Ledge and Gardens

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - May 15, 2013

In May, the question is not 'what is blooming' but 'what is not' which seems more appropriate. It has been a very cool spring which has been easy on the flowers. They last much longer with cool temperatures and while many plants are blooming a bit later, there is more overlap of bloom and more time to appreciate those blooms. The crabapples are blooming and none is prettier than this 'Prairie Fire' above. I love  the lipstick magenta color along with the subtle scent of the flowers. The Carolina Silverbell is blooming as well. Its white bells light up the garden it is shading. Fothergilla has a curious flower, don't you think? Lime green shows in the buds and they mature to a soft creamy white. Moving to ground, the bleeding hearts are off and running. I moved several white ones from the woods where there were seedlings growing. Borne on the wind or carried by creatures, these seeds germinated twenty feet or so from the garden bed of their parents. They seem happy next to the forget-me-nots which were gifted to me by my neighbors, The Dynamic Duo. Camassia are showing their blue in the 'Stonehenge' garden. They have been inundated with other perennials and a bit of cleanup will soon be necessary. The tulips and daffodils are fading but with such an abundance of bloom they will be remembered fondly. Thank you to Carol of May Dreams for hosting another Bloom Day. I do hope to visit your garden via her links. Do you have a favorite bloom for Bloom Day in May? 

Fabulous Foliage

I know, spring blooms are in full swing but, for a garden devoid of green five months of the year and for the gardener who tends that garden, the emergence of foliage is as welcome as any finicky flower. After all, the flowers last but a short time while the leaves stick around all season. The above Cimicifuga r. 'Brunette' is cuddling with a simple sweet fern which will have a short life in that position but for now it is a lovely pairing. Japanese maples have wonderful foliage and the dissectum varieties whether red or green are always welcome here. This red one pairs well with Hakonechloea macra 'Aureola'. The plain green Japanese maple, Acer palmatum var. dissectum 'Viridis' is very pretty and really not plain at all. Do you have any Japanese maples? A favorite?

The First Mow

The weather has changed to full spring ahead here at Ledge & Gardens and the lawn, the freedom lawn which is complete with ajuga and dandelions, needed a shave. The first mow is the best mow of the season. The scent of freshly mown grass permeates the air with the first mow. It signals the start of a new cycle in the garden. Spring brings with it a velvety green lawn. No dry patches show at the time of the first mow. There has been an April rain deficit here this spring but, right now everything looks green and clean. Has your lawn had the first mow yet?