SPRING #2 - 2013

great color their celeste!

wynne I use a heavy edger I got a HD, it has a straight blade, called edge dog or something like that. I just edge in the spring. it is a 3 - 4" deep edge so mulch will stay in the bed and grass out. it really does not take much time even with all my beds, and I use the dirt/grass/mulch I shovel up in the spring for compost.

Wha, Very tidy. Do you do the insert edger and then kick the face of the edger method? I watched a lawn guy do it that way at our house a few years back when I couldn't do the edging myself after knee surgery. I have been trying to get this down ever since. But I lack the rhythm and precision that he had. But maybe I need a Edge Dog, as my dogs don't edge, they only dig. Robindog understands this situation. Patti

The gardens look beautiful, Patti....yes, I understand the digging, my airedales couldn't stop! My pointer has never dug, think I'll stick with that breed....

Between showers and downpours, I took a walk about the garden and took some shots of wet and happy plants. Patti

The red tulips & bluebells make a nice combo!

Agree!! I need to get me some bluebells. :)

I especially love Patti's trees. What is the JM in the pot and the tree in the end shot?

I am fearing the Alberta Spruce on my deck is getting too big and lopsided from not getting turned enough. In a couple of years it will need a replacement. Wish JMs were evergreen.

Tree on porch is my new Acer palmatum Ryusen that we found at Agway in Keene NH a few weeks ago. We will plant it out in the garden in the fall, but mean while it will live on the porch. The other is a Sargent Crab that we planted in 1983. DH did some serious pruning to it this winter. I label all my shots but for some reason the captions are turned off when I post them. I will have to try to fix the problem. New computer so lots of things to tweak. Worked in the veggie bed this morning, but I had to go catch the ferry to Hyannis so DH will have to finish up alone. He has to just mostly plant tomatoes and squash as the rest is now done. No hurray as it is kind of cold and wet. Patti

patti I use the edger then a straight edge shovel and heave the edging into the wheel barrel.

nice long shots!

I'm still thinking about beautiful Ryusen and how nice it would be to have a flowering crab. Nice to hear the different ways people edge. I've been getting by with an edger and a small garden spade to move everything.

In spite of neglect, I have a few blooms. The TP was facedown. I'm letting nature move it a bit with a new root. Then first herbacious peony. Azaleas.

Some more hope for spring...Deutzia Chardonnay Pearls, Iris summer Olympics, this surprising late dwarf,John Clayton II honeysuckle, iris group

Those peonies are striking!

Looking good Rosemary!

Eye of the Tiger Dutch Iris, Apricot Beauty Foxglove, Noid Foxglove, reason why it called Flamingo Hakuro Nishiki, Home Fires Phlox

Dianthus, Climbing rose, noid roses

beauties all

Very nice, Jen....I have a rose that's blooming, good old Morden Sunrise....love that plant!

Eye of the tiger is stunning!!

my friend Karen in Wayne, NJ said the cicadas are swarming at her house.. said it looked like thousands at dusk going into the trees

wow this is neat.. like the humming bird map

http://project.wnyc.org/cicadas/

Heehee. Saw on Facebook- a friend's sons found some cicadas and sautéed them in butter. Anything tastes good in butter, right? They said they had a nutty flavor. EWWWWW!!!!!

My bil said he had taken some emerging cicadas 17yrs ago back to his house in Cranford, his brother(who now owns their childhood house) sent a pic of them emerging yesterday

Do people have memories from other cicada years? I had a summer trip to be in a wedding when I was a little girl. Imagine the outdoor reception at Ross Common PA when they were singing their strongest.

No memory here, however I remember them in Omaha at my grandparents when visiting as a child. Evidently, not many sites for them in MA.

Join the cicada discussion here
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1313062/

Noid Iris
Oh the blooms on this Weigela 'Ghost'!!!!
Red White and Blue
1st caladium
Scabiosa 'Blue Butterfly"

Some groundcovers
sedum and thyme
here come the hydrangeas
allium moly 'Jeannine'

iris are opening.This is a new area in the shade-sun garden.There were supposed to be coneflowers blooming but plants arent cooperating this year.

I really like the red-white-blue combo, Jen. Jo, those maroon iris are striking.

Early yet for coneflowers isn't it?


On some of my Daylilies.....anyone know if I should treat this with a fungicide?

This message was edited May 29, 2013 10:17 PM

great garden views

In zone 6a the coneflowers are really late and some didnt come back at all.Maybe the drought last summer.
I could swear I had blooms in early June a few years ago.

Jen I swear I saw a bud on one of my cone flowers yesterday

Jen, that may be insect damage....wait & see. My coneflowers are always late.......

We def didn't have the winter weather we had this year last May, I checked my pics and had them blooming May 24th last year, I have buds now but don't look ready to pop yet


I did remove all the damaged foliage

Jethro Tull Coreopis

Mock Orange that has no scent...what is the deal with that???

and the Evolvlus Blue Daze, that I got from Allison...THANKS!

Cannot believe how much you have blooming! Here are some iris & columbine......

ooooooo I love the pinky Iris!!!!!!!

really color lady's - waiting to see molly jean here - forgot where I planted them:)

been having a little deer problem back by the pond - a couple hosta have been sampled and some phlox jen claims never bloomed for her and left behind at my ru seems to be a deliciously for them - all have been "trimmed" read eaten to 12"

Next to hostas ,deer LOVE phlox