Spring Delights and the Start of the Shopping Season

Last fall I planted my first fritilary. I am so pleased with them! Such charming, unique shaped blooms hovering above several heuchera.

You can barely see the leaves anymore, this primrose is pleased as a pickle to pump out bloom after bloom.

How have I missed this beautiful bud stage of the lilacs in the past season? Isn't this beautiful?

Remember this old farm wheels I found last year? They're officially art! I put the last one together this week, and can't wait to see how they look when all the perennials, shrubs, and roses in this bed fill in.

When there isn't much to look at yet, the rounded tuft of feathery green leaves on this Painted Daisy plant (grown from seed several seasons ago), is as pretty as it gets.

Hyacinth getting ready...

Hyacinth open...

Muscari getting ready:

The first new plant purchase of spring has come and gone. I had to bring home one of these Blue Poppy Anemone from Home Depot. I have had in the ground for more than a week in a bright indirectly lit spot, and it keeps on blooming!


One of my top wishlist plants is finally in my garden. Meet 'Marmalade' heuchera. Heavenly. I've backed her with a red daylily I divided, and put some red penny blotch viola at her base. She flanks the front entrance to my garden.

Happy gardening all!

My Second Oldest Plant: Orange Bougainvillea

When my husband and I met I lived in a college rental home, with one large room to call my own. No yard. No garden. I had a small norfolk pine on the kitchen table, and I carried it all the way to California with me when we moved in 2001 for my graduate studies; the main plant suffered shock from trasnport, but I saved a small baby that had developed in the pot. Later, when Theo went onto active duty with the Army, I carried the same plant, although much larger, with us to our new home in Wisconsin. From day one I referred to this pine as "Tree," and each spring I put blue lobelia underneath him, and set him out on the north side of our home for a summer of fresh air. Baby tree is more than 2 feet tall now, and thriving in my office window. I bought the lobelia this week. Tree is my oldest plant.

In 2001, when Theo and I found our first apartment in Belmont Shores, Long Beach, California, we had a breezy southwest facing balcony just outside our bedroom window. I promptly filled the balcony with a bougainvillea, jasmine, japanese pine and plumeria, among some annuals. I remember buying the bougainvillea at a local garden center; I had grown up underneath my grandmother's huge fucshia bougainvillea, and I had seen light orange, purple, and red varieties, but I had never seen a dark orange one. I fell in love, and the plant rewarded me with beautiful papery flowers for years.

In 2003 when we moved to Wisconsin I had little knowledge of cold-climate gardening, and I did not imagine I could keep a bougainvillea alive in the house. To me, a child of Southern California, bougainvillea grew in the ground: 20 feet tall and somtimes just as wide. They were not for containers. I left the plant in the care of my mother and grandmother. A short while after we bought our first home in southern Wisconsin I found our local garden center sold bougainvillea as potted plants. The nursery staff informed me bougainvillea made fine houseplants in sunny windows. I began to long for my dark orange bougainvillea. I hunted for one like it here Wisconsin, although I was so bummed to find mature specimens of this tropical plant sold for upwards of $60; worse yet, not a single dark orange one was in sight.

I begged my mom to bring my bougainvillea on the plane with her. It was too big, and too spiky, and probably not allowed anyway.

When we went back to visit California for the first time in 2007 my bougainvillea was blooming for me in my grandmother's backyard. I took a picture of her, and gave her a good pruning. I was devastated we had no room for my blessed plant on the car ride home; I felt like I was leaving a family member behind. I did sneak a small cutting from my original plumeria plant (long story with that one, too). Last fall, 2008, when we visited California I made the bougainvillea my top priority. I insisted there was room for it in the car, and when it came time to leave I packed it first, behind the passenger seat, wrapped in a fleece blanket so my kids did not cut their legs on the thorns. I fillled the bottom of the pot with agave from my aunt, clivia from my grandma, and more... next time, I'm bring my Japanese Pine home.

I say, this bougainvillea is so happy to be back with her mommy. March 18th I took these pictures of her blooming in our bedroom window. One month later she is still going strong, too. In about 3 weeks I'll bring her outside and prop her up against our fence. I'll pretend she's a permanent fixture in the garden, and savor each of her delicate blooms. Enjoy!

Happy Gardening!

Sure Signs of Spring

Peony sprouts.

Pasque flower blooms.

Lilac buds bulge.

Perennial Bachelors Buttons reseeded and ready.

Primrose blooms.

Columbine emerges.

Crocus blooms.

Delphinium returns (This is HUGE for me! I am so excited!)

Heuchera leaves still in gleaming from last fall (almost no die back).

Oh, I love spring!!

Happy Gardening!

My other garden companion.

My 5 year-old housecat Toby had never been outside. Well, I carried him in arms a time or two, but other than that--never set foot out the door. He was declawed in front before we bought him, and he's not very "fit," so we figure he better stay inside. Lately, after I began letting my kitten out into the garden, Toby has become brave enough to poke his head out the back door. He even ran out onto the grass one day. I didn't stop him, but rather sat back and watched the wonder of his first out free outdoor experience. His nose flared, and he rolled on the grass. He ran around, and frolicked, looking downright joyful. I felt terrible for having deprived him of the outdoors.
I've started letting him outside with me now. I keep a close eye on him. I'm pleased he doesn't stray, he stays right by me, and the fence, and he runs and rolls and generally acts like a kitten again! I laid on the front grass with him this week, and took a few pictures of him enjoying himself. We bird watched, and soaked up the smells nd sights of spring. Back indoors he's tons more lovable (he's drinking the milk fromt he cereal I just finished as we speak). I think he's showing me he's thankful I let him out finally!

Happy gardening, all.

Spring Chores and my new Garden Companion

Spring chores and delight are well underway here in southern Wisconsin. I'm very much on budget, and sticking to the plan I created this winter. So proud!

I dug out a new walkway bed on the more neglected side of our house, and have begun adding plants to it already. I have busily planted some new bareroot roses and some lily bulbs throughout the garden, including a few in the new bed. With some birthday money from my 30th birthday I was able to find 28 new lily bubs for $30, and also acquire some the roses at the top of my wishlist! I was going to settle on the closest nursery and get 5 roses for $100; instead. I got online and looked up all the nuseries in my area and found I could stretch my dollar a lot further at Jung in Madison. 7 of my top picks could be found for $100 total in Jung's bareroot room. I brought home:
Ramblin' Red
John Davis
William Baffin
Henry Kelsey
Bonica
Carefree Wonder
Cinco de Mayo

Not to mentioned hard to find soybean seeds! I can't wait to have steamed edamame from my own garden this summer!

I have been dividing perennials such as 'karl forester feather reed grass, goldenrod, bellflower superba, 'appleblossom' yarrow, several asters, 'david' phlox, 'chocolate' joe pye weed, maiden pinks, 'sarosta' bellflower, 'blue eyed blonde' campanula, 'georgia peach' heuchera, 'guacamole' hosta, and more...

I was most excited to see all the hard work I did spreading columbine seedlings all around the yard has paid off, and I found 2 babies so far!

And, coreopsis 'Limerock Ruby,' and 'Tofee Twist' sedge both survived the winter in my one 4/5 garden, despite being rated for zone 6. Even my 'Nikko Blue' hydrangea survived with old wood, which means it should bloom for me. I was so pleased that planting these in microclimates worked!

This year, instead of putting all my seedlings on tables in every sunny window in the house, I decided to try one of these:

I found this "greenhouse" in our local Farm and Fleet this spring. I had it on our back deck for some time, and then moved it into the vegetable bed. First we put it down without all the added supports, the ropes and such; on a particularly warm afternoon I opened it up to air it out and a huge gust of wind blew the whole thing like a wind surfer's sail, spilling 1/2 of my seeds and tearing the plastic cover, bending & breaking the metal. I returned the pile pf pieces, and had to drive to Rockford to get a new one. With all the supports in place it's very sturdy, and I don't leave it open on windy days. The added warmth from it being directly on the ground seems to help considerably. Many seeds are germinating!

I have:

hollyhock creme de cassis & nigra

catmint blue wonder

painted daisies

scabiosa

dianthus

lavender vera, munstead, lady

prunella freelander blue

impatiens

cosmos

zinnia

black eyed susan vine

castor bean

3 different tomatos (including an heirloom mix)

jalapenos

basil (3 kinds)

green peppers

cucumber in pea pots

a mix of seeds I harvested at Cambria Pines Lodge last year

and more...

On the back deck I have 2 kinds of lettuce started. I don't protect these or anything. I find it to e a common misconception that we have to wait until after frost to plant everything. Peas, radishes, lettuce, spinach, and more can be started now. This picture is about 2 weeks old, and I'm likely to be able to make a salad with these guys soon. I shared a few seedling with pal in my town.

My roses get patchy areas of powdery mildew and some blackspot, and any mulch I use over winter is exposed to the spores of those diseases: I can't put any of this in the compost pile, so I burn it. I spent two tiring days making piles, filling 2 trash cans over and over, and dumping them on the burn pile. The fire went for 2 days, too. Exhausting. So good to see my roses again, though!

The goldfinches are getting their color back! I love spring!

Last spring I blogged about our new cat, Tabatha. I got her at local nursery, Northwind Perennial Farm. They have barn cats in abundance, roaming the grounds of their beautiful nursery, and this particular litter was "free to a good home." We tried to keep her an indoor cat, but she would slip beneath our feet despite our valient attempts to trap her in. We gave up about a month ago, and have invited her outside. She is not fixed, and more than likely expecting a litter of her own soon. :) But, I love having a garden companion!! I had no idea how much fun it would be to have a cat to follow me around, watch birds with, and lay in the leaf pile with. :) Bonus, she chases the squirels out of the birdfeeders, and not a single rabbit has nibbled at my tulips yet! Tabatha is a fierce garden protector.

Finally, this spring I finally got my hubby to build a simple shade pergola on the back deck. We have had a giant wisteria planted on the left of the steps for 3 years now, just begging for something horizontal to twine around and bloom on! I can't wait to see ol' Aunt Dee Wisteria in full bloom on this pergola!! Thanks, honey!

Hope all of your gardens are doing well. I have tons of perennials coming up, and some crocus blooming. I have some great pictures to share soon.

Happy gardening!

A few indoor blooms that are rocking my world.

Still nary an outdoor bloom, but plenty indoors to tide me over!
Clivia, a division from my grandmother's garden taken last fall:

Campanula "Fairy"

White Amaryllis.

Primrose:

Not a blooms, but a nice thriving creeping banana vine.

A forced daff:

Jasmine!

Hope you enjoyed them, I have a few outdoor blooms to share any day now!

Good News!

I upgraded my storage tonight, and should be able to upload pictures within 24 hours. I have so much to share, new things in the garden, new beds I'm putting in. Spring is just getting started here!