As usual, we have gone from zero to 60, weather-wise. The last two days were 70+, and I'm sure in a week we'll need the A/C on :-)
 |
| Glory of the Snow --this has happily self-seeded itself all over my gardens. I love it! |
Last Thursday I managed to do a minimalist job cleaning up a garden bed that's too far from the house for my older self. I try to keep it relatively weeded, but I'm really just letting certain things take over (milkweed; spiderwort has gone wild self-seeding; and last fall I allowed the garlic chives to go to seed). The soil is sandy, the rabbits are
rabid, and it's too far to drag the hose.
 |
| Species columbine --I've helped this seed all over the edges of our woods for the hummingbirds. |
Closer to the house, a few years ago Rob created a couple of raised beds outside the kitchen, on the west side of the house. I've grown tomatoes in one of them, and Emma had planted strawberries in the other. Last summer the tomatoes were joined by basil and cilantro, which I'll do again (the cilantro self-seeded and I already have a crop of seedlings).
Last year I began to remove the strawberries from the second bed, and added in some daylilies, a nice garden ornament, and some annual seeds. In the fall I removed the remaining strawberry plants. So far this spring I've planted butterfly weed (a yellow and an orange, just the rhizomes) and a dwarf bee balm. I was debating about where to put the purple coneflower seedling, and for now I've stuck it in there too. In a few years I'll probably be able to divide it and transplant it, since I think it will eventually be too big for the bed. I'd really like to attract butterflies to that bed, since I can see it while standing at the kitchen sink.
 |
| A clump of daffodils I planted 4 or 5 years ago in that bed that's too far away, doing nicely (with some self-seeded glory of the snow). |
I had cleome growing there last summer, and I let it seed itself. I also was lucky enough to get my hands on some cleome seeds from our local arboretum (
Klehm Arboritum) when I toured it with a group of friendly gardeners on a very hot day last August. I added most of those seeds in the fall as well. I'm keeping one third of the garden for various annuals --my friend Amy (one of many I've never met IRL) has gifted me lots of seeds from her beautiful NJ garden, and I can't wait to see how they do.
 |
| Virginia bluebell and some of the daffodils planted last fall. |
I still have beds on the north side of the house that need spring cleaning but they are just beginning to see some direct sunlight. I have hyacinth blooming in the far garden, but in the north-side bed they are only just emerging.
 |
| These are getting quite old, and the species daylilies here are overtaking them. |
As you can tell, these photos have nothing to do with this actual post :-) They are just what's blooming right now. I also made up a batch of sugar water for the hummingbird feeders this afternoon. I might put that feeder up soon :-)
Lots of great blooms. Weird how the first half of April was so cold and then - boom - it's off to the races. If you plant that butterfly bed, another couple of plants that really attract butterflies are Anise Hyssop and Mexican Sunflower. Also there is a compact Butterfly Bush called 'Blue Adonis' that only grows to about 4' but still is a great plant for butterflies.
ReplyDeleteOoh --I just ordered some Anise Hyssop seeds! Bonus :-)
DeleteYour glory-in-the-snow is beautiful! I have a small clump somewhere, but I think it bloomed during the cold weather, and I missed it. Sounds like you have a good start on your butterfly bed. Thanks to Jason's recommendation, I've started seeds for Mexican Sunflower this year; we'll see if they bring in more butterflies. And thanks for the reminder on the cleome--now, where did I put that seed??
ReplyDeleteI've been really amazed at how my glory-of-the-snow has self-seeded. I have it all over my beds now. It's like scilla, in that it blooms early and then disappears, so it doesn't interfere with other flowers.
DeleteIt looks to me like you have extensive and thriving gardens. Thanks for sharing the photos!
ReplyDeleteMy glory-of-the-snow didn't flower this year, so I'm having to live vicariously through your photos. I've considered planting Virginia bluebells for several years, now, but your picture on here and that gorgeous one you put on FB might have just pushed me into action. I have soooo much shade in our yard, so I'm always looking for color that will bloom in the shade, and I seem to have read bluebells are shade-lovers(?).
ReplyDeleteThe Virginia bluebells are woodland flowers, and they bloom before the deciduous trees leaf out. So they're good for that kind of shade. I have them in a bed that's on the east side of the house, and in a few weeks several trees on that side will leaf out and give that bed more shade than it gets now. I wonder why your GOTS didn't bloom? I've never had that happen.
DeleteIt all looks beautiful. :o)
ReplyDeleteI like your approach to your garden, Cassi. Tidy, but allowing some of the plants to naturalize. I aim for that type of garden, too. I'm so envious of your beautiful patch of Virginia Bluebells. I planted some VB seeds a couple of years ago. They're starting to have a presence in the garden, so I hope they'll finally bloom next year. It looks like we'll have some cool weather during the next two weeks--perhaps a little uncomfortable, but your beautiful blooms will last longer. :)
ReplyDelete