Well, for once I'm glad the weather forecast at the beginning of the week was wrong. We had another day of sun. I had some time outside and I worked on cleaning out a smallish bed that I put together last year.
There was already a viburnum (Snowball bush) in the bed, that we planted quite a few years ago. Last spring I asked my husband to put a post in for a birdhouse near the back of the bed for me. I've planted a clematis on two sides of the post and I saw yesterday that both are popping back up. The shrub that is visible here is pieris japonica 'Purity'. I see that I need to get some more soil to fill in the back area. Since the viburnum is lower than the edge of the planter, and I don't want to dig it up, I'm trying to be careful about how I add the soil. The butterfly bush is just barely visible to the left in this picture. There is a penstemon on the right. I think it will be okay, just a bit beat up from the winter. I also have some echinacea in the blank space here. I'll see how things look as the spring and summer progress and decide what else I need to add.
My new abelia 'Francis Mason' has finally gotten some new leaves. I didn't get to see it bloom last year, but the tag says it will have "fragrant light pink flowers from late spring to fall." Abelia is semi-evergreen here, but this winter it lost all of its leaves, as did all of the other abelias in my yard.
In the same bed I found that the polemonium 'Brise d'Anjou' (Jacob's ladder) has new growth as well. They were really pretty last year and I'm looking forward to them being bigger and better. The variegated foliage really brightened up an area that doesn't get a whole lot of sun.
In the front part of the yard I saw that the pear trees have lots of buds on them. Even if they don't produce pears this year, I'm sure they will look pretty. It looks as if a couple of petals are escaping!
Look what else I found in the front yard. Hellebore seedlings, and lots of them!
I did find one other newly planted abelia from last year that looks quite dead. It feels brittle and I can't find any new growth. I'm not giving up just yet, but I don't have much hope for it.
Could it be possible that we'll have another nice day, or will the weatherman be right that there is now a chance of a snow/rain mix in the next few days?
Hi Catherine
ReplyDeleteWatch those new clematis shoots. Slugs love 'em.
Does your Penstemon normally come through the winter? It's just I'm thinking of buying some this year.
I bet those Hellebore seedlings are a terrific surprise
Rob
Catherine ~ How neat to see new growth happening after your long winter. I hope your new growth will survive if you do get another bit of snow. I look forward to seeing your gardens as things come awake and start blooming once again.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
It is always so nice to see green start popping out all over. Makes you anxious to get out and get the final cleaning of the beds done before spring flowers come out.Just makes you feel good. It is in my plans this weekend because of warmer temps coming in.
ReplyDeleteMore sun for you, huh? We have drizzles and overcast skies today- the sun have been trying to peek out, though. Your Hellebores babies look great! I'm glad you posted these so I know what they look like! I will be trying to start these from seed in Nov. Could you send me a couple shots so I can put them in my computer?
ReplyDeleteNice post again!
ReplyDeleteI love your photos.
I was hoping to get in the garden when I got home from work - but it was snowing and I was shattered, ho hum! There's always the weekend!
Rain with some snow today. Good thing I built that cloche! That bed is going to be beautiful in spring/summer. You lucky thing. And hellebore seedlings! I think if there's a break in the rain I'll go rooting around some of mine to see if anything is popping up!
ReplyDeleteRob - The slugs better stay away from my clematis. It's too wet to try the beer trap today. My penstemon have always survived the winter. Some years they stay evergreen and even bloom. This year with all the snow they don't look as nice, but I can see new growth.
ReplyDeleteFlower Lady - I hope it doesn't snow. I keep thinking that it has to be done, guess I have no control over it though :)
Lona - Hope you get a chance to get in your gardens this weekend and even find some surprise flowers!
Tessa- It's decided to rain today, and I don't think the sun will be out now. I'll send you some hellebore picture in the next day or so.
Nutty Gnome - You had more snow? I wish it would stop, and just stay warm. :)
Melanthia - I hope you find some. I was really surprised to see so many. I hope they survive and then I can share some! I sure hope that we don't get anymore snow, even if it's mixed with rain!
Hi Catherine, what great close ups of the budding plants waking up from the winter's slumber. I hope you get some more sunny days. It's been a long winter.
ReplyDeleteFrances
Can you believe it? MORE SNOW?
ReplyDeleteLove your border along the fence. It looks just the right size and holds a lot of promise. Keep us posted.
Hi Catherine,
ReplyDeleteOur bulbs and other new growth survived the few inches of snow we had last weekend. I enjoyed seeing yours. I hope the ones you aren't sure about grow.
I am glad to know what hellebore seedlings look like. If I go to my sister's I can see if she has any. I can't put them where I had in mind, though, because I found out through another blogger, I think, Garden Muse, that they are poisonous. I have another spot out of Grandson's reach where I could put some.
We had a warm day, too, a record high of 76! I worked on getting my car cleaned out and took pics. Thanks for commenting on my SkyWatch pics.
I would so love to see hellbore seedlings in my garden-even one!
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine, Well, it's looking good and you are definitely going to get spring right along with the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteYes, the slugs better stay from your Clematis. I love them and would like to get a dozen more.
I have a new little Abelia too that I started from my other - Little Princess - still looks kind of lifeless. Oh and Penstemon I use to have but they fizzled out after a few years. I saw them for the first time on a day trip up to Mt. St. Helens taking family up to see it after the eruption. They were blooming everywhere. So all the way home we kept saying Penstemon so I wouldn't forget what it was and could try and find some. Guess I need to go find some again.
Things are looking GOOD in your garden, Catherine! I took a walk around ours today and it will be quite some time yet before it looks like anything but brown and dead.
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful to see all the excitement from gardeners as the plants begin to emerge from the long winter.
ReplyDeleteCameron
Frances - Thanks. Hope winter has wrapped up for everyone and we can all get back out to see our plants.
ReplyDeleteGrace - Thanks, it's a work in progress. I can't wait to see all the color that will be there.
Sue - I hope they are wrong about any snow, but it's pretty cold out now. I hope you can find seedlings at you sister's.
Tina - I wish I could share them with you through the computer!
Rain Gardener - I hope both of our abelias surprise us and come back to life. Funny story about remembering the penstemon. I have one in my backyard that keeps reseeding, the ones I've cut back seem to come back pretty well.
Kylee- Hopefully you'll have some sunny days to get everything ready to grow!
Cameron - I've had fun looking at what everyone is seeing in their gardens. I think I enjoy seeing their plants as much as I do seeing my own.
I find it interesting that you are having more things coming up in your gardens than I am in mine. I would think with me being down in the south mine would be further along. Oh well, enjoy!!!
ReplyDeleteSusie - The strange part is that things that have normally bloomed like daphne, clematis armandii and my camellias are behind things like pulmonaria. We had a very cold winter, and quite a bit of sun recently. I think the plants are confused.
ReplyDeleteAs a gardener in progress myself, I love all the details and careful planning for this one little freed-up patch of land as described in the first paragraph!
ReplyDeleteOf course I had to laugh because I totally identify.
Great pictures :) I'm from the Pacific Northwest too, and we've definitely been lucky to get some sun on those days where they predicted all rain. Of course, the forecast is for sun this weekend, so I suppose that means it'll rain, heh.
ReplyDeleteHi hun, I'm glad you we're able to get out and play in the dirt a bit. I hope to this weekend. We had 45 mph winds yesterday. I will try to bring more warm weather back from FL next week with me...lol.
ReplyDeleteHugs...Brooke
How exciting to see all those new shoots appearing everywhere and the return of old friends
ReplyDeleteI've been so lazy! Thanks for motivating me to get my beds going!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is a tresure.
Have a great weekend!
Chuck - I'm trying to be more detailed with gardening lately because I'm running out of room. I'm trying to plant things that will fit in these spaces. I'm also always trying to find a place for new flower beds in a smallish yard :) Believe me detail oriented is not how most people would describe me other than with gardening :)
ReplyDeleteLindsay - It usually is the opposite of what they predict around here isn't it? This morning I see blue skies again :)
Brooke- Maybe the wind was blowing winter away so spring could arrive :) Have fun in Florida, I hope it's warm!
patientgardener - I love finding new little friends out there too. Seems like spring is starting to arrive lots of places now.
Nancy -Thanks. When it's not exactly warm out it's easy to not want to go outside. I bet you'll be out there soon and loving it!
Abelia... that's another new name for me. Gotta google. This is one great thing about this blogosphere. You're constantly learning. I'm so thankful I found such great gardeners online!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the coming spring, Catherine
Chandramouli - Isn't it fun finding out new things from all the great garden bloggers? I love learning too.
ReplyDelete