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Flowers everywhere!

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I can’t believe my garden!

The roses have begun to bloom this week.

The winner of the first to bloom contest is my William Baffin Explorer rose as it was a close first to bloom, quickly followed by about five other roses on the same day including Morden Sunset, Bonica, Stanwell perpetual, the fairly and I believe Iceberg.

Three or four of my clematis are blooming, as is my Dropmore honeysuckle, the Siberian iris’, Princess Victoria Louise Oriental Poppy, and one of my peonies – peony Pecher.

Many of the other roses and perennial plants will soon follow as they are covered in buds!

The first rose to bloom, and many of the first roses to bloom are extremely hardy roses.

I’d actually have to say that William Baffin is no longer a rose bush or shrub but rather a rose tree. It’s at least 8 feet tall! So heavy with roses that it’s new branches are leaning out from the garden bed weighed down with buds and flowers. It’s a beautiful sight to see.

Yes, I will take photos shortly. I love being able to document how the garden is maturing with my camera.






Insects on bearded iris leaves

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A visitor to As the garden grows told me that they’d seen some tiny red bugs on their bearded Iris leaves. Blasting the plant with water didn’t help because the bugs came back out again once the leaves dried off.

Spraying the plants with a blast of water was actually a good move and it can be helpful with many types of insect infestations. The insects that she saw were probably aphids. They love new growth on plants and you’ll often find them on tender young leaves or flower buds. They suck the plants juices and can get unsightly if they aren’t controlled.

Aphids breed quite quickly. If you have plants that are infested by aphids you should give them a blast of water daily. You might also add a drop or two of dishwashing liquid to a spray bottle and spray the areas of the plant that are heavily infested. The soap will smother the aphids.

Whatever you do you do not want to kill any ladybugs. Ladybugs love eating aphids and they are beneficial insects in your garden. So, if you use the soapy water method try to watch where you are spraying and avoid hitting any ladybugs.

Delicate Chionodoxa blooms

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Chionodoxa

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Last Saturday, when I surveyed my garden, only a few flowers were blooming. The crocus were still blooming, but they’ve since stopped, and the lovely blue iris, and the hellebore that I showed you earlier this week was blooming as well. The only other flower that had made an arrival was the Chionodoxa.

Chionodoxa are delicate spring flowers. I have bluish purple ones as shown above, white ones and pink ones. Of course the only once that had made an appearance were the purple ones. Most were not yet open.

Now, one week later, the garden is alive with green leaves and flower buds. I think all of the Chionodoxa are blooming, and so are some of the hyacinths and daffodils. I must admit that I haven’t gone out to take a close look so there could be a few other nice surprises.

I did have one tulip blooming in my front boulevard garden bed, but it met an untimely end. I’m telling that story over at Tricia’s Musings.

What’s blooming in your Garden this week?

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