Mears garden news- May 12

Overwhelmed. That is where I am at the moment. Sometimes it happens and about this time of year it is rather common. Both Julia's mother and my mother were in town for the Mother’s day weekend. We even had a fire in the fireplace Sunday morning, as the temperature was in the mid forties and there was a 35 mph wind.
On the other hand the crabapple trees were out as were the lilacs, and the redbuds. So when the sun was out it was spring about at its best.
My professional work is busy and then there are a few things going on in the yard.
The last of the daffodils have opened, including ones that were planted at Thanksgiving. You can always add several weeks to the bloom season by planting those things in the fall. For a real season extender just plant something listed as “late” in the late fall. It will bloom in May every time.

So here is what is good right now.
There were the crabapple trees, but boy do they go fast. Even without a heavy rain they are gone in 4-5 days it seems.
The late daffodils are usually the tiny ones which are so cute.
The little iris show continues.
And then there are all the hostas. The backbone of my garden has been hosta for 20 years. I have many varieties and they can be wonderful. I must confess however that at times I grow tired of them. Mostly that is in July and August when they can’t quite compete with the lilies.
But at this point they just get bigger and bigger and are so fresh and clean. (Pretend that the weeds have not started and that the spent foliage from earlier bulbs hasn’t died away.)

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On the picture poll last week the favorite was Shirley the tulip. I was not surprised.

Here are this week’s choices.

1- The wonderful pink crabapple trees. This week there will be pink snow providing for some great contrasts between the hosta green and the pink ground.












2- Speaking of hosta here is this great big one, whose name as just escaped me. I knew there was a reason to put those labels out there. Sometime the labels get lost.











3- This is the gaudy iris of the week. They did put on a show until the heavy rain Saturday night kind of washed them out for several days. Blink you eyes and they are gone, along with the snowdrops and all those wonderful early bulbs. At least with daylilies when it rains the next day’s flowers are not affected.












4- This pink tulip just grabbed me this week. Maybe tulips have an unfair advantage, particularly if you can find a few bluebells to pose in the background.










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For your extra pictures this week I will start with the array of little iris.
















































Some more crabapples.














Another hosta














Some little daffodils. You just don’t get tired of these guys.



That’s it for the week.
I am having my yearly spring sale this Saturday morning from 9-12. Everyone is invited. You can even meet the newest zany addition to the garden. It is featured on a tree in the front yard. I won’t say more.
What will be blooming by the end of week?
Enjoy the week.
Philip