The suddenness of spring caught me by surprise yesterday.  After two days of being kept inside by sometimes torrential rains, I went out and saw that the ajuga, escaped into the lawn years ago from an old flower bed, is in full and startling bloom. This area has not been mowed yet because I made the mistake of planting daffodils here and must wait until they have finished blooming and ripening.

Poeticus or pheasant’s eye daffs

Only a few daffodils are still in flower. Newly blooming are the poeticus daffodils which means the season will be over any minute.

Apple blossoms

The old apple trees in the field and by the Cottage are suddenly clouds of blossom, barely opened before being battered by the rain.

The Fairy rose, Alma Potscke aster, invisible alliums

I began weeding the area around The Fairy rose in the north Lawn Bed. I got most of the grass out from under the Fairy’s root and released the tiny fine alliums from groundcovering shepherd’s purse and carpetweed and other weeds yet to be identified. I also ripped out a good deal of silver artemesia that has become a weed.  I should have known better than to have planted it in a flower bed. It was not ideal to be working in such wet soil, but I can feel the grass growing beneath my feet, and the weeds  will quickly outpace the newly emerging plants. Spring is here.

Boule de Neige and Rangoon rhodies

Boule de Neige and Rangoon are the first to  rhodies to come into bloom. Other bushes have buds getting fatter by the minute.

Tiarella

Tiarella plants put in last summer and this spring as part of the lawn reduction project are blooming away and spreading out.

Beauty of Moscow lilac

Lilacs have been blooming for more than a week in the lower elevations, but finally mine have burst into bloom. I gathered up a bouquet of mixed lilacs and brought them inside, into the kitchen. Suddenly spring arrived in the garden, and I was able to bring a fragrant bit into the house. Hallelujah!

Bridge of Flowers Plant Sale

I have not been posting very regularly because I have been so quietly busy. There were preparations for the fabulous Bridge of Flowers Plant sale which went off on Saturday without a hitch. I think we had 36 plants left over. Out of over 1300!

Young Elliott and friends

On Sunday we hosted the Presentation of Elliott (in the plaid suit) and celebrated. And celebrated!

Monday was just one thing after another and yesterday, in the heat, I was out of the house all day,  with first graders at the Bridge of Flowers, at the Clarke School Hearing Center, at the Forbes and Jones libraries, and at a Bridge of Flowers meeting in the evening. Then wild thunderstorms all night that left us the gift of more than 2 inches of rain.

Sargent Crabapple in Sunken Garden

This morning I walked barefoot through the garden to inspect all the newly refreshed flowers. The birds were singing, trilling, warbling, and calling,  as they hadn’t for years. Or, to put it another way, birdsong as I had not heard it for years. What a gift.  And why?

I think I may even be able to hear my tiny fountain this  summer. I am so happy. If only my husband’s morning newspaper didn’t make such a racket!

The Bridge of Flowers in May

For the past 12 years Carol DeLorenzo has been the guiding vision behind the changing bloom seasons on the Bridge of Flowers. However, she didn’t start her professional life thinking about flowers.

“After I graduated from the College of the Atlantic, I got a fellowship that allowed me to spend a year traveling around the world, focusing on agricultural issues. When I returned to the United States I got a job as co-manager of a community based farm. I was all about turnips and rutabagas, “ she said. But the farm included a pick-your-own flowers operation. “It was there I learned the value of flowers in people’s lives. I also saw that a flower garden draws people’s attention to the plants.”

After five years she left the farm and worked for landscapers in the Boston suburbs and eventually began her own landscaping company. When she was pregnant with her first child they moved to Shelburne Falls where friends rented them a house. “We never looked back after we got to the Falls,” she said. “It seemed like a natural progression that led me to a town with a Bridge of Flowers.”

Of course DeLorenzo was busy for a while with that new baby, and settling into a new town. Then, after about two years, she saw a notice that the Bridge of Flowers was looking for a new head gardener and applied for the 20 hour a week position. Soon she saw there was too much work for 20 hours and asked for an assistant. With an assistant hired the schedule was altered so that they both work 15 hours a week, more or less, depending  on the season. “It is a great way to be in the community and very satisfying to garden for thousands of people,” she said. She also stressed that it takes the work of the volunteers of the Flower Brigade to keep the Bridge looking so fine.

What impresses me about the Bridge of Flowers is the number of plants that come into bloom between April and through October. First there are bulbs, blooming trees, and bunches of pansies and Johnny jump ups. There are also native wildflowers like bloodroot, and trillium. Flowering shrubs like azaleas, fothergilla and viburnam take their turn. By the end of May the Bridge is a miracle of bloom with dozens of perennials and roses, right through to dahlia and chrysanthemum season.

Carol DeLorenzo

“Keeping the garden in full bloom is an ongoing journey and puzzle,” DeLorenzo said. “That’s where I get my satisfaction. I get to make art with plants. I’m out on the Bridge, looking at the plants, and wonder what it would be like to do this or that. And then I try it. When it works it is very satisfying.  Nothing is permanent. If a particular vignette isn’t working I change it.”

I asked DeLorenzo how she managed to fit all those plants in such a limited space. “Bulbs are planted usually 2–4 inches down all through the length of the borders, into the roots of other plants. I am always root pruning shrubs so I have soil space for bulbs and other plants, but root pruning also controls the size of the shrub,” she said.

She added that “Possibly as much of 40 percent of the flowers are annuals. That is the only way to have constant bloom. The annuals provide insurance, in case some  of the perennials have a bad year.  But not every inch has to be in bloom every minute. If there is a short green section the eye moves on to the next colorful feature.,” she said.

DeLorenzo said her interest is in organic gardening, but the Bridge is not totally organic. She spreads an organic fertilizer in the spring and top dresses with compost. Annuals are very heavy feeders. I fertilize annuals about twice over the course of the season and use seaweed, fish emulsion and water soluble fertilizers like Peter’s.

“This garden doesn’t feed anyone, the emphasis is on bloom so I  do use slug bait and neem soil and Pyola, a pyrethrum oil. We have lots of bugs that want to eat our plants, including rose chafers, but not too many Japanese beetles.  We’ve put out praying mantis cases, but that is mostly for the fun,” she said.

Visitors to the Bridge this year will notice the absence of the four big crabapples. They have been replaced with new trees, a Cherokee Princess dogwood, Prairie Fire crabapple, golden chain tree, Seven Sons tree and a Chinese fringe tree, joining the many other blooming trees and shrubs.

When I asked for advice for the new gardener she was quick to say, “Start small. Let your garden grow naturally. Start at your doorstep and have fun. Too big a garden can be overwhelming and discouraging. Remember, gardening is just one way of interacting with nature.”

Between the Rows   May 12,2013

Plants ready for the sale

One thousdand perennials are ready for the Bridge of Flowers Plant Sale on Saturday, May 18. When the starting bell rings at 9 am (no sales before that hour) the buying begins. From this photo you might be able to pick out lady’s mantle, candelabra primroses, hostas, Solomon’s seal, ferns, and bleeding hearts, pink and white. I can tell you that there are also peonies, fairy bells (new to me) campanulas, yarrow, achillea, shasta daisies, and some shrubs including  butterfly bush, rose of sharon and forsythia. All at bargain prices.

Candelabra primroses

There are other primroses, too. pink and wine colors.  Most of the plants, including these primroses come off the Bridge. There will also be vendors selling tools, notecards, books – and wooden spoons. Unusual native flowers from Hillside Nursery will also be on sale – as usual. Annuals and geraniums will  also be available. Come early!

Pots for Sale

This year we also have an array of handsome, gently used, pots. This is not the whole collection. Beautiful plants deserve a beautiful pot.

Plant Sale begins promptly at 9 am and will conclude at noon. Hope to see you there.

Waldensteinia, barren strawberry and daffodils

Last spring was early and hot and on Bloom Day there was a lot of bloom. Things are moving slowly this Bloom Day. This is an  area of my lawn reduction project. Waldsteinia has spread over the past three years and I’m underplanted with daffodils.

Barren strawberry close up

Waldsteinia is a beautiful plant and it is just coming into bloom. It is not  any kind of strawberry plant.

Miniature daffodils

These miniature daffodils are some of the daffs growing amid the barren strawberry

Miniature white daffodil

Some daffodils are growing in the grass. I haven’t gotten the groundcover this far.

Flowery Mead

My lawn is not fine turf. I call it a flowery mead. Right now it is blooming with blue and white violets, and of course, dandelions.

Forget Me Nots

Many of the spring bloomers are small, like these Forget Me Nots.

Grape hyacinths

TI can see these pale grape hyacinths from the house. The familiar blue ones are growing in the grass by the miniature daffs.

Yellow epimedium

I am so  glad I gave epimediums a try. They are NOT too tender for Heath.

Primrose

This primrose  did so well in a shady spot in back of the house I am planting more in this spot this year.

Forsythia

My forsythia is looking much better than usual, but that isn’t saying much.

Red orchid cactus

And my orchid cactus has gone wild!

I thank Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom day and giving us all a chance to see what is blooming across our great land today.

You will also see what is (mostly) Wordless this Wednesday.

“A teaspoon of soil may have billions of microbes divided among 5,000 types, thousands of species of fungi  and protozoa, nematodes, mites and a couple of termite species. How these and other pieces fit together is still largely a mystery.” What a revelation! It makes it clearer to me that it is really important to garden organically, putting food, as in compost, into the soil to feed all those organisims., and helping to maintain a healthy system.

The Sunday New York Times  also included a story by Patricia Leigh Brown talked about ‘fruit activists’  who are “using fruit to reclaim public land and expand ideas of art.” It seem apprpropriate to me that both these articles appeared on Mother’s Day, when we should also celebrate Mother Earth and think about the riches she showers upon us, and what we owe to her in gratitude and responsibility to care for and share those gifts.

The life under our feet, and the fruit over our heads are all gifts! Celebrate every day.

Angelonia Serenita Mix courtesy of National Garden Bureau

If you have a flower garden, chances are you grow a few annuals. For a while perennials were the fashionable family and annuals were almost forgotten. At least they were forgotten in conversation and garden articles, but to keep a garden in bloom from spring into fall annuals are essential. Each perennial will bloom for its three or four week period, but an annual will bloom all summer.

It is no wonder that some of our favorite plants are annuals: marigolds, zinnias, nasturtiums, cosmos, lobelia, lantana and verbena and calendula as well as vining plants like sweet peas and morning glories. These plants are all familiar, and yet there are new forms and colors almost every year.

Recently I visited LaSalle’s Florist in Whately and saw that the beautiful bright blue lobelia that I love is also available in a raspberry pink, white, and a pale, delicate blue.  How to choose?

Renee’s Garden Seeds are sold locally and this company is especially known for its sweet peas. ‘April in Paris’ is a modern sweet pea but old fashioned fragrance has been wed to the large creamy yellow flowers, while ‘Color Palette Cupid’ is a mixture of pale pastel flowers borne on short vining stems that make it perfect for a container. Among the 27 varieties are “Royal Wedding’ an antique white sweet pea, and the pink and red ‘Painted Lady’ which was the first named sweet pea cultivar.

I love zinnias. There are short Tom Thumb zinnias with neat little blossoms, and tall shaggy ‘Raggedy Ann’ zinnias, both in a paintbox full of colors. There are also two unique zinnias ‘Green Envy’ which provides the pale green flower that flower arrangers love, and “Polar Bear’ a white zinnia. White is a very unusual color for zinnias and marigolds.

Three of the newer annuals, at least new to me, are the calibrachoa or million bells, angelonias and gomphrenas. Most familiar may be the calibrachoas which have been very popular for hanging baskets and containers because of the interesting colors of the flowers and their graceful habit. Proven Winners has a whole garden full of color in their Superbells series. Among others there is a trailing white, trailing deep blue and a trailing rose. I particularly like ‘Blackberry Punch’ with rich purple/magenta petals around a golden heart.  You will find a large array of Superbells, and millions bells plants in local garden centers and they are great container plants.

Last year I grew angelonia for the first time, but it will not be the last time. I grew a fragrant purple variety, but it also comes in pink and white. It is sometimes called a summer snapdragon, but the flowers are smaller on a one to two foot spire and the bloom period is much longer. No deadheading required. It looks delicate, but loves hot sunny locations, attracts butterflies and is drought tolerant.

I also grew gomphrena or globe amaranth last year. This is another easy annual with clover-like flowers, actually bracts surrounding insignificant flowers , that attracts butterflies and is also drought tolerant once it is established. It can grow to 24 inches and is available in pink, purple and a bright red. It blooms all summer and then dries well for autumnal flower arrangements.

Petunias are a standard summer annual that have been hybridized in wonderful new ways. There are double flowers, and stripey flowers and flowers that are ‘self-cleaning; which means they don’t have to be deadheaded to remain in bloom. ‘Wave’ and ‘Supertunia’ are petunias that are self-cleaning which makes them especially useful for locations where they can’t easily be deadheaded, or for gardeners who really don’t understand deadheading

All blooming annuals need full sun. I find I am paying attention to whether a plant is drought tolerant because I cannot water my ornamental gardens. Since I have a well, the water is too precious during a dry period to spend it on flowers, although I water my vegetables as well as I can.

If you use containers for your annual plantings, as many do, you must remember to water them regularly. Containers dry out very quickly. Terra cotta pots dry out most quickly, but even plastic and resin containers dry out because the plants are always breathing and lose moisture through their respiration, not to mention hot summer breezes blowing across the container. Don’t forget a regular fertilizing schedule to keep them nourished.

As suitable as they are for containers, alone or in combination with other plants, annuals also have an important place in the flower border. They can even be used as a border. Low growing zinnias, marigolds, gomphrena or petunias can provide a wonderfully floriferous edging.

Annuals can also be used among perennials and shrubs for color. Tall cosmos are really wonderful in the garden, and have plenty of blossoms to spare for cutting.

Some people have room to plant a couple of rows of annuals to be used specifically for cutting and bouquet making. This way they don’t have to worry about denuding the garden in order to have flowers for the house, or to for gifts.

As many of you know, impatiens plants have been struck by a persistent downy mildew fungus, and will be hard to find at garden centers. Other annuals that can take their place in the shade include New Guinea impatiens, Sunpatiens, torenia, angelonia, and ivy geraniums,

Between the Rows  May 4, 2012

Plants ready for Greenfield Garden Club Sale

The Greenfield Garden Club Extravaganza is a wonderful plant sale and is held annually on Trap Plain at the corner of Federal and Silver Streets, Greenfield  on Saturday, May 11, 2013 from 8-1.  Hardy perennials from members’ gardens, annuals, herbs, and hanging plants for Mother’s Day will be sold.  There will also be soil testing by the WM Master Gardener volunteers, a Green Thumb Tag Sale, and a Garden Gift Drawing. The Garden Club members have potted up lots of interesting and useful plants from their gardens. This year I am sending the purple campanula ‘Joan Elliot’ which is a wonderful spring bloomer and good at increasing – but not a thug in any sense. I’m also sending an unusual artemesia. Artemesia lactiflora is not silver; the fine foliage is a shade of blue green and it sends up spires of tiny white flowers, kind of like the way coral bells do. I’m also sending a purple leafed coral bells, ‘Terra Cotta’ yarrow, pink chelone (turtlehead) and the wonderful pink Sheffield daisy. I first saw this late summer-fall bloomer at the Smith College Botanical Garden and was lucky that when I bought a pot of ‘pink daisies’ at Wilder Hill Gardens it turned out to be Sheffies. They also propogate nicely, which is why I have some to share. This sale is a good place to do some Mother’s Day shopping.

The Greenfield Garden Club sale is a great chance to get some bargains, of plants and other plant and garden related items at the tag sale, and a great chance to get a soil test. You can’t help loving those Master Gardeners!  All proceeds support the many community projects of the Greenfield Garden Club.

A daffodil assortment under the lilac

All of a sudden this year I realize I have lots of daffodils, and lots of kind of daffodils.  I thought I could try to identify some using the Brent and Becky’s Bulbs catalog, where I bought many of the daffodils, but that system is not working. Some of my daffodils will not bloom until later in the month.

Daffodils

Do I know all the variety names? No.

Daffodils

Tiny Daffodils

Miniature daffodils

I can’t identify the ‘weed’ in my flowery mead of a lawn either.

Van Sion Daffodil

I can tell you that the Van Sion heritage daffodils were growing here at the end of the road when we moved here.

For more Wordlessness this Wednesday click here.

Perennial divisions

This is the season of digging, weeding and planting. The priority this weekend was to get plants dug for the two big plant sales coming up. The Greenfield Garden Club, of which I am a member, will have its plant sale on Saturday, May 11 at Trap Plain, at Siver and Federal Streets, and the following weekend, May 18, the Bridge of Flowers will have its plant sale at the Trinity Church’s Baptist Lot in Shelburne Falls. This is a chance to get some great plants for your own garden at very reasonable prices while supporting the educational projects of the Greenfield Garden Club, and the maintenance of the Bridge of Flowers. This year I have dug Sheffield daisiies, crimson bee balm, campanuala ‘Joan Elliot’, Terra Cotta Yarrow, purple leaved coral bells and ‘Switzerland’ shasta daisies. I might find a couple of more clumps that need dividing.

Meadowseet

On Friday I was out and about on a variety of errands. I stopped at the Hadley Garden Center to get extra pots for the Bridge Plant Sale, and couldn’t resist buying this large sage plant known as meadowsweet. The Herb Bed in front of the house always needs refreshing and I thought this would really brighten things up early in the season. I also planted a tiny new French tarragon and summer savory. My parsley and basil plants aren’t ready to go in yet, and I have dill seed at the ready. Perennial herbs are starting to green up, chives, rue, chamomile, mint, lemon balm, bee balm, oregano, golden marjoram, thyme and sage as well as the lilies, stocks, irises, and Sheffield daisies.  Even an Herb Bed deserves a little glamor.

The vegetable beds are all dug and three of the beds are filled with onions, planted this weekend.The garlic is well up and looking good. Two beds are planted with lettuce plants, but it is still too cool for more tender seeds. At this time of the year a Monday Report is mostly a planting list. I put in three more tiarella plants down by the peonies where I am eradicating lawn, two native columbine plants, an Eryingium ‘Sapphire’, and a beautiful yellow epimedium. My own epimediums are just coming into bloom.

It’s not even June but the buds are bustin’ out all over, the sun is shinging and there is more planting to do this Monday morning.