I'm a fairly patient gardener compared to most. I'll give a poorly-performing plant a decent chance before I relocate it, or even banish it. Usually this means an entire growing season, but sometimes it means a few years.
Yesterday turned out to be an eventful one for me, and it all revolved around Spring and what it means for the animals around me. As well-balanced gardeners and nature lovers, we all pay attention to the new life around us: baby rabbits all over the place, nesting birds of all kinds, the calls of mating toads and frogs (if you happen to have water nearby). You can't help but notice it, as it's everywhere at this time of year.
One of my slowest projects has been the new "cactus" beds. I've been growing several cold-hardy Opuntia species in pots -- it's been over a year since I've received those -- and I also have a few Agaves and a Yucca to plant too.
The other day I showed you an update on the pond, and I mentioned that I added some new plants this year.
Not much to say today, so you know what that means: photos!
On this blog I like to mix "pretty" posts with useful ones, sometimes even getting a post that is both. Unfortunately, today's isn't so pretty. If you grow bamboo though (or are thinking about growing it), it should be useful.
I thought I'd give you an update on a few things that I've been posting about lately. First, the super-crowded Mexican petunia that I divided and repotted:
A couple of years ago, my garden didn't contain a single species of Iris. Somehow, I've collected several over the past few years. I'm not quite Iris mad like some people are, but I'm certainly learning to appreciate their contribution to the garden.
My newest planting beds -- those along my new-last-year walkway -- began their expansion this past weekend.
Remember the other day when I found a green caterpillar on one of my roses while looking at rose slugs? Well, this must be the year for caterpillars on roses, because I found another one.
My friend Michael sure does! This is only the second time that I've visited his garden when his peony beds were in bloom...
The Swiss chard in my garden has been a big success this year! Both of my plantings of it overwintered, I've gotten many harvests out of it, and its added such a lush look to the garden.
Just a look at some of the bamboo shoots and fresh new culms. This is Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis', but you knew that already.
It's the time of year when the roses are exciting: foliage is fresh and colorful, blooms are starting to appear. It's also the time of year when a pest makes my normally carefree roses need some help.
I've only had Irises growing in my garden for a couple of years, and these were given to me -- I didn't choose them.
Most of the bamboos are shooting now, and I've certainly posted photos of the beautiful shoots in the past. Today though, just a quick look at a single species, and how well it's doing for me.
It's time for the kale to finally go. I overwintered this under hoops and plastic this year, and it rewarded me with so many fantastic early salads this spring.
When I finally planted some blueberries a couple of years ago, I expected berries. What I didn't expect was that the little blooms would be so attractive!
I've got an interesting volunteer growing in my yard. Okay, most people would call this a weed -- I would. I was in fact about to dig it out the other day, but realized...
Two little projects today in which I needed a little more space. The first is this pathway:
It's amazing how quickly the garden can go from a cool, almost carefree source of spring greens...
Yesterday was the first day in about a week on which it did not rain, and we actually saw sunshine! I have to tell you that it's frustrating at this time of year to be unable to do much outside for days at a time.
I noticed that for the first year ever, my big potted cactus did not have a great time overwintering in the garage.
I've got a little problem spot in my garden. (Yep, just one -- the rest is perfect , cough cough) It's this Panicum 'Heavy Metal':
While removing my bamboo pots from the mulch piles the other day, I discovered not only a toad, but mycelium:
It's finally time to do something about the pile of mulch that was protecting the potted bamboos on my driveway this winter.
Every spring I get to play the "which plants returned this year?" game. Herbaceous perennials could be quietly sleeping away the winter, or may be dying in the wet, cold ground. Most things come back year after year without fail, but there are some that, well, you just don't know.
The other morning I looked through the bedroom window and noticed this russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) moving:
As I've been working in various parts of the garden, trying to get things into shape...
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