May 12 2012 Garden Report

I am going to bore my few readers out of their minds by noting from time to time what is blooming so that I will have a reference over time of what weeks my garden is seeing loads of action and when there are lulls that can be addressed by choosing some plants that bloom during those dull times. So sorry. If you like pictures of flowers you will no doubt indulge me. If not, skip any post with Garden Report in the title.

This week the early bulbs are all finished. The snowdrops, hyacinths and tulips are finished. The tulip foliage is not gone yet. I have only a few tulips, but I was surprised that I had not noticed them when I looked at the house before we bought it. I though I had given the gardens a good once over during one of my many visits but apparently I did not look that closely. The forsythia that dominated the back yard is just a big (really big) green bush now. I have only a very few daffodils, and they are done blooming. What I originally though were  masses of daffodils may in fact turn out to be Siberian iris. Buds are forming, and time will tell.

I still have some creeping phlox in bloom, although it's pretty well spent for the year. My phlox is in three different colors - hot pink in the corner, white in the front yard, and lavender in my central back yard bed. The Solomon's Seal is blooming, as is the Lily of the Valley. I have several azaleas in various stages of bloom - a hot pink, coral, and baby pink.  The hot pink is nearly over, but the others are going strong. The lettuce is doing fine. Two big salads have already come out of it and I could have another one today without making it look empty.

Everything I planted this spring is doing well so far; the puny but tall stick of an oakleaf hydrangea that I dug out as an offset from a mature shrub is sprouting leaves from dormant side buds and I am very encouraged. The only shrub I am concerned about is a mature rhododendron whose leaves are looking a little pale. I'll be feeding that one up after it blooms. I am running neck and neck with the weeds, but as the more desirable plants reach mature sizes they will shade out most things. I don't really mind weeding too much; I listen to podcasts while I work and it reminds me of my younger self weeding for 15¢ per paint can while I listened to the latest Beatle hits on my new and exciting transistor radio.




Next project will be pots of annuals for the front porch and the deck. Shana prefers bright colors, and I will defer to her taste in this area. We'll probably go flower shopping next weekend for that. Shana thought I might cruise by the nursery by myself  today for those things, but because I have a shady bed in progress right now that is begging for some additional hostas I don't want to go near the plant store alone. If I wait to go with her I will buy one or two tiny ones, but if I go alone all bets are off!


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