Midwest Gardening: What's Blooming/Growing

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We spent a hard week trimming, clearing debris and all dead/dying/overgrown stuff out. 

Time to enjoy some blooming.  

Everything seems to be just growing so fast right now. Here's some quick photos with only one story, lol. 

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Only thing blooming around the pond right now is this rosebush---which had been dead/dormant for over 10 years. Last year I coaxed three flowers out of it. And, this year I cleared all the other plants around, trimmed and fertilized. And, Whaaa-Laaaa---roses and lots more buds, too. It was originally a climber and gets long tendrils, which I have been cutting back also? I am far from a rose grower...but I'm proud of this! 

(Honestly I knew the root would be huge -30 years or so- and really didn't want to dig it out...LOL)

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It has luscious crimson roses! 

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One of two pots around the pond, I planted with this purple thing...hoping it climbs out soon.

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Geranium blooming here. The squirrels have been digging in all three pots along the garage...it will be a miracle if some of the plants make it after being planted multiple times. 

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I bought red geraniums early---an 8 pack, but one was this color...it's pretty, but???

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The squirrels have been rearranging the Gnome village in the backyard. Everyday!

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I always thought Gnomes would live under a shady tree. The Grand helped me place all these...! 

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I'm cutting lettuce today, and the peas are starting to blossom.

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Also more lettuce and onions, picking for the week! 

Tips on keeping garden lettuce on this post:

Midwest Gardening:First Crop and Tips

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All the tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans are starting to bloom! And a few short sunflowers.

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Pots are starting to explode, the Caladiums and Elephant ears....are really winding up! 

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The back pond is running, and the trellis rose is starting to bloom. Hubby is working on a base for a new fence behind here.

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Last thing I planted last week---sweet peas for the east fence.

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The Hollyhocks are thick with leaves and forming the bud stems at about 4 feet high. I wonder how tall they will be this year?  The birdhouse is moveable, I never know when plants may cover something!

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These are the Hollyhocks I planted last year---they should bloom this year, HH's are biennial--so they seed and then bloom after the second year.

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Last Iris....waiting to open.......sigh. such a short season!  My Sedum plants are very happy, also.

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I've actually sat  here a bit... the crazy hot temps have cooled off, and watching the birds with my feet up and a cool drink is...

One of Life's simple pleasures! 

WHAT DO YOU HAVE BLOOMING?

Thank you for any and all comments.

Finally I am able to reply to comments by using Chrome. So all you Mac users who have upgraded to Catalina---this might help the glitches on Safari  and Blogger!

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Thank you for your cooperation, 

Sandi 

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Midwest Gardening:New Projects for June 2020

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We did get the plants on the left all planted in May, but the bushes were a sale/buy, and we weren't ready for them until now!

The 'snow' on the ground was Hawthorn blossoms...which lasted three days or so.

The plan is to plant the  conicals on the front of the 'mound' which isn't much of a mound anymore after 20+ years.  The Weigela is a compact flowering bush to add some lighter color into what is basically a green area.

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This is a multi-trunk Hawthorn/Buckthorn in from of our garage, this area also needs some care? On the list!

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In May, I dragged this birdbath to the 'mound'. This area was all shade until we lost a forty foot spruce tree last fall. I've transplanted Daylilies and Phlox and added, Liatris (from bulbs in the greenhouse), 3 short Shasta daisies, 2 Russian Sage, a purchased Knockout Rose and we plan to add the Weigela. 

The Periwinkle ground cover is going nuts with the extra rain and the sunshine this gets now.

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Something will be added on the stump? Something silly and fun, I think.

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We are going to add more dirt and then a bit of mulch. I found a few large stones and will reinforce some of the 'mound'. 

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These bushes were overgrown and sparse, the Plum was all but dead! We took everything you see, OUT!

In it's place we have chosen some hardy evergreens that will only get so big!

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This Tree Rose of Sharon was really half dead, but lots of shoots close by. 

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After it was cleared, we planted these Mimosa conicals. We left some peonies, a bit of forsythia and some privet bushes. We need additional dirt in here and maybe a bit of rock. The structure in the back is the base for my husband's long wanted ---wishing well. I guess I'm old enough now to have a wishing well, (WITH A BUCKET) he specifies. Anyway, he is easily distracted so maybe, maybe not! LOL.

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At the corner we planted another  Evergreen. Day Lilies and Peonies have struggled here, another tree on our neighbors side is scheduled to get a severe trim, if not down completely. 

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Another project hubby started was this lamp post and electrical at the end of our driveway. He also built the ledge for some pots. I've tried to plant drought resistant plants, we will see how they do with 100% sun and the wind out here.

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I staged my pots this year, the one on the left still has it's label.

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Two weeks later and nothing is really dead yet! But, we have had tons of rain!

We will try and add a sprinkler head here on the irrigation hose.

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The mailbox planter is coming along....just have to keep it watered.

Now the BACK!

I showed this area in early Spring. These are the Before photos.

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A roof extension was put on last year to solve water issues. Having a few hundred-year-rains, maybe 3-4 times a season has been difficult. 

Our lot drops about 6 feet from the west to the east.  Plus our neighbors double lot drains on us also.

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Under the extended roof, Planters are to be the featured here. The Coleus is all from seed, and we have Caladium starts (THEY ARE SO SLOW), with nursery Impatiens

Hubby is working on permanent solutions to hide wiring along that beam. We scrubbed the walls and concrete and generally cleaned the area. I plan to dress this up a bit. Once this area is stained and I reinforce that enamel topped table, it should really look great!

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We have three old scythes and a bunch of other farm antiques, when I get them all together this will look like a farmer's market. 

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Now,  the pots are starting to really fill out! The paver base is a bit dirty right now, I raked up all the wingy-dingys from the Maple Trees yesterday, and it's already dirty again

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Before: The west new lattice wall completed late last Fall. Because this is so shady here, we need air flowing or the area just gets moldy. 

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We still needed to hook up the drainage pipe above here, (in May). But I have my Coleus from seed and nursery Impatiens started in pots. The Vinca is from the 'mound' as a transplant. The Hostas were from a 'start' assortment of little bitty sprouts last year, and they are already a great size for here. 

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Here you can see the diverted drains from the roof extension going into the flower bed. The Hostas and Cedar bushes should grab some of that excess rain. 

Another project not yet started:

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This lattice will be replaced with a new structure, when the birds move out. Papa is very vocal, and won't let us near here without a frantic scolding. The Clematis was about to bloom, too.

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Two weeks later and he is still standing guard, but the Clematis is blooming. (He's up on the top rung, squawking at me.) Sparrows will have as many as 4 sets of babies in a season.

More Projects: Hubby is still working on a rebuild of the compost pile, and we are waiting for a dead tree to be taken down, before he finishes the fencing on the north side. I've been doing all the gardening while he builds, builds, builds.

We are sending out for bids on our driveway and culvert to be redone....definitely not something for a DIY. We will use blacktop---because snow melts so easily on the black surface that faces south. 

On my list is sprucing up the greenhouse, and I have some fun projects planned for June. 

HOW ARE YOUR GARDEN/YARD PROJECTS COMING ALONG?

PLEASE SHARE in Comments!

Thank you for any and all comments.

Finally I am able to reply to comments by using Chrome. So all you Mac users who have upgraded to Catalina---this might help the glitches on Safari  and Blogger!

Join me at these fine blog parties:
Little Cottage Link Party
All About Home

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, 

Sandi 

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