Is It May?

5/13/13

rhododendron

     The temperature finally broke into the 70's for a few days last week, but on Mother's Day it turned cold and windy.  Last night was in the 40's, and the heat came on.  There is a frost/freeze warning for our general area tonight with temps in the 30's. We could set a record low temperature tonight.  We are having mid-March weather in mid-May.  When it it going to stay warm here?

     Despite the cold, there is blooming going on.  The rhododendron in the back corner of the house put out some blossoms this week.  I also noticed bearded iris blooming in the neighborhood.

begonias

     I went to a garden center last week and bought some red and white begonias and put them into one of my railing planters.

New Guinea impatiens

     I also bought some New Guinea impatiens to plant in my large deck planters.  Most garden centers are not carrying the common garden impatiens, which I much prefer, because of impatiens downy mildew that has reached our area. 

hostas

     At a garden club plant sale I picked upsome hostas that will be going in the backyard garden.

daisies, iris, black-eyed Susans

     At that same sale bought some daisies, iris, and black-eyed Susans which will be going into the new garden in the side yard that I am in the process of designing.

chrysanthemum

     I saved a chrysanthemum my neighbor gave me when we were in the rental house last year.  I kept watering it, and left it outside on a deck table until frost.  I cut it back and put it in the garage all winter.  In mid-April brought it out of the garage and started watering it. It did get rained on now and then, thank goodness, because half the time I forgot about it.  It is still sitting outside the garage, and when I looked at it yesterday, it had tiny green leaves!  I'm so glad it's still alive.

Mother's Day flowers

Mother's Day flowers

     The last two photos are of the flowers I was thrilled to receive from both of my sons on Mother's Day.

Spring Show

5/6/13

tulip garden

     The last two weeks have been downright cold here by late spring standards.  We have been 10 to 15 degrees below normal.  Our heat is still coming on in the early morning hours because the temperature has been in the low 40's at night.

     Some of the trees are struggling to put out leaves.  This is extremely late for trees here which are normally full of leaves by early to mid-April.

     Despite the cold, there are some things blooming.  My tulip garden has been in full bloom for a week now.

     The late spring blooming daffodils in my front garden all bloomed this week.

St. Patrick's Day daffodil

     This St. Patrick's Day daffodil is so named because the perianth segments are tinged green when first opening.

     Last week I bought some pots that fit the deck railing at this house and filled them with diascia and calibrachoa.

diascia

calibrachoa

     Two weeks ago I made a discovery on the side of the house.  Three asiatic lilies suddenly appeared in front of the boxwood bushes.  I wonder what color they will be.

asiatic lilies

    

violet

     I found one lonely violet in the back yard.  I routinely gather violets in the spring wherever I find them as I walk the dog.  I put them in a tiny vase on my kitchen table.  To me they are a lovely and true sign of spring.