We've had a couple of nice days and I was able to go out into the garden and get some work done. I've finally finished trimming last year's growth from all of the perennials. This project took me about five days to complete. I always forget just how many perennials I have until I start trimming. After the trimming is done the garden looks so neat and clean!
Yesterday I also planted 40 Gladiolus bulbs and look forward to seeing them bloom. One little problem though....when I dug my third hole, I dug up a toad (I am really afraid of frogs and toads....very odd for a gardener). After a scream that I'm sure they heard two counties over, I gently put him back and hope I didn't disturb him too much!
Now when I look out into the garden, I'm seeing less brown and more green. There's still not much green, but I'll take it!! Here's what my garden looks like today....
Our biggest backyard bed is 65'x35'. This picture was taken from the patio and is the middle of that bed. See all the green!
The next two pictures are taken from the same spot looking left and right.
Yesterday I transplanted the three small plants, two May Night Salvia and one Moonshine Yarrow, in the second photo to this new spot which made room for my new Sonic Bloom Red Weigela in their old spot. This area also has Daylilys Coneflowers and Burgundy Blanket Flowers!
Love in a Mist has self seeded all over this bed!
Into the front yard we go....The perennial bed in Morrow Park Phase I is showing signs of life....lots of Poppy and Larkspur seedlings as well as all of the perennials.
This bed has two shrubs, Pink-a-boo Deutzia and Buttonbush and lots of perennials. The German Chamomile is really looking green!
Here's the front seating area. The Violas are looking great. I was having some rabbit problems, but a spray of Liquid Fence took care of that! There is also Veronica, Salvia, Phlox, and other perennials along this path!
Another front bed. The shrubs include Mock Orange, Weigela and Abelia. I see green, green, green!!
The bed along the front walk/path. Soon it will be covered with blooming Iris, Bee Balm, Blanket Flowers, Larkspur, Coreopsis, Daylilys, Coneflowers and more!!
This picture was taken from the driveway looking toward the front right side of the yard. Yesterday I got to MOW for the first time this year!! I just LOVE to mow my yard! It is so relaxing and offers instant gratification.
This photo was taken from the end of the driveway looking towards Morrow Park Phase III
The Violas are looking great! These are on a table right outside our kitchen window.
My Helleborus is blooming! Maybe I would have seen the blooms earlier if I'd known to cut off the old leaves....live and learn!!
All of my Coneflowers are coming up!
Likewise the Phlox!
My early blooming Daffys finally opened!
Bee Balm gone wild!! One of the things I love about Bee Balm is how easy it is to transplant. No need to buy more, just move it around!
Poppies, Poppies everywhere!
All of the Veronicas are looking good! They do really well in my garden and I'm planting more this spring.
Looking good Gaura!
Finally, two of my bunnies say "hurry up spring...we can't wait!!
Spring is definitely in the air and I'm really looking forward to it! Don't forget to take a good look at everything in your garden and I hope you'll see a little "green" too!
Happy Gardening!
Words and Photos Property of Christy's Cottage Wildlife Garden.
It's lovely to see your garden. Looks like you are all set for spring. It won't be long now! The rusty bunny is perfect!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tina....not quite ready, but I think I'm ahead of schedule. I've got a long "garden to do" list, but of course I like that! Isn't that bunny too cute!! We got him at the flea market.
DeleteForgot to say it is great luck to unearth a toad-it means a great garden season-says Tina's words of wisdom:)
DeleteThanks, Tina. I felt so bad when I saw "him". I hope he doesn't have it out for me when he "comes out" in spring...I can just see it now...."there she is....get her!!!" LOL
DeleteI laughed about you and the toad. Ha!
ReplyDeleteI'm not really 'scared' of toads but anything moving suddenly like that makes me squeal too.
You are doing what I'm anxious to do! I need/want to clean up the beds and be able to watch all the green show up. But, we got more snow this morning. Just a little. Should warm up this week. Maybe I can start soon.
The violas sure add a punch of color to your garden right now. No one is selling them in our area yet. When I see them available, I snatch some up to get some more color in places.
I've considered a mock orange bush. Just need to find a space.
Enjoy your mowing. That's one thing I can wait for. Our grass isn't awake yet anyway. We don't usually mow the first time until May/June.
Hi GoSS! I've gotten better about the toads. I used to run...now I tell them "you just stay right there and I'll be over here." They are so good for the garden, so I'm really trying! Clean up is always my first chore of the year. It makes me feel better when it's done. I actually bought all of my violas in fall. They still look good even after all the bad weather we've had. As I said, I love to mow. My hubby did the maintenance on the mower yesterday and as soon as he was done I hopped on and off I went, despite his protests that I didn't have to do it yet......but I did, some of the grass was really long!!!! :-) Thanks for stopping by!!
DeleteYou do have lots of green, and spring is going to come on fast for you and the toads. We still have snowbanks and pockets of mounded snow all about, and very little green, although I can spot some tips showing here and there, and the snowdrops are happy.
ReplyDeleteHi Laurrie....so glad you stopped by! The green is showing itself slowly, but as I said, I'll take any that I can get! The forecast for middle TN this week is 50s and 60s with some rain, so I'm sure things are going to take off. Hopefully, we won't get any damaging frost later.
DeleteAnother few weeks for us but you got me thinking on it. Our first home had love in a mist self seeding all over. I hadn't though about it in a long time. I really like it....:)
ReplyDeleteHi tb....Last year was the first time it ever came up. At first I didn't know what it was because I had planted it in spring 2011! It just self-seeded all over the place and I love when plants do that...they not only look pretty but save us money too!! If it will grow in your area I'd be glad to send you some seeds...just let me know!
DeleteYou have plenty of green sprouting there. Can't wait to see your garden in the Spring. In Texas, Spring is short and fast! Love your daffodils. They are so bright and cheerful:)
ReplyDeleteHi Steph....Yes, once I trimmed all of last years old growth I could see that I have quite a bit of green! It's so exciting! I'm looking forward to posting pix of the garden in spring....especially since I've added Morrow Park. After reading so many posts showing beautiful daffys, I decided to plant quite a few more this year. The ones you see in the post were given to me about five years ago and they look great every year! Thanks so much for stopping by!
DeleteWhat a beautiful spring garden...I am so in love with your violas...mine are but seedlings in the basement waiting for another month before they are planted out...warm weather here for a few days but snow is back in the forecast as winter stays on.
ReplyDeleteHi Donna...thanks so much! Here in middle TN I think we have the best of both worlds. We get some snow, but not too much, and spring and fall are wonderful. Summer can be a beast, but not nearly as bad as further south. I have to admit I enjoy seeing the seasons...something I never had in CA. The Violas always give me some beautiful winter color. I put them out in fall and they last clear into spring. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteIt was funny reading that your biggest bed is 65x35. My whole backyard is only 30' x 30'. You really have a good start on Spring in your garden. We finally have some weather that is melting the snow, but by Thursday the snow will be back. It is so nice to see the flowers in your garden, plus your beds are so neat and clean. A lot of work...
ReplyDeleteHi Donna....Even after eight years of living here I am still amazed by the size of our gardens/property. Our entire lot in San Diego was 45'x75'. I literally ran out of room to plant anything. That is something I will NEVER do here and one of the reasons we wanted to buy a little land! Thanks for your nice comment about my beds being neat and clean. I am a bit of a "neat freak" and that extends to my gardens as well as my home. It is a lot of work, and I love every minute of it. I'm glad you stopped by!
DeleteThere is so much going on in your garden right now! Soon it will be full and lush with blooms! I love how you planted violas all along your pathway. And I adore those bunnies! The daffs are looking good too - so nice to see some early blooms, isn't it? It's always so satisfying to see the beds cleaned up after winter. Come on, spring!
ReplyDeleteHi there.....I agree, come on spring!!! Thanks so much for your nice comments! Cleaning up the beds is such a big project for me so it's always nice when it's done! Yes, I love early blooms. I don't have as many bulbs as a lot of people, so I plant the Violas in fall so I'll have color through winter. I thought those bunnies added a bit of whimsy to the garden...(and I have more of them). They'll look extra cute when they are surrounded by flowers! Thank you for stopping by!!
DeleteFive days of work out in the garden. How I envy you. Sugaring season has arrived in town, but the snow is still deep on the ground. Even my indoor miniature daffodils aren't blooming yet.
ReplyDeleteThe five days weren't consecutive, but it was nice to be out that many days so far this year! What is sugaring season? Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteWhat a contrast with your snow covered garden in your last post! It is so exciting to see green! I was out in the garden this past weekend, and there were buds everywhere! Spring truly is a special time of year. I look forward to seeing your garden in all its blooming glory!
ReplyDeleteHi Deb and thanks so much!! Spring really is a wonderful time. I get so excited when I see little "heads' popping up out of the soil, or a shrub leafing out or flowers buds. Amazing what some water and a little sun can do. And the fact that the plants know it's the right time, well, that is something else! I'm glad you stopped by!
DeleteYes, you have lots popping up! I enjoyed your photos. It's always good to have some wide views as well as close ups. I hope I have more love in a mist come up than in the past. For some reason, I never get as many come up as I'd like.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got to get your clean up done. I still hope our snow melts in time for me to get more of mine cleaned up. I need to get my hellebore leaves from last year cut off, too.
Hi Sue...I agree with you. I like to see close-ups but I also like wide views so I can see how the overall garden looks and how the plants work together. I found that every Love in a Mist that flowered had lots of seeds. So if you have any flowers, you should be able to collect the seeds for the next year....or just let them self-sow. I do both and then sow the seeds I collected elsewhere. I hope you get a chance to get out and do some clean-up soon. I know it always makes me feel like I'm starting from a clean slate!! Thanks so much for stopping by!
DeleteYour garden looks so ready for spring! I'm envious, you're way ahead of me on garden cleanup.
ReplyDeleteThe plant with the blue flowers you asked about is an Amsonia. That one's a tabernaemontana/ hubrichtii hybrid.
Hi sweetbay....It always makes me happy when I have all the trimming done. Thanks for the info on the Amsonia. That's what I thought it was but it's so much bigger than mine. Maybe a different type. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI have the same deutzia you do! Actually, we have a lot of the same plants. I spent part of the weekend cleaning up my garden for spring, too. It was so awesome seeing all the plants that are waking up. Yay!
ReplyDeleteHi there! Isn't it great getting some clean-up done. I woke to 20 degrees today, so I hope all the plants that were coming up are ok. I have two "Pink a boos" but they are both small. I'm looking forward to my shrubs maturing a bit so I can really enjoy them. Thanks so much for stopping by!!
DeleteYou can really feel the spring now in the air and I'd seen a lot of signs with trees and gardens. They are now slowly blooming.
ReplyDeletemonument landscape