Saw my first hummingbird today! Glad I put the feeder out a while back (fresh nectar Tuesday, and the little guy sure seemed to be enjoying it, so I think it's still okay). This year, I added a "pea tunnel" from Gardeners Supply, in an effort to corral the morning glories. Plenty of seedlings have already emerged; we'll see how long it takes for them to engulf the structure...
In a less appealing sighting, I found this Eastern tent caterpillar nest. Ew! I poked a hole in it to facilitate their demise at the beaks of my local bird population. Hoping they get to work a.s.a.p. Mostly, I am live-and-let-live, but again, feeding the birds. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
The big project of the day was moving the rhubarb. The rhubarb bolts every year as the days grow sunny. I've been thinking about moving them for a while. As it also happens that the peas are not ready as early as I had expected, and I will need to plant other veggies soon, I decided to use the area near the rhubarb for another bed. Then I thought I might as well move the rhubarb and make the new bed a little bigger. So, the rhubarb is now on the other side of the yard, in more shade. I don't think it is too shady, as there are peonies there that do just fine. They look a little traumatized, but I'm sure they'll be okay. Then I had to pull a bunch of weeds, including wild grape vines and mulberry saplings to ready the spot. I ran out of steam before I could totally finish setting up the new bed--way too tired to bop over to Lowe's and pick up the necessary soil elements--but tomorrow will be fine. For now, cardboard marks the space and bricks are holding down the cardboard temporarily...
Then, I watered the peas, lettuce, beets, and radishes. They were planted in mid-March, so another week or two should do it. Yum, yum.
Then I could finally walk around and enjoy the spring flowers. Alliums about to bloom. Love those.
Bleeding hearts. The white ones finally showing flowers.
My baby dawn redwood leafing out nicely
This just cracks me up. When these azaleas were put in at the same time, both were in bloom. Now, every year, the one on the right blooms first, then the one on the left. Both look beautiful, but refuse to provide the anticipated symmetry. Oh well. That's nature.
Coral bells are ready to bloom alongside the Japanese painted fern.
The crabapple that the deer tried to kill is finally strong enough to bloom again. The deer girdled it, but I cut it off and let the suckers grow into a nice multi-stemmed shrub. I like it. Live-and-let-live this time.
The ants are working on the peonies.
Finally got a good shot of the smoke bush's incredible color.
I have heard that vinca is an annual in Zone 6--it's always marked that way at the garden stores. Right. I am not complaining, I always knew it was a perennial. I am so happy it worked here, as nothing but weeds had ever thrived in this sloped area alongside the shed. Well, except for the tulips that the deer and squirrels ate no matter what protection I tried.
One more hydrangea added to the border. The new one is still blooming from Easter, the elder sisters are just leafing out.
