For many of my plants, this is their “creep” year, and for a few, it’s their “leap” year.
I’m counting on it, because so far this season I’ve had very little time to spend in my own garden — it’s all gone to the school habitat. My poor plants have been on their own for awhile now!
Some of the second-year plants aren’t just blooming –they’re by gosh BLOOOOMING. Gorgeously so. The four-nerves, seen above, are finally blooming with gusto. And my Salvia greggii in the front yard has really started to take off.
My crossvine has exploded in tubular flowers and buds-to-be. Really, I’m astonished everytime I look at it — it hardly bloomed in the fall, and now you can barely see the leaves through all the blooms. This picture is from a few days ago, and the blooms are far greater in number now.
And I sense that it will be another good wildlife year. My first official spring garden visitor captured with a camera is a new species to my yard, that I’m aware of. I believe this is a Juniper Hairstreak, a little tattered but enjoying its time on my Blackfoot Daisy.
Last weekend we did begin to attempt to tackle the Weed Jungle. It’s so horrifying I can’t bring myself to take a picture of it. On the plus side, though, it inspired me to make a pathway through it, and now it will be easier to know what is meant to be pathway and what is meant to be free-plant-zone. And I don’t mean weeds!
And as it turns out, a Weed Jungle makes for pretty good places to hide Easter Eggs. Two positives! Think I’ll be in such a good mood after we get back to work on the weeds this weekend?
Tomorrow’s the Wildflower Plant sale, and I’m sure I’ll once again overspend buying plants I haven’t yet prepared beds for. On the other hand, that’s pretty much how I garden, so I guess I can just smile and enjoy the process!
What?! There are people who prepare a bed BEFORE buying the plants? That’s just crazy talk…
Ha ha, sounds like I’m not alone in my gardening methods…
An interesting description of the blooming year; creep and leap! I enjoy looking at the flowers….. especially those crowding and fighting for a higher space to show off.. ~bangchik
You are surely not alone in your gardening methods. I have so many plants, waiting for beds. Some are too tender for temps like the last two nights. They have to be hauled in and out.
I guess I won’t ever learn.
I hope you enjoy the plant sale, Meredith. 🙂 Your crossvine is spectacular, and you got a wonderful shot of the Juniper Hairstreak. That’s such a gorgeous blue-green shimmer; I hope those tatters mean he’s wise enough to escape the birds now for the rest of the season.
Wow. That butterfly is just amazing. I’ve never seen one with those colors. Nice to see you at the sale — hope you got some good stuff.
well, don’t feel bad, Meredith. our entire “lawn” is a carpet of weeds. i’ve got quite a pile of them decomposing in the back now, but it is a never-ending task of pulling them up! the thistles keep popping up every time i turn around! great pic of the butterfly!