Mears Garden news- Spring week 5- April 26, 2009

It is Bluebell Time. There is no other way to describe it. I will put this picture here at the top to celebrate this wonderful flower. There are bluebells and daffodils. There are bluebells and hosta. There are bluebells just about everywhere.
There are even bluebells and dandelions. Oh yeah… dandelions. So the weeding season has begun, while the potting up season continues. I dug up this one clump of hosta to make room for a new one, Empress Wu. It is a little thing at the moment. It will be very big I understand in a few years. So in the meantime I will ring it with tulips next spring.

It really is important to take the time to think about next spring, at this otherwise busy time. Where should those extra daffodils go? I have down that more big double ones should go in with… what do you think…the bluebells behind the house.
Actually that is where pictures really work well. I make a little folder where I put pictures where I want to plant more daffodils or whatever. I even have a little movie feature on my camera. It can record sound. I will record notes to myself as I take the pictures.

With the dandelions have come the finished flowers. The early daffodils and crocuses are over. I should deadhead the daffodils but that is way down on the to do list. But with things finishing come the new things. This week the very first bearded iris started. These would be the dwarf bearded iris, some no more than 3-4 inches tall. I like them because you do not have to stake them. Also coming into bloom this week were the iris bucharia, an exotic iris whose foliage doesn’t look anything like an iris. There is a picture in the bonus section.
Then there were the epimedium. Right now epimedium are just about my favorite plant. They will stay my favorite until the first lilium blooms.
I cannot get enough epimedium. Actually check back with me in June. The big question will be can I find places for all the new ones I have ordered.
I really must get brutal in several areas of the garden. Urban renewal is coming.

So how about some pictures. For your poll this week I have some great pictures.

First there is the combination of epimedium “Sweetheart” and bluebells. I guess the bluebells can give you some idea of the little flowers on this epimedium.









This next picture is a new orchid cactus that just decided not to wait for its trip outside. I really had not even noticed the bud until it bloomed and then got to come down to the kitchen.










This is one of the first dwarf bearded iris. It has always been one of my favorites.












Finally there is hosta Montana, in amongst the bluebells. Montana is the showgirl of the hosta. It comes up so early that my hosta supplier won’t carry it. For them there have just been too many times where Montana has been burned by a late frost. I don’t care. It is still just about the splashiest hosta around…well maybe there is Sagae but don’t get me started.










There you have it. It is not an easy choice this week.
In last week’s poll the daffodil edged the Anemone.
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For your bonus pleasure this week first there are just many more bluebell pictures.


































Here are several other features of the garden this past week. There are daffodils. The big white bells are leucojems. I have had them for several years now. I can report that they come back quite nicely, adding a real touch of interest. People ask what are they. It is always good to have a few plants of different stuff. The bucharica fit that description. The last picture is epimedium Beni Goromo, which I planted in 2007. Let’s just say that it does well here.






There are so many other wonderful things that have not been included. There are the trillium and the celendine poppies and pulmonaria. What will it be next week? Maybe the crabapples will bloom.
Enjoy the week.
Philip