Weekly Summary

Front: The Wiegela is still in full bloom. It looks wonderful filled with light pink flowers. The spirea are also blooming but not in full bloom yet. There have been continuous flowers out front. We need to dead head some shrubs, weed some flowers and probably cut back the veronica.

South: The tulip follage need to be cut and rolled so as to not detract from the wonderful cat mint blooms. The lilies are also starting to shoot up and we look forward to blooms on them soon.

Back: The iris is fading now. The pinks are still in full bloom. I have one little oriental poppy bloom. The coreopsis have buds on them. A few of the peonies have opened. One is dark pink, one a light pink and one white. There will be a nice show this year, but the plants are all small and need to have more time to grow. The Julia Child Florabunda is in full bloom. It looks gorgeous but has no fragrance. I'm hoping that as the plant matures the fragrance will come. There are also buds on the Halls honeysuckle vine. It should be in full bloom soon as well. The clematis is still in full bloom--both the polish spirit and the purple star. The dogwood blossoms are the most beautiful we've ever seen them. There are large white stars on the tree. This is going to be spectacular when it's about 12 ft tall.

Julia Child Rose

Name: Rose
Variety: Rosa Julia Child Floribunda
Type: Shrub
Size: 3' x 3'

Light: Full sun
Flower Color: Butter Yellow
Fragrance: Light scent (yes one rose was fragrant--I have hope)
Bloom Time: Starting in late May

I love roses and this one is going to be of my favorites. Named for Julia Child, it is a wonderful butter yellow rose with a sweet fragrance. This is a 2006 AARS winner. I've been doing a lot of research about fragrance since my roses are not fragrant. Supposedly it will depend upon the maturity, temperature and humidity of the plant. They say roses are really fragrant in India because of the heat and humidity. Hopefully I'll get that opportunity here in cold Michigan.

Blooms

Front yard: The only plant in bloom now is the weigela. It's full and has lovely pink flowers, but everything else is faded. There are buds on the spirea but no blooms yet.

Back yard: Last night the cedar pinks started to bloom. They are so cute against the purple asters. They have a wonderful light spice smell to them--sort of like cloves and nutmeg mixed. Some things are starting to fade in the back yard, but there are still lots of blooms everywhere with the clematis, iris, asters and columbines. It's been a wonderful spring out back

Dogwood

The dogwood is starting to bloom with more blooms than ever. I look forward to seeing them in the moonlight. Unfortunately, after two years, it is still a little over 6' tall. At this rate, I'll be dead before it reaches 30'

Catmint

Name: Catmint
Variety: nepeta wakers low
Type: Perennial
Height: 12-24"
Light: Full Sun
Color: Lavender
Bloom Time: Early May

These plants are fast growers. They were just put in last year, but already they are big and beautiful. They began blooming before the tulips were done, which was a bonus. Our only problem is that the lilies beside them will need to be moved to a more central location between the grass and the catmint.

Planting Annuals

Front Yard:
Big Urns: 8 red petunias and 1 spike per urn
Big Red Pots: 6 white petunias per each
Red Ceramic Pots: 4 red/white dianthus per each

Deck
Chimney: 8 white, 8 purple, 8 red impatience
1 New Guinea Impatience
Large White Pot: 3 white begonias, 4 mixed coleus
Pots Down Steps: 1 white begonia
Square Pots: 4 mix petunias and 1 spike per pot
2 Medium Plastic Pots: 3 verbina each
1 small Clay Pot: 1 vergina
Cedar Planters: 4 wave petunias each
1 hanging basket: 3 wave petunias

Kitchen Window:
8 zinnas mixed colors

Need: 2 bags Miracle Grow potting soil for impatient, kitchen planter, hanging planter, stair pots and cedar planters
Need: 3 bags of regular potting soil

It was misty in the morning but cleared up later on. We worked in the wet despite all the mud.

Blooms

It's about time to do annuals. The iris, asters and polish spirit clematis are almost in full bloom in the back. The weigela is almost in full bloom in the front. The catmint are in full bloom on the south side.

Mid May

Front: The lilacs are still in bloom but fading. The moss phlox are also fading now although still with color. The weigela has a few pink flowers and hopefully will be in bloom shortly.

South: The three colored tulips are still in bloom. The catmint is already big and in bloom as well. As soon as the tulips die out I'll take a picture.

Back: The early shade corner is still blooming--bleeding heart, columbine, and candy tuft. There are two lilies of the valley but they are not in bloom. The perenial sun garden has astors with buds ready to open and the iris and pinks have buds. Along the arbor the peonies have buds on the east and the wild blue yonder and the julia child roses have buds. There are a few buds on the dogwood tree. Some buds are open and many ready to open on the polish spirit clematis. Along the east of the yard the bridal spirea are still in bloom.

More Blooms

Last night I noticed that the polish spirit clematis were starting to bloom as well as the astors. I don't have pictures of the astors yet. I need to walk around the yard but weather and time has not permitted. Today we've had some thunder storms and rain. It's been wonderfully green.

Blooming

All the renasiance spirea out back are starting to bloom. I was a bit surprised at this because I thought those were june bloomers. The new snowbound we purchased are not blooming but doing well.

The iris has buds on them. The peonies also have buds but won't bloom for some time.

Out front, the moss phlox are still in bloom as well as the grape hyacinth.

Flowers In Bloom

The lilacs out front are in full bloom now. They are gorgeous and smell wonderful.

The tulips continue to be lovely along the south side. The orange ones have dropped their leaves but the white, pink and yellow ones are now in full bloom.

The bleeding heart and the candy tuft and still in bloom on the east side. The columbines are now starting to bloom.

Mother of Thyme

Name: Mother of Thyme
Variety: Thymus Serpyllum
Sun: Full
Size: 3-6"
Flower Color:lavender
Bloom Time:summer
Type: Perennial herb
Characteristics: Can be used for cooking as well as a fragrant ground cover.
Care:  None
Plant location:  back of waterfall hillside.  Makes good ground cover.  There are three large bunches.


We picked this up at Coleman's in the $2 plant section. It is in the experimental stage right now as we are trying to find a good ground cover for the walkway lights. The pussy toes we got last year failed.