Weekend Garden Report

This last weekend was lovely, although it threatens rain today. I started making my rounds to all the local nursery haunts to buy my plants for the season. So far I bought some to make up my containers: vining plants such as variegated ivy, a purple leaved Ipomoea batatas ( sweet potato ), some dark fancy leafed coleus, bright orange gerberas, and the gray velvet leaved Helichrysum petiolatum, and my all time favorite for containers: Osteospermum. Four plants of a lavender shade flower and one of deep magenta. I am still looking for my most beloved variety,’Lemon Symphony‘.

I need to make a trip out to Sam’s Club. I saw some large container plants of variegated hydrangea for a good deal: $10.00 each. I want to buy two. They aren’t usually as hardy as their relative ‘Annabelle’, ( although I was unfamiliar with their hybrid name) but I want to take the chance. You can overdo it with variegation, but I don’t have that much in my garden so there is room for these. Variegation is a highlight, a point of focus, too much looks all mushy and indistinct.

I did a season assessment, many of the daffodils ( they bloom over a long period since I have lots of varieties) made it through that killing frost. I think perhaps the habit of the daffodils of bending over close to the ground helped sae the unopened blooms, but many of the tulips made it, as well. Almost all the new shoots on the many of the bushes and the trees were frosted to oblivion, especially the early blooming ‘Dawn’ viburnum. It looks as thought the Carlesii viburnum will have blooms, since those were sheltered next to the house. The saving grace of microclimates!

Something had killed my North Star sour cherries- not sure what, but it looks like maybe one can be salvaged if cut quite far down the trunk. The ‘Montmorency’ type does not seem affected. I actually had some bloom on the smaller one- but the birds will get them, since there is a scarcity of cherry bloom this year. I have already resigned myself to the fact. The birds always get the best part of the sweetest of the Sweet Cherries. Sometimes I resent them for that.

The crabapple bloom looks blasted, even though they had not opened up before the frost.

We did yard cleanup and the mowers were in working order ( thanks to my diligent husband ) so my youngest son and I did some of the mowing…only about two and half acres or so;)

Later today I hope to go out and find more container plant choices. My garden is not readied for me to plant in it yet. I have cultivating and weeding to do. This year is a renovation year, still. That is why all the concentration on containers- at least my deck and porches will look bright and cheerful.

Sheena mentioned pots drying out. That is always my worst problem, too. Containers need daily watering in the summer, yet they can’t sit water-logged; I did purchase, on sale at Target last fall, a new set of hose nozzle attachments, one is a long handled sprayer that I think will be perfect for those containers! Midsummer is often best for garden bargain hunting, and in autumn there are times to hit the occasional “occasion for rejoicing” type of bargain ( some of you frugal gardeners know exactly what I mean by that).

That is my report on the garden for now.

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