May Showers... and Bioswale Building

Coming out of the worst winter we've ever had, spring is even more appreciated than it usually is, and it's always wonderful.  It seems a bit late, and we've had a lot of rain lately, so I've gone ahead and had a bioswale installed.  More on that later.

Meanwhile I spent the winter taking the Michigan Master Gardener course and have lately been doing my volunteer hours at things like Plant-a-Row sites, plant sale for Habitat for Humanity and pruning at Tollgate Farm  in Novi.  It's close by and a world unto itself.  They now have some cows, chickens, goats, and a llama in addition to the three horses which were there over the winter.  We had our master gardener classes there.  They've got some wonderful programs including 4H clubs.

Today I went to Cranbrook for their annual plant sale.  I hadn't been in years, but the wild geraniums, trilliums and Mayapples, Podophyllum peltatum, which I bought there have really spread over the years.  Today I bought some more natives which I've put in the ground, except for two heirloom tomatoes which will have to wait for more consistently warm weather.

My biggest project so far has been to get the bioswales installed.  Unfortunately I didn't have anything to do with the installation most of which took place today in the rain.  John DeLisle owns Natural Community Services and he does ecological restoration and native landscaping.  The swale with its native plants should soon begin to capture the rainwater and especially pollutants rather than allowing them to go through the storm drain.

Day 1 of the Bioswale

In the bleak days of winter

I began my Master Gardener's course last week through MSU Extension.  It was a tough evening since I had arrived late the night before from drought ridden but sunny San Francisco, and immediately caught a cold which turned into bronchitis.  However, after being told that we could only miss one class, I was determined to go.  The class covered one of my favorite subjects, water quality... eg. runoff, watersheds, rain gardens etc/   I know a bit more now, and where to go for more information.  I didn't get to ask questions because it was packed and I could barely speak, but I will.

Here are some pictures of California, a real contrast to Michigan in January.

Risa at the Berkeley, Ca farmers market on 1/18/2014

Risa cooking veggies from Berkeley at
Soul Food Farm in Vacaville, CA

With the donkeys at Morningsun Herb Farm, Vacaville, CA

                        t

Morningsun Herb Farm in Vacaville, Ca.  California master gardeners go there for their graduation.  
They had a plant that I have, and have only seen in one other garden in Michigan.  The owner identified it for me as Jupiter's Beard or Centranthus ruber.  I was so glad to find this out.  On my last post I labeled it as unknown.

Moonflower in Bloom!

Finally, my first Datura to bloom this summer. There should be a lot of them this year as I let them go to seed last fall and they fell helter skelter around my planter. This summer I've transplanted them around to different areas. They belong to the family, Solanaceae or Nightshade. They are often called moonflowers because they bloom at night and smell nice. The deer don't like them because they are poisonous. They are also known as Angel Trumpets. I'm looking forward to seeing a bunch of these in bloom!

Bees Doing Their Thing

Bee Balm under Mason Bee House

I tried to capture the multiple bees around the bee balm today with my phone camera, but haven't figured out how to do a close up.  Since I got stung last night by mosquitoes all over, I figured I didn't want to get too close!

These bee balm were swarming with bees!

Obsessing Since I Got Out of the Hospital

No more ginormous hostas this year

One of the things I've been able to do since I came home from the hospital is work in the garden.  I wish I had pics of when Josh was here helping out, but we were busy working, or he was.  I was still pretty wobbly.  Since then, I've been weeding, pruning a bit, and getting a few new thing in.   I even put in some nasturtium seeds, though it's way too late.  It's been hot as heck except for the past two days which have been dry as well.  Monday promises more heat and rain.  I continue to take pictures, but I need to get out to some other gardens to add more pictures and points of view.

Front bed contains Purple Cone Flower (Rudbeckia purpurea) & Moonbeam Coreopsis

Swamp milk weed in front of huge Joe Pye Weed

A Walk Around the Garden

Annabelle hydrangeas

Since I've been in the hospital for the past 10 days after a cycling accident caused me to have a concussion and some bleeding in the brain, I've been missing out on changes in my garden.  I asked my husband to take some photos of it to fill me in on what's blooming now and so I know what I will need to do when I get out.  Since I'm not quite steady on my feet yet, there's not much I can do, but I sure need to place the order which may be lost for more plants for the "rain garden," get more mulch for the beds out back, plant alyssum and nasturtiums (is it too late for seeds?), and get some flagstones or other stepping stones for areas in beds and in the yard that need them.  We've had lots of rain to go with the heat since I've been her, so things are growing just fine.  Thanks to Bev Moss  of Garden Rhythms and her crew of master gardeners for helping me get my garden in shape before my accident.  I hope to take the Master Gardener class in the winter.

Coreopsis coming in.  I need more annuals in front.  Let me out
of the hospital please!  I'm in need of color!

Border of vegetable bed.  May need to clear out more room.  
Need to see if any raspberries are in season







Herbs coming up as well as raspberry bush

Honeysuckle has just about gone and clematis in bloom

Plants on deck

West side bed is booming!

Evie napping on Rene's desk

Mid June

Things are changing very fast around here.  Here are a few photos from three weeks back before my cycling accident when things were a bit dryer, just after the peak peonies though thankfully I still had a few in the side yard though past their prime were full of color.

New England Aster

 

 Milk weed, geranium and some kind of sedum

Honeysuckle and hosta

Backyard jungle of hostas, ferns and forest pansy red bud along with shrubs