Since I'm always grousing about slugs and squirrels in our garden, let's take a look at a few things that are going right.
First of all, our Chinese lantern plant is looking great. The photo above was taken about ten days ago -- it's even more green and lush now. We thought it was dead all autumn and winter, when it was just a pot of dank soil, so this is a happy surprise. Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
The Solomon's seal is also looking great. Fencing it off, as we did a couple of years ago, has made all the difference. It keeps Olga away from the brittle stalks and allows the plant to prosper.
This is a clematis that Dave just bought. We put it at the side of the house, where the passionflower vine used to be. (The one that I killed by over-pruning. Sob!) We can't really take credit for this flower since we just bought the plant a few weeks ago, but still -- it's a promising garden addition.
The hostas are looking dense and lush in their pots.
And the comfrey, back in the wildflower garden, is already blooming. We have three comfrey plants, and one of them is this bright magenta color. The others are a slightly bluer shade. Funny how they vary.
There's a lot more I could show you -- the azaleas are popping, the purple wallflower has been looking great, and I've still got about a million honesty, burdock and hollyhock seedlings that I need to do something with. (More repotting today, I think.) All the seedlings seem like they're taking their time in growing, which may be because of temperature -- it's been chilly these past few weeks, ever since Easter. Today's high is 52º F and the low is 38º F! Those little seedlings are just hanging back, waiting for things to warm up a bit.
Everything is "jumping", despite of the weather!
ReplyDeleteI went to put paper recycling in the collection box this morning...and the catch was iced up!
There so much drama in your garden, it should be turned into a TV series. Episode titles might include, "Attack of The Squirrels", "Bad Dog Olga!" and "The Chinese Lantern Invasion". Starring Zac Efron as Steven Reed, Jared Kushner as Dave and Spike from "Tom and Jerry" as Olga.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to be able to hold spring in your own garden.
ReplyDeleteI love spring when everything is so glorious after the dull winter. I still have things to plant from last weeks trip to the nursery and today is the garden club plant sale. They are going to have camellias this year so I have to get there early. I already took the plants I'm donating, mostly bletilla - ground orchids.
ReplyDeleteWOW, the lantern plants are looking amazing, congratulations! I hope that it will decorate your autumn garden with little lanterns this fall, that would be splendid! Nobody plants comfrey up here, it tends to take over and is difficult to get rid of or control, without bringing in the big bombs- but what a pretty flower! I have always liked the name "Comfrey" ,too, in spite of it's bossy nature. It sounds like a remedy...for everything!
ReplyDeleteIt's a pleasure to look at your pics of growing things, when here ... sob ... it snowed yesterday ... only the grass has begun to green up ... the trees still haven't leafed ... so you are reminding me of what I can look forward to! -Kate
ReplyDeleteLovely to be able to reap the benefits of the care and attention you put into your garden, I enjoy seeing it unfold.
ReplyDeleteYou have a great garden.
ReplyDeleteWow, your garden is looking down right lush! Lots of beautiful blooms to enjoy. 52/38 seems way too cold for this time of year. I'd be bundled up for sure.
ReplyDeleteYou ARE having lots of success in your garden - things are looking good!
ReplyDeleteSo exciting! You are wise to grow your Chinese Lantern plant in a pot. I grew it in a perennial bed once and spent years digging it out everywhere.
ReplyDeleteI have also grown Chinese Lantern and it has spread like crazy. Love those little lanterns though!
ReplyDeleteGZ: Yikes! We're not THAT cold, fortunately, but you're quite a bit north of us!
ReplyDeleteYP: Zac Efron I can see, but...Jared Kushner?!
Ms Moon: Having a garden really DOES put one in touch with the seasons!
Ellen: I hope you show us the results!
Linda Sue: This is actually a special garden hybrid of comfrey that (theoretically) doesn't re-seed. It spreads by roots, which is supposed to keep it from taking over. It's in a corner of the garden that's already been taken over by borage, so it has some competition!
Blondi: Well, I'm glad to be a harbinger of spring, but I feel like we're still suffering a bit too. (Granted, not with snow!) It needs to WARM UP out there!
Comox: I'm glad! Stay tuned! :)
Catalyst: Thanks!
Sharon: Doesn't it seem insane? I feel like this every year, though. I still think like a Floridian -- it should be HOT by May!
Jenny-O: We are. I need to stop emphasizing the doom and gloom -- the "drama," as YP put it.
Colette: I've heard that about Chinese lantern! That's why we were so surprised that ours struggled. This is our third attempt to grow it!
Sue: The lanterns are really amazing. Nature is fantastic sometimes! I hope we get some this year. We had a single flower last year but it didn't grow a lantern.
Hi Steve,
ReplyDeleteDid you happen to Attend “a small island “ in the national theatre a couple of weeks ago. It was a Saturday matinee. Thought I saw someone who looked like you.
Cheers Cormac
Cormac: I did not! No doubt you saw one of the many "imposter Steves" out there. :)
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