Full Spring Yard Tour

The fun part of taking pictures each year (and collecting them in one easy spot) is seeing the growth.  The year to year evolution of our whole yard, of course, but here just week to week or month to month and over the whole season, watching all these plants grow and bloom and provide a little color and happiness in our lives.

The strawberry plants have really taken to the compost-enriched soil of the west garden.  I haven't seen the plants look so robust in some time.  The garlic and herbs are coming along as well.




Shortly before these pictures Kate planted a bunch of seed rows in the east garden.  And the raspberry plants are still there.  The east garden never got much of the compost soil because it was hard to add in between the plants.  Moving the strawberry plants gives us a chance to enrich the cheap soil I started with.  I hope the seeds do well, but they may do better next year.  Also, after uploading pictures we remembered to cover the area where seed rows are planted to help keep them from being dug up so I had to go out again to get an updated picture.  Just two chicken wire covers I slapped together a few years ago that we've used off and on in the garden and they seem to work well.

Now, the tour starts after the break.  This time I thought I'd add a little caption commentary, just for kicks!

The day lilies have filled the corner very well.

The peony is too big for the support ring used.  The problem with them is they have big, heavy blooms that are very nice but very heavy and when they're done the petals are everywhere.

New hanging plant, covering both new decorative and useful solar lights.

The purple puffballs are peaking!  But they have moved in too much on the left.  The whole plants on the left will be gone when they are done flowering.

Side of the house hostas.  Very boring.  But they do fill the space.

The stump area had a lot of moss this year, we left it be.  We think it may be because of the recently euthanized tree.  The vinca is doing very well and the bleeding hearts are blooming in the background.

Before too long this will need to be a wider shot!  Mothballs have been added as a deterrent to critters digging them up.  I fogot to put them in the pots out front and they took a hit sometime last night or this morning.  I was able to salvage it all this time.  Squirrels are bastards.

The lilac is peaking!

Say goodbye to the rocks, most will be covered soon until late fall.

Probably the only place that I really like the hostas is along the back fence.  They are a hardy, decorative plant that grows well in all sorts of conditions.  My problem with them is that I have over thirty of them, and most are huge!

Lots of strong looking strawberry plants this early, covered in bird netting.

The east garden with newly planted rows of seeds.

Top, center.  Bat house.  Coming soon.

Lily of the valley.

The entrance to the house.  I must do something about that moss on the front of the steps next time I have the power washer out.