While we are still in a drought, as we are very behind our normal rainfall amount, we have received some nice moisture this spring. The garden is getting greener everyday as more and more plants emerge.
I have lost some plants: candytuft, creeping thyme, two hardy geraniums, creeping basket of gold, chocolate flower, some arbovitae, the dwarf Alberta spruces and maybe my hibiscus (it always arrives late so there is still hope.) Wondering about my sumac. Although, it was sprouting, I swear. Maybe one of our late freezes threw it off. There are a few green sprigs.
The late spring freezes robbed us of the flowers on many trees and shrubs. Sigh. However, the bachelor buttons and dame's rocket are making up for the lost blooms with an amazing show right now. The daisies are starting to shine too.
Feeling like the garden is planted for the season. The late freezes pushed all spring garden activities later and later; but as May ends, the vegetables are in, the containers are planted and positioned and the few new ornamentals I purchased (I said I wasn't going to get anything new I know) are nestled in. I did choose drought tolerant plants--hardy ice plant and purple prairie clover).
Mulching is going pretty well. I think the drought kept the mulch we put down last year from breaking down very much. I only need to really mulch around new plantings, where I pulled or cut out dead plants and in a few windswept areas.
I am devising a watering plan in case summer goes like last year and our city limits our watering further or curtails outside watering all together like many communities around us have. Our city council has already voted to ban fireworks this year. My watering plan (if necessary) involves praying for rain, choreographing a rain dance, saving every bit of rainwater I can and collecting bath water and water we run simply to get the water hot to the faucet. There is also a priority list which means some plants will have to join in the rain dance if they want any water. Anything that can be a house plant will come back inside. Hopefully, I won't need to do all of that.
Some tidbits of observation in no particular order...
My milkweed all came up in the last week.
The usually boring alley is currently filled with flowers!
We have attracted more bird species than ever before.
We have a few squirrels who do acrobatics from the trees to the bird feeders.
Skinks are being seen.
Every time I dig under the mulch in the established beds, I find great soil. All that decomposing plant material has paid off.
We have a very cute bunny.
The lily of the valley which went crunchy last summer came up and bloomed a little!
Our established trees must have grown as they're giving us more shade. Yea!
I repaired the soaker hose that I accidentally stuck the garden fork through this week. :-p
We're about to have an explosion of larkspur.
At this time of year, my wonderful husband and I also celebrate our wedding anniversary.
Our love grows every day. I'm going to take a little gardening break while we spend this week together amazed that it has been 20 years.
Be well and happy gardening!
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