Planting and blooming - early May, 2017

The calendar is almost halfway through, and we are finally in the gardens more.  Planting, weeding, and just generally taking care of things.  

The month began much like April did, with cool temps and showery weather.  We were out on the 1st of May planting and working.  We put in lots of seeds, including beets, radish, and leeks.   

The hops were getting way ahead of us ...  we got the strings up just in time!  They grow so fast once the plants wake up in the spring.

  

The columbine were just beginning to bloom on the first Monday.  

I know I showed you close up photos of the flowering current - I thought you should see all the blooms on the bush.  She was just covered with red, and it was her first season in our garden!  

It's the middle of the month, and we caught a sunny morning to be in the garden.  We weeded, planted, and spread some 4-way soil to nourish the plants thru the year.  When I arrived I was pleased to see so much going on.  

Two weeks of growth - don't you love the heart shaped leaves? 

Bees were busy doing their job! I saw them on the Rhubarb blooms and buzzing thru the Forget-Me-Nots too.  

Happy Chives. 

Look how high the hops are!  Soon they will be covering the arbor. 

You all know I love the roses. I look forward every spring to this moment - walking into the garden to see the Harison's Yellow blooming!  He is always the first to show, but the rest are hard on his heels and all loaded with buds too. 

This rose bud is a surprise! It caught my eye as I was walking by a stand of semi-invasive Thunburg Multiflora roses.  There are lots of buds peeking through the hedge.  I can't wait to see the blooms, which will hopefully help me identify the plant.  (my guess is it's our lost Sweebriar rose - stay tuned and I will let you know what I discover)

This is our Old Cardinal rose, all gracefully corralled.  The canes are flowing over the support and creating a nice arching effect.  I can't wait to see all the buds in full bloom!  

I will end this post with the jewels of our spring garden - the columbine.  We have multiple color combinations and forms tucked in all over the gardens.  We allow these beauties to self-seed for this reason; they looks so sweet among the roses and other plants just when we need them the most.