Perpetual Chore List: Spring is here!

UPDATED APRIL 30--GETTING CLOSER!

This is simply to get the list out of my head and somewhere where I can refer back to if need be! What's a garden blog for, after all?

1. Operation Berry Bliss, phase...4?
    A. Cut back all dead foliage on strawberry plants. DONE!
    B. Move blueberry bushes into pots. Yup, I've decided this is going to happen. The two that spent time on the back slope are still struggling, and the strawberries down on that end aren't thriving in the more acidic soil. So after the blueberry bushes are out, I need to re-amend the soil with regular garden soil and compost.
Or, I may do something drastic and just compost the 2 struggling blueberry bushes. It would be painful, though, so I haven't decided on that one yet. However, that would leave space for a new start.
   C. Prune the raspberries! DONE!
With as warm a winter as we've had, this could have been done a month ago, probably. It's definitely time now.

2. Perennial maintenance
    A. Finish dividing and moving daisies. DONE!
I got one patch done today that was all dead in the center, and even the side shoots transplanted already. Go me! There's another big patch in front that needs dividing as well, but the new leaves on it are still very tiny. I will probably wait on this one until this grow out a little more.  I'm not getting rid of my daises, per se, just trying to take white out of my front flowerbed. Some of them I'm giving away, some I'm putting up on the back slope (daisies are supposed to do well with clay soil), and some I would like to put in my new flowerbed (see below), which will have a color scheme of billowing whites and purples.
     B. Divide irises down front.
They must like it there; most have 2 if not three healthy rhizomes growing from the main center one I planted a few years ago.
     C. If my hydrangea down front has died, pull it out and figure out what to plant in its place. Or move something down to replace it. ** NOT DEAD! MOVED IT TO SHADIER SPOT.

3. New flower bed
   I've already talked about this in a previous post. I've narrowed in one what I want, now I just need to make it happen.
  The summarized version: 2 cherry trees, 3 lilac bushes (including one from the slope), and a flowerbed. Ready, set, go!
   PURCHASED 2 NEW SHRUBS FOR THIS BED, 2 MORE TO FIND.

4.  Roses!
    ENGLISH ROSES PLANTED.
   So I've got 4 English roses coming my way sometime this spring: 3 William Shakespeare, and 1 Abraham Darby. I'm really excited. The AB rose already has a place. I need to buy a trellis for it.
The 3 WS roses could go any number of places. As part of moving my daisies (above), I could either put a William Shakespeare rose each place I had a patch of daisies OR put them all together in the new flowerbed OR make another new flowerbed for them down by the driveway. Decision time is very near, as any new bed needs to be prepped now, so that it can be ready for when the roses come.
   Also, the Burgundy Iceberg rose in my front terrace needs to be moved to a location with more sun. [SWITCHED PLACES WITH THE HYDRANGEA THAT NEEDED MORE SHADE]

5. Top Terrace
  The master plan: Move daphne from the end, and replant with a boxwood to match the other one up there. I already pulled out the 'Watercolors' rose, and I plan to plant another elderberry there. I'm hoping more repetition will counteract the rather haphazard look I've got going on right now.
 Cut down the doggone pine tree up there! It's only been a year...and a few months since we sawed off the top for a Christmas tree. I mean, really? It's time. I'm sure the long-suffering neighbors would agree.

6. *sigh* the lawn [that isn't...yet]
  Fertilize the lawn so that at some future--perhaps mythical--date we can actually walk on it again.
My son did this and overseeded at the same time just last week (4/10-11). Maybe it will actually GROW!

7. Vegetable Garden
  Add compost and till in. Chit potatoes.
  Plant the spring veggies! (plus sweet peas)
I'm hoping to get these last two done this week!

And for all my spare time...

7. Prune the forsythia I just realized is growing at the tippy top of the slope. It's on our neighbor's side, but as we are great friends, I'm sure they won't mind. Yes, I'll ask first.

8. Purchase and plant a dwarf willow tree at the top of the slope to help cover the unsightly bare mud patch. It should love it up there due to the presence of an underground spring (we think)!

9. Plant all the bulbs we dug out in connection with the lawn project last fall and hope that they come back next year.

Flowerbed Tour: Front

These front beds make me so happy.

I like to walk along the walls often to see what's blooming.

 

These were taken on May 23:

 

Overview, right side

I can hardly believe how tall the peonies have grown this year! (middle terrace)

They are twice the height they were last year, and all three loaded with buds!

 

Overview, middle

I like the contrast of the barberry on the bottom and the elderberry on top.

 

Overview, left (part-shade) side

I need to add compost to all the shrubs up front.

That little barberry is just a nub!

A pretty little nub, but still...

 

top terrace, looking toward driveway

 

I'm so tickled with this snowball bush!

Covered with blooms in its first year!

 

top terrace, looking toward elderberry

 

This was actually from May 16, I think.

Back when these tulips were blooming.

 

Middle terrace, May 23

Everything filling in, a few tulips.

 

Lamb's ears getting huge!

Plus, tulips, salvia, and columbine.

The tulips on this corner must get the most shade: they are last to open and last to be done.

 

middle terrace, part-shade side

I had to cut the 'Burgundy Iceberg' rose way back this spring.

I was afraid I had lost it at first.

I hope once the rest of the pine tree gets cut down up top, it will get enough sun to really thrive on this corner.

 

Bottom terrace, corner view

 

 A few more mini daffodils blooming at the same time as the English laurel. 

 

 closeup of the potentilla

I don't remember it even blooming last year.

I think it must be much happier in this new location.

Early May Flowerbeds: Front

So much in bloom, I had to do another flowerbed tour, even though I just finished the last one about 10 days ago! 

 

Top Terrace:

 

 

elderberry

 

Snowball bush forming buds!

I didn't expect it to bloom this year.

 

Middle Terrace:

 

tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils

  

 peony stalks shooting up add a vibrant color

 

Peony buds!

I can hardly wait for the show!

 

candytuft and more tulips

lamb's ear and columbine filling out



 

part-shade corner

 

One of three new columbines added to this corner of the terrace.



 

part-shade side tulips and daffodils

 

Sem False Spirea

I am loving this shrub!

The multi-colored foliage really brightens up this shady corner, and the fine texture is a great contrast to the spring bulbs' strappy leaves nearby.

 

Bottom terrace:

 



 In the bottom corner, grape hyacinths, iris foliage, and laurel provide a pleasing contrast.
 

daffodils behind the laurels

daffodils in the bottom terrace

 

by the mailbox

 

 

 

 

March Flowerbeds: Front

 The overview:

(right panning left)

 

 

Top bed:

The elderberry and snowball bush both have leaf buds that are just barely breaking out.

 Got all the vetch weeded out of this bed yesterday.

 

Middle Bed:

 

 

Tulips about 3 inches high.

Front right: Shasta daisies

I need to decide quickly if I'm going to divide them or not this year.

 

I haven't gotten to this end of the bed for spring cleanup yet.

I may be transplanting the guillardia that got so long and floppy last summer.

 

Bottom Bed:

A few patches of crocuses blooming.

Daffodils just barely starting to poke up behind the English laurel.

A bit of new growth on the irises, and the boxwood starting to turn green again.

Front Landscaping: New Shrubs up Top

Okay, I just braved the rain (and spiders!) to get these plant tags from the shed.

Totally worth it.

Especially since the spider in my gardening bag was not on any of the tags.

I think. EEK!

 

Top Bed:

 

So these shrubs are mostly background for the blooms below.

Also, the idea is for them to grow big and tall to help screen the house.

 

Elderberry 'Black Beauty'

8-12' tall and wide

Soft pink early summer flowers, edible fall berries.

Prune after flowering. Leave flower clusters intact for fall fruit.

 

* This is one I saw in VWGarden's yard, that I wouldn't have picked up on my own, probably. I really liked how it fit into her garden, with the darker foliage and stems.

I already enjoy the contrast it provides here, too.

Viburnum opulus 'Roseum'

Common Snowball

8' tall and wide

 

Abundant, ball-shaped clusters of double, white blooms in late spring.

Three-lobed foliage turns burgundy-red in fall, accented by red ornamental berries.

Cold hardiness: zone 3

Prune to desired size and shape.

 

This one is a sentimental favorite.

I have fond memories of a snowball bush outside of our home when I was little.

(Must have been really little, because it was pre-Alaska days.)

I remember picking the big "snowballs," then shaking them to see the "snowflakes" coming down.

I would love to give my kids the same experience.

May it grow quickly!

'Green Mountain' boxwood

5' tall, 3' wide

 

Fast-growing when young.

Leaves stay green through winter (we'll see about that).

 

 'Quick Fire' Hardy Hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata 'Bulk'

6-8 ' tall and wide

 

Blooms about a month before other hardy varieties and flowers every year.

Flowers open white, then turn pink as summer progresses.

Prune late winter/early spring.

 

Here's the kicker: *once established, seldom needs watering*

Are we sure this is really a hydrangea?

I'll take it!

 

I planted this one behind the trio of peonies down below.

I'm hoping the bloom times will be staggered enough that they can play off each other--one giving more background green while the other is the star.

However, you know what they say about the best laid plans, and all that.

This spring will be the true test.

 

Daphne 'Carol Mackie'

3' tall and wide

 

Fragrant pink flowers in spring.

Prefers dry locations (check!) and fairly cool roots.

Do not overwater.

Fertilize in spring prior to new growth.

Prune to control size and shape as needed.

 

This little Daphne is on the end close to the walkway, so I didn't want anything too large or overpowering. I hope it doesn't look strange with the all the other shrubs being so tall.

 

Of course, right now, they're all about the same size, so it's all good.

[not pictured]
'Watercolor' rose

This was the one in the back flowerbed, far-left side.
It hasn't done much this year (the other rose I planted at the same time tripled in size this summer!), so I thought a new location might give it a boost.
Plus, I found a different rose to put in its place.
Anyway, it's not pictured, partly because I forgot and partly because it's not looking too great right now. If it survives, I'll get a proper picture of it next summer when it's blooming. How's that?
It's up top, as well, but on the other side of the evergreen.