Flowerbeds and Slope Tour

Start with the slope:

Alliums

When I planted these alliums, I thought they would bloom at the same time as the lupines and provide a nice complement, but the lupines haven't bloomed yet. The lupines are close, though--should be within the next week or two. So I guess it depends on how long these last. They sure are pretty, though.

Incidentally, they are blooming at the same time as the irises, so maybe I need to move some irises up to the slope close by.

The pale purple is pretty, but I LOVE that deeper shade of purple.

Surprise, surprise!

Daffodils, Lupines, & Tulips

I rescued this stem from the patch of daffodils between the garden and the aspen.

They had broken off. Aren't they cute, though?

4 little blossoms on one stem; very fragrant, too.
I'm guessing dog damage, but can't say for sure.

Big bushy lupines

These tulips are providing a nice bit of eye-catching color on the slope.

The pink tulips are HUGE and practically luminescent.

I'm definitely wanting to add more this fall.

Blueberry Bushes

As far as I can tell, this one is dead. :(

No leaves to speak of yet.

These two look pretty good--at least they're putting out some new leaves.

I thought the red on top was new growth, but it is not growing any leaves, so maybe it is dead...?

I'm thinking I may need to get up there with a bleach solution for my shears and snip all those red tips off. Since that's pretty much all there is on the one bush (see above), if they are dead, then that whole bush has to go.

This blueberry is actually looking pretty good, compared with how it ended up the year.

Again, red tips with no leaves. Hmmm...

Behind the Shed

one more stray tulip

Lilac bush showing same leaf issues as the blueberries last year: brown crinkly margins around each leaf. I'm wondering now if it could be due to the clay soil somehow.

I'm also contemplating transplanting this lilac elsewhere.

Back Flowerbed

Finally got the raspberries staked.

Rather than tying individual canes to one post, I put the posts up roughly in 3 rows, with string between them to hold up the canes. I guess it remains to be seen if this helps production or picking. There are lots of blossoms coming, so it should be a decent crop this year.

This job would have been much easier before all the canes leafed out.

Of course, that was right when baby A. came along, so not possible this year, but note to self for next year: early spring is the time to stake--probably right after pruning, in fact.

Irises blooming.

They are super tall--I had forgotten how tall.

Between 3 and 4 feet including the blooms.

You can see them almost all blooming here behind Becca.

This picture was taken about a week later than the first two.

I am determined to get this flowerbed under control this year!