Monday, April 21, 2014

European wild ginger


http://www.perennials.com/plants/asarum-europaeum.html

During my nursery crawl a couple weeks ago, I found these at one of my favorite nurseries - Ambleside Gardens in Hillsborough NJ (www.amblesidegardens.com), and like the crazy woman I am, I picked up three.

I'd been on the lookout for wild ginger, though and they're rare as hen's teeth to find at any of the nurseries, so I pounced despite the price tag (which I only noticed when I got to the register, actually).  Not cheap by any means - a single 4" pot was $14, which is usually what I'd be paying for a quart or even gallon pot of something more common.

Yeah, it's not the native Asarum canadense, but I like the shiny dark green that's reminicent of English Ivy, without being invasive like ivy, better than the more matte and lighter green Canadian wild ginger.  Though, if I spot some I will get it, too.  I have a lot of shady understory to populate, after all.

When last I checked, they were still alive through the nightly frosts, unlike the two sweet potato vines I picked up that same weekend - hey, it was nearly 80 degrees out!!  Silly me, thinking winter had finally given up the fight.  After this morning's frost, however, I'm confident that the temperature will stay above 40 at night from now on - or at least through the current week's forecast. :P

And yes, I lied about this being the year I didn't buy any plants.  Winter was so brutal that I needed some retail therapy to keep myself sane.


Friday, April 11, 2014

BEES!

While planting pansies yesterday afternoon, I caught a glimpse of a honeybee visiting my squills, and a big ol' bumble (or mason - didn't get a good look at it) bee was looking at my crocuses when BB got home from work. 

Spring has indeed sprung.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Getting ready for the very first spring harvest

I am eagerly anticipating my first harvest from the thicket of asparagus crowns I have growing on the top tier of my vegetable garden. 

I'm also hoping to be able to harvest a handful of fiddleheads from the ostrich ferns growing on the side of the house - native AND edible.  Might have to plant a few more of those - I planted 3 in Fall 2012 and in 2013 only 2 came up.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

On obsessive behavior

It is just a bit sad that most of my work day is spent daydreaming about gardening?  Even though said activity kicks my flabby ass and causes the consumption of mass quantities of ibuprofen & Salonpas patches for days afterwards? 

Truly, I am more obssessed with getting my hands in the dirt, green things, and bugs than I was in planning any part of our wedding - which was an awesome party with all sorts of FLOWERS! 

The obsession increases each day and night that the temperature stays above freezing.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Round's a shape

I finally got out into the garden for the first time in what feels like forever, and after three hours I was capital D done.  My endurance is shot, and I'm totally out of shape.

I did manage to prune the roses back, pulled a couple weeds, planted trilliums, and hacked down the old asparagus growth in anticipation of my very first harvest.  The asparagus has been allowed to grow over three summers, I am anticipating a lovely harvest - which reminds me, I need to pick up a couple bags of poop at Agway. :)

So, what do I do about the winter induced malaise?  Well, this morning was nice enough for a mile-plus stroll along the Hudson River waterfront before work, I'm glad to say.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Can't Wait!!

Waiting for the photo studio to post the pictures of our wedding is killing me.  How did people ever wait weeks for proofs to be available, and then months for the finals to come back?

I also can't wait to get out into the garden.  There are spots that I'll have to leave alone to avoid compacting soft earth into brick, but I can definitely start pruning the roses along the driveway, and doing cleanup along the walkways.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Garden Girl is now Mrs. Broccoli Boy

So, we got hitched over the weekend.  Yes, I know, "pics or it didn't happen" - I'll work on that, OK?

We're running about a month behind in the garden.  Crocuses and winter aconite are just starting their bloom.  Daffodils and hyacinths are poking up greens.   Will get the camera out this weekend and see what I can catch in bloom.

That Japanese maple I was worried for may yet make it.  I have to make sure to put some sort of sealer in the crack and put some screws in so that the split doesn't get worse, but it doesn't look as bad as it did when the snow was still weighing the branches down.

I held off pruning the roses until after the wedding so that they wouldn't turn me into a mess of bloody scratches - those things can get through even thick leather gloves!