Garden Metamorphosis

Spring has officially sprung!

It's more than two weeks past the official date of Spring and I'm finally starting to believe that spring is here, possibly to stay. This week we've had wonderful weather, mostly in the 60's to the 80's. We've not seen much in the way of rain, and the ground has dried out from our long stint of downpours. I'm amazed at how much life has magically appeared overnight. From flowers to leafing trees, bunnies in the backyard to these cute baby robins in the tree in our front yard.

I've now officially mowed the grass twice this year. Grass is a somewhat relative term, as this year I feel like I'm mowing more dandelions than grass. I can't even begin how to comprehend how quickly dandelion flowers grow. I mow the yard and overnight the flowers grow a foot. I don't know what I'm going to do about the flowers. I'd much rather us something other than nasty chemicals to try and get rid of some of the weeds, but I'm not as versed on organic herbicides. I saw something the other day on some sort of corn feed pellets that are supposed to be good for crab-grass and other broad-leaf items, but I haven't found a local supplier in my area.


I finally have most of the rose bed that I started on over a month ago together. It turns out my best friend to get the trellis to stay put was concrete. I thought that our nasty clay soil would be strong enough to hold it up, but as it turns out clay turns extra soupy when wet, so every time it would rain, the wall would fall down a bit.

I'm really digging the new bed. Its lopsided right now because the bushes along the back aren't the same size. i figure if I give it about a year, they will balance out. The bed currently has the following plants:

Compact Burning Bush - Euonymus alatus 'Compacus'
Pixwell Gooseberry - Gooseberry 'Pixwell'
Gardenia Azalea - Rhododendron indicum

I also have two rose bushes planted in the open areas. I don't know what kind they are yet. I'll have to wait until later this summer to find out their color or type. it will be like having Christmas in July!

Meanwhile we have raspberry bushes setting in the kitchen that are sprouting, a trillion (ok, more like 50) strawberry plants that still need to be put in the ground, and a whole slew of new trees that came in from the Arbor Day foundation that need to get in the ground, along with the plum tree.

I need a vacation so I can get caught up!!!