Tag: irises

Spring garden in bloom

For most of last week and this current week, I am pleased to report on the many salvias in bloom in the garden. The Thalia daffodils are continuing to putting on a robust multi-flowered show in S1 and B3, suffering only minor bruising due to repeated canine incursions. The Accent daffodils finished their run just as the Thalia daffodils started their display. The muscari armeniacum are starting to wind down. The white muscari however are popping up here and there, mostly in B3 in the shadows of the Thalias, reminding me again of their late-blooming nature. I wish I could produce a denser stand of these white muscari, but it just seems like this particular cultivar isn’t as aggressive. Another disappointment are the dutch and bearded irises, which have failed to show–they are usually evident about this time in the season.

I finally got the ajuga planted in S1, after cleaning up the remains of 2 more hapless victims of the vicious plant destroyer (an ajuga and a newly purchased purple salvia greggii). The ajuga that I purchased from Sooner are in full bloom, displaying intense blue flower spikes under 6 inches tall. Another happy sight: the first leaf shoots from the Fire and Ice Hosta are popping out of the ground.

I still need to purchase more bags of regular garden soil to level the beds in S1 and B5. I’m also searching the local nurseries for 2 specimens of white salvia to plant in S1 and B2.

First Daffodil

The first daffodil bloomed Sunday Mar 9. (I would’ve posted a picture if it hadn’t looked so bedraggled after being trampled by an exuberant pup.) Many more daffodil blooms on the way. Hopefully my newly installed fencing will keep the dogs out. Other flowers making a showing: blue muscari and the dwarf irises seem to be winding down (not the 100 bulbs I ordered, it seems).

The 300

The number 300 marks the quantity of bulbs buried into the garden this past Sunday. Fifty narcissi went into the middle bed, and the remainder into the side yard; all of the allium made it into the middle bed, while Muscari and dwarf irises got portioned out to each bed. It took some effort to prep both beds to receive the bulbs, including hubby’s attempt at leaf-blowing with my air compressor. Both hubby and I are sore from the weekend’s dirt digging, but hopefully we can look forward to an interesting show come spring. I still require some topsoil to increase the depth of the existing beds.

Note that we also planted 2 nandinas in the middle bed to hopefully provide some background. I transplanted the remainder of an artemisia and an agapanthus in the middle bed, but I’m skeptical of their survivability.

You know that your work isn’t complete when an industrious canine comes over to dig up all your hard work. I promptly laid down a cover of wire on the affected areas. We could use more fencing to deter the pups from entering and wreaking havoc in the flower beds.

Fall gardening and bulb orders

Well, despite the hurt it put on my pocketbook, I went ahead and purchased another slew of bulbs for the early-late spring show. My Brent and Becky’s order went through Tuesday afternoon. I should be expecting 100 each of Dwarf Irises and White Thalia Narcissi as well as 50 each of Muscari botryoides ‘Album’ and Allium caeruleum. This order, totalling $120.75, should be arriving Nov 13, according to UPS tracking.

Hubby made me very happy yesterday–he proceeded to apply the garden staples I bought last weekend to the weedmats he laid down around the back flowerbeds. He also began erecting the bent-out-of-shape wire fencing to keep the dogs out of the beds. Now all I have to do is clean up around the areas and cut down any old left-over lily stalks. Sadly, I am still finding uprooted lily bulbs everywhere I look. The upside: I installed some planter rings around 4-6 salvias in the beds.

More poop scoopin’ to do, as well as tidying up the other beds, front and side. Me wonders if DH will get to applying that pre-emergent on the lawn. Stay tuned!!

Replacing irises and another salvia purchase

My replacement irises arrived yesterday, and I was happy to receive two Zzzanzibars from Brad and Kathie. With Dash wreaking destruction on the iris bed, the replacements arrived just as I assessed the damage. It appears one of the Blueberry Fillies got partially chewed, and an Alpha Gnu got dislodged. I replanted everything and put the Zzzanzibars in their new homes.

Also yesterday, I put in an order for 2 Salvia chamaedryoides from Lazy S’S Farm online store. I can’t wait to get these in my yard.