Category Archives: Spring
Another Sunday and another day spent out in the garden doing my best to clean things up so the new spring plant growth can be enjoyed by all. It might be tedious work but hot damn if I don’t love it.
I am feeling good about where things are at this point as all of the grasses have been cut down, all of the dead spring foliage has been removed and I now realize how awesome I am the garden will be looking in the near future.
Let’s take a look at the latest and greatest.
The Daffodil Season of Sunshine are in full bloom after being planted only last autumn. Daffodils truly are not only deer proof, but fool proof as well.
And there are other daffodils ready to bloom any day now.
Most of my container planted tulips are in full bloom. I’ve left some blooming in their containers outdoors.
And others are now chilling in a vase.
My lilac shrubs are starting to display their flower buds.
The boxwood shrubs are also blooming … which is kind of … whatever.
The delicious foliage of Geranium ‘Espresso’ has truly emerged.
And once again, I am way too excited just to see the new growth of Cimicifuga (Bugbane) ‘Pink Spire’. Lordy I hope this is the year they finally make their presence known.
Like I mentioned a few months ago, Veronica ‘Royal Candles’ is a consistent performer for me year to year and they are back for more once again.
All of the Astilbes have awaken and that always makes me happy.
I completely forgot about my Rhamnus (Buckthorn) ‘Fine Line’ until I noticed this “stick” with signs of life. Color me excited.
As I did last spring, I cut back about 1/3 of the branches on my Physocarpus (Ninebark) ‘Diablo’ after being pleased with the results last spring/summer. It put on a foliage show but remained in bounds.
And finally, the severely cut back Salix ‘Hakuro Nishiki’ is already showing major signs of life so all is good.
Too busy to write too much today. Those ornamental grasses aren’t going to cut themselves down.
But I’ll share some photos with you that have me all jazzed up with the extreme exception of the last one.
Poison ivy is already spreading its pretty little wings all over the garden and we need to nip this in the bud sooner than later. Time to bring in the poison ivy whisperer, my wife. Â
Enjoy.
Now that was a solid weekend.
The weather finally cooperated and the softball season kicked off in style.
Later that night, a walk over the Delaware river for ice cream at sunset.
The first flower of the year revealed itself.
With others soon on their way.
Hours were spent outside cleaning  up the garden, getting her ready for the season and obtaining a solid sunburn. It’s amazing what a little sunshine and warmer temps will do for the soul. I am one invigorated mo fo.
The clean up revealed more perennials letting me know they are on their merry way.
Most of the ornamental grasses were cut down albeit later than in years past because of the long winter/spring.
It was a chance to get down on the hands and knees and observe off season developments like with this Itea and its newly shedded bark.
What was a dead foliage playground has returned back to bare ground with only hints of plant life.
I even had a chance to do some garden analysis. This view is my newest obsession. This is what I see each day as I pull into my driveway. It is time to expand it further.
It looks OK in the summer.
But we’re ready to expand that bad boy. Take notice of the orange extension cord. We’ll soon be filling it all in with cardboard I’ve been hoarding all winter so we can kill that grass and plant more.
We made it out to our favorite pepper and tomato nursery, Cross Country Nursery,  which is literally within walking distance from our house. The selection is off the hook so on our first run of the season we stocked up on poblanos, jalapenos, basil and a bunch of tomato plants. We will be back again in the near future.
Hell, I even brought in the cut branches of the Redtwig Dogwood and Dappled Willow because I’m like a totally kick ass interior decorator.
You know you are impressed.
It was all then topped off with a fresh grapefruit and tequila cocktail.
Good times.
It’s been rainy and cold for days now but there was work to be done out in the garden. Enough is enough. I’ve promised big things this year so every waking second is crucial. Even if it is was too wet to venture into the garden beds for fear of soil compaction, I could still take care of some important tasks.
One of the tasks was to start cleaning up the perennials I could easily reach and removing all of their dead foliage from seasons past. Here is some of what I accomplished:
PHLOX
We started with the pink Phlox that looked like this.
And it was heart warming to see that they will be back again in 2015
And will soon look like this.
VERONICA
The numerous Veronica ‘Royal Candles’ were left as is for winter.
And each and every one of them fought of winter’s wrath and are ready to shine again.
Like this.
MONARDA
I enjoy the winter interest of spent Monarda (Bee Balm) blooms.
And those tough as nails sons of bitches are back …
… and willingly spreading wherever they please, even under this Clethra shrub.
The pungent smell on my fingers after cutting the Monarda down have me longing for the early summer.
GERANIUM
Current state of Geranium ‘Espresso’.
And tiny proof that it is back for more.
And “more” looks like this beauty.
LADY’S MANTLE
The ratty looking Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla Mollis) ..
… are now ready to strut their stuff.
… and light up those shady areas.
HEUCHERA
Good to see Heuchera ‘Blackout’ is rounding into form.
BUGBANE
Without a doubt, the perennial I am most excited to see perform this spring/summer is the Bugbane ‘Brunette’ (Cimicifuga). Two years in and I haven’t seen much but I am more than willing to remain patient for these beauties. I’m just psyched to see that it is back for a third spring and I’m convinced that the ladybug and earthworm below are signs of good luck.
Along with other endless tasks, I’ll continue to plug away at cleaning up the perennials out in the garden the next few days and hopefully we’ll see some true spring weather soon.
Thanks for stopping by.
John
One of the rites of spring is the removal of the dead foliage on the perennials to hopefully reveal new growth underneath. It can be a real shot in the arm for the passionate gardener. A sign of better things to come and reassurance that the plants yet again, survived a brutal winter.
I probably take this rite a little too far. If you catch me at the right time, you’ll see me ripping through the soil on my hands and knees in search of any signs of plant life like a desperate dog looking for its buried bone.
Maybe I am that deeply affected by the horrific winters or maybe I’ve lost so many plants over the years that I’m scarred, but either way, I’m so incredibly pumped up to spot any signs of plant life. I thought this would wane over the years as I became more seasoned but I thought wrong. I’m still nuts for it.
Today was the first day of “out with the dead and in with the living” (wow, that is an awesome Walking Dead tagline if I do say so myself). I walked outside armed with my pruners and a little jump in my step. There wasn’t a lot of time to go on the hunt but I just needed a little fix.
First up was a Sedum. These are almost too easy. They are typically one of the first plants to show signs of life in spring and are reliably solid survivors of the winter.
While I started out in a mad rush to complete the task, I quickly found myself reminiscing about gardening of years past.
The simple image of the new Sedum growth brought me back to the late 1990’s when I planted my first perennials. I had always been told that the Sedum was fool-proof so it was one of the plants I added to my inaugural garden. I can still vividly remember the first time I set eyes on those curled up stems and how exciting it was. You mean a plant will keep coming back year after year, bigger and better? What a fantastic concept!
A gardener was officially born that day.
As I proceeded from plant to plant this morning, now in only a semi-rush, I started to realize each plant had been associated with a rather specific memory. Not all that different from the memories associated with specific songs.
The Baptisia, only added to my own garden within the past two years, will always remind me of the garden I had put together with my parents a few years back at my childhood home. Not to mention the hilarious attempts by my parents to control them after that. That is what hit me as I dug through the mulch and soil to find this.
I will always thank Amsonia for teaching me to not only think native plants, but also for accepting and appreciating what growing conditions I’ve been granted. She is as reliable as they come for surviving wet winters.
Let’s extend this trip down memory lane to the shrubs. I can remember falling in love with Viburnum carlesii years ago with those early sweet scented blooms. I didn’t think they could survive the deer but I had to have one.
I nursed that 6 inch “stick” for years to the point where it became a “real shrub”. While the blooms are sporadic due to the aforementioned deer, I get enough to make me happy.
I appreciate those that make it through …
… and even those that don’t.
Can we extend to grasses too please? Thank you.
I discovered ornamental grasses by necessity as they are one of the truly deer resistant plants in existence. They also don’t mind be flooded at times. It was an immediate love fest and it became an even deeper love once I understood the “cool season grass”. I remember identifying as many as I could online and then going into a mad rush to locate and purchase them.
I’ll take any green growth I can get in early spring and what a sweet transition they provide to the warm season grasses that follow in May.
Let’s not just talk old memories, new memories are made each gardening season. Last spring I planted a bunch of Trollius on a whim simply because I liked their orange blooms.
They aren’t deer resistant and I don’t think they care too much for the always moist soil. But you know what? They came back.
For how long, who knows?
But for now, new memory officially made.
More severe snow melt this weekend, not to mention mega amounts of rain, and that made me a happy man. A lot of plant life was revealed as a result, both good and bad. Here is a sampling of what I found:
The Hyacinths are indeed on their way.
As are many of the daffodils.
I was pumped just to see the buds that have formed on the Lilacs.
As with last year, I’m planning on pruning back the old wood on the Ninebark ‘Diablo’.
As It is now easier to identify the ‘older wood’ of the Ninebark by the grey color of the branches.
The Tsuga ‘Moon Frost’ took a major hit this winter, most likely from those dang rabbits.
Also taking a hit was Juniper ‘Gold Cone’, critter unknown.
I think I may have discovered a new breed of Boxwood, a nice brown and yellow variety.
I am very thankful to see Boxwood ‘Wedding Ring’ remained unscathed.
Nothing, I repeat nothing, could destroy my many Sweet Flag (Acorus).
And seeing the Sedum ‘Red Carpet’ fight though the ice was a most welcome sight.
The first signs of spring have arrived in my garden here in New Jersey and with that news in mind, allow me to break out my Kevin Bacon “Footloose” dance moves.
Seriously, I promised my wife one day I would learn this entire dance and perform it for the family. It is equal parts awesome and ridiculously goofy, yet I am consumed with it.  When the day comes that I have it mastered, I promise you it will be revealed here first.
Speaking of dancing, I haven’t truly “danced” since my own wedding over 18 years ago. Prior to that, I kind of thought I was a decent dancer for a gawky 6 foot 3 male. I was fearless and had no issue with letting it all hang out. I was even known for doing a solid running man.
However, upon further reveal (specifically my wedding VHS tape) it turns out I am an embarrassment to male dancing. Like cringe worthy bad. And even worse than the lack of rhythm was the facial expressions that accompanied the dancing. An awful overbite mixed with false bravado. Brutal. I vowed from that moment forward to never dance again and other than some alcohol induced wedding screeching/singing/hopping, I haven’t busted a move since.
But if I can master the Footloose dance without anyone seeing the prep work involved, I’m willing to come out of retirement. If it’s quality, I look great and it goes viral. If it’s horrendous, the comedy value will still be worth it … and it goes viral. It seems a lot less intimidating to mimic an existing dance rather than freestyling on my own.
So let’s dance our way back to the signs of spring.
Seeing these irises emerging is incredibly exciting, even if they are still surrounded by a foot of snow.
Yes, a single crocus stem is enough to get the juices flowing this time of year.
After seeing these signs of greenery, I made an announcement to all of the deer that were within earshot. Gardening John is back and if you know what is good for you, you’ll head out immediately.
With that intimidating declaration, the deer obliged and headed for cover.
With signs of spring here, game is officially on.
We are at an interesting time out in the garden right now. OK, all times are interesting in the garden but I needed a solid introduction and thought the preceding sentence would cover it.
Moving on.
As the weather has warmed up significantly this past week, so have many of the plants made significant strides forward.
Like these peony blooms: Â Â 
With plenty to bring indoors as well:
The first blooms have emerged on many of the plants.
Ninebark ‘Diablo’:
Geranium ‘Brookside’:
Iris ‘Ruffled Velvet’:
An unknown Lilac I have virtually no memory of planting last Autumn:
Veronica ‘Royal Candles’:
Spirea ‘Snowmound’:
Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’:
And there are some others that are holding on to their fading blooms for dear life.
Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’:
Amsonia tabernaemontana:
Iris versiclor:
And others who are just about ready to strut their horticultural stuff.
Astilbe ‘Amethyst’:
Astilbe ‘Deutschland’:
Itea ‘Henry’s Garnet’:
Or foliage putting on good amounts of growth.
Cimicifuga ‘Pink Spire’:
Eupatorium ‘Gateway’:
And yes my friends, the ornamental grasses are making an impact.
Panicum ‘Rotstrahlbusch’:
Miscanthus ‘Variegatus’:
However, with the more extreme temps, we are now starting to see some flaws in what was originally our wonderful fresh and clean spring growth. It is inevitable but that doesn’t mean I have to like it and accept it.
Dwarf Russian Sage not so happy:
Panicum ‘Heavy Metal’ a bit stressed perhaps:
Monkshood adjusting to its new home:
The recently transplanted Purple Coneflower volunteers sulking quite a bit:
F’n rabbits nibbling on the Northern Sea Oats ‘River Mist’:
A bit of everything going on right now. Enough to excite, keep me on my toes and frustrate all at the same time.
But no complaining here.
Spring refuses to fully embrace itself so we continue to move at a snail’s pace out in the garden. But the plants are finally revealing their emerging foliage, almost out of fear.
Like Crataegus viridis (Hawthorn) ‘Winter King’:
And Betula nigra (River Birch):
Some of the deciduous shrubs have finally shown emerging foliage, like this Cornus sericea (Redtwig Dogwood):
And Physocarpus (Ninebark) ‘Diablo’:
A few perennials decided to finally make an appearance. Hello Cimicifuga (Bugbane) ‘Pink Spire’:
Peonies unfurling at their own steady pace:
Now there has been some serious progress on other fronts. Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’ buds have turned full blown pink and look phenomenal:Â 
Speaking of this Viburnum. I count today as its first day of having “interest” and it will continue to do provide such “interest” all the way into early November. If you do the math, that is almost seven months of interest. And that means it is fantastic 7/12 of the year. And that translates to a 58% “interest” rate which I might just calculate for every plant I own and add it to the plant spreadsheet.
Just thought you should know that.
While we are at it, let’s enjoy the emerging foliage of the Astilbes:
And the buds on Fothergilla ‘Mount Airy’
And finally, the tulips I’ve successfully grown in containers (hand pats back):
Good stuff, right? Well now let’s move over to the not so good or potentially not so good.
My Amelanchier (Serviceberry) ‘Autumn Brilliance’ is blooming:
But from a larger view, eh:
But more importantly, or more annoyingly, we have some serious bare legs:
I understand that this is the nature of this tree, but this extreme? I need to work on this one in some way.
Do I worry about this? Tent caterpillars?
I’m all for letting nature take its course, but not at the expense of my beloved Crabapple tree. More to come.
And finally, I am already regretting not strongly pruning the Salix (Dappled Willow) ‘Hakuro Nishiki’ in early spring. That awesome variegation is missing:
Look at the same shrub from only two years ago:
Chalk it up to experience and a new task added to the 2015 ledger.