Sunday, April 19, 2009

Watering

Since we don't get much spring rain I decided to water a bit today. Of course the cap at the end of the soaker house I left under the mulch all winter was loose and when I tried to tighten it, it came off altogether and gave me a nice soaking! I enjoyed that!

While I was out there I used my newly constructed garbage spear to clear 2 grocery bags worth of junk from the flowerbeds. Even though I took it very easy my incisions were sore after that so I took a few pictures and headed back to the couch. I have to remember that its only been 5 days since surgery!



I took some more pictures of the bulbs poking up.
I'm becoming convinced that these are tulips:






And these are Prince Claus crocus:










Last year's echinacea seed heads look great!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Signs of spring!






My garden is bursting with life now... if you know where to look. Bud are swelling on the trees, bulbs are poking up and the evergreen perennials are perking up.






Its all very exciting! I just wish I'd kept a record of which bulbs I planted where, last fall! I'll have to keep the camera handy and create a record as they come up. The armeria in the first picture always looks rough at this time of year but it will fill in again by June.








The aubretia is looking good.








I love the shape of this bulb as it is bursting forth... I wonder what it is?











These are obviously crocus...
I will have to plant a low growing perennial over them this year.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Speaking of my kitchen window...



The large kitchen window faces south and is quite sunny so its my nursery at this time of year. Kathy lent me a plant stand she wasn't using and you can see my potting bench, AKA the kitchen table, too. Don't ask me where I'm going to put the plants that are on the table! I always get so carried away at the time of year! Maybe in the unheated front porch? It faces north but that is were these plants are going so they might as well get used to the low light. I'll keep the door open so that the temp won't drop too much or I could put the little oil radiator in there if it gets chilly again.

The amaryllis is in bloom too. It used to flower around New Year's but, every year, it flowers a little later. This is a house plant but I'll take the pot outside in June to give it a little vacation.

Easter Bunny!




OK, well, I'll admit this is a hare not a rabbit and its not really Easter today but, nevertheless, I was pleased to see this cutie in the garden cleaning up some spilled birdseed and nibbling on the grass. The pictures were taken through my kitchen window so they aren't great.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Good Rain Day

Its Good Friday and what a glorious spring day! There's just a tiny bit of snow left in the yard and all the trees and shrubs I planted last year are looking good... nice fat buds just waiting for the ground to fully thaw. A spring rain would be nice too. When I looked at the weather forecast yesterday there was no call for rain at all. I almost got the hose out early today but my mind wandered off to different tasks and I'm glad I forgot because its raining! Just a quick thunder storm but rain is rain and I'll take it! The first spring rain is always so delicious.

Other than painting hard boiled eggs, cleaning and wandering around the yard I also potted up the roots I bought at Home Depot earlier this week. I bought Liatris spicata (20 bulbs for $4.98), Hosta 'Francee', Astilbe 'Amethyst' and some assorted daylilies. All of these were 3 for $6.98. The good thing about buying plants this way is that they are cheap. On the downside you have to pot them up (or wait a long time for results if you plant them directly into the garden) and you're never 100% sure you're getting what's on the picture. That can be fun too, though.

Still no pictures. There's not that much to see except the "before" version of the yard. I'll try to take some tomorrow but I have lots on my plate... going furniture shopping with Kathy tomorrow, to dinner on Sunday and trying to clean up well enough to hold the place while I recover from surgery. So what am I doing? Watching "the Hour" and typing this. I am a master procrastinator.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

I can hardly wait...

The temperature got up to about 8°C today and I'm starting to believe that spring is just around the corner. The little bed between the garage and the sideway, constrained by wall and concrete, is free of snow and the evergreen perennials are looking good. I have sedum acre, some other sedum I can't remember the name off, hens & chicks, strawberries and all are greening up. Since everything is still under the snow this is very encouraging.

Since real spring is still a month or so off I always head for the greenhouses at this time of year and this year is no exception. I've already been to Greenland greenhouse, which is on the Yellowhead between Edmonton and Sherwood Park, twice this year. And yes, I bought plants each time. On the first visit, in March, I bought a Cornus canadensis and three heuchera, 'Lime Rickey', 'Marmalade' and 'Mahogany'. They are all doing well and growing in size so, encouraged, I bought a varigated Polygonatum odoratum. I wanted to get one last year but it was gone by time I tried to buy it in May.

Another spring summoning ritual is to start seeds indoors. I must admit it has been a few years since I last did that but this year I borrowed a stand from a friend and filled with with peat pots. Most of them have now been transfered to 4" pots and the stand is full up. I may have started too soon. As always!

OK, that's it for now... I'll take some pictures and post them soon.