Tuesday, May 3, 2011

May Flowers

In contrast to the mess INSIDE the house. .the mess OUTSIDE the house has been nice to look at. Among the many weeds and undesirable things starting to flourish, are plenty of flourishing things that I incorporated into the landscape!
Finally, good luck with a clematis.  I picked this one up at Walmart 3-4 years ago. .and it has verged on death since then. .you know. .won't live. .won't die?? It's mate has already succumbed, but this one lives AND blooms this year.  If I remember right, it is Nelly Moser. .a pink and purple variety. .Camille just loves it. .it has her two favorite colors, and it blooms where she can see it from her favorite swing!!
The orange honeysuckle bushes are LOADED with blooms. .as you can see. I keep hooking more of the vines into the new trellis. .I think one of my next projects will be to make a small container water garden on the deck side of these.  I saw a photo that had a face sculpture hanging amidst a vining plant.  They snaked clear plastic tubing through the vines (completely hiding the tubing) and attached it to the spitting face and a water pump.  The face "spit" water into a galvanized tub a couple feet below the face. .it had a lot of cool factor to it! These honeysuckle would be just perfect for a project like that!
The iris are beginning to bloom.  These yellow ones have really taken off. .I don't even remember having that big of a clump!! And there are two clumps.  The peach ones won't be far behind them. I also noticed some white ones blooming. .but no purples or blues yet. They are great for making indoor bouquets.
I mentioned the other day that Becky and I had gotten new plants for our water features. .I am trying to turn the south end of the pond into a bog-like area. This will allow for some interest to the sides. .and the ability to grow some different types of plants.  The roots also work at "digesting" fish waste, and serve to clarify the water in the pond. I came home with quite a few things to try. .including some rush, variegated cattail, sweet flag, papyrus, parrot feather, ferns, bog lilies, lizard tails, and two shades of pickerel. Now. .surely SOMETHING will survive!! I knew that the initial plant stocking would be an investment. I don't like the looks of pots in the pond. .so I am trying to plant part of them in the pea gravel. I'll let you know how it works out. The nice thing is that all but 1-2 of the plants purchased are hardy here. .the other ones can go into buckets in my greenhouse for the winter.
I didn't think about the ferns being planted right in the water. .but my research and the pond lady said you could make it work.  I bought a couple to try out!! If they work. .that will be the best success ever, since I really LOVE ferns!
My purple columbine plant is blooming it's little head off!! I think next year I will try seeding some columbine mixes and see if I have any luck there.
Mr. Lincoln rose is showing off a bloom right next to the inferno garden. .which has really started blooming.
The Napeta Walker's Low (catnip) is smothered in bloom, as is the Cardonna blue sage (salvia). 
The new grass is starting to look pretty good.  And we even brought the mower out last weekend to clean up some areas.
I am hoping that we can get our garden veggies planted this weekend!! This is really a busy time of year in all aspects of life!! Many jobs and activities and little time! I know you all know what I'm talking about!! Wishing you all a few moments of peace and serenity today!!

6 comments:

  1. I can't believe you already have a clematis bloom! At least my clematis is alive and growing. I got worried late last summer.
    The water container project sounds interesting. I hope you can get it going.
    I noticed my first iris tonight. A purple and yellow one.
    You have so many great things going on with the pond. I hope you get the plants settled like you want so they look like they just found their way there.
    I have big planting plants this weekend too. I don't know how I manage to get a garden in with all the crazy May activities on our calendar. No graduations this year and no weddings which is rare but in addition to Mom's day, we just had a family reunion and we have two God children and two nieces with birthdays this month. Plus our anniversary.
    I have my tomato plants lined up by the window waiting to go outside. We had a frost warning here last night but nothing frosted. Thank goodness.

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  2. Mel, that sweet flag(iris) in your pond will multiply like crazy! And, mine had such pretty yellow blooms all summer. Love taking the "walk" through your yard! Thanks for sharing!
    Watch that honeysuckle for the hummers...maybe you'll find a nest there.

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  3. My little buckets of water plants look dorky compared to the ones at your house! HA! I love your pond.
    Got my iris planted last night. Hoping with some extra love and water they will be pretty next year.
    My Salvia looks PATHETIC this year. It usually looks big and beautiful. I'm blaming the lack of rain. =(
    My tomato plants are suppose to be arriving today! Need to get over to Protection to get the rest of my goodies so I can it all planted.

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  4. Oh man, you really did buy a lot of plants for your pond! I really hope that they all take! My sister used to have a landscape pond, much, much smaller than yours and she really enjoyed it and did have great success with plants.

    Well here's my big floral purchase for the spring...a six pack of The Wave Petunia..the one that grows and grows and grows, overflowing with beauty and majesty! It better work! The flowers are beautiful. They are dark purple with white stripes that come from the center of the flower. I bought a hanging container at a salvage place for 25 cents..yes!..and I plan to plant it in there ASAP. I have the perfect place to hang it..in an arch cut out window kind of thing on my front porch. If it does well, I will brag about it on my blog! LOL You just might get to see a photo of it!

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  5. I enjoyed seeing what you have blooming. I hope your pretty clematis does better this season. I'm glad I made it here today, because I'm going to a local nursery with my mom tomorrow, and saw your Cardona blue sage, which reminded me I want to get one. I wonder if I should write that down. Well, I better get to bed, but I stayed out until 9:30, finishing my gardening in the dark.

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  6. My oh my, you are a busy girl! I am so envious of your pond. I think that is what attracted me to your blog. I would love to have one but I have no one to help me with it and no idea how to take care of one. A cup of coffee in the morning would be so nice. All of your flowers look so good. Keep up the good work!

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