End of May Views: Irises & Peonies

 

Welcome friends!

I garden in Eastern Washington state, zone 5.

 

Usually there is a lull in my garden around this time of year: the spring bulbs have all finished and the roses have yet to start. This year has been a little different. A warm spring has brought about early roses blooming, and my poppies really stepped it up this year to fill in that gap.

 

Must have more poppies! 

 

p.s. Just heard a loud thunderclap. Guess I won't have to water tomorrow! Yes!

 

Back Flowerbed

Back bed overview, deck looking to fence.

'Yellow Topaz' rose blooming early

I love the scent of these roses, but they shatter so easily that I don't try to pick them any more.

Mockorange starting to open up.

Back bed overview, looking toward deck.

These penstemon right in front are bee magnets!

They are always humming every time I walk by.

I haven't seen any hummingbirds sipping from them, though I've heard they attractive to hummingbirds. Maybe I don't have enough planted.

The poppies always look really orange in pictures.

In person they're more of a peachy pink.

Either way I'm loving them!

 

Back Slope

For anyone new here, my back slope has terraced vegetable garden beds, then the rest is pretty much weedy grass, some wildflowers, and aspen trees.

These geraniums are not wild--I moved them from the back bed after we moved here a few years back. They are thriving in the dry shade on this side of the slope.

I don't even pick out the long weed grass that comes up between them anymore.

Or the dandelions, as you can see.

Wild daisies and lupines.

Isn't this one pretty?

I think my wild lupines back here are hybridizing.

I've never seen a bicolor like this one blooming back here before.

I just planted several pink ones, hoping that they will be able to live in the clay soil like their wild counterparts. (And also hoping to get some more hybrids!)

 

East-side Terrace

 

Ninebark blooms.

I didn't realize that this pretty little shrub would bloom. Bonus!

 

 Front Terraced Flowerbeds

Have you noticed how everything is terraced?

Welcome to my world!

 

The potentilla in front is always a pretty little accent to the stars of the show: the irises!

I added the alliums last summer, so I'm glad to see them blooming.

Not sure what variety they are, since they were a pass-along.

Peonies in back: 'Top Brass' (the white) and 'Paula Fay' (pink).

The white ones smell exquisite, while the scent of the pink is faintly reminiscent of a rotten potato.

Up front, the pink salvia is a volunteer from the other side of the flowerbed! 

The purple doesn't seem to mind so I'm leaving it for now.

 

Close-up of the 'Top Brass' peony.

This flower is sort of funny-looking, and I mean that in the nicest way.

White skirt, poofy yellow middle, then that awesomely ridiculous little fluff of pink on the very top. It's like a cupcake decorated by a 3 year old!

It makes me smile every time I see it!

Geranium 'Rozanne' (I think)

Front corner.

 

Now for those gorgeous irises!

 

 

More of the alliums I put in last summer.

I just love these flowers!

 

I'm not sure which variety of iris these little white ones are.

They were also a pass-along, so if you know, do tell!

{sigh}

Love it.

 

Street view.

'Rose Glow' barberry adding some color to this part of the terrace.

 

Columbine, wild daisies (yes, in my flowerbed!), and the sorbaria playing so well together.

 

Front Porch Bed 

 

 Last but not least, I've been enjoying the subtler colors and patterns of this little flowerbed, whenever I can tear my eyes away from the irises, that is!

 

Heuchera and euonymous

 

spirea in bloom

I like how the white on green echoes the foliage of the euonymous right now.

No, I did not get the both in the same picture.

Next time!

 

Thanks for taking a look around with me!

Check out other gardens at: The Patient Gardener

I hope to hear from you again soon!

A Garden of Their Own

For the first time this year, I gave each of my kids a small piece of the garden to make their own and plant whatever they wanted (with some suggestions.)

We've talked a lot about what size things are supposed to get, and such. We also did some spring vegetables and talked about leaving room for summer stuff.

My two older kids each got roughly a square, around 4'x4', on the bottom terrace. My youngest got a little strip next to the path about 18"x4', up in the middle terrace.

 

It has been really interesting seeing the differences.

My oldest son wanted all edibles. 

 

About a week after he planted it.

One lonely potato shoot coming up and a few miniscule seedlings.

 

Here it is now. A bit more going on.

For spring, he planted 1 row of carrots, 1 row of swiss chard, 1 row of beets, and 1 hill of potatoes.

So far some carrots are up (upper left), his potato is doing awesome, and a few beets and spinach are scattered around. 

 

He left some room for summer stuff, so he recently added the basil, and the 3 sweet peppers surrounded by cages. 

In addition, at a school event he received a few herb seeds, a few cosmos, and 4 garbanzo bean seeds. I didn't show that, but those went in all next to each other right in the front.

He didn't ask for help or advice on that one and I didn't say anything once it was done. I figure he'll be able to see pretty quickly as they come up what the optimal spacing would be next time.

 

There's nothing like just getting your hands in it and trying it for yourself to learn!

 

1 week after planting seeds, flowers just put in

 

My daughter's garden now.

 

My daughter wanted a border of flowers all around hers, so we marked off where that would be with a plank and a trowel. Along the left side, for her flower border, she planted some 'Little Sweetheart' sweet peas, which are only supposed to grow 25-30 inches high. In the top left corner she planted an ornamental grass called Bunny Tails (Lagarus ovatus). I hope this one grows, as she is really looking forward to it!  We took a little trip to the garden center for flowers to fill in around the rest of borders.

She chose petunias, marigolds, portulaca, lobelia, and verbena.

There may or may not be room for vegetables! 

 

A closeup of her carrots and flowers.

 

In the middle of her square she planted 1 row each of carrots (shown above), beets, spinach, and swiss chard. She found some of my bean seed from last year and planted a few of those amongst her flower border, as well.

 

With what little room she had left, she put in 1 basil plant and 1 pepper.

 

I wasn't originally going to do a separate garden for my littlest guy, but after he saw what his older siblings were doing he insisted! I couldn't resist that.

So he got a long skinny patch, all right next to our little walkway in the middle terrace, for easy access.

 

Youngest son's garden (bottom of the picture)

We kept it simple for his.

He wanted all things to eat, like his big brother.

So we planted one section peas, one of carrots, and one of beets.

 

Here's a closeup of his peas, which are doing great!

He's very excited about his little garden and wants to water it all by himself.

I think he'll be even more thrilled when it produces food that he can actually pick and eat!

 

I think they're all planning to put in beans once some of their summer stuff is finished.

Maybe we'll actually get enough beans in the house to eat as a meal this year!

 

I'll admit it was a little bit hard to give up some of  my garden space, at first.

This has been great, though!

There have been so many teaching moments as we've talked about what to plant, when, where, how far apart, and all of that.  There will be many more learning experiences as everything continues to grow, including the weeds.

 

I've been doing what I can to help keep things watered, and if not weed-free, at least getting the big stuff. I really want this to be a successful venture for them.

It is heart-warming to hear them talk about their gardens, and show their friends who come over.

Drum Roll, Please!

Happy birthday to me!

 

These were an early birthday present this spring, and boy was I glad to see them!

I was doing all kinds of research about building a compost bin and such, but hadn't landed on any one design. Enter the big black drums. Yes!

 

So far they're both pretty full, but haven't produced any useable compost yet.

We started off with so much brown matter, due to spring cleanup in the flowerbeds, that I think it has taken quite awhile to get past the "Dead Sticks Syndrome."

 

They're fairly easy to turn, even full, with the indentations for handles.

I'm hoping for great things!

 

 

Vegetable Garden Update

 

Finished planting vegetables yesterday.

It's about a week ahead of when I usually do it, but we've had such a warm spring, I think it'll be fine.

I've got some new things I'm trying this year, and plenty of old favorites.

 

Overview

The right-side of the bottom terrace are my 2 oldest kids' garden.

They deserve a separate post, which is coming soon!

 

spring veggies (& oregano!)

So you can see my spring stuff is up but most of it is still very very small, with the exception of the potatoes.

 

 

Here are my 'Green Arrow' peas.

They must have gotten washed under the oregano a bit; I know I didn't plant them that close!

 

I didn't take a picture of the middle stuff--the swiss chard, carrots, beets, and spinach.

They're still so small I don't think they would show up very well on camera yet.

 



potato patch

 

These lovely beauties are doing grand.

They doubled in size with the rain yesterday.

 

This just came up within the last few days.

Can you guess what it is?

I had forgotten I had planted it.

I stared at it for at least 5 minutes trying to figure out what it could be.

The leaves are so different, but I know it's not a weed....

It's a sweet potato!

There was one from the grocery store that was practically growing leaves in the potato bin in the kitchen, so I plopped into the ground on a whim.

Here she comes!

I'm super excited about it, actually.

 

Middle terrace

 

sugar snap pole peas + pea sticks!

These are doing the best out of all the spring stuff so far!

Look at them go!

 

I just planted some bush beans along in front of them.

Next down on this terrace (not pictured because it's still just dirt right now), I put in 9 mini pumpkins around the legs of a tomato cage, "pumpkin on a stick," and one hill of jack-o-lantern pumpkins with plenty of space on either side to ramble.

I'll let you know how the tomato cage trellising works out.

Then come the onions, also not pictured, and I planted 'Cut and Come Again' zinnias between the onions and the little walkway.

Ok, here what's next:

 

Adam's garden in front, plus burpless cucumbers along the trellis, and one mound for zucchini in the back to finish off the terrace.

 Top Terrace

 

The berries will get their own update, so here's what we planted over the last couple of days:

 

View towards the neighbor's

 

pole beans 'Kentucky Wonder'

common thyme: Thymus vulgaris

Italian basil

marigolds

5 Cougar Red tomatoes

2 Sun Sugar tomatoes (both looking very sad and droopy at the moment) 

 

view towards the strawberries

 

I think I've got more types of staking and trellising this year than I've ever had!

The pole beans are a new one to try. I grew them once in Missouri, but haven't ever done them here.

The bamboo poles were 8 feet long, so probably about 7' now that that they're in the ground. I hope that's tall enough!

 

My plan for the herbs is to dry them and perhaps make our own Italian seasoning at the end of the summer. Our oregano is so prolific, we need to do something with it!

 



The Berries

 

I have high hopes for the berries this year, friends!

Take a look at this.

 

These pictures were taken 10 days ago:

blueberry 'Blue Ray'

I just didn't have the heart to rip these out, and now look at them!

This little blueberry plant has never looked so good!

I fertilized with a acid-lover's compost mix and pruned off the dead branches.

Also, the strawberries planted in front of this one were all dead, so I pulled them out.

 

strawberries starting to get big and bushy

a view of the whole strawberry patch, May 13

Berries, May 23

 

'Blue Ray' has green leaves, and is looking incredibly healthy. Yay!

I actually don't care if I get berries from it or not this year. If it can just put on strong healthy growth all summer, I will be thrilled. 

 

'Patriot', in the middle, is still struggling the most, but even it has some healthy-looking new growth and nice green leaves. I also pruned off the dead branches here, and fertilized with the acid-lover's compost mix.

'Blue Jay' here, surrounded by strawberries, has always been the healthiest of the 3.

It seems to be doing fine.

I should probably clear it out a little space at some point, by moving a few of those strawberries elsewhere.

 

I am tickled pink with the blueberry situation!

If you recall, I had all but decided to just tear them out completely about 2 months ago.

Now I'm really glad I didn't!

 

This strawberry patch is so lush and green!

Now the plants are covered with blossoms, and some even have green berries forming.

Woohoo!

 

I don't have the raspberries pictured, but I did get them all sorted out this week, as well.

Weeded all around and through them, tied up several that had flopped over, and pulled out several errant shoots trying to grow under the fence and generally where they shouldn't.

They are also loaded with blossoms this year.

Lupines and Liatris on the back slope

 

After all my plans of planting a dwarf willow in this ugly bare mud spot at the top of the garden terraces, my husband vetoed the idea. He pleaded for plants that were a) less expensive and b) not as deeply rooted in the soil. He has seen the Hill of Death claim too many of my shrubbery dreams in the past. Despite my reluctance to give up my plans, I could see his point.

 

So instead, I may have talked my neighbor into planting a dwarf willow on their side of the mud patch. Ha!  And I got to work filling in our not-so-charming patch with perennials that I know can take straight clay.

 

My first choice were lupines.

We have wild lupines that grow on the slope already, so I know they can take it.

At least, I'm hoping the cultivated ones have inherited some toughness from their genus. I bought 6, all pink. The wild ones are all purple. I have hopes that they will someday hybridize and give me lovely lupines in many shades of lavender. If they survive, I mean.

I am more determined than ever to let every lupine live that tries to grow.

The 2 little lupines on the bottom left in the picture above are wild. Yes!

 

The wild lupines come in two shades of purple, currently.

Some are lighter purple, like this (from last summer),

but there are a few that are deep purple as well (below, last summer.)

 

 

I also put in 2 clumps of liatris (one 6-inch pot divided in half).

This variety is Liatris spicata 'Floristan Violet.'

From what I've read, it is also supposed to take clay without flinching.

We shall see.

I refuse to get my hopes up too high.

 

I also transplanted some daisies earlier in the spring that still seem to be alive. As I mentioned in the last post, I will start moving Echinacea starts up there as time permits as well.

Hey, at least the transplants are free.

Purple Coneflower Babies!

 

I have hundreds of these little guys popping up all over my flowerbeds!

(And the walkway, and the other terraces nearby).

 

I love Echinacea, but I also like having a little variety in my flowerbeds.

 

Last year I just ended up weeding out most of them.

This year I wised up and sent out an email to my church group.

The group you see in this picture has all been dug up and sent on their merry way now.

 

Whatever is left will get transplanted up to the slope.

They're supposed to do okay with clay soil and I wouldn't mind having them up there to break up the monotony of the weed grass.

 

I will probably leave the very smallest ones alone until next year, then dig them up and transplant them...or give them away.

Anyone in Eastern Washington that wants some Echinacea?

I'll save you some!

Ninebark and Lilacs: Eastside Terrace

 I got some shrubs planted along the lower part of the East-side terrace wall.

I hadn't planned on the ninebark, but those purple leaves just jumped in my cart.

I really like how they echo the purple leaves of the ornamental plum behind the house.

 

Overall plan: ninebark on each end, with lilacs in the middle.

 

Physocarpus opulifolius 'Lady in Red'

5-6 feet tall and wide

zones 3-7

Clusters of small bink blushed single flowers in early summer bloom atop bright red foliage.

 

 

Syringa vulgaris 'Ludwig Spaeth'

10' tall x 8' wide

 

It was the picture of the blooms that got me on this one.

Rather than pale lavender, like many lilacs, these are supposed to be a deep reddish-purple.

Should look good with the ninebark foliage.

 

 

I transplanted this lilac (front) from the slope, where after 4 years it had grown maybe 6 inches.

I guess the "well-drained soil" on that plant tag wasn't just a throw-away line.

Syringa vulgaris 'My Favorite'

Grows 6-12 feet wide and 8-15 feet tall.

 

The lilac in the background is a second Ludwig Spaeth.

 

So here's looking from our backyard out to the street.

I'm hoping these will grow to fill in this terrace and provide a sweet-smelling, lush corridor as you walk down that side of the house.

 

p.s. Can you believe how green that grass is? It is still struggling almost everywhere else, but on this side, just look at it go!

 

Now I have the far end of this terrace to make a final decision on and get planted.

I've talked about doing a billowing perennial garden of whites and pastels.

I have also thought about hot colors.

Or I may just make it my cutting garden.