Just some garden photos today, since that's where I spent most of the morning yesterday. This is one of the geraniums that I wrestle with over winter, dragging it in and out of the house as the temperature demands. It does reward us with some beautiful little flowers, doesn't it?
Here's another geranium. I suppose I could simply bring them indoors and leave them in all winter, but I tend to think they do better outside, except when temperatures dip below freezing.
Speaking of which, Dave scared me to death yesterday by reading an article that said our temps were supposed to fall below freezing next week. "The coldest May in 25 years," he said. I was inwardly screaming "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" But I'm not sure what he was reading, because our forecasts don't predict anything colder than high 40's (F) at night, which is chilly but not that crazy. He was probably seeing an article about UK weather in general, which means the coldest temperatures are up in northern Scotland or in the mountains.
Anyway, yes, I spent the morning in the garden. I took out a ton of creeping buttercup, which seems to have taken over following our weed-permissive summer last year. I also removed dock, an equally pernicious weed, and cut out the persistent blackberry vines that tend to sprout in places we don't want them. We're going to be wildlife- and insect-friendly again this year, but with a bit more control.
I also mowed the lawn. You might remember that last year we did "No-Mow May," in which we didn't mow for a month. But I think this year we'll keep mowing. We have enough wild areas in our garden to foster wildlife and I found that the grass suffered in areas we didn't mow last year. (Granted, that was in places we didn't mow all summer -- not just in May.) I mowed around a few clumps of forget-me-nots and daisies, so we have some flowers in the lawn.
In summary, the garden theme this year is loose control, as opposed to no control.
Here's something I'm leaving wherever I find it -- the humble dandelion. They are terrific for bees, particularly early in the season when other flowers are not yet blooming.
Besides, I like them. I try to think of them as just another ornamental garden plant.
I noticed that some of the dahlias are finally sending up tiny sprouts.
And the honesty is still blooming away, and already forming its telltale windowpane seed pods. Honestly (see what I did there?) this may be one of my favorite plants.
It sounds like the new comment format is working better for everyone. What a relief! I'm glad we were able to work around Blogger's temperamental changes. By the way, as some of you suggested, I looked in my comment spam folder and I found dozens of perfectly worthwhile comments dating back to January! Clearly there have been gremlins in the machine for a while. So I've published those as well.
Glorious flowers. I was honestly thinking of using honestly in my comment, but fortunately I read posts all the way through. I’m so glad you leave the dandelions to do their thing. To think we used to poison them (and us).
ReplyDeleteLoose control sounds good.
ReplyDeleteWe leave dandelions for the early insects..although there aren't so many flying yet..even the south of Scotland is a bit chilly!
I love honesty, but mine has not started up yet this year. I replant seeds each year, so I hope it will return again. Otherwise I will have to filch new seeds from a neighbor whose plant grows outside the fence. I'm aware of the irony of swiping seeds of the honesty plant. I love dandelions, too, snd try to persuade neighbors not to mow them down or pull them out, because bees need them.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the dandelion seed globe or clock is a beautiful thing to behold, getting rid of them when you see them reduces the possibility of more dandelion plants sprouting. Just call me Bob Flowerdew!
ReplyDeleteWe had an unofficial No Mow March and Part of April, as our mower was being serviced, so the back yard had quite the unkempt meadow look to it. So glad the neighbors didn't come bearing torches.
ReplyDeleteI too found several great comments, including one of yours in my spam folder. I’ve had a couple comments on your blog disappear so it was probably mutual.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is going to be a wonder this summer. Strange how even a "low maintenance" yard requires quite a bit of it.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing your flowers. I especially love that you let the dandelions bloom. Really glad to know it's not going to freeze there. Yay!
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of the plant honesty before! It is so pretty and I love those seed pods! I miss the old style of commenting where your reply was under my comment but this is better than nothing! I appreciate you taking the time to reply!
ReplyDeleteThe flowers you've posted today are beautiful, including the dandelion. Things appear to be growing in spite of the chill in the air. You've put a lot of love into that garden.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun to see so many treasures unfolding in your garden.
ReplyDeleteYour gardening is paying off as you have many blooms.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers and what a lovely way for me to start off my Sunday morning. I love dandelions too. They are tough, reliable and hard to kill, plus they're yellow. I love yellow flowers.
ReplyDeleteWindowpane seed pods! Aren't they cute?! The geraniums are lovely. I'm use to mainly seeing red ones.
ReplyDeleteWe keep honey bees. so anything that blooms on our property is welcome.
Dandelions are beautiful. I'm always interested in what qualifies as a flower and what as a weed. I love Martha Washington geraniums but they are a bit more fragile than the zonal type.
ReplyDeleteLooks nice. I kind of do "no mow" in that I don't always get around to doing it. I did finally mow yesterday, for the first time this year. I'm also adding some new plants and flowers.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Beautiful blooms. I tried wintering two geraniums but I think they didn't make it. I cut them way back but it doesn't look promising. They're outside now but I'm watching the weather like a hawk. It was in the low 40s today so it sounds like our weather and yours are similar. Love that Honesty plant. It's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLovely lovely! I'm glad you're leaving the dandelions alone - I think they're so pretty.
ReplyDeleteI leave dandelions for the same reason - and also for the birds, who eat the seeds after they've turned into the stage shown in your second dandelion photo
ReplyDeleteThose two photos are the BEST EVER of dandelions, I might add!
Okay, so now we know how to freak out Steve - just tell him the weather's going to challenge his garden. lol
Mitchell: Honestly, you could use it again. :) Yeah, why were people so fixated on killing dandelions years ago?
ReplyDeleteGZ: I have seen some bees out and about here, but yeah, we're getting a slow start weather-wise this year.
Boud: Stealing honesty seeds! LOL! The good thing is, it's a pretty common plant, so seeds will always be available somewhere.
Bob: Well, the insects probably appreciated that!
Ed: Yes, I found some of yours in spam too. A mystery!
Ms Moon: It's true. We tried to be very hands-off last year and I was left with the feeling that things were just too messy.
Robin: That freeze news scared me to death. I was just envisioning all the work I'd have to do, covering things up and bringing them back inside!
Ellen D: I know this commenting format isn't ideal, but it seems the best way to allow everyone access. Blame Blogger! You've probably seen honesty in dried-flower arrangements, where it often turns up.
Sharon: I guess plants in this part of the world are used to mercurial temperatures!
Wilma: It's exciting every year!
Red: We do have a lot going on already.
Pixie: They really are great flowers. I don't know why they have such a terrible reputation, except that they're so persistent.
Kelly: Did you see that terrible article about the bees being shipped to Alaska that were rerouted through Atlanta and as a result died on the way? (Your keeping bees reminded me of it.)
Margaret: Thanks for the ID of the Martha Washington geranium -- I never knew that's what it was called. Ours really needs a good pruning but I am reluctant to trim it.
Janie: Whatever your motivation, "no mow" gives a boost to the insects!
Bug: They ARE pretty, aren't they?
Jenny-O: I'm sure the garden could cope with the weather, but it would have meant a lot of work for me, bringing in all the dahlias and cannas and covering the banana and what about the seedlings? Frankly, I am OVER all that for the time being. :)
YP: Your comment was in my spam folder, so I missed it when I replied above! Yeah, we sometimes remove the dandelion seedheads -- but I wouldn't mind a few more dandelions.
ReplyDeleteJeanie: Same with you -- spam folder, for some reason. I'd stay hopeful about the geraniums until the weather gets warmer and sunnier. They do like warmth and they'll stay dormant if it's cold.
The Geraniums are what we call Pelargoniums, and what we should call Pelargoniums, are called Geraniums, because we are not only upside downunder, we're also back to front when it comes to some of our flowers.
ReplyDelete