Weekend Garden Notes, April 20, 2014
Getting the Garden in Shape
It was a beautiful weekend, and I’m very pleased with myself for all the spring garden chores I accomplished. For starters, cutting back the rest of the stems and stalks, leaving behind enough dead leaves and plant litter to keep the bugs and birds happy.
What’s more, I edged all the beds and borders. I like using a shallow trench to form a clear demarcation between the lawn and the flowers, though in some beds pavers fill this function. I only need to clear the trenches once a year, then keep the turf grasses and other invaders from sneaking past. The soil cleared from the trenches is like compost, full of decayed leaves and other vegetable matter, and you can use it as such.
Plus, I put away the heated bird bath and got our little fountain started up. And did it without pulling any muscles in my back.
First of the Tulips and Daffodils
Species tulips are wild tulips, with blooms smaller than the hybrids, that grow in a swath from Central Asia to the Mediterranean. They are wonderful for many reasons, not least of which is that they tend to bloom weeks earlier than the hybrid tulips. Tulipa turkestanica, with its yellow base and nearly flat cream-colored tepals, is a particular favorite of mine. It seems to be successfully naturalizing in my beds.
Tulipa praestans ‘Unicum’ has vivid red flowers and variegated leaves. It blooms at the same time as T. turkestanica, and they make good companions.
Another early species tulip is Tulipa biflora. Similar to T. turkestanica, but shorter and with delicate, cup-shaped blooms.
The first of the daffodils are blooming, including ‘Little Gem’. There’s also a number of bi-colored Large-Cup daffodils, but I’ve lost track of the varieties. I’m especially fond of bi-colored daffodils with white perianths and yellow crowns.
Containing My Excitement
The hybrid tulips planted in containers seem to have come through the winter with flying colors. I am eager to see them in bloom. Given the severity of the winter, it would seem that burying the containers provided better protection than putting them in an unheated garage. In addition to nine containers of hybrid tulips, I planted one of common hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis).
This weekend I bought a flat of lemon-colored sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) and used it to underplant the container tulips.
I also filled our unoccupied containers, including our old rusty wheelbarrow, with pansies: blue, yellow, white, and white with a purple face.
Finally, I came up with a use for my old shoes. First I should tell you that I hate shopping for shoes (and clothes in general), and I hate throwing them away. I tend to wear my shoes until the sole is worn through and parting ways with the rest of the shoe. I’ve had a few pairs of these old shoes lined up near the front door, but just recently realized that they would make great planters. Ta da! And the extra holes provide openings for more plants.
Did you get some quality time in the garden this weekend?
gardeninacity 
I did get some quality time in the garden this weekend, the weather today was fantastic! I am trying to keep up with planting all my new plants soon after acquiring them, rather than hanging onto them till next year or longer, which always ends up with me losing several to winter cold. I recently finished all my cutting back and cleaning up too. I like a trench edge on my beds, I do thte same as you.
I really don’t like having plants sitting in their pots and not getting them into the ground right away. Sometimes it’s hard to avoid, though.
Such a unique planter-shoes. Love those tulips especially the one with the variegated leaves-beautiful. I spent the weekend planting as well. Hope you and Judy had a nice Easter.
Thanks. I think I prefer the species tulips to the big hybrids, but Judy loves the hybrids so we have both.
You have lovely species tulips, specially Tulips turkestanica.
I have Sally Holmes too, she is beautiful. She smells lovely and blooms for ages. A real star. I do love single roses.
What on earth are Merry Bells? Latin please.
Merry bells – Uvularia grandiflora. I’ll post pictures when they’re in bloom. Lovely nodding yellow flowers, beautiful foliage.
Uvularia! Oh right, I grow it myself and I think it is beautiful.
We had a beautiful weekend as well. Lots of weeding and preparing and hopefully planting next weekend. Love the tulips! Have tried to grow the species tulips before but with not much success.
Can you grow the hybrid tulips? They do need a chilling period, also decent drainage.
The drainage is the problem. Even with lots of compost, our soil is still pretty clay-ey. Maybe eventually I can get there because I do love them. They scream spring!
Looking very spring-like! My blub containers just went over and were moved to the back this weekend. I’m going to repant the daffs and muscari, but the tulips are kaput.
The hybrid tulips I pretty much use as annuals. The species are good perennials, though.
You’ve certainly been working hard and it looks very neat. I adore species tulips too and tried a few new ones this year which I’m pleased with. Your wheelbarrow and shoes make lovely features! It rained a bit yesterday which is good but now the sun’s out and I will plant some tomatoes, aubergines etc. in the greenhouse.
Glad you liked the wheelbarrow and shoes!. We should get some rain tonight, which would be useful. Can’t wait for everything to start blooming.
It’s looking good, and I love the pansies. I did some raking to finish up one area on Saturday morning. I’ll finish up the last of the raking on Tuesday. 🙂
Looks from your last post as if you are a week or two behind us.
Oh how i miss my tulips! I had TONS that came up (in Massachusetts) every year.
I agree with you re: digging shallow trenches to demarcate garden beds, I love the neat look, although i do have a few beds offset by pavers too.
You really accomplished a LOT this weekend!
I would miss tulips also! Another reason I doubt I would move to Florida (also I don’t hold up well in hot weather).
Looking good in Chicago! Those shoe planters are inspired.
Thanks! I actually got the idea from the International garden festival at Chaumont.
Great weekend to be out in the garden. I like your clever use of gardening containers. I tried the container tulips this year, but I left the pots out all winter and so far haven’t seen anything coming up. May be a failed experiment due to the harsh winter. Yours were probably more protected being buried.
You have to bury the containers, keep them inside where it is not too cold or warm, or at least give them some sort of insulation. Better luck next year!
I’ll try again next year. It was really a last minute decision when I saw some bulbs on clearance. Too late to bury them then, but I could have put the pots somewhere more protected. I feel up to the challenge next winter and will plan ahead better.
It was a great weekend for puttering around. I really admire your species tulips.
Thank you!
The species tulips look wonderful naturalized in your garden. You’ve given me a good idea of some to add the Longview Ranch. Let’s hear it for productive garden weekends with no back strain!!
Indeed!
I love the fountain. I managed to set up a new feeder pole hopefully out of the squirrels’ reach and dug up three butterfly bushes without killing my back…although some of the roots are still there so I’m not convinced, but I’m looking forward to filling that space with something less invasive. Unfortunately I have tulips the squirrels have planted everywhere and none are blooming yet. …
I planted a compact butterfly bush last fall, I’m waiting to see if it survived the winter. I didn’t actually realize they were invasive in this region. Oops!
Hi Jason, love the planted wheel barrow! I like to have neat lawn/border edging too and it’s a job I would be doing around now, but we have no borders in the new garden! We’ve already had the spring bulbs due to the mild winter and early start to the season so it’s nice to see them again in the US garden blogs .
I kind of envy you the blank canvass in your new garden! I’m sure it will be full of borders before long.
The old wheelbarrow and the planted shoes look great! I do like your fountain too. What lovely tulips you have, I’m so glad you are finally getting a little colour.xxx
Thanks. I’m tempted to pull all the old shoes out of the closets and turn them all into little planters.
Isn’t it positively rejuvenating to finally be able to spend weekends in the garden? I like your tulips.
Yes, and the temptation to play hooky during the week is almost overwhelming.
Something about cleaning up the garden after winter really makes me pleased with myself. Next to putting out nice little vegetable transplants, it’s one of my favorite tasks…. as long as it’s not too much work of course.
It’s like setting the stage for the flowers to bloom, which is really the next best thing.
I got a start uncovering the beds this weekend too. Everything is coming up but few are blooming yet. I’ve never seen a tulip with variegated leaves-interesting. That pot full of hyacinths is going to smell great near the front door.
The weather warmed so I too edged the beds like the pros. That is one good thing about working with landscapers, I always have the right tools for the jobs. No planting here yet, it needs a bit more time of warm weather to even get the trees to break bud.
What is the right tool for the job? I use a regular long-handled edger. During the season I have a battery powered weed whacker that I use to keep the grass in check.
Love those shoes!!!!! That is AWESOME!!!! You are a rockstar Jason!!!! I can not believe all that you accomplished! Beautiful spots all over your garden!!! I have been working out in the garden but I spent much of the time picking a million maple trees out of the front bed…though I did get a few labor intensive jobs done while the beans were coming down from their sugar high on Easter! Wishing you a great week in the garden!!! Nicole
We traveled for Easter and it is always a struggle for me to leave the garden on a nice day but we had a wonderful time. Of course, I walked the garden the minute we returned home. One of my daffodils is blooming today. The scilla are a brilliant, brilliant blue! I noticed your nice edging right away! That is something I hope to accomplish this Spring. I didn’t quite get it done early enough last year. Love all your interesting containers – so nice to see all those flowers.
Great to see all your tulips coming up, and I love the shot of your hyacinths. I am most taken by your wheelbarrow full of pansies, and the shoes! what an inspiration! Happy spring!
We have had some great Easter Holidays with lots of sunshine. Perfect for gardening. I like your water feature, and I´m thinking about buying half a whiskykeg, and filling that with water.
Great to see that you’ve thrown yourself into spring with both feet (there seem to be 4 shoes but I’m not sure what you call two pairs of feet! enjoy. We had more hail over Easter as well as some lovely sunshine.
Amazing to see all these blooms…been too cold for much to bloom here and we are behind.