Done with Creeping, Ready for Leaping

According to the old garden adage: first year sleeps, second year creeps & third year leaps, my garden is about to leap. I’m not really sure what to make of this ‘leaping’ prediction but most of my plants survived winter, so, let the leaping begin.

At the beginning of the season there was a wonderful turnout of bulbs, (I just wish I had something like 1,000 more!). The daffodils put on their show and have since wilted away. The large wood hyacinths didn’t last much longer and when the new tulips burst forth they were center stage. I planted some new bulbs last fall that I had never grown before and I was, while not fully disappointed, I felt they could have done better.

Only a few Anemone Lord Lieutenant came up.







Camassia Quamash put on a good show:







Chionodoxa Forbesi Pink Giant did not do hardly anything, therefore I don’t have a
photo.


Iris Reticulata came up two weeks later than usual and didn’t last very long (of course these beauties never seem to last long enough). Here they are popping up behind Salvia East Friesland.



Ornithogalum Umbellatum did really well.






Here are some of the new tulips we planted last fall:
Catherina









Cri de Coeur









Saxatilis









I’m also pretty excited about all the vigorous growth from catmint, caryopteris (blue mist), lilacs, and groundcovers.

The catmint, Nepeta Walker’s Low, was the first to really get going (I love brushing against it when I’m weeding, the fragrance is amazing). Bees love it too.





Caryopteris Sunshine Blue started leafing-out on about the same day as the previous two years.






If I’m not mistaken, Dianthus Agatha and Desmond are a little larger this year, and photos confirm it.















Salvia East Friesland never disappoints.







Monarda Blue Stockings (bee balm) is leafing out, can’t wait to see it bloom again.






Clematis Jackmanii is really leaping this year.







Now, since the plentiful Spring rains have done their part to get everything blooming so beautifully, it’s time for me to do mine.