Garden Happenings

Lilac 'Sensation' is my favorite bloom of the three remaining lilacs I have. I did discover, shockingly, that I don't particularly care for the fragrance of two of the lilacs after I cut blooms to bring inside. How can that be?? Doesn't everyone love the fragrance of lilacs?


Last week, the dogwoods were just stunning. We'll revisit last week in this post. Herewith, my garden as it was then...


That's one side of the front yard looking from the driveway...


This is going toward the backyard...it was pretty damp that day...things are just beginning to wake up on this north side of my house...(yes, that's a dog by the gate)

Here's the pot ghetto...which has moved to the driveway...as of last week. You would not believe the change in one week...or, maybe you would...*grin*


Mostly what you see are daylily seedlings in boxes (approximately 1/3 of what I have to go outside)...a few new arrivals...and okay, maybe an impulse purchase or two.

Peonies are getting ready to pop....as I've said daily for a week...as of this morning, they are still on the verge, but since we're expecting rain (why does it always seem to rain when the peonies open??), I hope they hold off...


A What Not To Do entry...bel0w you see Japanese Iris...(ignore the fact that they are nowhere near water. They don't know it and we won't tell them)....this clump has been here for a number of years. Note the middle is gone...dividing them would probably be appreciated (Siberian Iris tend to do this also)...however, it's not likely to happen... They'll just have to make do. Hey, maybe they can seed themselves back in the middle (kidding, sort of)...after all, they've seeded themselves outside the clump. I hope to show you pictures of their seedlings, which are growing in this bed approximately two feet away... The ones they deposited in my neighbors' grass have been mowed.


The woodland phlox in the shady part of the backyard are starting to bloom...




I'm sad to say that most of the daffodils are now done (May 1st), but last week, we still had some going:

Mint Julep:


Satin Blanc:


Baby Moon:


Dallas:


Sidley:


And now...to one of my favorite subjects....daylilies...As I was wandering in the backyard among the seedlings...I noticed this:


Look carefully in the middle....there is seedling coming up with like five, six, or seven little fans. Very wild...especially when you're hoping for one. We shall see what this one does...

It's that time...spring...when daylily clubs have their sales. A great time to pick up daylilies very reasonably priced, grown by club members. I dug up a number of clumps...


I was pleased this year as my fans were good sized and I happy with what I had to donate. My soil amending is finally showing some reward(s). Of course, with red clay, it is a constant battle. Most of these clumps only had red clay on the bottom in the center (of the larger ones)...the rest had nice dark soil....which pleases me greatly...until I realized as I washed them off that my precious soil was going down the drain. Yikes! That is hand hauled in! At which point (a sight to behold) I attemped to wash them off over beds so that at least some of the soil would stay here...

And the result:


I drove them down to Lewis Ginter (Richmond) yesterday to be contributed to the RADS booth. (No, I did not buy a single daylily!) The sale continues there today and tomorrow. It's a great spring plant sale. Two vendors I always look for are Pine Knot Farms for hellebores and Rick's Custom Nursery for anything interesting. I came away with some hellebores (of course), some heucheras (yeah! two new ones!), a couple mini hostas (I am finding them interesting...), some tomatoes, some herbs, and maybe another perennial here or there...ha.

So, here it is May....a month known for how fast it flies by...

Spring!

...at last! Although tonight a projected low of 31 degrees and tomorrow one of 30 degrees may make one think winter has not quite released its hold. Here where I am, we really aren't frost free until mid May or around Mother's Day. It's just that so many years we push and stretch things, we've come to expect that the weather will always cooperate.

My 'push' this year has been to move some of my daylily seedlings out into boxes on the driveway. Until this cold, I was feeling rather proud of myself for getting ahead of the game. Not so fast! They're covered right now, in anticipation of the low temperature. When I looked at them earlier, it did look like a few them were a bit stressed...Oh well, survival of the fittest, you know.

Looking around, I see that my Magnolia Stellata is in bloom. I may have mentioned that I call this the miracle tree. Year before last, it had scale so bad that I thought it was a goner. We were in a drought and I do think that lack of water stressed the poor tree, making it susceptible to things it might ordinarily fight off. Anyway, I hacked it down in anticipation of removing it, but found that removal very difficult. I meant to call the wonderful tree service I've used twice now to come and get it out...but, I forgot/kept putting it off. To my shock, it began to leaf out, even a few buds. Now, a year later....if I hadn't told you this tale of woe, I doubt you'd notice....


Spring means daffodils to me (much as summer means daylilies)...here are a few that are starting to open now...

Toto


closer, it's rather tiny...


Tete-a-tete, first bloom for this year...


closer...


This one, Cassata, and the next one will both lose the yellow...


Changing Colors...


This is something to be aware of...the following two pictures are of a daffodil sold as Blazing Star which is not registered with the American Daffodil Society. If you collect daffodils, as I do, you might think twice about buying from sources who either rename existing daffodils (who knows), substitute varieties without your knowledge or simply sell unregistered varieties. On the other hand, it's still a pretty flower and that may be enough. I'm getting quite a little sub collection of unregistered/unknown varieties. Most are from years past when I could easily be lured by a pretty picture. I still like them and dream of making a sweep of unknowns...which would be lovely, in my opinion.


(not quite open....I'm so impatient....open, open, open!)

This is another unknown...very faithful and carefree....probably bought as part of a mix, at one time...(no, I'm not tempted by mixes....anymore!)...


Ice Follies...fades to white...still lovely...


This brings me to a What Not to Do...check this out...


There's our little clump of Ice Follies from above...and, beside it, see the lovely daylily coming up (Peggy Jeffcoat)...and there behind them...is a lot of ratty foliage....belonging to Dutch Iris. Now, these Dutch Iris are lovely when them bloom, but do they have to have this awful foliage every year?? The second What Not to Do is that they (the Dutch Iris) are planted in a straight line...that ends....sigh. I have tried and tried to continue the line all the way across (at least it would be consistent), but they refuse...and, they have worked themselves quite deeply into the ground, it seems.

I don't think I have a single picture of Peggy Jeffcoat without this mess behind her. I have given up and plan to move the daylily. Perhaps a taller one, that blooms much higher would be okay...because those iris, man, they are dug in!

Speaking of that...can you believe this....look at what is coming up here...


No, no, no! Say it isn't so. Giant sigh. Those are tiger lilies, you know the orange ones with the spots that are intent on taking over the world. Years ago now, I dug them out. They were down almost to the center of the earth (kidding) and I was sure I had removed them. No, they came back the next year....I dug those out and gave them away....and look, a couple years later...they are still here. They are never going away! And, they're not just in this area....Well, you gotta give them credit for being a survivor, I suppose.

Later, maybe next, we'll take a look at things that are emerging...here's February Gold in full bloom...


and Jet Fire...


For now, I'll stop with my helper who followed me...when he wasn't playing with those threatening magnolia leaves...Sam Cat...

What Not to Do: Spring Bulbs

I know it's tempting. You may even have seen lovely pictures (I was sure I had). However, this is one mistake that perhaps you don't have to make...


What's this you ask? Those, my flower friends, are tulips. Tulips that coming up smack next to a tree truck. Why did I plant them there, you ask? (A good question) Well, I didn't exactly. Years ago when I planted them, there was plenty of room between them...and the tree.

That's right. Trees grow. Because I am such an equal opportunity person, here are some daffodils in like circumstances (although a different tree)...


In case that doesn't do it for you, here's a full view...


Something else to consider...those tree roots do not give up any bulbs willingly. You haven't fully appreciated the ramifications of planting bulbs around a tree until you try to remove them. You can't. Or, at least a lot of them will remain and defy your best efforts to extract them. I know. You don't have to make this mistake, do you?

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Some of my replacement Cream Beauty crocus are just beginning to bloom...


My learning curve is steep...and while I did not plant these around a tree (especially a tree that later has to be removed)...I did plant them in the four corners of the tree replacement bed....not that they...clearly...are all going to bloom at the same time.

Still, we take whatever blooms we get at this time of year...with temperatures projected to go down to 22 degrees tonight...

What Not To Do: Pink and Orange

The problem is not with your computer. Do not adjust your monitor. Yes, you're not imagining it (although you might wish you were). Feel like covering your eyes, do you?


That's PINK and ORANGE. Right there. Together. I know Nature throws some wild combinations together, but that's Nature....and she clearly knows what she's doing. Nature is not responsible for this...ahem...combination. I must bear that shame. In my defense, the azalea was labeled as being pink (not orange!)...but, alas, I did not take my own advice (some years ago) and buy in bloom. I actually trusted the tag. Silly me. And, here we are, all these years later.

From another perspective, just in case the first wasn't enough:


Each has redeeming qualities. I mean, who doesn't like a pink dogwood? The azalea is fragrant which is a big plus in my garden. Occasionally, they actually manage to not bloom at the same time...occasionally. Not this year. Sigh.

This azalea is blooming in the backyard...it probably would have been a better choice...a few years ago.


Or better yet, my "white" lights azaleas which are really pink....oh well....it's spring!


....and there's so much to see and enjoy, what's a little pink and orange??

What Not To Do: Tulips

So, I really do mean it when I say I've had it with plants/bulbs, etc. that are not as promised. Really, I do. And, I'm better...but not totally cured. Last fall I actually got all my bulbs planted in a mostly timely manner/fashion. That alone was record setting (for me).

When I happened upon these tulips


marked down for clearance, I thought to myself, "why not?" After all, every spring I look around and wish I had planted more tulips. Especially pink tulips. I don't know why, but I really like pink tulips (maybe because I have...ahem...a few daffodils around). The tulips I especially like (big ones!) do not return reliably here. The price of these was less than a bunch of fresh tulips. Good deal, yes?

Okay, flower fans...you probably guessed it...Do I have pink tulips???



No, not a single one. Zero. In fact, there's every color BUT pink. (Not really...it's mostly red and yellow...) Would I have bought these if they were correctly labeled as a mix of colors (except pink)? Maybe. But, probably not (I had pink on my mind).

I know, you're probably saying that I only paid a small price for them. True, but I want/expect/demand (ha) that I get what I pay for. At least I intend to. From now on.

Down with vendors/sellers who sell you one thing and provide something totally different. I may have to consider this for the slice blog as I think this problem is epidemic.

If it matters to you (shouldn't it??), make a vow as I am to do your best to only support growers and sellers who provide a true product. It can't be that hard to put the proper label on your bulbs, can it?

Tomatoes....

One of my favorite summer views:


There's something about seeing homegrown tomatoes ripening on the windowsill that puts me in a good mood. Yes, I'm one of those people who pick their tomatoes at the first blush of ripening and let them finish inside. Several years ago, I picked all the tomatoes off before frost and let them do just this....no taste difference that I could tell! Since then, I've been bringing them in and beating the birds and most of the insects who might do them harm. Works for me!

I've learned some things, as I do every year, as well as wanting to make some notes for next year, so I'm going to do a little midseason review.

The birds have enjoyed the tomato stakes and are convinced I placed them for their use. This was the first year that I've seen so much bird...refuse...on my plants. Also, when they take off, it looks like they almost kick off and set the stakes moving. Interesting, but not particularly helpful...as getting the stakes in the first time was hard enough!

Champion:


Has, so far, performed like a champion. Lots of fruit and no problems.

Old Thyme Tasty...and, unfortunately, Pink Beefsteak:


This would be a good What Not To Do. For the second time, Old Thyme Tasty has pulled over and broken its stakes. Sadly, it took Pink Beefsteak with it....helped, I think, by my (not) brilliant idea of tying part of Old Thyme Tasty to Pink Beefsteak. Not one of my better moments. OTT has been, to this point, a good producer but I will have to rethink how I want to grow it, if I do so next year. It's clearly a heavy vine. Part of that may be due to heavy fruiting as it got higher. I read recently (in a book I just might purchase and review) a suggestion to cut off the growing point. That might keep it from getting quite so tall, but then I'll have to think of a way to corral all of its branches. This is probably OTT's last day as I think I will just take it out and try to save Pink Beefsteak. I have this thing for pink tomatoes, sorry. And, there is just one remaining salvageable stake among them.

German Johnson:


Looking good and anticipating some jumbo tomatoes. I do like them big.

Missouri Love Apple is also loaded pretty well and so gets a favorable rating to this point.

Sungold:


Always a favorite and as far as I'm concerned, the only cherry tomato to grow. Now, if I could just hold off eating them until they are completely orange...what a treat, so sweet. One produces enough to munch off of every day.

Eva's Purple Ball is a disappointment to date. And doesn't look to improve. Yes, it survived having its leader chopped off and how does it reward me, you ask?? With small fruit (worthless size, in my opinion...too big to be a cherry and way too small to be a slicer...what is the point??) that is not purple, not pink just basic tomato red/orange. Blah.

Pink Caspian is a yearly favorite. It got a late start after being tortured in the pot ghetto, but is trying hard to rebound. I would plant it again (of course!) but try to treat it better.

Hillbilly is also a disappointment. Wouldn't bother again. Early torture aside, it just isn't cutting it and my space is precious (and my appetite for tomatoes even larger).

Worse yet is this one called Pink Girl. Just forget about it. Space waster also.

Funny, I visited someone' garden in July who calls these rogue tomatoes (I mean to blog about her garden...someday) which amused me. I've always called them compost tomatoes because that (other than in a few areas where I get reseeding) is where they come from...for me. This year's compost tomatoes are...so far...most impressive. Impressive because they spring from seed to blooming plants the fastest of any tomatoes I have ever seen. I am still pulling out plants because they just won't have enough time and also because there isn't room (despite what they obviously think) for them to grow where they have chosen. Three have made the grade, so far, to save. Really, it was because by the time I made the effort to pull them out, these had nice fruit and I didn't have the heart. I have no idea what they are, but look how white (vs the usual green) the fruit is:


They're pretty good size, too. (Hear that, Eva's Purple Ball??) Well, that's all for today's tomato round up. Except for a brief pepper mention. What's with my bell peppers?? They seem to think their job is done when they have produced one (ONE!) pepper! Not so the Jalapenos (bless them)...although one (of the two I have) is covered by the fallen OTT and PB....rescue is on the way.

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Did you notice my header?? I'm so proud! My daughter did that for me! That's a picture I took of some of my daffodils and she played around with it...and there you see the result! I couldn't be happier...isn't she something!