Impractical Gardening

Last year….

Things are happening way too fast around here. This time last April daffodils were blooming and tulips weren’t out yet. Now tulips are peaking and daffodils mostly done. With 80-degree temps expected for the next two days, I wouldn’t be surprised if all the bulbs were gone within the week.

Tulipa “Flaming Jewel”

Flowering quince and forsythia.

Compare to last month. This hasn’t turned out exactly how I intended. There are two distinct color schemes: the white/pink/purple and the cream/red/yellow. They were supposed to bloom at different times; instead the hot dry spring has brought them all clashingly together.

Non-traditional daffodils.

The cream/yellow/red scheme, intended for May, too garish for April. Of course, this weather is too garish for April.

Who can resist tulips, though? These are Beauty of Apeldoorn.

The white/pink/purple scheme.

Native red honeysuckle has been blooming.

In the more naturalized area, pussytoes (white flowers) and pennsylvania sedge (blurry brown spike in front) are blooming. Compared to last year, these seem to be blooming as they should be.

Highbush blueberry flowers, another native. As usual, the only one of four bluebs that’s made flowers. These are ahead of last year.

Peas and radishes planted a few weeks ago.

Kale, cabbage, and onion seedlings hardening off. They’ll go into the ground today or tomorrow.

I believe this is the first time I’ve actually had daffodils blooming at (before!) the Spring Equinox. Freaky. Compare to last March, in which nothing was blooming outside. Compare further to last April, which is what this March looks like.

Snowdrops have been up for a couple of weeks.

Crocuses, looking like they did in April 2011.

In the herb garden, chives coming along well. Other herb action: winter savory, catnip, mint, oregano, and parsley. No sign of the tarragon yet.

Last year the kale survived because of thick snow cover. This year it survived because it never really got cold.

Last fall I planted about 100 bulbs in this bed in front of the house.

Hyacinth bud.

The honeysuckle is getting ready to bloom. Looks like it’ll be in flower when the hummingbirds get here.

The garlic bed pleases me.

I also have kale, onions, cabbage, broccoli, eggplant, and impatiens started inside under lights. Peas, radishes, and spinach to be direct-sown this weekend.

Can I just start by saying how utterly miserable this winter has been? Yes, I’m probably the only person who feels this way, and I know, last winter was difficult. But right now I feel totally disconnected from the seasonal cycle; how am I supposed to await the coming of spring when it’s already been here for months? It’s disorienting and really unpleasant.

Anyhow, the December and January state of the gardens didn’t happen. And nothing’s blooming outside in my garden (though I hear tell of snowdrops in nearby vicinities), so for actual flowers you’ll have to be satisfied with houseplants.

African violets doing pretty well in eastern-facing window.

Rosemary flower – only one on the plant.

Is my bay tree going to flower? This looks like a bud, and there are a few others on the plant. It’s never bloomed before. I was planning to repot it later this spring, but if it’s happy enough to flower in the pot it’s in now, maybe best leave it alone?

I forced paperwhites this year. Dead easy. It was supposed to be an antidote to winter if we got one like last year….

I overwintered a primrose! That’s never happened before. I’ve had this since last March, and I think those little nubs coming up from the center are going to be flower stalks. Should I fertilize, I wonder? (I’m pretty clueless about fertilizing – my outdoor plants get by on compost and manure, and my houseplants just get water.)

A couple of weeks ago I cut some forsythia for forcing. Sitting in a south-facing window, these ones are the furthest along.

I’m also forcing one amaryllis. Not quite as easy as the paperwhites, but not difficult either (I should really wait till it blooms to say that).

Moving outside now, tons of bulbs are up. These are daffodils. Last year they bloomed in April. This year…?

Swelling buds of lilac and quince.

Lastly, my garlic. I planted a whole 4’x8′ bed of garlic last fall at 4 plants per sq ft; here is the result.

Pics taken on Nov 15, but I’m just now getting around to posting.

Native cherry, rock

The seed heads of those pale purple wild asters I’ve posted before.

Highbush blueberry fall color

Seed heads of new england aster, with switchgrass in background.

You don’t think of asparagus as having fall color, but…

My new-this-year fothergilla. The color lived up to its billing.

The picture didn’t do this combo justice.

The viburnum berries have fully turned and have been hit by frost. Remains to be seen whether the birds will eat them.

Catching up on these…
Not a ton this month. The season has turned slowly this year, and looking out the window I see more green leaves than not. But…

These fell from the neighbors’ oak tree onto our driveway.

New England aster “purple dome”

The viburnum nudum berries keep turning. The next question is, will the birds eat them?

The wild asters are still going.

Virginia creeper turned early.

Afternoon light.

The obligatory.

September is aster month

New England aster peeking through fence, switchgrass seed heads behind

Sweet autumn clematis, a vigorous (dread!) vine. I hack it back viciously several times a year in the vague hope of killing it, but it always springs back.

Evening primrose, a wild seedling. Flowers stay closed during the day, whence evening.

My viburnum nudum is now full of berries. Flowers previously shown here. The berries start white-green, then gradually turn pink, then blue-purple.

Closeup of the berries.

A switchgrass, new this year. This variety is supposed to have red fall coloration, which you can just see starting at the tips.

Nasturtium

Rose is putting on a second flush of blooms.

Wreath goldenrod, solidago caesia, another wild seedling. Have tons of this and am encouraging it to spread.

I believe this is heart-leaf aster, symphotrichum cordifolium. It’s another wildflower that I’m encouraging. I’ve got lots, and there’s an amazing variation in color. This one is by far the purplest. Others are nearly white.

The orange centers are the best part.

Clethra alnifolia, or summersweet. Best thing I planted this year, it has a lovely fragrance and was absolutely covered in bees.

Scarlet runner bean flowers. No sign of beans yet.

Black eyed susans. Hopefully will reseed themselves for next year.

I think this is a balloon flower.

Not sure what this is, either. Maybe obedient plant?

Chamomile still going strong.

Switchgrass in bloom. I’m becoming increasingly fond of native grasses.

Early goldenrod. Finishing up now, and there are buds on the autumn goldenrods.

Double-flowered rose of sharon. Not native, but pretty and the bees like it.

My chamomile is blooming. Need to figure out how to make tea with it.

Blue-eyed grass, sisyrinchium angustifolium. The camera wouldn’t focus on the flower unless my hand was in the background.

Following drastic pruning at the direction of father-in-law, the unknown rose is blooming.

Lots of lovely lavender. What shall I do with it all?

Tomatoes! About half of my plants have flowers on them now.

Viburnum nudum Brandywine, new this year. I can’t take credit, it came with the buds already on it.

Not chamomile, weedy pretty daisies.

The mountain laurel is almost done.

And for memories’ sake, the chives, irises, and peonies all bloomed and went between last month’s pictures and today.

Oh, and the multiflora rose is blooming, joy.

Belated and bare, but I wanted to get it out there. June coming soon! (poet know it etc)

Wow, wacky to think that daffodils were only a month ago

Aquilegia canadensis

The lilacs were finishing up. It was a good year for lilacs, probably because I’m in the middle of a three year pruning plan, and the plant has been stimulated.

The last few tulips were blooming.

The new zizia I got at Garden in the Woods. I also started some from seed and planted the babies. It’ll be a few years before they’re this big.

Bustin’ out

Is that a wasp?

Geranium maculatum

Tulips in the woods. Need to move these.

The pink rhodies were blooming.

The trumpet honeysuckle was about to bloom. It’s all done now.

Solomon’s seal.

Spring…

The daffodils have been up for a couple of weeks now.

Daffodil corner. I’m pleased with the combination of daffodils and the geranium spilling over the wall. Not happy about the rest of the bed being taken over with spiderwort. Curse you, spiderwort.

Pretty clump of scilla drooping over our walkway.

Crocuses I planted next fall in the new bed behind the house. These and the snowdrops came up well after the daffodils.

Moving over to the vegetable garden, our peas are sprouting. Also radishes, lettuce, spinach, and the first few carrots are up.

Seedlings of kale, spinach, and arugula hardening off. These were started inside in early March and were planted out into the garden beds yesterday.

My winter sowing, started outside in early February.

Most of them have now sprouted with very minimal intervention from me. These are lupines.

Now moving to the native plant/woodland area. And my hepatica! The only one of five I planted that survived. Not a great pic, and the color is wrong — it’s really a clear blue-purple.

Pussytoes (antennaria), host plant for the American Lady butterfly, growing on the slope leading up to the woods.

The flower of pennsylvania sedge, which also grows on the slope.

Highbush blueberry buds, about to bloom.

A.k.a. Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day, although the only blooms I have at the moment are inside. There is, however, plenty of other garden action to report.

A determined crocus

Chives coming back in the herb bed

Tulips-to-be

Winter-sown kale sprouting

This kale survived the winter, mulched by snow, and is putting on new growth.

Same kind of kale, started indoors a few weeks ago

Spinach seedlings

Primrose blooming inside

I took some forsythia cuttings on a warm February day. They’ve been blooming for a couple of weeks.

My camera died a few weeks ago, and I still haven’t decided what to get to replace it (suggestions welcome!). So in honor of the current February thaw, here are a few old pics of the garden in warmer days.

New England blazing star, September 2009

Annual fleabane, June 2010

Coreopsis about to open, June 2010

Spider on blazing star bud, June 2010

Bleeding hearts, May 2009

Forsythia against blue sky and bare trees, April 2010

January

There’s 18″ on the ground, and even three days after the storm snow is still sticking to the trees.

The rhododendrons are bowed over with snow.

Tracks (squirrel?) leading toward the bird feeder (behind me as I took the pic). Also, you can maybe see the snapped branch on the lilac in the background.

Here’s a closeup of the suet cakes I made before Christmas. They’re mainly made of peanut butter, cornmeal, and lard, with pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries mixed in.

The promise of bloom to come: buds on the forsythia.

Moving inside for something green: my bay tree is doing well in the unheated, south-facing entryway.

The rosemary’s also looking healthy in the same location.

Think green thoughts…

…and plan for Spring.

It’s December, and all the leaves are gone.

No snow yet, but cold enough for December

But even in December green things are still growing…

Unknown moss

Young eastern white pine, caught in the wind

Tiny mountain laurel, planted this year

Red lowbush blueberry stems peeking out from leaf litter

The veg garden is mostly done, but the kale’s still putting on new leaves

Looking up from my back door

November.
Wreath goldenrod (solidago caesia) seed heads. Everyone talks about the trees turning colors in Fall, but no one talks about wildflowers. Smaller scale, but just as beautiful.

This is the only plant still flowering. I’m not actually sure what it is. Some kind of hawkweed?

Kale and parsnips still going strong.

My new dogwood (cornus florida) is changing late, probably because it came from a grower in the south.

Oak leaves still hanging on the trees.

Seed heads of a woodland grass which might be deschampsia flexuosa (common hairgrass).

The colors of the season.

It’s garden bloggers’ bloom day, wherein garden bloggers post pics of whatever’s blooming in their gardens on the 15th of each month. These aren’t all blooms since that misses out too much interesting stuff.

New England asters

Red mum from one of those nursery pots

Sedum Autumn Joy. Less bloom and more seed head now.

Wreath goldenrod and blue wood aster. They grow wild around here and make a pretty combination which I plan to encourage.

Blue wood aster close-up.

Wreath goldenrod close-up.

Now into the woods. Most of the trees haven’t colored yet. Virginia creeper is showing, though.

More virginia creeper, plus fungus on a log.