wow

My garden is just doing ridiculously well this year. I don't know if it's the new fertilizer (tomato-tone, though it hasn't been confined to the tomato plants) I've been liberally tossing about or what, but it's really exciting.

The bees certainly think the stand of bee balm at the west end of the garden is exciting.

My deal-finding prowess is finally, well, prowessing. My garden is filled with clearance plants and most of them are thriving.



Of course, if I mention bargains I can't forget about my fabulous snapdragons.

Even my poor strawberries-and-cream lilies that have been dragged hither and yon the past several years (and are still ingloriously stuffed into a pot) are blooming like mad.

I'm so thankful to have my own bit of earth to poke around in!

bounty

chicago peace

On a rosebush I got as a bareroot rose from Walmart for $1.50 last year about this time.

benign neglect

Looks like my garden thrived on the inattention while we were at the beach:


Maybe I should leave it to fend for itself more often!

I never promised you a rose garden. . .

. . . but here's one anyway. Pictures taken on Mother's Day at the Raleigh Municipal Rose Garden.

Monday's garden is fair of face

Finally managed to add some tomato-tone to my tomatoes. They're not doing so well; they need more sun. The impatiens, on the other hand, are growing like gangbusters. While their orangy-red does match the holly berries nicely, it clashes with, oh, everything else in the garden. Should've gone with the cherry red.
Was at Lowe's this weekend - ostensibly to buy a light bulb but really to look at the plants. Ended up coming home with a Sweet Autumn Clematis (I've been wanting one for forever) and six columbines (hey, they were only a dollar). The clematis is going to go on an obelisk in the side garden where the old stump used to be - well, probably. I'm still waiting to hear back from Archer Farms about my meadowsweet. Once it arrives, then I'll feel better about planting things in the side yard with it as a reference point. The alternative clematis location is climbing up the back porch, but I'm not sure how well it would do there and it would somewhat limit access to valuable under-deck storage space. And the columbines . . . I really don't know where they'll go. Some by St. Francis, some in the windflower bed. The two blue ones in the hydrangea bed. Six is really too many, but they are Mr. M's favorite garden plant.

The knock-out roses and the Bonica rose are in full swing, and last week I noticed the purple heart had finally made an appearance. The lily-of-the-valley and the bleeding heart are just about done for the season, and my poor camellia bush is just about to kick the bucket. I think I am the only person in the southeastern US to ever manage to kill a camellia bush. Maybe it's been too dry? Need to get going on soaker hose installation, and I'd like to get/build a rain barrel this year. I'm hoping to get the hydrangea bed finished this week before we go to the beach; if we do, I'll ask my neighbors to water it. (Of course, the backyard would need to be decluttered first; the detritus from the shed collapse is still strewn about). One more 'to do' that needs doing, like, yesterday: poison ivy is trying to take over our yard. I'm afraid one morning I'm going to wake up and find it has overgrown the entire house and is trying to get inside. So, yeah. Need to curb that.

organic

PCAGOE recently did an interview with Kate of OrganicOdysseys. Her work reminds me that there's a few experiments I want to try with plants+clay+miniwax. Especially while my bleeding heart is still in bloom. Plus it just makes my eyes happy to look at her stuff.

at the arboreteum

I love the colors in this photo; it looks almost like a polaroid. I wouldn't have normally put these colors together, but now I'm seeing all sorts of possibilities in it.

takeoff

lily-of-the-valley, April 2009

red mulch? seriously?

Seen today at Lowe's: people buying bag after bag of the stuff. Why? In what landscape would that be appropriate? And why not just take a shovel to - well, anywhere - instead? Just dig up some of that ubiquitous red clay and spread it over your garden if you have to have red . . . it'll be just as attractive as dyed wood chips.

springing spring springily

Our last frost date was yesterday, so it's time to get serious in the garden. Digging a trench today to put in some glads (and maybe some dahlias?) in front of the bay window. Still trying to find a spot to grow some tomatoes for Mr. E. Clearing space for a new flower bed by the back porch. Making my shopping list for this weekend's plant sales. Busy busy.

Inspirational

I think the whole world goes a little pink-mad in spring . . .

Red, red, my name is red

spring has sprung!