We had some beautiful days last week and I was able to get much accomplished
in the garden. I lost so many roses this year to the extreme Winter conditions we had.
I didn't lose them entirely, because most shrub roses on their own rootstock
will usually always flush back from the root. However, since
many of them were climbers, they have a long way to go to become what they were.
I spent most of this week pruning them back and cleaning the ones up that made it through a little better.
Really the only blooms so far have been the hundreds and hundreds of daffodils and tulips
growing in the space.
I took a ton of photos of my favorite daffodils in the garden. I didn't take the time to look up the name of this
daffodil before doing this post however.
Warning!!!
Too many pictures ahead!!!
Isn't it CRAZY GORGEOUS?
And it smells SO good too!
Yesterday was sunny, but so cold.
In the late afternoon I looked out the back door and saw the sun was going down,
so I got the camera and braved the cold (50 degrees)lol))
to catch the time of day that I love best here.
If I could bottle the late afternoon light I would do it.
Everything looks lovely in this light.
This tree is a Canada Red chokecherry. I love the fragrance of the blooms. It fills the air here in this space
for a number of days. We have 9 of these trees in the garden. 10, if you count the May Day tree
that is from the same family and has the same bloom.
I love the long shadows of the pasture fence that fall on the lawn this time of day.
I spent about five hours a day this week weeding, edging, and mixing soil for the vegetable beds.
I planted hollyhocks along the shed in the back and divided and transplanted garden
phlox in a new bed I started last year.
I think I have divided and transplanted everything that needed it.
I was able to give away a few things to friends that I didn't have room for here.
I can't stand to throw any plant away, and I think that keeps me from dividing things that badly need it.
It's one of the reasons that the garden just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
This is what the lilacs looked like yesterday. Still pretty tight in the bud.
Just a few more sunny days should do the trick though.
I can't wait!
You do sacrifice blooms that way, but I just love how it opens up the garden.
A lilac bush left natural takes a lot of room in the garden. I have five that I have left alone, so I still have plenty blooms to cut and bring into the house.
This is the Centurion crab apple tree. It too needs just a little more sun to bring it into full bloom.
Two of these sit just out the french doors and off the rear patio. When they bloom it smells like Heaven here!
When I am designing a new bed and choosing the plants for the space, it is fragrance I consider first if the bed is anywhere near a patio or sitting area.
When choosing day lilies or peonies for my garden, I like to go to the local nurseries
and smell the different varieties.
While the colors are important to me, it is always secondary to the fragrance of the varieties offered.
Last year I found a picture of a pole vine trellis in a garden magazine.
I wanted it!
I hinted, then I cajoled, then pleaded, but no trellis materialized.
This Spring I started my begging early.
Finally I convinced Dale it wasn't going to be an eyesore.
(Well maybe for a little while until it is covered with vines and climbing roses.)
He built it exactly like the one in the picture I had saved. Using poles that were still
covered in bark and very rustic looking.
This trellis is BIG. It is 35 ft long and stands a little over 8 ft tall.
So far I have planted a Virginia creeper, a river bank grape, 4 clematis vines,
and sweet peas.
I will be planting 2 climbing roses when I find the ones I want on it.
Dale will be building an arched gate for it soon.
The trellis sits on the property line between our neighbors and us.
So all in all, I am happy with everything we accomplished in the few nice days
we had to work this week.
