SPRING IN THE AIR

 

What a weekend! A bit of gardening and relaxing, with some cult classic flicks yesterday. I had planned to work in the garden yesterday and did indeed have some time to plant the new salvia in between bouts of some downpours, but most of the time was spent today in the garden. Most definitely a cloudy, cooler and damp weekend. What with being away on a jaunt next weekend to NYC, I wanted to get my gardening in now. After work on Friday I made another trip to the Ashcombe greenhouses to get my Datura and Cassia, but they won't go in the ground for another week to make sure we pass the frost threats. But otherwise, spring is really in full swing now, with the flowering trees in bloom.... another week probably wrapping up. Our Dogwoods are in bloom currently. But now to worry, there are many stars of the show taking stage currently. 

The wild violets are coming up everywhere!!! I don't have the heart to pull them. They are one of those little simple flowers that just make you feel happy.

The bleeding hearts and columbines.

A new addition from last year, these Geum survived the winter and are blooming beautifully.

The rose garden is looking very robust and lush.

A new dahlia for this season!

In addition to some new stars like bee balms is this Centaurea montana. 

We will see how it does.

The lilacs are very intoxicating by my bedroom window. The house currently smells lovely with their scent.

The salvia and delphinium bed. More of each were added this year.

Some Sweet William. In the background are some sages and sea thrifts loaded with waiting blooms.

My peonies doubled this year!!! And if you see ants all over the buds...don't spray them! They are part of the plant's health. Peonies produce a sticky sweet nectar that ants can't resist. Once there, ants enjoy the nectar and provide natural pest control against thrips and apids.

 While prepping the salvia bed, I came across this Japanese Maple seedling, that must have blew over and grounded from our neighbor's house. A few weeks ago it was only one little leaf...now look at it. I dug up the little seedling in a ball and planted it in this pot to see if it continues. If it does, it will find a new home on the grounds to continue to grow. I think they are beautiful trees.

 

Waiting in the wings...the Datura and the Cassia. They look small now, but just you wait till they are planted and take off. By September the Cassia is tall, over 6ft!!!! Ain't spring grand? And the catbirds arrived back this weekend!