In Bloom

Heat and humidity (and pollen and mold) are on the rise, so the flowers are blooming for show and for future food. Here's what's blooming these days:

Day lilies are just so pretty. One of the only plants left along this side of the house when I moved in, they remain strong and beautiful 10 years later. Maybe better now that they have company.

Same here. These were back here all alone when I got here, now backed up with fountain grass, more flowers, and a baby redwood tree.

This is right behind the day lilies and the zebra grass clump. Yellow "happy returns" lilies are in bloom on the left. Gay feather getting ready to pop on the right.

I'm really trying to rein in the morning glories this year. The seed lands far and wide each fall, and it is quite hardy. There are still more sprouting all over the place on a daily basis. Yes, they are pretty, but they tend to take over. If you stand still too long, watch out...

Some critter--I'm betting a deer--decided to help with the morning glory control last night. Chomped off most of the leaves from about 1 foot to 4 feet off the ground. No other plant in the area was touched, so I can't complain. At least not too much. It does look pretty strange.

Sometimes the plant decides where it wants to be, and you just have to go with it. I have tried with limited success to grow cilantro in the garden, in a pot, anywhere. This year, it has volunteered to grow over by the hummingbird feeder. I'm okay with that.

cilantro

early blooms and more to come by the hummingbird feeder

cosmos in bloom, pollinators on duty

the first of the spaghetti squash. 

tomatoes and basil in a pot

little green apples

bean flowers

unripe black berries

black berry flowers

I love crepe myrtles I planted two of them here, and they've always done well, even though they are borderline hardy for this area. Well, it seemed that this last winter--polar vortex--might have been too much. Since it is always late to leaf out--and I've got my hands full with 15 knock out roses covered with dead branches--I've left it alone in the hopes it would come back. Here it comes! It may only be the larger of the two, but I'll continue to wait and see. There is a volunteer lilac standing guard, so I may just let them grow together.

 

The squirrels and deer ate every last one of my hazelnuts last year. I am going to try harder to get some this time around. The bushes are loaded with nuts-to-be, so I am quite hopeful!

hostas in flower

woodland garden filling in

rose of Sharon

zucchini and yellow squash flowers

With lots of mature trees in the yard and more hanging over from the neighbors' yards, and some winter damage, there is a lot of clean up needed on an ongoing basis. These piles of downed sticks and pruning remnants, along with two big bags of weeds, made for a busy evening. I know work was done, but you might not notice if you didn't witness the before and after!

yard clean up

Unfortunately, the poison ivy seems to be popping up everywhere again this year. Must have liked the harsh winter. I am extremely allergic, so I have to get into some hazmat gear one of these days to tackle this part of the weed removal project.

Summer on the Way

As spring rolls into summer, more and larger plants are pushing out the brave spring flowers. Today is the first official day of summer, I know, but I am a bit behind updating the blog, so for now I'll focus on the end of spring. Meanwhile, the veggies are coming along. Tomatoes are setting fruit, squashes and beans are flowering, basil and mint are bushy and fragrant. And, summer flowers are starting to bloom--zinnias, cleome, and, of course, morning glories. 

The hostas are getting bigger and making babies. 

see the little one in front?

I am racing the birds to get the early summer berries. I got most of the red currants. A few red raspberries and strawberries at a time.

There are hummingbirds visiting the feeder regularly. But this guy likes it, too. I thought he was getting bugs, but this is fresh nectar, and he stayed quite a while. Unfortunately he is much more shy than the hummers, as soon as I tried to move to a better angle, he took off. And he takes off when the hummingbirds buzz him, too. Funny to watch!

Sage flowers give bees some early food.

Queen Anne's Lace taking over. Could be worse. At least it is winning out over the creeping charlie.

One rhubarb plant survived the transplant and the polar vortex. If it does well through the summer, I'll add some more next year...

White alliums are among the last of the spring bulbs to bloom.

The yellow knock out seems to have done the best of the knock outs getting through the brutal winter.

Cranesbill seem to do pretty well here. I got a few more at the plant swap, so some variety to come...

The coral bells are doing very well after the reset winter, along with the painted fern. Sadly, the salmon rose that survived a lot of trauma doesn't appear to be coming back this year.

Garlic chives make pretty flowers!

Little purple irises.

Little purple irises with poison ivy. Sigh.

Summer wine ninebark. "Deer resistant" they say. So far, so good.

The peonies did well this year, though not for too long. Got to enjoy them while they last!

I didn't think I liked spirea, but it's growing on me.

Weigela. Love it.

Azalea in white.

 The dawn redwood putting out new growth.

Bouncing Back from the Polar Vortex

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. The long, cold winter seemed to have positive effects on some plants, while others are lost altogether. Among the lost, a maple in front, my butterfly bush, and my scotch broom. Knock out roses were hit hard all around. They are rebounding, but significant winter damage must be cut out. I've gotten them cut back some, but there is more work to be done. With 15 of them in my landscape, it's going to take a while!

knock out pruning

knock out pruning

Returning slowly, but surely...

first signs of hope

 

today - looking better every day

today

These azaleas have not bloomed together since they were planted several years ago. Lots of good-looking azaleas around town this year. Go figure.

I'm pretty sure the hostas are bigger than ever this year, too. I know they do grow year to year, but they seem to have taken a big jump this year.

And my weigela is looking quite healthy.

Oh, and the poison ivy is EVERYWHERE. I'm going to have to put on the hazmat gear and attack it one day soon. Of course, it is nestled in among the desired plants, so I can't just spray it...

in the knock outs

in the beauty bush and redwood

in the irises