Well, I did manage to make it out in the garden for a couple of hours yesterday. I went out after the light rain in the morning and was chased back in by the hail. It still felt nice to be outside even for a little while. The grass squished under my feet as I walked across the lawn. I managed to plant my new wallflowers that I bought a couple of days ago. I also planted a new pink lupine. I've noticed they only seem to last a few years and then occasionally they will self sow. Next I dug up a very dead penstemon. This one had been around for quite a few years and I think it had just lived as long as it was going to. Most of the penstemon look pretty bad right now, but I can see green coming up so they should be okay.
In the front yard I found the echinacea 'Double Decker' is coming back. It didn't have one double flower on it last summer. I wonder if that's common?
I'm still waiting for the white 'Fragrant Angel' to show up. I looked around for signs of life, but none so far. All my other echinacea have started coming up.
The Red Valerian (centranthus ruber) is looking good. I know some people think it can self sow a little too much. I personally like how it spreads, and it stays in bloom almost all summer.
Phlox is growing and getting much larger. I like the purplish leaves on this one. I planted so much phlox over the last couple of summers I've lost track of which is which. I'll have to see them in bloom to match them to their plant tags. I notice that the white one, 'David', tends to really self sow.
The oriental poppy 'Victoria' has such pretty foliage and looks so lush. I'm looking forward to seeing the light pinkish flowers.
Also in the front yard I see that the weeping cherry tree's "pink" flowers are opening more. This was supposed to have been pink and was for the first few years.
The 'Ivory Prince' got his new home along the path in the backyard. I think the yellow of the corylopsis 'Buttercup' will look pretty behind it and they will both bloom around the same time. 
This morning I see that the sun is out, and there's light frost on the grass. Hopefully I'll be able to get back out there today, although I'm pretty sure it will be helping to work on the fence and not the garden.
So nice to see thing coming back. I walk around like a crazy person smiling at the ground. Hubby just laughs, but I enjoy all the stages. Love to see your poppy's... I have 4 kinds popping up all new.... so excited to see how they look and do! Hugs...Brooke
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine- about this time every year I wonder if the garden and landscape really will come back to all it's glory. Looks like yours is well on it's way. Enjoy the day. The sun is shining here and I am off to see what I can work on.
ReplyDeleteHeather
The sky is incredibly blue this morning, I may have to change my mind about continuing spring cleaning. A blue sky is a terrible thing to waste. All your little peekers are so promising.
ReplyDeleteThank-you! It's so nice to see such beautiful flowers right now. The phlox foliage looks similar to the foliage of my 'Husker Red' Penstemon. Currently the only flower in my yard is 1 Daffodil and the weather forecast is calling for 1-3" of snow for tomorrow night. So keep the photos coming- they may be the only flowers I see for a while!
ReplyDeleteWhoo hoo! the sun is shining today. I have a three hour window between shifts today, to play in my garden.
ReplyDeleteWork sucks, it gets in the way of my play, but I have to work to pay for my play.
Hi~~ Yes the sun is shining to the south of you. The rooftops were white just a few hours ago. It got chilly last night. My Penstemons suffered greatly, mostly the large leafed varieties. My Centranthus is similar to yours. They seem to be impervious to the cold. I love them. They mingle nicely and the flower color can't be beat. I didn't grow E. 'Double Decker.' Interesting that it wasn't so double. Maybe this year.
ReplyDeleteHopefully you'll have time to garden putter. Fences, although important, are not nearly as enjoyable.
This prolonged winter storm stuff stinks. I'm loving the rain though.
ReplyDeleteHow happy to see new growth and be able to get your hands in the soil! We have overcast skies today, and I am looking forward to getting outside later.
(hear tell we might have an actual FREEZE next week-boohoo)
Have fun fixing the fence. I know how that is, the best laid plans...
ReplyDeleteI am glad to hear about the centranthus blooming so much. I have tried it before and I think it died out, but am giving it another try in a different location. I hope I enjoy it and it lives! The seedlings are easy to pull if not wanted?
Sounds like our weather is the same...ugh. But today the sun is making an appearance, so that is happy!
ReplyDeleteThe double decker coneflowers often take 2 or 3 years to display this trait. I thought mine was a dud, but the third year...low and behold it had double blooms!
Rains! Hails! Wow! I can deal with rains but hails, Oh my god, no! Glad that it didn't last long.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love the wallflowers and Phlox - especially the creeping variety - is yours the same?
Have fun with the fence!
Catherine looks like everything is coming up really good for you. The sun is shining and I'm going outside to play too. Yippee!!! I even put a copy of the 3 day weather forcast in my post today it looked so good. Oh and my Pulmonaria you wanted to see is in. I think my echinacea is 'Double Decker' too and if I remember correctly it didn't double last year either. This year it may not do anything - deer tracks leading to it and it's chewed off! Dang them!!!
ReplyDeleteI love Red Valerian too and have a couple but started a new one 2 summers ago and put it in the garden in another place last fall. They do bloom a long time and they're so nice and big for a good show.
Let's go outside and play!!! Byeeee
Looking very healthy and lots of exciting things to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteYour hail and my snow are bad news aren't they?!! Good luck on getting your fence fixed. I like Centranthus too ~ all the self sowing doesn't bother me at all. I think I've given a million starts away. I think I've said this before, but everything is looking good in your garden. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteEverything is looking great in your yard. I strain my neck this time of year searching under the leaves for plants peeking through!
ReplyDeleteHi Your photos are lovely. Isn't it exciting watching things grow especially at this time of year. Your Phlox looks a few weeks ahead of mine. Isn't it interesting that you can tell the flower's colour to some extent from their folliage. ie. the paler the green foliage the likely the flowers are white, the redder the folliage the chances are the flowers will be red or darker. This is something I have observed over the years and is probably common knowledge to most gardeners but I don't ever remember reading it or hearing about it on a gardening program.
ReplyDeleteCatherine your weeping cherry blooms are so pretty.My poppies have all fade away somewhere over the years. I have seedlings of penstemon "Iron Maiden" that are doing fairly well.I have none in the garden so wanted to try some.Lupines die for me. There are just some plants that I cannot grow and I want them :)
ReplyDeleteI love the double decker echinacea's.
I cannot wait to see your red Valerian in bloom. It is a new fower to me.
I am trying lupine for the first time this year. I planted it from seed, and it isn't quite big enough to plant yet...but it is growing so that is good! Phlox is one of my favorites. I have several varieties. It is a delicate looking plant, but very hardy here. Hope your hail didn't do too much damage.
ReplyDeleteBrook - I do the same thing!
ReplyDeleteHeather - I'm glad you finally got sun, hope you had fun in it.
Lanny - I hope you did put off your cleaning indoors and went outside. It was beautiful!
Laura - I saw your daffodil. I sure hope you don't get snow.
Keewee - True, we have to pay to buy plants and all that fun stuff. Hope you managed to squeeze some gardening in!
Grace - It's amazing how some plants don't seem to notice anything change in the weather, they just grow no matter what. Hope you enjoyed your sun too.
Carla - Did you make it out? I think all this freezing needs to stop :) Time for warmer weather!
Tina - the seedlings are easy to pull out. They are easy to transplant as well. I hope you have better luck this time.
Connie - thanks for you input. I will be patient and wait for the double flowers then. I wasn't sure if It was mislabeled.
Chandramouli - No, this is actually different from creeping phlox although in the same family. The plants are taller and have clusters of fragrant flowers. I really like them.
Rain Gardener - I saw your pumonaria, very pretty. Do you think the weather will stay nice for 3 whole days? I hope so!!
patientgardener - Yes, I'm getting very excited for the flowers. Before we know it our gardens will be in full bloom!
Kathleen - It is a great one to share isn't it? It really just lasts so long. Hope your snow is gone!
Mildred - It's fun peering around out there, you just never know what surprises you'll find!
Joanne - You know I was just thinking the same thing. That's why I'm pretty sure these are dark pink flowers. I've never read that anywhere either, but I do think you are right.
Lona - You will love the penstemon. The hummingbirds really like them too. I will share the red valerian pictures, they are great plants.
Dirt Princess - The lupine from seed can take 2 or 3 years to bloom, but they are worth it! Phlox really is tougher than it looks isn't it? I divide it all the time.
Thanks! Good to know.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing the echinacea double decker.
ReplyDeleteRob
Tina- You are welcome :)
ReplyDeleteRob- I hope I get some doubles this year. Now I at least know to be patient ( a difficult thing for me)