All Andrew's Plants has moved to AllAndrewsPlants.wordpress.com
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Sorry for not posting as much as I might have wanted to. (Edit - apparently I tried to make up for it today? Sorry for the wall of text!) I had three days off from work while the weather was absolutely fantastic and I spent it outside, getting my yard clean and tidy. Beds edged, lawn leveled, newly leveled areas seeded, training my cat* and so on.
* She will run out of the house at the slightest opportunity. Rather than try to keep her from doing this at all I'm going to teach her that she's allowed to go outside and stay on the patio and will not get in trouble. So far it's working, when she gets out she'll lie down and roll over a few times instead of bolting for the fence. This is excellent for all involved. She's an indoor cat but she hates that
so much. This is a good compromise. The other cat is not sure what to make of outside. Hasn't tried it and we're 100% keeping it that way.
I have a flower outside! A Daffodil was the first thing to open this year. Many more to come. It beat our 3 crocuses (getting moved to warmer ground) and a bunch of long past their prime Tulips which I don't think have flowered in years and are getting tossed very soon.
Daffodils flowering. This is not the patch that's flowering. And that was last year. Gets the point across. This particular patch looks like it'll be spectacular this year when it finally does open.
My
Clematis 'Rebecca' is sending up many new shoots from ground level and starting to leaf out from the lowest part of the stems. There are smaller buds further up but they're not doing much yet. I thinned it down to a few main branches up high though I suppose I could have cut it back much further, it blooms on new growth though I'll be able to get good height from it this year by letting it grow off last years branches.
Speaking of vines I also gave my Hall's Honeysuckle (
Lonicera japonica its first major haircut in 5 years. It looks pretty sparse right now but it's leafing out fast and I know it'll recover in no time. I left a few thick branches on the trellis - by the time it's flowering I'm not sure if this pruning will even be noticeable.
My favourite Rose (NOID Red, as I call it) is growing. There was apparently zero dieback on it. It's growing all the way to the tips. I will have to cut it back though unfortunately. Not enough room to let it take over. (Did I mention that is still has last years dried leaves and flowers on it from last December when it was still flowering and had not shown a hint of mildew, black spot or yellowing leaves? If I knew its name I'd be telling you all to go out and buy 5 but right now I do not.)
Oh, and I guess we had Tarragon overwinter. Yay I suppose? It's in a pot I'd rather be growing Tomatoes in but I guess I can't complain. I guess I've missed prime Tomato sowing time? I guess I'll do that tomorrow. Tomatoes have got to be my favourite easy to grow "vegetable."
I guess we're at a lot of What's Going On but not many Decisions? Well
Artemisia abrotanum is first on my list
Artemisia abrotanum. Not my plant.
(Photo by Kurt Stueber used under CC license).
It has been taking up a lot of space where it is. The idea had been to screen the air conditioner with it but long story saved for its own post not happening. It will be moved to two very tricky spots and likely ultimately thinned to just one (probably).
Euphorbia myrsinites has to go I think. I will miss it greatly but it doesn't justify the space it takes up. I might try to squeeze it in somewhere else but... we'll see. It's hard enough giving up a plant I don't like, and I actually like this one.
And in other news... 11 hour shift, spring must be here. Fantastic weather recently has brought people out in huge numbers. I spent today doing up containers. I will continue tomorrow. There are only so many ways to combine Pansies and Primulas. Ah well. It's better than some things I could be doing.
Oh, as for the theme it will stay as is for now. I've updated the header to include the variety that was in the older header and lets me keep the colours I love. It's still likely to change soon but I can live with the current theme a lot longer.
But wait there's more! The storm that I think was supposed to hit on Tuesday is here now and it came on fast and suddenly there's wind (and a wind warning!), and cool air, and a bit of rain (there's that full on rain smell in the air though and it's
fantastic. I know it's not that hot yet but it's too hot too fast. Lets enjoy spring first.
