It won’t be this year. We need to think about setting posts in concrete, maybe using lattice or horizontal fencing around it. And what about a roof? Maybe next year …

I’ve planted irises and one Ms. Wilmott’s Ghost (eryngium giganteum) that I saw on Big Dreams, Small Spaces. I just knew it would look terrific in this garden if I could get it to grow. The problem? Too wet with serious lack of drainage when it rains. And it’s been raining most days this spring.

Taking a tip from Monty Don, I dug an enormous hole–way wider and deeper than needed for my little plant–and added a mix of peat moss and pea pebbles. Hopefully, that will keep the plant happy and well-drained until it matures.

I already had the large pot, one of a pair that I used on my front stoop. Except this year, I decided to use only one in front. The hibiscus was a lucky find, in line with my #Learning2bLucky lifestyle. One of the local groceries discounted their spring plants 75 percent, so I snatched up a $30 plant for $6. Yay.

My one extravagance was the Buddha. I went to Classic Statuary looking for a pair of Foo Dogs. And they had a gigantic pair–too big for my little garden, and really much more than I wanted to spend. I saw the Buddha sitting way in the back, in a corner, and just knew he should be meditating in my rockery parterre.

I don’t know what else I’d add other than more, possibly bigger, rocks. Cleaning the pond is going to be an issue come fall, and I’m not sure my water lily is going to make it. Time will tell.

Updates to follow.

Sunny Sunday

Bright sun, blue skies, low humidity and not too warm. A perfect spring day and it may be one of the last. Spring is coming to an end. The tulips are tapped out, the peonies are almost finished, the roses are in bloom and the lilies are just beginning to flower. Summer is coming.

But rain is predicted for every single day next week, through Thursday. We do not need more rain.

Although, my clematis Blue Fountain–shown in the photo–loves the rain. Blooming profusely, it has taken over. I’ve had to cut back vines to uncover the hydrangea.

Today’s my day to weed the asparagus bed. The stalks have started to fern, promise of asparagus next spring. Maybe by then we’ll be ready for them.

Wishing all a wonderful and sunny Sunday.

Cloudy Sunday

Another cloudy Sunday, but will it rain? We’ve already had more than five unnecessary inches of rain this week. The backyard is squishy and marshy and full of puddles. We can’t mow.

The flowers love it. The veg do not. I doubt I’ll get a single decent tomato this season, and pill bugs–Armadillium vulgare? I’m not a bug person, so I’m never sure of proper names–have infested my lettuce.

Meanwhile, here is a photo of an old cottonwood tree stump that Jim believes will turn back into a tree. The interesting part is the nest I found while trying to cut back the suckers. Since we have broken robins’ eggs all over the yard, I suspect baby robins lived there for a time.

Here’s to another possibly wet Sunday. Wishing each of you a good week to come.

Dreary Sunday

Another cold, wet Sunday with an inch of rain over the last 24 hours, and up to five inches expected through Wednesday. The flowers are loving it, but the warm-weather veggies–not so much.

I gifted tomato plants this spring, and one recipient complained that hers weren’t growing. They will, I told her, when it warms up. But so far, warming up hasn’t happened.

My tomatoes planted in raised beds look water-logged and scraggly. I have a micro-climate near the house where I planted tomatoes in pots. They’re doing well–less water, more heat.

Even so, summer is on its way and soon I’ll have more tomatoes than I can possibly use. It’ll be time to pull out the canning supplies.