It's Friday and it's raining. That's ok since it is April and rain is expected, but what is unexpected was that, in March, the weather was record-breaking HOT and everything started to grow - a whole month ago! The confused crocus bloomed starting in February! The even more confused daffodils and tulips came up so early that nearly all are done for the season. Now that is a disappointment since in April there are generally these cheerful harbingers of Spring to enjoy. But this year, they have endured winds whipping them into a frenzy, hail pounding them, cold snaps freezing their little buds off and a roller coaster ride of temperatures! The Clematis developed buds which are now withered and drooping from the most recent frost. I am amazed at the resilience of some of the perennial plants to withstand all this and still survive! Unfortunately some have succumbed.. I remain optimistic that the Clematis will rebound and produce an abundance of new buds since I planted 3 different Clematis to intertwine next to the garage door and am anxiously awaiting a display!!
I thought it would be a perfect day to drive to the Countryside Greenhouse in Allendale, MI today to look at plants. But then I came downstairs and turned on our cheery gas fireplace to take the chill off the basement room and I am still here and unmotivated to go out into the gloom. Maybe tomorrow...
I cannot say that during the warm spell we had I was disappointed.. it was really quite wonderful to have such mild weather so early. We have enjoyed early migration of many water fowl and our friendly feathered friends who grace us all Spring and Summer came early, to my delight. I have not seen any Hummingbirds yet, but I think later today I will prepare the feeders and put a couple out to see if any come 'round.
Spring really is my most favorite season. I feel so blessed to live in an area where the array of wildlife changes from moment to moment. It is incredible to see the changing landscape as the trees, bushes and flowers come into bloom.
However, one more "feature" of our unusually early Spring weather is the arrival of the Black Flies. These little pests which normally arrive around May have already arrived and I have unfortunately experienced my first attack! If they were only just little pests that fly around your head, I could probably learn to appreciate them as being an integral part of the outdoor experience.. however, I am obviously allergic to their "venom" and one tiny bite causes a welt that swells to 100 times its original size, becomes red and inflamed and itches like the devil! All the while taking at least a week to even begin to heal. I'll keep seeking natural products to keep these tiny pests at bay.. though I almost always resort to the chemical concoctions containing DEET and other poisons just to avoid the nasty bites.. I could avoid them entirely by never leaving the house, but what fun would that be !!!
I ordered some bulbs from the Netherlands for Spring planting (hence the reason I was outside being Black Fly bait).. and so far I planted some so-called "hardy" Amaryllis bulbs. I'm not sure exactly what I expected when ordering something called "hardy" in the Amaryllis realm, as they really are a tropical plant and only winter over in zones 9 to 11 generally. So, I wasn't terribly surprised that these, though probably hardier than others I own, are only able to survive temps down to 23 degrees F. Hardly hardy in our zone which can easily become subzero any given winter! But, they are planted and I hope they produce some fantastic blooms this Summer before I have to pull them in the fall along with the other tender bulbs for wintering in the garage.
Two years ago I bought 4 Josee reblooming lilac bushes from Springhill Nurseries. When they arrived, the plants were very tiny. In order to give them a fighting chance to survive, I planted them in a holding area out behind our garage where we have a small area that probably equates to a planting zone 6 rather than our normal zone 5. So, right now, in April, I am being rewarded with the first glimpse of these beauties with their showy light lavender clusters on bushes which has become around 4 ft tall. They are truly gorgeous and this fall I will transplant them to their final spots along the winding drive up to the house. I'm sure that they will be stunning, along with the Rose of Sharon bushes given to me by Daughter-in-law Kathy. With much patience comes much reward.
Speaking of the Rose of Sharon bushes.. I originally planted 9 tiny twigs out in the same holding spot behind the garage 3 years ago. Last Spring we transplanted 5 along the driveway and pampered them all Summer with water and plant food. In March during the glorious warm spell they all formed beautiful new leafy growth and I was ecstatic to see them thriving. 3 weeks later they look like barren sticks again, their tender new growth having been "burned" off by frost. But these guys are very hardy and I expect they will come back to show us their first year of blooms later this Summer. Along with the lilacs, I'll be transplanting the final 4 survivors from their protected area behind the garage out to the brutal open area along the drive. Of course, they will be nurtured and loved as their counterparts were and given every chance to thrive. Maybe by the time Phil is 90 the area along the drive will be everything we have envisioned..
More amazement abounds as I look around and see the plants that are returning with much gusto this year. Since we built the house nearly 7 years ago, I have continued to plant a variety of perennial ground covers in the completely shaded, sandy and mostly dry area on the SE corner of the house under the deck. It is a steep hill of sand braced by a retaining wall of landscape treated wood ties. About 4 and a half feet above the patio and sloping upward until about 2 feet below the main deck by the bedroom slider, we have planted two varieties of vinca minor. After two years a wide area of the vinca did not survive. Next I purchased some variegated Snow on the Mountain ground cover. This has done very well in a shaded area on the West side of the house in essentially the same soil, although uncovered, so it gets much more natural watering. 3 years later there is a bit of this that has survived, but I can hardly say it has thrived. 3 years ago I planted a couple of very hardy Liriope to see how that would work. This plant is advertised to grow literally anywhere, even the most dense of shaded areas. Well, it is still there.. these two little clumps which are supposed to branch out and cover a large area.. but I guess my expectations about "fast-growing" and the garden centers are somewhat different .. But! I am not discouraged because this is a process and an adventure !! Last year I bought 3 very well-established. large (1 gallon) containers of Pachysandra . This very hardy perennial ground cover appears to be my answer to this perplexing area. I first saw the lush growth of Pachysandra in the densely shaded area at the Frederick Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan two Summers ago. I was amazed at the beauty of the dark green leaves and white flower bracts that bloomed in the cool, deeply shaded areas. When I saw Pachysandra offered at a local nursery I decided to give it a try. Not knowing how it would survive, I bought only 3 plants as an experiment. As with the other ground covers, I had no real expectations since nothing much seems to grow there. Needless to say, I am thrilled and delighted that the Pachysandra not only survived the Winter, but survived without a single withered leaf and has already bloomed with it's delicate stalks of white flowers! As I've watched it over the past month, I can see that new growth is appearing. I'm in love :-) ! I now have high hopes for this tough perennial plant and am planning to buy enough plants to fill in the gaps going up the sandy hill. Here's hoping....
More highs and lows.. Last Autumn I planted bearded Iris plants in our new circular area in the center of the drive turn-around. These appear to be growing well and I have hope that they will bloom this year. Several tiny tulips and some grape hyacinth that I also planted in the same area have already bloomed. The tulips were a diminutive variety in a color so intensely fire red that they almost hurt the eyes to view them in full sunlight. Incredible with the deep bluish purple of the surrounding grape hyacinth! Some other bulb thing is emerging there, too, I'm thinking they are Dutch Iris... this remains to be discovered!
Things that survived.. things that didn't... I planted a full dozen new day lilies at the base of the big dune on the lake side of the house, none of which appear to have survived... <sigh> With the same order came two bleeding hearts of an ever blooming variety. I had one succeed before that is so fabulous that I bought two more. They are coming up, so at least I have not killed them yet.. Some campanula are returning and some speedwell. The Hostas that I planted 3 years ago by the NW corner of the house were being encroached upon by the now very large Hydrangea bush, so I moved them out away from the bush by a foot or so and they are coming up nicely. Several other of the Hostas are coming in nicely, barring another hard frost they will probably be outstanding this year! Looking at purchasing another variety pack from Springhill.. they are offering their grab bag at $29.99 right now for 8 plants. A very good deal! I have good luck with Hostas in general and they are totally carefree once they are established. Plus they grow well in the shady areas that are so hard to garden! So far in my holding area there are several twigs that I planted last Fall which don't appear to be producing any obvious growth yet. Not knowing what to expect, they may just be later at developing growth, so I'll keep watching and hoping with crossed fingers.
Went online and purchased a ton of bulbs that will arrive for Fall planting from Brecks. I think I'm going to need to have a Planting Party !! Well, if I get them all planted this Fall we should have a show-stopping display of daffodils, tulips, grape hyacinths, hyacinths, crocus and a few other early bloomers next year !! It takes a lot of patience when planting bulbs, but they are so worth it !!!!!
As I look out across our little lake, the sky is still shrouded in gloom and everything is wet, but it appears to have stopped raining for the moment. The temp dropped about 10 degrees or so since this morning so nothing is going to get done outside today. My wish for tomorrow is some mild temps and no rain so I can finish up with the latest order of plants that arrived on Wednesday! Then some weeding and mulching and things should look pretty good.
Wishing everyone a beautiful Spring !!
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