Garden News

 

The front yard is looking wonderful.  We trimmed back the spirea and gave the barbary and the arborvitae a haircut.  That left the wonderful daisies to show off and a whole row of campanula.   They are just what we wanted.  The generic lilies are blooming as well.

In the back the clematis are gorgeous and the day lilies and coreopsis are still blooming.   The new roses are growing along with the other new plants.

New Purchase Hens and Chicks and Sedum

I have decided that the south side of the new potentilla would be an ideal spot for a succulent garden.   I wanted some variety, but couldn't find anything around here so I ordered these from Young's Garden Center.  They came last Wednesday and we put them in pots on Thursday.  The last was a free one, which was a nice bonus.

Andrenor Sempervivum

Zorba Sempervivum

Histoni Jovibarba hirta

Emily Sempervivum arachnoideum

Tiny Urchin Sedum 

Pacific Plum Fuzzy Sempervivum Plant

Weekly Garden Report

Nothing new in the front yard.

However, the back yard is blooming:   Along the trellis both clematis are starting to bloom.

On the water fall are the day lilies and the coreopsis.   The new potentilla has a few blossoms.

The peonies were lovely, but destroyed by all the bad rain storms.  

Lots of new growth on the roses.   We might actually get some white ones, because they are finally putting up new growth.

On the south side the cat mint is taking over everything, but then the lollipop lily are blooming as well.

New Purchase Hope For Humanity

Name:  Rosa
Variety: Rosa Hope for Humanity
Type: Shrub
 Height: 3'
 Sun: Full Sun
 Fragrance:  slight
 Flower color: blood red
 Bloom Time: Summer
 Location:  Rose garden

This rose was named on the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Red Cross--so the name.  But also this is the deepest blood red rose with glossy dark leave--a real eye catcher.  It's a Weeks Rose bought at the nursery on Willow.  I hope it survives.

Backyard Garden Report

Things in bloom:  day lilies and correopsis on the waterfall, Julia Child Rose--once more a real treat, new geranium--one is ground cover and taking over everything, which is going to be a problem, and lamium.

High expectations:  the clematis are doing great.  They have tons of buds all over the trellis.  I think the show is going to be spectacular when it comes.

Front Yard Garden Report

The spirea are in bloom in the front--couldn't be nicer.  We have a few early campanula and day lilies.

Garden Report

Front is still kind of plain with the Weigela but some of the campanulas are starting to bloom.

In the back, the purples iris and the pinks are still in bloom.   The lamium is in bloom.    The clematis are looking great and the polish spirit is in bloom and the purple ones just starting.

We finished the vegetable garden.  Some tomatoes are struggling, but the beans and zucchini are doing well. 

Our goal this next week is to get the water fall up cleaned up, fixed up and the pump going.  

The weather has been cool, but still it is a joy to be out there working.

Wisteria

Name: Wisteria Summer Cascade
 Variety: Wisteria macrostachya betty matthews
Type: Vine
Height: 25'
Sun: Full Sun
Flower color: lavendar
Bloom Time: Summer
 Location:  Large Arbor

Two plants along the south side.


Name: Wisteria Lavendar Falls
 Variety: Wisteria floribunda betty tam
Type: Vine
Height: 15
Sun: Full Sun
Flower color: lavendar
Bloom Time: Summer
 Location:  Large Arbor

One plant along the west side.

These were to replace the beautiful trumpet vines that Wayne killed.  I know they won't be as spectacular, but perhaps they won't be as messy or as invasive either.

Climbing Hydrangea New Plant

Name: Climbing Hydrangea
Variety:Hydrangea anomalia petiolaris
Type: Vine
Height: 30'
Sun: Full Sun to Part shade
Flower color: white
Bloom Time: Mid-May
Fragrance:  No
 Location:  Small Arbor

We bought two at Plymouth Nursery.    They are in great condition but may take some time to establish.

New Perennial Purchases

Peony
The peonies we transplanted from Wayne and Rebecca's were doing poorly.  The ground is just too wet, so we purchased a couple more big plants, and then moved the struggling plant to the south side.  Hopeful it will grow and mature there.

We dug up more soil and amended and amended and dug and mounded then mulched.
In place we planted these two:
Paeonia Duches De Nedurs--in white
Paeonia Felix Crousse--red.  Let's hope they surive


Ice Plants
I purchased these to go in the perennial garden, but then decide they might work in the waterfall area in the rocks.  We are still struggling to keep plants growing in that area.

Delosperma Cooperi --Vibrant flowers make an impressive display against succulent, gray-green foliage. An exceptional plant for dry, poor soils, it can be used as ground cover, in the rock garden, or as an edging in the perennial garden. Spreads quickly but not aggressively.  Full sun, ground cover.   Looks like a winner.

Geranium
I'm trying more hardy geraniums.   This one is Rozanne Crainsbill.  We planted this south of the roses.

Garden Report

There is not much color in the front yard right now.  Several of the perennial are starting to bud but right now all that is in bloom is the weigela. 

In the back, though, the pinks and iris are in bloom; the snow mound spirea, the nine bark and the summer snowflake viburnum.  It's very lovely.

We have purchased our annuals and our vegetable garden.  Now to get all of them planted and get working working on other projects.

Snow Mound Spirea

I love those huge white bridal spireas.  They are all in bloom at this time of year and look wonderful.  So we bought some for the back of the lot that died.  Then we got these and they ave really struggled.   However, something strange happened the winter of 2014 that killed lots of our plants.  However, this plant started to really grow.  I don't know if the winter had anything to do with it, but this year it is spectacular.  Hopefully it will get to be 5' tall in the end.

Ninebark

Name: Ninebark Summer Wine
Variety: Physocarpus opulifolious
Type: Shrub
Height: 5-6'
Light: Full sun
Color:  White to light pink 
Bloom Time: Early Summer
Location:  East edge of property north of arbor

We purchased these last May at Meijers to replace the spirea that looked so terrible.  They are doing great, survived the winter and are full of blooms.   We are pleased.

Lily of The Valley

Name: Lily of the Valley
Variety: Convallaria majalis
Type:  Perennial
 Light:  Shade
 Size:  8"
Bloom time:  Spring
 Flower color: White
Fragrance:Sweet
 Plant location: Back Yard in the bleeding heart corner

 I love Lily of the Valley.  I think it's such a delicate wonderful flower.  I had a little garden in Saline and have been trying forever to grow these here.   I have purchased several pips (the starters) but to no avail.  Finally I begged these off of the Dunstans who have a lot.   And at last they are growing and blooming.  I hope they will increase in size of the next few year.s

Perennial Garden Purchases

My little garden is weeded and planted and looks great.  Now for the plants to grow. 

From the left--these are fancy iris that I hope I still have info about.  They were planted years ago, have struggled and finally have two blooms.

Next to the right--poppies.  They only produce one bloom and have been there for about the same time as the iris.  But every year they grow a bit bigger.  Maybe someday they will be in full bloom.  Under the poppy are balloon flowers.  They have been there for at least 10 years, they grow big and are  filled with blooms every year.

Behind the poppies are the new Veronica Royal Candle.  Let's hope they live up to their hype and are easy to grown.  They are a new purchase this year.

Next to the veronica in back are the old iris that Betty Taylor gave me.  We have split them again and again.  

In front of them are new Dianthus super trooper in assorted colors.   They have not been easy to grow...they do well for one year and then die

In front of those are the new Gaillardia Arizona Sun.   They are an award winner, so let's hope they survive as well.

To the right of the dianthus are the Stonecrop.  Back from last year they are hardy and healthy.  I expect them to have wonderful late summer flowers.

To the right of them are two hardy geranium cranesbill.  In front is the Biokova and in the back are the Perfect Storm--two more award winners.

Well, here is to another year.  Look forward to flowers and hope they survive the winter in style.

Potentilla

Name: Potentilla or Cinquefoil
Variety: Potentilla fruticosa 'Gold Drop'
Type:  Shrub
Light:  Full Sun
Size:  3'x3'
Bloom time:  June through August
Flower color: Yellow
Fragrance: None
Plant location: Back Yard west of waterfall
Care:  Fertilize in spring with flowering shrub stake.  Prune in fall to keep compact

Flowers In Bloom

Pictured are the Redbud tree in back, the Moss Phlox and the Lilac tree in front.  Along with the fushia moss phlox pictured at the top, the show has been spectacular.

White Spruce Tree

 
Name: White Spruce
Variety: Picea glauca
Type: Evergreen Tree
Height: Tall--50'
Light:  Full Sun
Size:  20'
Location: Back Yard back of waterfall
Care:   Prune dead branches at bottom as needed.  Mulch each year.   Fertilize with evergreen fertilizer stakes in spring.

New Purchase Crabapple Tree

 

Picture from hollyacresnursery.com

Name: Crabapple Tree Spring Snow
Variety: Malus Spring Snow
Type:  Tree
Light:  Full Sun
Size:  20' x 20'
Bloom time:  Spring
Flower color: White
Fragrance: None
Plant location: Back Yard west of waterfall
Fall color:  Yellow Leaves
Care:   Trim dead wood as needed.  Fertilize with flowering shrub spike in spring.

Flower Report

Outback the candy tuft are in full bloom as well as the red bud tree is spectacular.   The purple moss phlox and starting to bloom.  The lamium have started their bloom cycle as well.

The bleeding heart is still anemic from that bitter cold winter.  I am hopeful it will survive, but for now it has just small growth and a few flowers.  

It's time to spray for roses and the Julia Child has leafed out quite well.

Flowers in Bloom

Lots of plants have finally bloomed.   In the front the pear trees, the white moss phlox, the grape hyacinths.  The spirea are a pretty orange.  On the south the red tulips are out.

Spring Is Here

Finally, spring is here and the first flowers have bloomed.  Not such a great show, but at least we have a couple of daffodils.  Our neighbor has a whole patch, but we are too cheap to do that.

We worked outside for the first time this year on the front yard.   Cleaned up some of the leaves and weeded a little.  Did a little trimming and then cleaned up the mess of sod that has grown under the barberry.   We also put down mulch.  Things are waking up and the lilac bushes are loaded.

We moved a chunk of the white moss phlox and the lavendar ones to the south side.   Hopefully they will get huge so we can fill in spots out front and move some of the white to the back.

It was an easier winter so it looks like most things weather the winter well.   We had very little winter burn in the front yard.

We also painted on our large arbor.  What a difference the new paint will make.  No more pink arbor.

We also purchased all the pavers for the bottom of the stairs coming off the desk.  And we got two new planters for the side of the bench.  The old ones were cracked and broken.  

We purchased our Martha Washington geranium for the summer.   Now to keep it alive until we can put it in a bigger pot in May.

Still to do in the front:
put down another bag of mulch in places
finish weeding
seal and sand the front porch and the steps
replace a couple of the payers on the path.