Crocuses, daffodils, and more

So much difference in just a few weeks!

 

Back flowerbed, March 19

One solitary crocus blooming 

 

Back flowerbed, March 31

crocuses

 

overview: daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses blooming

 

daffodil

 

A bunch of the mini daffodils blooming out, with more to come.

Back slope crocuses:

March 19

 

 

March 25

 

Chinodoxa, March 31

You could barely see these last year, the blooms were so small.

Now look at them! About the size of the crocuses.

Shade garden (behind the shed):

I wasn't expecting the stripes!

 

 Spring has brought me such a nice surprise...

 

Finally, by the front mailbox:

one more patch of crocuses

I love this little flower.

Every year I think I need more of it. 

 

 Striped squill coming up next to tulips.

I didn't know what this little beauty was until I noticed these look just like the squill I have coming up in the flowerbed. I did not plant these by the mailbox. There are 3 this year, where last year there was only 1. I hope they keep spreading!

Sunday Walk: Little One Step

It was beautiful and warm outside, so we took a long Sunday walk this week: all the way to one of our favorite parks.

 

We found hidden trails.

 We admired the two sets of twin lambs born just last week (there's a farm adjacent to the park, separated only by a chain-link fence.)

 

We found a big rock to climb.

 

Then it was time to head home. My little girl decided she was too tired to walk one more step. I knew that I couldn't carry her all the way home.

 

So I told her the story of "Little One Step," loosely based on my memory of the book by the same title, by Simon James. In it, a trio of little ducks find themselves far, far away from home. The littlest just doesn't want to go on. So, his older siblings encourage him to take "just one step." One step after one step, they finally make their way home.

 

Although I did carry for a couple of short distances, she made it most of the way under her own steam! Good job, my little One Stepper!

 

All around us we saw signs of spring. Hooray!

 

 

Battle On

I grew up with 10 brothers, no sisters.

Life was good.

Granted, I didn't have very many willing participants for playing "house."

Instead, we played games like "Battle On."

We would roll socks into balls and take up positions in our upstairs hallway and bedrooms.

The object was, of course, to hit everyone else with your balls, while simultaneously dodging their missiles.

 

The rules were simple:

1. You had to wait until everyone was ready to begin.

2. To signal that you were ready, you would say, "Battle on," loud enough for everyone to hear. 

3. Once the mayhem began, if you got hit 3 times, you were out.

 

* * * * * *

 

When we moved to this home 2 1/2 years ago, we noticed 3 aspens growing on the back slope.

We didn't think much about them.

If anything, we had positive thoughts.

 

[This was taken in April, last year.]

 

Small, round leaves that twist in the wind.

White, smooth bark.

They are pretty trees.

 

However.

 

You plant one aspen and you will end up with a grove.

They send up suckers from their roots, which can and will grow into full-size trees.

Aspen, thy name is legion!

 

Up until this point, our aspen control policy was of the "live and let live" variety.

Oh, we had our excuses reasons: we were busy building garden terraces and a shed; I had a spring baby last year; and what was more, the saplings were small and seemed far apart.

 

My first hint that it was time for more aggresive action was last fall when I was clearing out the garden beds. I pulled long roots out of every bed.

 

This spring I have noticed an abundance of aspen suckers.

Not just one or two.

Not just high up on the slope where I don't care about them, or notice them.

 

Many. A multitude.

Surrounding my apple trees, popping up next to my berry bushes, creeping down toward my shade bed.

 

 Look closely! There are 15-20 suckers in this picture.

They look like skinny brown sticks standing upright. 

The photo quality is not great.

You may have to take my word for it.

 

Many of these have been cut down before, and are growing back from stumps of old shoots.

Keep in mind that this is one small section of the slope.

 

Here's another angle.

Aspens, aspens, everywhere!

 

Enough is enough!

No longer will our policy be tolerance and forgiveness.

Aspen suckers will be cut down on sight.

Again and again, if need be.

 

I'm saying it loud enough for everyone to hear.

 

"Battle on."



Pocketful of Sunshine: Garden Blogger's Bloom Day

If Bloom Day had been last week, I would have had to take pictures of my orchid.

As it is, I have a few bright and cheery crocuses blooming on Ladybug Hill.

 

Just in time for Garden Blogger's Bloom Day:

 

3 days ago
Generally, I wouldn't say purple and orange look good together (they remind me of my high school basketball team), but this crocus manages to pull it off.
What a welcome sight!
I removed big bunches of dead grass to find quite a few more almost ready to bloom.

 

yesterday

A little bit of sunshine on the slope.

I really must get more crocuses planted this year.

I have a few other small patches scattered through my flowerbeds, but these are the only ones I can see from my kitchen window. They are so bright and cheery out there.

 

I am this close to buying a flat of violas to plant out.

Maybe next week.



Berry Bliss

We love berries around here.

Raspberries? Check.

Blackberries? 1 wild vine with more planned.

Plus, friendly neighbors with a big patch and an open invitation to pick.

Let's call that a check.

Blueberries? 3 shrubs put in on the slope, 2 surviving.

No berries produced last year. Hmmm.

Strawberries? No. Haven't found a space for them yet.

 

It's time for:

Plan B: Bring on the Berries

 

Exhibit A

As you can see, 'Patriot' here is nearly being overtaken by the weed grass.

Still kicking, but not thriving.

Hasn't grown much since planted, at all.

 

Exhibit B

Over on the left side, 'Blue Ray' is having similar issues: very slow growth rate, and abundant weed competition.

 

But what have we here?

Enter, the hero of our story!

Yes you, top terrace.

(Oh, unassuming little top terrace. Have I got big plans for you!)

What if....I pull the 2 remaining blueberry bushes out of their dead-end spots on the slope, and plunk them down for good right in my top terrace?

I think I will even have room to add one more, to replace the one that died.

 

By transplanting the blueberries to the top terrace I will be able to:

A) amend the soil more to their liking without it all washing down the slope

B) Make sure they get watered all through the summer.

C) purchase and plant strawberries to fill in around them (2 birds down!)

D) speaking of birds, add bird netting as needed, when all those delicious berries start being produced.

 

I worried a little about losing the space for vegetables, but soon talked myself out of that. 

My husband is planning to expand the bottom two terraces this year, so I should have almost as much room as I would be losing. Besides, I'd rather have my own berry bushes producing and run to the store for some vegetables if I need to. Berries are expensive!

 

I even ran this brilliant brainstorm past my husband. He approved.

So, next step is to get some acid-lover's soil amendment and get to work!

I'm really excited.

Bring on the berry bliss!

 

Perpetual Chore List:Early Spring Edition

A few things needing my attention in the next month or two, with pictures!

 

 1. Prune raspberries and stake them.

2. Put in edging around bed.

3. Add mulch.

 

4. Finish clearing out the garden.

Yes, it's time to say goodbye to last year's tomato vines.

5. Plant spring veggies (I'm aiming for first weekend in April again.)

 

6. So 2 summers ago, I made this little path over to the faucet.

Then, last summer we got an A/C unit put in (believe me, it was worth the flowerbed space sacrificed!). As you can see, my lovely path got all covered up with dirt and the edging was taken out.

I never did get around to fixing last summer, but no excuses this time around!

Besides, I think I want to put all smooth pavers in and take out the pebbly ones. They were hard on bare feet.

7. Smooth out what's left of the unsightly dirt mound that resides next to the garden.

8. Plant something in that space!

My current thought is a currant bush. (HA! Very punny.)

9. Fill-in behind the top garden terrace.

This is another one of those chores that's easy to forget about, until you're walking along the very top wall and almost fall into the abyss on the back side. Whoops, guess we'd better get some dirt or gravel or something in there!

 

I like doing these types of projects in the spring.

It's still nice and cool (but warm enough to be outside).

Also, with everything still dead, pretty much, it's easier to see how hardscaping and such needs improvement.

Hello, pink!

Every time I looked out at our back sliding glass door lately, a splash of color in my shade bed would catch my eye. From the house, it looked red. I wondered if it might be an autumn leaf that somehow retained its color all winter....? 

 

I finally ventured out to see what it was.

 

 Red, rust, and burgundy mixed with shocking pink!

Oh yes, that would be the Heuchera 'Georgia Peach'.

Looking a bit closer, I was delighted to see tiny new leaves sprouting from the center.

Way to go, heuchera!

 

The bright color was echoed by this red-twig dogwood that I planted last fall.

I love having them in the same bed together.

 

The other hint of pink in the bed will come from the Dicentra 'King of Hearts', planted next to our glowing heuchera. I'm hoping the small blooms and finely-cut leaves will provide a nice contrast, while echoing the color.

 

I'll post an updated long-view shot of the shade bed when a few more plants are looking alive!

 

In other news:

 I've got some tulips and hyacinths coming up in the back flowerbed close to the house.

Yes, I'm a bit starved for greenery.

I will try not to photo-document the spring bulbs inch by inch!

A couple of big bunches of tulips are coming up behind the mockorange.

Maybe this picture will be enough to mark their location so I can do some dividing in the fall.

I can hope.

 

A little more non-blooming color: check out the bright orange bark on our Golden Delicious apple tree. I'm almost reconciled to the lack of fruit so far.

(You can see our garden terraces in the background.)

 

p.s. It hailed yesterday. That's how I knew it was really March.