Spring is finally here and the rain continues, at least the weather has warmed somewhat with highs in the 50’s. But the skies are mostly grey and the garden seems to be a bit behind where it was last year. The daffodils have bloomed, and continue to bloom, in waves depending on the variety.
The lily of the valley bushes are putting out red and orange new growth.
Lily of the Valley Bush
These bushes make a lovely backdrop for the first rhododendron to bloom, a beautiful yellow one of shorter stature. This bush was on the south/west side of the house before we added the addition and didn’t look happy with the sun and heat. It is thriving in its new, shadier, home in the back of the yard.
Yellow Rhododendron
The azaleas are in full bloom.
And a lime colored fuchsia that was planted several years ago when we first purchased the house finally seems to be taking off. It’s especially lovely against the dark redwood of the deck.
Lime leaved fuchsia
Compared to last year, the bearded irises along the driveway have not shown the same growth. But it has been rainier and colder this year. I will fertilize them this month, as suggested on line, with a low nitrogen fertilizer.
Much to my surprise, the tulips (not supposed to be cold enough for them here) have come back this year and multiplied. They are planted in a half barrel with a butterfly bush.
The sweet flowering peas I planted last fall have definitely taken off with the warming weather, although there are no flower buds yet. It will still be a month or more before I can harvest armloads of the wonderful scented flowers.
The half barrel of bush snap peas has just started to flower. I’ve been harvesting shoots of these edible peas for salads as well.
You can see both of them at the back of the vegetable garden.
Here’s a quick photo of the meadow, you can clearly see the chaos…which was my intention. This will be a pollinator garden once it starts flowering.
Wildflower and pollinator garden
The vegetable garden in raised beds continues to flourish. I’m harvesting lots of greens for salads and struggling to keep up with the kale.
Vegetable raised beds
I have four new bare root roses, planted in half barrels for safety and protection from gophers. Although we keep up with them by trapping, overlooking one for several days would be disastrous to the rose bush. The newly planted roses are shades of pink, apricot and orange.
Bare Root Rose Bushes
I thought you might also like a quick look at the wild part of the garden, of which there are acres.
A friend requested that I add a few comments each month on what I have planted or chores performed. Keep in mind that I am gardening in zone 9b and your own planting times may be different.
Chores:
- fertilize iris bed with low nitrogen fertilizer
- cut back salvias and sages to encourage bushiness now that our last frost date has passed
- fertilize citrus trees
- add compost around plants
- weed, weed, weed
April planting:
- vegetables – from seed: lettuce, arugula, beets, radishes, carrots
- 4 bare root roses for half wine barrel containers
- 5 new dahlia bulbs
- small annuals such as baby blue eyes and poppies
- 2 orange rhododendrons
- pink lily of the valley bush
- 5 white rock roses
New plants coming later this month:
And lastly, a look at the garden this time last year April 2018 In the Garden. Just click on the title to see the older post. The deer fence was’t finished until mid-May of last year. The garden has changed a lot since then, as I haven’t had to worry about planting exclusively deer and rabbit resistant plants (there are very few deer proof plants).