Monday, April 12, 2010

Boing!

Things are springing up all over the garden. These hardy ferns are in the across the pond garden which has many woodland plants, including imported ones from the area greenhouses. I recently removed the iris from this bed and brought with them an attached fern with three fiddleheads. I hope it survives its new sunnier location.


Halcyon Hosta topped with Dew Pearls. This looks like it is going to be a monster this year. Hurray! I love love love hosta, and have way too many varieties, all of which voles love. But most are safe in my front garden bed, surrounded by concrete blocks, impermeably to critters...I hope.
The Lupines and Daisies are happily returning, along with Echinops Ritro and wild violets. Sigh. Love those perennials. This is their third year and they look very enthusiastic after a very wet summer and fall. Water is so important to a good root system.


The Redbuds are especially full this year and we are talking about getting a few more for the other side of the pond. They have nice heart-shaped leaves when these blossoms fade, providing...MORE SHADE.

When I show my garden pictures, I rarely reveal the disasters, the mistakes and the overtakers. Yesterday I tore out tons of bee balm from our west side planter box. It was so enthusiastic that it overwhelmed the planter. In impatience and anger I dug it out, forgetting how lovely it was last summer, and just dumped it on the bare hillside, which grows nothing but pebbles. Thinking the dirt clinging to the roots would at least cover the bare clay and perhaps a few of plants might survive, I then remorsefully watered in the dumped bee balm, for about 30 minutes. This morning all the scattered dirt and plant material looks perky and happy in its new home. Sigh.
The bee balm in its previous location, last July.
PS: My quilt is featured on SewMamaSew  as the Quilt of the Day today.

4 comments:

  1. I've never heard of bee balm - but it's blossom is beautiful. What are the negatives?

    Love your gardening. I'm actually learning from it.

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  2. I don't have any of the pink bee balm, all of mine is lavender and it does tend to take over... to say nothing of all the bee visitors.

    Is your hosta collection as big as it was in Chicago?

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  3. A Master Gardener friend gave me this rule of thumb for perennials:
    The first year they sleep
    The second year they creep
    The third year they leap!

    Always found this to be true. Love your garden.
    Lisa

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  4. The photo of the Redbud trees is EXQUISITE! The play of light on the petals... oh dear, just everything is wonderful. As much as I love reading your blog your photos are the foam on my latte, the icing on the cake the the bleu cheese on my apple, well you get the picture (pun intended)

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