spring flowers

My rhododendrons are blooming! I hope that means they're going to do well here.

Lilac just started to open its lovely scent yesterday.

the pink flowers of heucherella near the garden

seem to float above the foliage-

First columbine bloom- not the large one in the perennial bed out back, but one I moved last year to be under the maple on the side- delicate pink/purple but already beset by insects- the first plant I've seen under assault this spring

and perhaps loveliest of all, the bleeding hearts:

moved out

from the garden beds recently, into other areas of the yard. Sensitive fern- the ones I dug up from inside the bed weeks ago, are now unfolding their fronds nicely, around the huge hosta. It looks great.

I dug up the others that were by the tutlehead stump, moved them to a shade spot under tree, by yellow salvia, variegated hosta and panicle hydrangeas.

Dug up quite a few borage plants, moved them to same shade area-

in front- it would be nice to have them making a permanent patch, flowering near but not quite in the garden (they get so big!)

There's a half dozen good-sized borage came up on their own in the mailbox spot out front, too. Surrounded by tons of tiny celosia seedlings, which I will pull.

Not dug up from the garden- pricked apart a week ago from their seedling tray- but same idea, I hope to get a bed established that self-seeds itself- the nicotiana flowers:

The seedlings are doing remarkably well (they don't like being transplanted). I've lost a few, but most are settling in. Pleased with that, so I took photos of some that are growing:

end of cold nights

I'm glad this routine is almost over- carrying most of the young plants in for the night-

Wait next morning until temps are above 55°, move most of them back out (some into the coldhouse) for the day

Wait until temps are above sixty, then seventy- for the rest to go out:

Amaranth is one of the few still left in folded paper pots. These are the globe amaranth.

I really admire the olive and red hues of the opopeo amaranth (here next to 'watermelon' coleus)

I'm pleased that my peppers- the wider leaves- are just as healthy-looking as the ones I bought from the nursery (narrower)

Here's the celosia. I've got ten reaching a nice size- growing better now that temperatures are warmer.

One, the newer top leaves suddenly got crinkled. I separated it from the others. But from watching symptoms on aquarium plants, wonder if this is a calcium issue, something with the water I used? so I pinched out its top and waiting to see how new leaves grow.

All the gay (delightful) coleus. I've potted up a few for my deck and porch, the rest will go in the front bed.

reserved in the sideyard

I cleared the shaded slope (full of tree roots so hate mowing there) several days ago on my hands and knees, by hand. Pulling weeds, cutting grass clumps with scissors. Eyeing the nandina and wondering if I want to dig them out and give them away. I left these plants in place: clover. My husband doesn't like the look of it in the front yard, I let it grow everywhere else.

Mock strawberry-

Broadleaf plantain-

Purple dead nettle. I'm eating this one regularly now- every time out in the yard, pull one up and rinse it, set in a windowsill jar to keep fresh until I'm making something I can toss it into. Quesadilla. Cheese bagel. Soup. Stir-fry. Salad (although it's a bit of sharp taste- my husband likes it raw, I prefer it cooked some).

I think this is violets-

Maybe I will regret leaving this one alone, but I've always liked ivy, and the few I've tried to keep as houseplants died. So when I found this bit growing by the wall around corner of the front bed, I left it. It's a bit bigger this year.

The blue-green weed I still have not identified. There are more, and larger clumps of it, this year-

I pull the dandelion flowers, and now the seedheads, to keep them from growing too abundant in my yard. But in the back, mulched areas I let the foliage on them grow- so maybe next year I'll find time to dig their roots out for more dandy "coffee". Flower pouf dampened by rain-

in and around the garden

my clematis is blooming!

the new pink one has been planted and pegged to the post

it's by the corner of new bed where chard are growing, and beans soon

I've made some progress shredding bamboo to mulch the rest of the beds- in the permanent herb bed in front it still looks blue-green, under the greens in rear bed, dried out to tan. (Visible in front bed: green onions, lemon balm, sage. Rear: collards, arugula, russian kale).

My arugula bolted fast. I've cut some flowers just because I enjoy having them in a tiny jar on my desk. Stems are thicker than last years'.

Pot of nasturiums on the stump, surrounded by turtlehead. I've already had to mulch the nasturtium pot with stones, squirrel was digging in there. One of my neighbors must be giving it peanuts, I've been finding them buried in my garden! The empty area here full of mock strawberry, is where I dug out the sensitive fern.

Turtlehead is already thick and lush. I saw another gardener mention she has to cut hers back midseason, or it gets over six feet high. I couldn't imagine turtlehead growing that tall- until I saw how fast and high it grew this spring-

View of most of it- rue in front, leeks and beets to the left (halfway mulched), peas in the back, turnips a bright spot center, clematis vine in the back on the right.

In the perennial bed at bottom of the yard, I mulched my rhubarb thickly with shredded bamboo, too. I hope this keeps away the slugs (never have a slug problem in my raised beds). Still haven't cut any rhubarb to eat, it just doesn't seem big enough yet.

I don't think I've ever seen my dill grow so lush and thick before- it's wonderful