The Garden Warms Up

Sun Curve

This quarter-circle garden has the street on one straight side and the driveway on the other. It gets as close as I have to full sun. We cut down a big crepe myrtle, which was pretty but has very little value for wildlife and replaced it with the Forest Pansy Redbud, a cultivar of a native tree.

Pond and Stream

The pond and stream look a bit bare through the winter and early spring, but not any more!

Bog Garden

I weeded the bog garden, pulling out volunteer rushes and broomsedge. The Sarracenia pitcher plants are mostly blooming before they send up their carnivorous pitcher leaves, but one pitcher in the center is ready to catch early visitors.

Irises Still the Stars

Last year, only one iris flower appeared. They must not have liked being transplanted. This year, the clump in the rain garden bloomed first. Then the irises just below the stream bloomed. Now, a volunteer looks amazing next to the dry stream bed in front of the Green and Gold. I’m not sure what varieties these are. I bought five types from Niche Gardens years ago and planted them together to summon the idea of a water feature.

Dry Stream Bank

The columbine is nearly bloomed out, but now sports festive seed pods. The foamflower has only a few blooms left, but plenty of seeds on the flower stems. Rhododendron, Indian Pink, and Bluestar have just started blooming.

Wildlife

I disturbed a small wolf spider while weeding the bog garden. This native bee was not disturbed at all as he pollinated the Baptisia hybrid ‘Lemon Meringue’ with great vigor.