Spring Came in with the Crocuses

I started this as a class project way before May 8, sometime in April.  At the time the crocuses had just started popping up. This was a delight after a relatively long, cold and drab winter. It made me wish I'd planted some new crocus bulbs in the fall as well as other early blooming bulbs like aconites and snowdrops. That is now officially on my to-do list for the fall.  I also have to get other colors besides the blues and whites, so Ruby Giant Specie Crocus, a light violet, as well as some yellow ones would provide more variety and pick-me-up. 

        Despite how grungy the leaves around the flowers look, I plan to leave most of them on the beds and just cover them with compost and mulch rather than raking them up. Less work and they can benefit from the leaves. We've had so much rain this week that the trees should be very happy after last winter's dryness, but we would all love some warmth and dryness about now.  Next up, daffodils!  And here they are.  By now, May 8, they're fading.  It's amazing how fast everything comes and goes in the spring.  But every day there's something new and often you don't see it happening till you look out of your window and say, "Wow, there are leaves on that tree.  When did that happen?"

So while these first two posts are out of order, Ill try and keep things in order and up to date from  now on.

Spring Clean-up

Five days ago I finally spent my first real day in the garden.  Cleaned up several beds, pulled up some dead shrubs, a rhodie and something unidentifiable.  Everything looks so much neater.  We got rid of bags of leaves that over wintered on the vegetable bed, well it multipurpose to be sure.  Dumped most of the leaves in the compost bin and put the rest out to be picked up by the yard waste people.  The compost REALLY needs green stuff now.  Our grass clippings go on the lawn, so I don't know how we'll get enough.

Meanwhile, I've got to remember to add lots of small bulbs in front center bed in the fall.  There's nothing there.  Also the front east bed could use some more daffodils and purple hyacinths.  It doesn't have any of the latter.  I've got lots of those on the front west bed under the burgundy maple and they look great.  And we have plenty near the house.

Major work needs to be done on the east side of the house to replace rhododendrons that were sick and dug up in the fall.  Planning to put 2 trees there and to design things.  Right now it's open and chaotic.  Our crab apple in front is going down soon.  I sure hope it gets to bloom first; it's so lovely.  I plan to put in a serviceberry tree in its place, but will think about another crab apple.

With retirement 5 weeks away, I'll have so much more time to work out there!