Last year in Spring my garden plans, my garden, and the weather was a lot different... May started out warm and balmy. I planted a few veggies in containers and added a couple of annuals.
This May, my garden was a little messy... I could not weed or make many plans because the weather started out whacky.. It rained non-stop for 3 months straight with cool temperatures that stayed below 60, I could do nothing but wait it out. As May came to a close, I was finally awarded with my perennial blooms...
This May, my garden was a little messy... I could not weed or make many plans because the weather started out whacky.. It rained non-stop for 3 months straight with cool temperatures that stayed below 60, I could do nothing but wait it out. As May came to a close, I was finally awarded with my perennial blooms...
My Spiderworts are back...
It's not unusual for them to bloom later in the spring and summer season. Last year they bloomed at the very end of May. This year the 2nd week of June.
Below a side view
Below: My roses on the front gate are looking pretty good...
This year they are lower on the front gate because last year I clipped them back after they suffered a succession of attacks... beginning with aphids, and then fungus. The leaves curled, and they a long with the canes turned a sickly yellow and were covered with brown splotches.
They have made a come back thanks to a homemade insecticide that follows below... read on...
This year they are lower on the front gate because last year I clipped them back after they suffered a succession of attacks... beginning with aphids, and then fungus. The leaves curled, and they a long with the canes turned a sickly yellow and were covered with brown splotches.
They have made a come back thanks to a homemade insecticide that follows below... read on...
It.. up close after rain yesterday.
Below: Pink roses near the driveway...
I believe they are pink "knockouts" and they too, have come back healthier this year....
2009 and 2010 were a bad year for these tough little roses.. aphids were so unmerciful and relentless I contemplated pulling them up...but not wanting to give up, I searched the net for a organic solution.
There were lots of ready made natural chemicals on the market to choose from, but cost more then I was willing to pay for at the moment. Armed with helpful tips and a spray bottle, I made a combo of Ivory soap, vegetable oil, and neem. This combo turned out to be a success!
Below: Pink roses near the driveway...
I believe they are pink "knockouts" and they too, have come back healthier this year....
2009 and 2010 were a bad year for these tough little roses.. aphids were so unmerciful and relentless I contemplated pulling them up...but not wanting to give up, I searched the net for a organic solution.
There were lots of ready made natural chemicals on the market to choose from, but cost more then I was willing to pay for at the moment. Armed with helpful tips and a spray bottle, I made a combo of Ivory soap, vegetable oil, and neem. This combo turned out to be a success!
Note: always use care when testing homemade insecticides on your plants.. Do a pre-test on a small area of the affected plant first..if no harm is done .... Blast it full force until it becomes saturated .
Below: The rose of a different kind is back...
This shrub rose ( Kerria Japonica ) is native to Japan, China, and Korea. It's a spring blooming shrub that has no characteristics in my opinion to an actual shrub rose, but I love it just the same. I think it's unique and very pretty with its pom-pom blooms. I'm still working to bring it back to it's original form and beauty. It is a pass-along- to me, from my mother.
Below: shrub Deutzia Scabra
The Deutzia Scabra ( doot-see-uh ) was covered in painted ladies last May, but not one could be found this May... I wondered what happened?.... was it due to the constant rain this season?...
Link shows a painted lady...(butterfly)
http://vetsysview.blogspot.com/2010/05/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-2010.html
I finally put an end to the creeping... of the Creeping Buttercups by removing all of its runners and shoots with a spade and a hoe.
These invasive, but pretty little flowers are now out of commission, only a few remain by choice....
take a look at year's photo...
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7R2Bz7YkHZ4Ia0-j9WlhHxvpPHC1sEqL3eOfwRnMUgRddcpKRZoKjO7VA15pDyeBq-44CRadvJZnHBFO9JSABHKOHIvil4-yRbJGmlmQZV9P3Vf9B4pmmxko-JZfl8Av91cbo0SMVvA/s1600/308.JPG
Below: the other shrubs:
last spring after all 4 shrubs were done blooming, I tried to trim them into neat manageable shapes, but they had other plans.
Pink Weigela towards the front gate...
Weigela " Eva Rathke"... It's a lot smaller this year due to the removal of dead and dying bark.
Below: Both photos are from the same shrub, It's a very pretty shrub that I have not yet identified. Trimming and up-keep are a nightmare! I have decided that flowering shrubs will not have a place in my future gardens, the up- keep is just too much!
Daisies are in the same location but are now crowding the Black eyed Susan's
Below: A work still in progress...
this area is still unfolding; diathus, phlox, and creeping phlox, have replaced my Cactus Zinnia's.
Below: The robins nested this time around... last summer there were baby cardinals.
There are dozens of hens and chicks, ( Sempervivum) too many to post.... so I'll just share a few.
Thank you much..for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. I also welcome you tips and advice.
Wow, Vetsy ~ You have some real beauties! Spiderworts are one of my favorites to grow. Your Weigela are stunning and I love your roses. Deutzia Scabra is very pretty too.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy all that beauty you have surrounding you.
FlowerLady
Thank you FlowerLady.
ReplyDeletebeautiful flowers vetsy! i especially love the darker pink weigela, i'd never seen those before. your homemade insecticide sounds great--i'm having pretty bad problems with aphids right now and was planning to look for a good homemade solution, so thanks for the suggestion!
ReplyDeletethe robin baby is way cute, i'm so glad the cats didn't get to them. the robin eggs in my back yard haven't hatched yet, hopefully they will soon.
Vetsy-just lovely pictures. When were the photos of the unidentified shrub taken? I ask because it appears to be a golden yellowhorn perhaps? Your roses are beautiful. I added a new spiderwort last spring-it has lime green leaves and a different color flower. Just keep fighting the battle with the roses. Never give up. One of my clients-after I told him two of his trees were dead-said he was done planting stuff. It broke my heart. I talked him through it and then sold him two crabapple trees. Systemic insecticide/fertilizer by Bayer has been a key for my roses.
ReplyDeleteThat yellow rose looks a bit like a mum. Very Chinese! True to where the plant originates haha... I love your hens and chicks especially the big ones on the jar pot. All the flowers are so lovely including the spiderworts. Your roses are the sweetest. They reward you with so many blooms. I especially like the pink one :-D
ReplyDeleteHey Vetsy, your flowers are looking good! The colors are so pretty. The Kerria Japonica is especially pretty. I like pom-pom blooms too, and the color is so rich!
ReplyDeleteEMILY.... Don't forget to do a little test before you give your plants the full blast...
ReplyDeleteOh and I forgot to state that if you do mot use or find Neem, the Ivory and vegetable oil will work just find, I added it just for an extra punch because the formula was so simple I wasn't sure it was going to work....
The soapy suds penetrates their soft shelled bodies and the vegetable oil helps it stick to them and the plants.
I like the darker Weigela it's my favorite as well.
HEATHER... I agree, I kill lots of stuff, but I refuse to give up! I plan to start a small collection of roses in the future.
..The photo of the unidentified shrub was taken last week it has lots of pink small flowers.
STEPH.... I like the large hen & chicks in the strawberry jar too. The yellow rose does look like a Mum..I think it's so unique I really like it.
ANGELA.... I love the pom-pom shaped flowers and the color as well.
Vetsy girl thank you so much for you sweet comments on my post : )
ReplyDeleteYou are NO novice girl ! Your roses are beautiful and you did the right thing with cutting them way back when they suffered so many different attacks (so far the aphids aren't bad this year .. yet?) But cutting back and using a natural spray solution is exactly what I do too .. it rests the plant from fighting so hard, and gives it, and you, a break from such nonsense ! LOL
The other trick is the half cup of Epsoms salts once a month (a ring around the bottom of the rose stalk, not too close) starting May through to August .. it strengthens the rose to fight off those problems when they occur .. and they will occur no matter how well we try to fight them .. part of being a gardener ? haha
I am still soaking my rose roots .. today is so windy and cool I'm not out in the garden .. but I know the soaking will only do more good, to hydrate and prepare the roses for planting .. I really hope this all works out .. I didn't expect them to look that DRY myself ! haha
Your garden plants look lovely and those roses are beautiful !!
Joy : )
PS .. I have Tradescantia (Widow's Tears, Spiderwart .. why so many names , who knows!) too, in the white form
Love that Spiderwort, I think it is fantastic plant!
ReplyDeleteEverything looks fabulous in your garden...I remember Michigan being a great place to garden, the little that I did while we lived there.
Everything there is so beautiful! Maybe being put off by all the coolness and rain just stored pent energy in them that finally went POW! I appreciated the rose info from you and Joy. I would love to have roses.
ReplyDeleteJOY.... Those are great tips thank you soooo..Much!
ReplyDeleteROSEY... Thank you Rosey it's one of my favorites too.
BARBEE... Thanks Barbee it's been a blast learning new things from our fellow garden bloggers whoop whoop!
Hi Vetsy,
ReplyDeleteHow've you been? Are you taking any classes this summer?
I remember it raining a lot in your area. We've had all kinds of temperatures up and down, a little more rain than "normal".
Your flowers are looking happy and healthy. The mystery shrub reminds me of mock orange, but I'm not knowledgeable about shrubs. We had one that was already there in the first house we bought. I loved it, but battled it constantly to try to keep it in a good shape/form. Silly me, I took a start of it to our second house, and never did get it to cooperate. I bought a different kind of mock orange and a couple viburnums to plant in my garden across the street, and missed the time to prune them last year. It looks like they are not going to bloom, so I should go ahead and see if I can manage to get them in shape.
Thanks for your comment on my garden tour post.
SUE...Thank you Sue. I had to put off summer school due to some other duties.
ReplyDeleteI do have a Mock orange I think it's called a Golden leaf mock orange, It's the one that smells really lemony and the aphids love it to death every year. So that shrub is still a mystery to me in the front yard.
Dear Vetsy, Your garden is amazing! This is my favorite posting of your blooms. I love them all, but especially your spiderwort. Oh, and the hens and chics are wonderful. P. x
ReplyDeleteThank you Pam...I love the spiderworts as well.
ReplyDeleteLooks great Vetsy and yeah, I'm having the same problem this year with the creeping buttercups - they are all over! Your Pink Weigela sure looks nice! Does it bloom all Summer long?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThank you Heather... I think that Buttercups have such a lovely buttery color.. But they are so invasive one will have to take action to tame them or remove them altogether.
ReplyDeleteMy Weigela's first bloom in mid May...Then sporadically through out the summer.
Hi Vesty. You do have color in your garden. I know exactly how you feel because our weather has been similar. June seems to be a kind month--as long we don't hail. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is beautiful! So many flowers. Our spring was pretty awful this year too. Very wet and cold. Hopefully summer will be better.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ann... Lol! No we don't need the hail.
ReplyDeleteThanks... Catherine, yeah it's been a weird one.