Spring ended a week ago and I'm already looking forward to planning improvements in the garden for next spring. This was an odd spring. Iris, Sweet William and peonies bloomed heavily - but started late and ended fast. I don't think even my peonies lasted more than 8 days, which is very short. … [Read more...]
In Praise of Dianthus – Lovely Pinks and Sweet Williams
Dianthus come in beautiful colors of pink, rose, carmine, red, purple and bicolors, and as a bonus they have at least a faint scent. I always include some of the annual dianthus in our flower pots by the front door because they bloom all the time and look great without needing … [Read more...]
Chore Time – Cleaning Out the File Cabinet
Quick! Do you like to file? Do you like the lovely vista of file folders all neatly labeled, sorted and placed in the cabinet in a perfect logical order? No? Neither do I. In fact I detest filing and everything associated with it. Except I do like Avery sticky labels. But that's IT. We do … [Read more...]
It’s June and Peony Time in Michigan
I love peonies. They are beautiful, lovely vibrant colors in pink, rose, carmine and white, huge and fragrant. As a bonus the plants have lovely shapes and foliage, making them perfect plants to use as the foundation for your garden. I don't know what variety this one is. It's frilly, and … [Read more...]
Saving Tadpoles from the Swimming Pool
Our pool was full of gunk this spring above the winter cover. You name it, we had it floating in the rain and snow melt that accumulated on top the cover: bugs, hydrangea flower heads, leaves, pieces of plastic from the roof repair, assorted garbage blown by the wind. It doesn't look too bad in … [Read more...]
Flower Paths Weekly Calendar June 4, 2015
Somehow I missed last week. The Epidemium is blooming, but it's lavender and not yellow. I must have put the new one in the front of the bed and the small one in back is the old one which is yellow. Need to dig a better hole for the yellow one. Friday, May 29, 2015 Iris in full, gorgeous … [Read more...]
Flower Paths Weekly Calendar – May 21, 2015
Friday, May 15, 2015. High 70s but so muggy it feels like 90. Applied Spray-N-Grow with Bill's Special Fertilizer. Saturday, May 16, 2015. Finished weeding, fertilizing and de-bunnifying the last large perennial section. I'm pretty sure the odd plant coming up is the Eupatorium. Sunday, May … [Read more...]
Flower Paths Weekly Calendar – May 14, 2015
Friday, May 8. Hot and muggy. Planted the round circle section with pansies, marigolds and snapdragons. Bought perennials at the MSU master gardener sale. Planted a couple planters and poppy seeds in front day lily bed. Daffodils nearly done. Peonies growing and setting buds. No sign of … [Read more...]
Misty Mornings Mid May in Michigan
Yesterday morning I looked out the back window and saw this beautiful view of mist raising from the Kalamazoo river valley a mile away to cover the trees and most of the field behind our house. The spiderwebs sparkled with raindrops and the faint misty sunshine. Everything looked shrouded in … [Read more...]
Cold Spring in Northern Michigan – Ice Melting on Little Traverse Bay
We live in Southwest Michigan, where spring comes about 2 weeks earlier than it did in Midland and about a month earlier than further north. This weekend we went to a trade show in Petoskey, which is right on Little Traverse Bay (part of Lake Michigan) and about 70 miles north of Traverse City … [Read more...]