January 2012
It's that time again when that pile of seed catalogues turns my eye toward spring. Many of them have excellent culture
information, history and beautiful coloured photographs or illustrations, but the Fedco catalogue continues to be my
favourite with its comprehensive collection of varieties, specializing in non GMO conventional and organic seed. The
wit is delightful as are the illustrations. No glossy colour pages here but nitty gritty information and unparallelled
low pricing. Most of my seed has been ordered from Fedco Seeds They now have online ordering which I used for the first
this year. Very efficient!
318 - Scarlet Runner Bean ( A=1oz) 1 x $1.40 = $1.40
556 - Tuxedo Yellow Sweet Corn ( A=2oz) 2 x $2.60 = $5.20
577 - Fleet Bicolor Sweet Corn ( A=2oz) 2 x $2.50 = $5.00
582 - Ambrosia Bicolor Sweet Corn ( B=8oz) 1 x $8.50 = $8.50
663 - Japanese Hulless Popcorn ( A=2oz) 1 x $1.50 = $1.50
1059 - Arava Cantaloupe OG ( A=1g) 1 x $1.50 = $1.50
1312 - Marketmore 76 Slicing Cucumber ( A=1/16oz) 1 x $0.90 = $0.90
1539 - Early Summer Yellow Crookneck Summer Squash OG ( A=1/8oz) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20
1608 - Table Queen Acorn Winter Squash ( A=1/4oz) 1 x $0.80 = $0.80
1655 - Blue Hubbard New England strain Winter Squash ( A=1/4oz) 1 x $1.10 = $1.10
1687 - Waltham Butternut Winter Squash ( A=1/4oz) 1 x $0.90 = $0.90
1719 - New England Pie Pumpkin ( A=1/4oz) 1 x $0.80 = $0.80
2058 - Red Cored Chantenay Carrot ( A=1/8oz) 1 x $0.80 = $0.80
2182 - Detroit Dark Red Short Top Beet ( A=1/8oz) 1 x $0.80 = $0.80
2214 - Cherry Belle Radish ( A=1/8oz) 1 x $0.80 = $0.80
2306 - Andover Parsnip OG ( A=1/8oz) 1 x $1.60 = $1.60
2558 - Winter Bloomsdale Spinach OG ( A=1/4oz) 1 x $1.40 = $1.40
2986 - Summer Lettuce Mix ( B=2g) 1 x $2.20 = $2.20
2988 - Winter Lettuce Mix ( C=4g) 1 x $3.60 = $3.60
3170 - Dark Green Italian Parsley OG ( A=1/16oz) 1 x $1.10 = $1.10
3311 - Green King Broccoli ( A=0.5g) 1 x $1.40 = $1.40
3355 - Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage ( A=2g) 1 x $0.80 = $0.80
3463 - Winterbor Kale ( A=0.5g) 1 x $1.80 = $1.80
3685 - Black King Eggplant ( A=0.2g) 1 x $1.50 = $1.50
4414 - Sweet Basil ( A=4g) 1 x $1.10 = $1.10
5030 - Matsumoto Mix China Aster ( A=0.2g) 1 x $1.80 = $1.80
5126 - Rose Queen Cleome ( C=28g) 1 x $5.50 = $5.50
5135 - Cranberries Double Click Cosmos ( B=0.6g) 1 x $3.50 = $3.50
5158 - Red Chidori Flowering Kale ( A=0.2g) 1 x $2.10 = $2.10
5176 - Kiss-Me-over-the-Garden-Gate OG ( B=3g) 1 x $3.00 = $3.00
5194 - Giant Imperial Mixed Larkspur ( B=4g) 1 x $2.50 = $2.50
5243 - Lemon Gem Marigold ( A=0.5g) 1 x $1.40 = $1.40
5270 - Carnivale de Venezia Striped Mix Morning Glory ( B=3g) 1 x $3.00 = $3.00
5288 - Jewel Mix Nasturtium ( A=4g) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
5300 - Only the Lonely Nicotiana ( B=4g) 1 x $4.20 = $4.20
5332 - Fluffy Ruffles Poppy OG ( A=0.2g) 1 x $1.10 = $1.10
5346 - Shirley Double Choice Mix Poppy ( A=0.7g) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
5356 - Tequila Mix Portulaca ( A=0.01g) 1 x $1.80 = $1.80
5440 - America Sweet Pea ( A=2g) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
5441 - April in Paris Sweet Pea OG ( A=2g) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20
5442 - Black Knight Sweet Pea ( A=2g) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
5443 - Cupani Sweet Pea ( A=2g) 1 x $1.10 = $1.10
5454 - Mammoth Mix Sweet Pea ( A=7g) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20
5478 - Persian Carpet Zinnia ( B=5g) 1 x $2.50 = $2.50
5497 - Cutflower Mix ( B=14g) 1 x $3.20 = $3.20
6120 - Blue Flax ( C=28g) 1 x $5.00 = $5.00
6296 - Perennial Sweet Pea ( A=1g) 1 x $1.10 = $1.10
6316 - Creeping Thyme ( A=0.1g) 1 x $1.10 = $1.10
6333 - Beneficials Mix ( A=1.4g) 1 x $1.70 = $1.70
2011
March
Spring is coming quickly despite the mid-calf deep icy snow yet covering the gardens. Still, the walks, areas around the trees, buildings and along the fences the snow has melted away revealing grass growing greener by the day. This time of year absolutely amazes me! It is amazing, too, to think that in just a few short weeks I will be lugging this watering can to transplants which would otherwise languish without that life-giving elixer, dipped from the pond which is presently yet covered with a downed maple tree limb larger than most trees.
1/22:
A favourite wintery evening's project is perusing seed and plant catalogues as I plan for the next season. As usual, I just ordered most of my seeds (don't need very many this year as I have quite a few in stock) from Fedco, a cooperative seed company which does not knowingly sell genetically modified seeds. Fedco has terrific service, a fascinating catalogue, excellent quality and very low prices. This year, for the first time, I ordered online after perusing the black and white newsprint catalogue (which helps keep their prices down). It is fun reading with lots of personal opinions and advice, culture info and much more. It is worth looking at just for the humour.
Anyway, having just placed my order so efficiently, it occurs to me that others might be interested in taking advantage of this excellent resource. The website address is
http://www.fedcoseeds.com I will copy my order below to give you an idea of what I am ordering this year and how good the prices are:
561 - Incredible R/M Yellow Sweet Corn ( B=8oz) 1 x $7.50 = $7.50
1313 - Marketmore 76 Slicing Cucumber OG ( A=1/16oz) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
1539 - Early Summer Yellow Crookneck Summer Squash OG ( A=1/8oz) 1 x $1.10 = $1.10
1688 - Waltham Butternut Winter Squash OG ( A=1/4oz) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20
1719 - New England Pie Pumpkin ( A=1/4oz) 1 x $0.80 = $0.80
2042 - Scarlet Nantes Carrot ( A=1/8oz) 1 x $0.80 = $0.80
2551 - Tyee Spinach OG ( A=1/4oz) 1 x $1.30 = $1.30
2592 - New Zealand Spinach ( A=1/4oz) 1 x $0.90 = $0.90
2981 - Lettuce Mix OG ( B=2g) 1 x $2.00 = $2.00
2993 - Greens Mix OG ( A=1g) 1 x $1.10 = $1.10
2996 - Mustard Mix ( A=1g) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
3036 - Bright Lights Chard ( A=1/16oz) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20
4491 - Borage OG ( B=4g) 1 x $2.80 = $2.80
4515 - Cilantro OG ( A=1g) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
5005 - Carpet of Snow Alyssum ( C=28g) 1 x $5.00 = $5.00
5123 - White Queen Cleome ( B=2g) 1 x $2.50 = $2.50
5129 - Violet Queen Cleome ( B=2g) 1 x $2.50 = $2.50
5131 - Wizard Coleus ( A=0.02g) 1 x $2.00 = $2.00
5176 - Kiss-Me-over-the-Garden-Gate OG ( A=1g) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20
5198 - Blue Cloud Larkspur ( B=0.5g) 1 x $2.50 = $2.50
5233 - Lemondrop French Dwarf Double Marigold ( B=7g) 1 x $3.20 = $3.20
5288 - Jewel Mix Nasturtium ( A=4g) 1 x $0.90 = $0.90
5300 - Only the Lonely Nicotiana ( A=1g) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20
5478 - Persian Carpet Zinnia ( A=0.5g) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
5497 - Cutflower Mix ( B=14g) 1 x $3.00 = $3.00
One of the things I like about Fedco is the ability to purchase many of the
heirloom varieties I favour, many that my mother and grandmother always grew.
Will also be perusing Select Seeds http://www.selectseeds.com which specializes
in heirloom treasures for modern gardens. While I get armloads of seed catalogues
in the mail, beginning in late December, there are a few that I seem to return to
year after year. Miller Nurseries http://www.millernurseries.com for fruit trees
and Musser Forest http://www.musserforests.com for other trees are also favourites.
Photograph: A corner of The Herb Garden
An incomplete list of what I have growing:
Perennials:
The Herb Garden (Culinary, Medicinal, Fragrant & Dye)
- Achillea (see Yarrow)
- Aloe
- Angelica
- Anise Hysop
- Anise Hyssop
- Anthemis
- Apothecary Rose
- Artemesia
- Artemesia, Silver Mound
- Artemesia, Wormwood
- Basil
- Basil, Purple
- Basil, Ruffled
- Bay Tree
- Bee Balm
- Bergamot
- Blessed Thistle
- Borage
- Calendula
- Catnip
- Chamomile
- Chervil
- Chicory
- Chives
- Chives, Curly
- Chives, Garlic
- Cilantro
- Comfrey
- Coneflowers
- Costmary
- Dill
- Echinacea
- Elcampane
- Fennel
- Fennel, Bronze
- Feverfew
- Flax
- Gentian
- Ginger
- Greek Valarian
- Herb Robert
- Hollyhocks
- Horehound
- Horseradish
- Indigo
- Joe Pye Weed
- Lady's Mantle
- Lamb's Ears
- Larkspur
- Lavender, Munstead
- Lemon Balm
- Lemon Verbena
- Lily of the Valley, Pink and White
- Lovage
- Madder
- Marigolds
- Marjoram
- Marshmallow
- Mint, Apple
- Mint, Chocolate
- Mint, Orange
- Mint, Peppermint
- Mint, Pineapple
- Mint, Spearmint
- Mugwort
- Mullein
- Musk
- Myrtle
- Nasturtiums
- Nettle
- Oregano
- Oregano, variegated
- Orris Root
- Parsley
- Parsley, Italian
- Pennyroyal
- Perilla
- Poke Weed
- Poppies
- Primrose
- Purslane
- Rhubarb
- Rosemary
- Rue
- Sage
- Sage, Jerusalem
- Santolina
- Savory, summer
- Savory, winter
- Scented Geranium, Apple
- Scented Geranium, Cinnamon
- Scented Geranium, Lemon
- Scented Geranium, Peppermint
- Scented Geranium, Rose
- Scenter Geranium, Robert's
- Sea Holly
- Shiso
- Sorrel
- Spiderwort
- Squill
- Stevia
- Sweet Woodruff
- Tansy
- Tarragon
- Tarragon, Variegated
- Thyme, Lemon
- Thyme, Red
- Thyme, Variegated
- Thyme, Walking-on-Thyme
- Verbena
- Veronica
- Violet
- Woad
- Yarrow
- Yarrow, Red
- Yarrow, White
The Pottager or Vegetable Garden - organically grown, preferring heirloom varieties when available)
- Arugula
- Asian Greens
- Asparagus: Mary Washington
- Beans, Hyacinth
- Beans, Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans
- Beans, Provider
- Beans: Scarlett Runner
- Beets: Detroit Dark Red
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage, Early Jersey Wakefield
- Cantaloupe
- Carrot, Danvers
- Carrots, Scarlet Nantes
- Cauliflower, Snowball
- Chard: Ruby, Fordhook
- Collards
- Cucumbers: Marketmore
- Dry Beans: Jacob's Cattle
- Eggplant
- European Mesclun Mix: Radicchio, arugula, endive, orach, mizuna, kale, mustard, corn alad, etc.
- Gourds
- Hot Peppers
- Hot Peppers
- Kale
- Leeks: King Richard
- Lettuce: Assorted such as Oak Leaf, Tom Thumb, Red Romaine, Deer Tongue, Black-Seeded Simpson,
- Melons, Honeydew
- Muskmelon
- Onions
- Parsnips
- Potatoes: Kennebec, Fingerling, Russett,
- Pumpkins< winter Luxury
- Radishes: Ear;y Scarlet Glove
- Spinach: Bloomsdale; New Zealand
- Squash: Summer Yellow Crookedneck
- Squash: Winter' Waltham Butternut, Blue Hubbard
- Sweet Corn, Ashworth
- Sweet Corn, Incredible
- Sweet Corn, Silver Queen
- Sweet Corn:
- Sweet Peppers: California Wonder; Purple Bell, Yellow
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tomatoes: Oxheart, Brandywine, Early Girl, Plum, Cherry,
- Turnips
- Watermelon: Sugar Baby
Fruits & Nuts
- Apples, several varieties
- Black Cherries
- Black Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Butternut
- Cherries, Sweet
- Gooseberries
- Grapes
- Hickory
- Jostaberries
- Kiwi
- Oriental Pears
- Pears
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Rhubarb
2010
- 10/04: A welcome chill and rain this week as the gardens wane. Leaves are falling, golden on the lush green of the grass. Down in the forties at night so should bring in the rest of the geraniums and move salad greens to the cold frame.
- 09/23: Oh! Such. a day as one dreams of with just the softest whispery breeze and .a warm caress of a ray of sunshine. The air is alive with the sounds of autumn - chipmunks a-chattering and scampering through the rustling leaves, crickets singing fall's sweet anthem. It is too nice a day to be inside. I have been out since morning picking raspberries, planting the horseradish root and cutting back more perennials. Except for the 12-15' Sunchokes, the hardest part is done. I ran down all three trimmers! That is a workout!
- 09/15: The nights have finally cooled and the days of late summer are idyllic. Perhaps because the gardens came on so early, they are also waning early, so have cut back the perennials nearly by half. Little in bloom now but the sedums, sunflowers, Obedient Plant, asters, etc., along with stray blooms on Rhodedendrens, Foxgloves, etc. Deer ate all the rest of the Oriental Pears and have nibbled young hostas to next to nothing.
- 09/01: September already? You'd never guess today as it is going to be in the mid ninties all week! Thankfully, nights are refreshingly cool. Quite a few leaves have already fallen from some of the maples. Have been doing many chores early this season: pulling summer squash vines (had quite enough!), some of the cucumber vines that were waning, dug some of the potatoes, replanted greens, cut back more spent perennials, dug some lilies which I had planted on a roadside bank to naturalize but think they may not get enough sun - so replanted those last night in the pergola to create a "Lily Walk" which was my original plan anyway! There, I will see and enjoy them more whereas on our dead end road, even I would rarely see them on the bank, except maybe when I mowed lawn! Also removed a few webs from trees, but there weren't many, thankfully; nor did we have many Japanese Beetles this year. The marigolds are glorious; sedums are starting to show colour. The front garden's Cannas and Standard Plaintain Lilies are breathtakngly beautiful just now.
- 8/20: The heat has tempered and nights are refreshingly cool. A couple nice rains have enlivened the gardens and spurred weed growth. We were away for a few days. The weeds had a "hay day" while we were gone, so now I am playing catch-up. Adhering to a strict routine of daily maintenence is the only way to keep up, but the fruits of the labours far outweigh the discipline. The birds are enjoying the blackberries leaving but a handful daily for my beloved's morning granola. Lost some tomatoes due to unanticipated shade from the adjacent corn, but the rest have been especially nice. There is some blight but not alot, thankfully. Everything else has been healthier than usual. I wonder if planting marigolds around most of the raised beds has helped. The peppers haven't produced as much fruit though. Maybe they don't like marigolds? Squash vines have scrambled into the cucumber beds so I must remember to plant them far apart next year. The cukes seem chagrined, though healthy. The Brandywines are in the cold frame where I hope I can just close the cover come cold weather and get more tomatoes. They are the nicest without even watering.The corn is scrumptious and plentiful this year so have been busy freezing that this week. We have had little critter damage, perhaps in part thanks to the sharp shooters engaged by the local Biodynamic farmer nearby.
- 8/11: Still hot and humid but a rain overnight revived the beleaguered gardens. I usually handwater the raised beds in the pottager and the containers but nothing like a good rain. Harvest has been good so I have been putting tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, yellow crookedneck squash, raspberries, blueberries and more in the freezer. I need to get busy gathering more herbs to dry, making chive salt, lemon verbena sugar, etc., pesto, etc. We HAD a good crop of apples and pears until the deer gobbled them. So it goes.
- 8/01: The Annabelle Hydrangeas are gorgeous now! The heat and humidity have broken leaving the gardens quite dry. Have been busy weeding as the earlier perennials die back and need to be cut for new fresh growth. The lilies were glorious and have almost finished blooming except for the Tigers which are roaming unchecked this year, which will please a certain daughter. :-) The rabbit insists on eating all the parsley so I covered it with an egg basket. Got our first Brandywine tomatoes this week along with lots of cucumbers and yellow squash. The birds seem to be beating us to the blackberries leaving us only handfuls.
- 7/25: Yet another hot, humid week so the gardens are thriving. Nicest vegetable garden ever, so far. Deer are enjoying the green apples. Saw a doe and her two fawns grazing enthusiastically. A woodchuck has moved into the corner of the Perennial Garden under the Queen of the Meadow where his hole is inaccessible to deal with. He is pulling over and gobbling Echinacea. Guess he'll be healthy!
- 7/14: Lilies are in full bloom as we experience another HOT week Poison Ivy is rampant and I am VERY allergic to it. :-( Took the bird netting off the blueberries after rescuing a pretty little female cardinal. Have peppers and eggplant ready to pick. Cukes and potatoes blossoming Corn tassling. Enjoyed a tart geen apple.
- 7/06: HOT this week in high 90's with eves about 70. Gathering peas, beans, broccoli, greens. Cut back early daisies. Day lilies coming into bloom.
- 7/01: With warm/hot days, cool nights and goodly rains the gardens are lush and productive. Deer ate all the gooseberries! but the blueberries covered with netting are bountiful. Cut back the rest of the daffodils. Cleome starting to bloom, Feverfew,Sweet William, Ligularia, Red Bee Balm, and Sundrops are adding more colour. Eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and squash have nice fruit forming. Still picking asparagus. Broccoli ready to cut. Should dry more chives and other herbs
- 6/24: Starting to gather blackcaps, raspberries, gooseberries, bouquets of Sweetpeas, Yarrow to dry; Blackeyed Susans, Lavender, pastel Poppies, Astilbe, Echinacea, Monarda, and much more. The front end (steering) went out of my lawn mower so awaiting parts. Lawns look lush! Gardens have that English Cottage feel this summer as I have refrained from doing so much thinning and cultivating allowing layering and blending Instead, i just pull weeds ~ less work and a prettier effect!
- 6/16: Roses are still breathtakingly beautiful, lthough somewhat weighed down from wind and rains: peonies have bowed their heavy rain-drenched heads and need to be pruned: more Clematis are in bloom that I thought had winter-killed: Mallows are blooming, what few the critters didn"t gobble; Lambs Ears and Echinecea starting to bloom; Marketmore cucumbers finally germinated! Harvesting lots of greens, asparagus, herbs, cherries, gooseberries and rhubarb.
- 6/11: Roses are gorgeous this year although strong wind and rains have weighed them down and also knocked over a good many Foxgloves. Staked the ones I could and cut a huge, glorious bouquet. Evening Primrose or Sundrops are just starting to blossom, along with annual Babys Breath, Hypericum Lily and Allysum. The Chinese Dogwood is gorgeous this year! Echineacea and Monarda are budding. Picked the first of the Sour Cherries, a bountiful crop this year, perhaps enough for the birds and the freezer.
- 6/4: Peonies, Iris, most of the roses, Angelica, Queen of the Meadow, Moonbeam Coreopsis and a few Lilies have been added to the list of blooms this week. Kiwi also bloomed, its sweet scent surprising me as I walked by, having never noted its unremarkable blossoms. A few gooseberries are ripening and there are already local strawberries, perhaps the best ever and about two weeks early for our first shortcake of the season! Looks like the cucumber seeds didn't make it so will replant those today.Time to transplant parsley and basil grown from seed.
- 5/31: Seems like the roses are blooming earlier than usual this year for most of them are either budded or starting to bloom. A couple of the new climbers that I planted last year are coming but slowly. Lupines, Foxgloves, Peonies, Dogwood, Sedum, Allysum, even a lily are all starting to bloom already! One pear tree looks like it may have suffered over the winter and also one rose bush but we'll see. I read that spraying weekly with hydrogen peroxide would ward off blight on tomatoes so am planning to try that.
- 5/24: White Clematis in glorious bloom, Iris, Harrison's Yellow Rose, Chamomile, Fern Leaf Daisies: Columbine, peonies and roses budding along with sages; some rhodedendrens starting to bloom. Grass is lush and green, meadow grasses almost obscure our new neighboring sheep. Fruits look plentiful.
- 5/20: It has been a busy week of weeding, weeding and more weeding but also planted more in the potager: eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, more arugula and spinach, etc. The gardens are getting pretty ALREADY! Am trying to mow lawns just every ten days this year and use the sweeper on any areas that grass lays to use as mulch on the garden whnich looks real nice. Tried an experiment with the tomatoes, planting most of them around the perimeter of a six foot wire cage that I am using for a satellite compost bin. It will be easy to tie them up and will conceal the compost, not that it looks bad. Composted soil will "automatically" fertilize the tomatoes!
- 5/14: After several frosty nights, grape and kiwi vines are touched by frost along with the urns by the pool which I forgot about as my husband's folks have been visiting this past week. Planted Liatris, Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Hostas (3 ea.) which were delightful Mother's Day surprises. Found another Japanese Maple seedling which I transplanted. Roses are budding,along with Sages and even Queen of the Meadow. Blue Flax and Allysum starting to bloom. Bees are enjoying the Wild Honeysuckle and Phlox. With rain and chilly days this past week, seeds have not germinated but next week will be warmer.
- 5/5: The Iris from which derives the Orris Root (Fixtive for potpourri) burst into bloom yesterday along with Black Caps, Narcissis, Mountain Ash, Perennial Geraniums, Vinca and more. Planted Scarlet Runner Beans, more Marigolds, Nasturtiums. Also gathered the first armload of Rhubarb. Can't believe how many weed seedlings have sprouted since last weeks heat and rain! I must get to work, pronto!
- 4/30: Lilacs for Memorial Day were a traditon where I grew up but they weren't always ready. Just noticed that unmistakable aroma this morning and realized our white ones are opening today! Mowed for the first time today which takes about four hours plus push mowing and trimming which I have done several times already this spring. Noticed the blueberries are in blossom, more of the apples trees, Gooseberries and Jostaberries, Early Phlox, Yellow Variagated Lamium, Pink Variagated Lamium, Perennial Geranium, Ajuga, Azalea and more. It may be eighty by tomorrow after frosty nights all week.
- 4/28: Geraniums slightly touched by frost last night but otherwise the gardens are thriving. Most of my seedlings are up in the garden shed and if they don't damp off, I will have a nice selection of rosemary plants for topiaries, coleus, tomatoes, peppers, melons, eggplant, etc. Planted shallots and garlic today which should have been done before, but I read they will do fine now,so time will tell. It has been too cold and windy to do much outside but when it subsided today, I dug some Annabelle Hydrangea plants for a friend and worked on cultivating some of the beds.
- 4/23: Have planted peas, radishes, chard, turnips, parsnips, red cabbage, broccoli, red, white and yellow onion sets in the pottager; transplanted several Angelica plants that had self-sowed, added a new Valerian to the herb garden: added several Rock Cress and Creeping Phlox along the Long Walk in the Perennial Garden: mowed walks and paths for the third time with the push mower but have't mowed the lawns yet which are lush and pretty.
- 4/20: Found the first of the beautiful crimson Trilliams in bloom; also noted Spurge and another early variety of the tulip family. Moved more plants outside, mended netting on pond skimmer, weeded (mostly wild violets, mustard, and rampant perrenials); and enjoyed a simply perfect day! It is in the high sixties, still and sunny. The cherry tree is alive with hungering bees!
- 4/19: more raking, trimming, edging. Filled the six huge pots by the pool which I will plant soon. Did some push mowing of the paths in the gardens. Pear and apple trees are starting to flower. Scilla, Guinea Hen Flower, Busy Lizzie, Nepteta, Wild Violets in bloom. Finished filling pond and installed the fountainhead. Coleus, lavender and rosemary seeds are up! Germination rate looks good. .
- 4/13: Returned the water lilies to the pond, planted cannas in the center bed of the front garden, trimmed vines, worked on weeding already! Looks like some of the roses planted last year died back but survived. Shadblow, plums and cherry trees are blossoming.
- 4/12: after being away for a week to be with my dear mother, everything seems so green! The shrubbery has tiny green leaves, the grass is verdant, daffies are budded, early tulips opening, Scilla, Star Magnolia, Myrtle, Hyacinths, Mertensia and more abloom. The gardens are amassed with spring greening foliage. Birds are flitting about building nests, bees and even a few butterflies have already enjoyed the first blush of springtime. Forsythias are gorgeous this year after a mild winter.
- 4/1: more of the cheery Crocus, Snowdrops, snowwhite Pachysandra abloom, first of the pretty pastel blue Wood Hyacinths, Periwinkle blue Myrtle and Johnny-Jump-ups are starting to blossom; Boxwood is abuzz with bees, leaf buds are showing on the Privet and Lilacs; Forsythia showing yellow, catkins swollen soon to burst into a galaxy of etheral white on the Star Magnolia; grass is greening, Creeping Jenny starting to bloom, lilies about six inches tall, wild phox is up and the rhubarb is showing rosy tips. I heard the Peepers for the first time last night! Wild chives are ready to use and greens which self-sowed in the cold frame are thriving.
Spring is coming quickly despite the mid-calf deep icy snow yet covering the gardens. Still, the walks, areas around the trees, buildings and along the fences the snow has melted away revealing grass growing greener by the day. This time of year absolutely amazes me! It is amazing, too, to think that in just a few short weeks I will be lugging this watering can to transplants which would otherwise languish without that life-giving elixer, dipped from the pond which is presently yet covered with a downed maple tree limb larger than most trees.
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