More of What is Blooming!

Sorry...forgot the name of this one.

Purple Coneflower

Coreopsis

Azalea (This one was here when I moved in, so I don't know which variety it is.  I have a purple on too that is is bloom already.)

Carolina Jasmine

Clematis ( A few weeks ago, I couldn't tell that this was even there, but for the paint stick marking where I had planted it last year.  Thanks mom!)

My climbing rose.  I need to build a trellis for it.  I also have to spray it or the caterpillars will eat every single leaf off of it.

Sedum (This will bloom through most of the late summer through fall.)

Yarrow (Thanks M.B.)

Daisy of some sort.  Another M.B. gift.  Apparently she throws away bags full of these daisies every year.  Sounds like a good problem to have.

I also found just found some Gladiolus coming up that I missed last year when I dug the rest up.  There was also some of what my mom calls "Moses in the bull rush".  It looks like a Wandering Jew but is darker and has pink leaves.  I will ask my resident flower identifier M.B for a final analysis.  (M.B. is my wife's grandmother.)

The hostas continue to grow every day.  I had to put the deer fencing up to keep them from getting eaten, but unfortunately, it is not kid proof.

I am planning on going to the State Botanical Gardens on Saturday with some friends from work to take photos.  Hopefully, I will get some ideas and will post some pics this weekend.

Here's What's Blooming!

Grape Hyacinth

Phlox

Forsythia

Peach Tree

Hosta

Bradford Pear

Camilla

Daffodil

Catmint

More to come!  Much has begun to bloom even since I took these photos.  I can see small red buds coming out already on my azaleas.  I also see my purple coneflower and coreopsis beginning to peak their leaves out. 

I saw the first Carolina Jasmine bloom open yesterday.  I can't wait for another couple of weeks when the whole vine will be covered with sweet smelling blooms.

The clematis that I thought for sure would not come back this year has already grown bigger than it was last year when I got it as a clipping.  I am going to have to start building some supports for it.

Up until now I have not been much for planting bulbs, but after seeing what I have been missing this spring, I think that this fall I will turn over a new leaf.

On another side note...My neighbor was about to dig up and throw away twelve azalea bushes.  Guess who was just in time to save them and already had a place in the garden for them?  This guy!

So far the boxwoods that I saved are still alive. One is beginning to show a little brown, but overall, I think that they all should make it.

Don't be tempted by the warm weather that we have had lately.  Many big home improvement centers are bursting at the seams with new plants, however, for us here in Atlanta, the last frost date is April 10th.  That means if you run out and buy the first thing and stick it in the ground there is still a good chance that a late frost could come along and kill it.  The first week in March last year we had snow remember!?

Dedication

So...I was outside this morning at 6:45 digging plants.

Calling All Plants

Thank you to everyone that has been following my blog.  I hope that you have been able to learn a little and at the same time be inspired to go out into your yards.

With spring upon us, I was thinking of putting together a plant swap.  This is a great way to give away plants that you might have a lot of and at the same time find some new ones for FREE!

Please let me know if you are interested.  Or if you have some plants that you would like to put up to swap, please POST a comment.

What We Start With

Part of having a great yard is great preparation.  With the warm weather that we have had lately, there has been ample time to get some prep work done in the yard.

Now is the time to get your upcoming flower beds in order.  Have you tilled them?  Have you added soil amendments?  Have you tested the soil?  If not, it is not the end of the world.  If you have, great!  It will better your chances. 

With everything beginning to pop up, but before everything turns green, it is a great time to look at what you have.  Try to simplify areas that need more work than others.  Don't try to go overboard and overwhelm yourself trying to fix every problem in your yard.

One year concentrate on the yard,the next a particular flower bed.  A beautiful yard takes time and if you do it right the first time, your work will reward you with a beautiful yard.

This year I decided to concentrate on my back yard.  The bed that I am starting with is primarily just dailies.  I plan to change that this year.  I also created new beds and paths that will be built upon this season.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions.  The new beds are partial to full shade. 

The last picture is a bed that I had built last year, but wasn't big enough.  You might recognize the flags in the picture.  They are the ones that I pulled up from when I had the yard marked.  They are great for new plantings that haven't come up yet.  In this case, they are marking hostas that I planted that will begin showing themselves in the next couple of weeks.

With these beds so close to the woods, I have had a big problem with deer eating many of the new plants that I try to plant in this area.  More careful planning would have saved me money last year in finding more plants that are more naturally deer resistant.

Grower's Outlet Open

Grower's Outlet opened TODAY!  They have the best prices I've seen anywhere. 

Just make sure that before you buy that it is the right time to do so for that plant.  Even though plants might be in the nurseries, doesn't mean it should be planted now. Make sure to do your research first and have the area that the plant is going to be planted in ready prior to bringing it home.

See below for Grower's Outlet's website.

http://www.growersoutlet.com/

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

I have a spot in my garden that has been crying for an evergreen shrub.  I had been thinking about either azaleas or boxwoods. 

On my way home yesterday, my mind was made up for me. 

In one of the neighborhoods I drive through on my way home from work, there were six huge boxwoods that had just been dug up.  They were destined for the chipper, but by simply stopping and asking if I could have them, they soon found their way to the back of my truck.  I was still in my suit from work but luckily had some work gloves in my truck.

Yes, the looks from the passing motorist says it all.  I mean, how often do you see someone in a suit loading boxwoods into the back of a truck in a suburban neighborhood?

Let me just go ahead and say that my actions, even for myself, were highly unusual.  I ended up planting them that night and watering them in.

If they die...so what.  I didn't pay for them, and worse case scenario, they go into my compost pile in the woods.  If they live, I have just saved myself several hundred dollars.

The moral of the story...I had already in my mind, new what I wanted to plant in that location, I had already prepared the location, and I was actively looking for opportunities to get something for FREE!

You have to take these "bargains" with a grain of salt, but by doing so, you could potentially save a lot of money and have a beautiful garden to show for it!