Planted June 10, 2010

Marigold French Vanilla Hybrid
Calendula Híbrida vainilla francesa (Burpee)

Zinnia Purple Prince
Zinia Príncipe púrpura (Burpee)

Basil Thai
Siam Queen (Park)

Tomato Park S
Razzleberry Hybrid (Park)

Sunflower
Kid Stuff (Burpee)

Marigold
Happy Days Mix (Burpee)

Moonflower Giant White
Dama de Noche Gigante blanca (Burpee)

Yesterday I planted Heliotrope Mini Marine and Plectrantus Silver Shield in the flowerbed with the other plants. I didn't plan to put them there, but since I didn't prepare the bed they were supposed to go in, I had to put them somewhere. They probably are better in the ground than in cramped little peat pots.

I also planted the Butterfly Weed, the Swamp Milkweed and one Salvia along the road where it was already mulched. I planned to dig out that bed and prepare it, but its too hot to dig right now and removing turf and tilling the soil is really hard work! I guess I will just have to put up with the ornamental grass that had been previously planted. Maybe everything will look good after all, once the flowers have come in. Three of the Butterfly Weed (they seem to do well from seed, so I had a good number of seedlings to work with) went in the back in a corner formed by the stacked stone wall and stairs.

Three Salvia Fairy Queens were planted where the spring tulips were planted. I also surrounded the space with a 5 in high stacked fieldstone wall. The fieldstones are from preparing new planting beds. There are LOTS of them!

The nasturtium has started to bloom this week. There are only yellow ones so far.

I planted any parsley that was still showing signs of life into the raised bed in the back near the rest of the parsley.

Some of the leaves on the Johnny-Jump-Ups at the front of the house turned purple. I wonder if it is because they are getting too much sun. The ones in the part shade bed seem to be doing well.

The buds on the rose bush have started to swell.

Petunia Double Cascade does not seem to be doing very well. The flowers are opening up, but are not very attractive. They seem a bit wilted and flagging despite watering. I wonder if they are stunted because I planted them out so late.

I also planted the two baptisa australis along the rusty fence near the side of the house just to get them into the ground. While walking B last night, I saw what I believe to be a very large baptisa. I wonder if these will grow as large. If so, maybe I shouldn't have planted the two so close together.

Actually, I think I planted many of the plants too close together. But again, if need be, I can always pull some out.

Sweet Woodruff and Strawberries

I guess I didn't mention it before, but just in case I forget, I will probably not use peat pots again since the roots on some of the plants have a difficult time penetrating them. Will probably plant in plastic 3" containers the next time around or in plastic trays with individual cells (although it is sometimes difficult to lift out the seedlings). Maybe root trainers are a good idea. I ripped off the peat pots before planting the seedlings in the ground. Last year, the marigolds planted into the ground with the pots seemed a bit on the small size.

Yesterday I worked on creating a border bed on the left side of the house (looking at the front). Chives were placed around the rose bush to keep the Japanese Beetles away. Petunias were planted in a row with Johnny-Jump-Ups in front of them. I spaced the Petunias closer than I probably should, thinking that if they become too crowded, I can always pull some out. In case their growth is stunted because they were planted too late, then even if they are stunted by half, they should fill in nicely.

I really like the Johnny-Jump-Ups and the Pansy Plentifall. They are very cheerful looking.

The Pansies do not seem to be fragrant though, so I'm a little disappointed about that. Still, they are pretty and I would definitely plant them again though. I planted them in both sun and part shade and they seem to be doing well in both, although I think the ones in part shade seem a bit stronger.

Although I've planted Johnny-Jump-Ups in the back where there is part shade, they seem to take to the sun better and have more flowers. I was worried that the sun might cause them to wilt, but it seems that with regular watering, they are fine. Hmm, the Johnny-Jump-Ups are supposed to be fragrant too, but if they are, I can hardly smell anything. Still, I would plant these again too. They also look pretty when weaved into a braid.

For next year, use May as the last frost date. All of the cool weather plants were planted too late this year, it seems since the weather is already beginning to become very warm. I also lost some plants since they sat around too long before being planted and were too overgrown for their tiny peat pots. The Chinese Lanterns developed a spider mite problem and the Heliotrope's edges have browned a bit (from overcrowded conditions with unseparated peat trays?)I probably lost half of the strawberries I planted, if not more.

Oh, and sometime last week I planted a hosta called Fragrant Bouquet.

Tomorrow, I'm planning to weed the steps to the street and also plant the 2 or 3 Chinese Lanterns I have left. Not quite sure where to put them though. I was planning to plant them to the left and right of the stairs, but I think maybe catmint might look prettier there.

There is so much landscaping work to do with this property that it's overwhelming! Towards the back of the house, there are weeds which need to be controlled so that poor C isn't always cutting them down. We are planning on using newspaper to suppress the weeds and mulch to cover it up. It would give the back a more woodland feel, hopefully. The lilacs and holly also need pruning and I need to find out what sex the holly is, so that I can find a mate to make berries.

Visited Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve yesterday during their yearly spring plant sale and planted them today. I thought that I should record the information on the plant labels here for future reference.

Polemonium Reptans (Jacob's Ladder)
Perennial
Blue flowers, May
Moist soil, shade, self-seeds readily
1 ft

Polemonium Reptans 'Stairway to Heaven' (Variegated Jacob's Ladder)
Perennial
Blue flowers, April-May
Moist to average soil, sun to shade
1.2-2 ft

Athyrium Felix-Femina (Lady Fern)
Perennial
No flowers
Moist soil, shade, clump-former
2 ft

Matteuccia Struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern)
Perennial
Separate Fertile Fronds
Moist soil, part shade to sun
4 ft

Polygonatum Biflorum var. Commutatum (Great Solomon's Seal)
Perennial
White flowers, May
Moist soil, part shade to shade
3 ft

Baptisia Australis (Wild Blue Indigo)
Perennial
Blue flowers, May
Avg. moisture, sun, interesting dry fruit
4 ft

Hopefully they will do well in the shade garden, especially since they are native plants. Wanted to purchase Joe-Pye Weed also, but alas, not enough budget. Maybe next time. =)

Today was a sunny and warm day. Weeded and mulched Harlow Carr, mulched sweet peas, culinary garden and shade garden. Also watered primroses, pansies and Johnny-Jump-Ups put in yesterday. Bagged lilies that were pulled out weeks ago.