Well, as it stands right now, I've given up on all of my flowerbeds. I just can't deal with the quack grass any more and it has taken over 90 percent of the beds. I've waved the white flag of surrender. The quack grass wins! It's the only thing I hate about living in the country surrounded by farm fields that never get mown. ~sigh~
I'll continue the war in the veg garden, though. We might have an ugly lawn, but we still gotta eat!
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Quick one - busy, busy.
Blooms in the yard now:
I love this color.
Past bloom. I missed it.
Still tons of buds to open yet. I'm hoping I'll get at least a few the Japanese beetles haven't munched!
Another I love the color of this year.
The scent is glorious this year.
These were suppose to be the double cosmos 'extra' seed from Renee's Garden. Ummm, not quite...
These always cheer me up!
The hummers are happy.
So pretty.
And, just like every other year, my poor lil maple is confused again!! He's always in such a rush, and no amount of trying to explain to him that he's two months early is sinking in...
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Flowers are beautiful, no doubt about it, but if you ever get the chance to see them up really close, they begin to look like something from another world and more beautiful than ever. I wish I could get in even closer!
Some of the aliens hanging out in my yard today:
They're pretty cool, huh?
Even though I see these same flowers year after year, I'm always fascinated by them.
Happy (alien) Growing!
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Wow, long time no post.
We have been very busy finishing up the planting in the vegetable garden, but it's done. I think this is the earliest I've ever had everything in! It has been another really wacky weather year.
Cross your fingers for me that this is finally going to be a good watermelon year.
Brace yourself - very pic heavy portion coming up. But I have so much to show you!
First, remember that Thanksgiving cactus that keeps going? And going? She's on her fifth (yes, fifth!) bloom cycle! She seems to be on an every two month schedule = October, December, February, April, and now gearing up for June. Weird . . . but wonderful. I have an ever-blooming TC! If she blooms in August, I can officially say I have a Thanksgiving cactus that blooms year round. How fab is that?!
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My Asparagus Fern made it through the winter, and quite happily, I'd say.
Ok, to the yard-
I took a quick pick of the peony and weigela hedge while the sun was shining because, well, you know what happens as soon as the peonies bloom = downpour! Sure enough, it rained last night and now they look like hell. ~sigh~
I can't get enough of this combo. Festiva maxima with wine and roses:
Festiva maxima is such a beauty!
All right, I'm done boring you with those. Onward!
The clems are looking pretty good. Not as many blooms as usual, but I still love them:
I got my first bloom on the May apple:
The dianthus are looking fab (these are either Fire Witch or Pink Cheddar):
The Halward's Silver spirea was in rare form this year:
And, of course, the Columbines always look so pretty and cheery:
And last, but not least, even the herbs are getting in on a little blooming action.
The chives are going gangbusters and have such pretty (and edible) flowers.
The thymes (regular and variegated) that I used to edge the walkway (one of my best design ideas ever!) are looking grand. They smell so wonderful when people walk the paths and brush their pant legs or ankles against them. Heaven!
We expanded the veg garden this year. This is the DH finishing up the rototilling so we can finally get the last thing in - sweet corn.(this shows almost half of the garden, the other half is over to the left).
We've even had some nice wildlife show up:
Hawks. They were hunting in a pack of five. I've never seen more than three hunting together. We've had a huge one sitting in the willow across the road every day, but trying to get a good pic is pretty much a practice in frustration.
And our hummers finally showed up. Late, but they're here, so yay! We counted 3 at once working over one weigela (one of their most favorites), so who knows how many we'll have hanging out in the yard this year. I hope they brought lots of friends!
Whew!
So, that's what's been going on in my yard so far this year. Now comes the time for the real work around the yard. I don't even have all my WS'd stuff planted yet :( Shhhh!
Happy (here come the blooms) Growing!
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Just a quick update -
Busy, busy!!!
I've gotten tons of WinterSown stuff transplanted to the flowerbeds . . . finally! This weather has been crazy. We had another freeze Wednesday night, so I was very glad I was a slacker getting things planted.
Time for some crappy pics. I think someone messed with the camera settings and I can't get a good pic of anything lately!
I finally got a bloom from the May Apple. Yay!
Unfortunately, something ate the buds off the Virginia Bluebells and there's no sign of the Blood Root this year. ~sigh~
But the Cat Birds are back (my nosey birdie), so that's another yay! They haven't been here long enough yet to start getting comfortable with me enough to almost let me touch them. It won't take them long. It never does :)
And (gross out warning!!!) the wire worms are already out there in huge numbers. I don't mind spiders, snakes, bugs, but these things totally gross me out! Ick, ick, ick! I imagine you're pretty darn glad that this pic is awful . . .
Happy (spring has started - for real) Gardening!
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Some cool things going on this week...
From 35F and pictures of snow in my yard to 84F in the span of three days - Who knew!?
I'm soooo not complaining. It's gorgeous, it's about time, and we deserve it, damn it!
Airborne Adventures is already up and flyin' around our house for the season - Who knew!?
(I didn't get to the camera quick enough before it got away!)
Icicle Pansies really will overwinter in my crappy zone 5 - Who knew!?
Jumping spiders love graham crackers - Who knew!?
Apologies to the squeamish, I like spiders :)
And I didn't get a pic, but I held the first black swallowtail of the year. I think he may have recently emerged because the flight muscles weren't working so well yet and he was in an area where I'd thrown last fall's dead stalks of parsley and fennel. I never even remembered to check in the fall before I cleaned up! (this is why I usually leave my yard such a mess all winter) Sadly, he eventually took flight.
I have never seen Black Swallowtails this early in the year. The first of May? Really? - Who knew!?
Happy (who knew!?) Growing!
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Well, they're still confused.
Poor things.
Most of the daffs are thinking about it.
But the tulips are already way ahead.
Even the azaleas think it's time!
I hope this wackiness sorts itself out. And soon!
Happy (weirdo weather) Growing!
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This is a very strange year so far.
My daffs are usually opening the very last of their buds when the tulips are still tightly closed and deciding whether it's time to open theirs.
Here is this years situation -
The daffodils are just barely beginning to open their buds:
And the tulips, who should be at least two to three weeks behind total bloom of the daffs, look like this:
I have never, ever had tulips this far along this early in the year. Certainly not trying to beat out the daff blooms! (See the hyacinth tucked in the tulip foliage? Not even thinking of sending up a bloom yet. Say what?)
Honestly, I don't blame the tulips for thinking it must be time. The weather has been complete wackiness for the last month, going from record 80's F temps back down to freezing every night for this coming week.
I think I'd be a tad confused myself.
I sure hope this wackiness doesn't continue through the summer. Three sucky growing years in a row would, well . . . suck!
Happy (bloomin' tulips!) Growing!
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