Garden Tour

After weeks of  garden prep the day finally came.  I spent five hours answering questions and comparing ideas with fellow gardeners.  The crowd was a nice mix of novice gardeners and serious plant collectors.   It was a wonderful opportunity to meet new gardeners hear about their own gardens.  The Japanese stewartia started blooming earlier this year which was perfect timing for the garden tour.  The stewartia is my favorite tree for the garden with its year around interest.  Many of the potted arisaemas were also in flower on the terrace which attracted a great deal of interest.  With great weather and a nice crowd the tour was a great success for the museum.

Rain

After one of the driest Mays that I can remember we are finally getting much needed rain.  It is pretty strange to see lawns turning brown in the spring.  Every thing is two weeks ahead in the garden.  The good thing is my Japanese Stewartia should be in bloom for the garden tour I  am doing to benefit a local museum.  I love meeting fellow gardeners and sharing my garden with the public. 

Road Trip

The weather has turned very warm and dry for late May. Work and family has kept me from the garden until today.  I spent most of the day weeding,watering, and bringing plants up from the basement. Last Thursday my friend Drew and I took a trip to New York City to see High Line and Wave Hill.  High Line is the old rail line that is above the streets down in the meatpacking district of New York.  Once slated for demolition it is now in the early stages of being turned in to a walkway with gardens.   The first part opened last year and has become very popular.  On the way back we stopped at the gardens at Wave Hill for a quick look. I have been down to see this garden in the Fall a number of times so I was looking forward to seeing it in the Spring.  The garden was beautiful( I wish I had more time.) The staff at both gardens have done a wonderful job keeping everything in great shape.

Cold Night

Last night the temperature dropped to 25 degrees.  Normally this would not be a problem but with our early spring everything was two weeks ahead.  A number of trees and shrubs suffered leaf damage including Magnolia 'Butterflies' and Styrax obassia.  Some varieties of hosta also had frost damage too, but  overall the garden came through fine and the plants will recover.   I won't put any tender plants out for another few weeks.

Daffodils and more

 Spring came fast and furious this year and the garden has never looked better this early.  I have also spent more time in it. The compost pile in the driveway is over half gone. All my Spring flowering trees seem to be in sync this year with the redbud taking center stage right now.  The epimediums should peak this weekend in the back shade garden along with the primroses.

  Last Thursday I went up north to the Adirondacks with my friend Drew (Baneberry Garden Blog) to see thousands of daffodils planted over the last nine years.  Daffodil Dan with his partner Ruth have one hundred acres of woods that they are planting with daffodils ( about 300,000 so far) and other deer proof bulbs.  It was a spectacular sight walking the trails and seeing large swaths of white and yellow scattered under the trees.  While showing us around the woods Dan discussed the management of the woodlot and its soil while Ruth talk about the different kinds of daffodils and their care. (They try to deadhead all the flowers every year.) I think this will become an annual trip.

Spring Beauties

Christmas in April

When I arrived home this afternoon there were two boxes waiting on the front porch.  For  weeks I have been waiting for this day to come.  One was from Plants Delight and the other box was from Seneca Hill Perennials.  I have been dealing with both of these nurseries for years and have had great results.  This year I ordered plants for the shade gardens such as epimediums, a couple of trilliums, primroses and more arisaemas.  All the plants look great but will have to be hardened off before planted out in the garden.  Tomorrow an order from Asiatica will arrive with more goodies for my garden.