Monday, June 11, 2007

Garden Update #3

The veronica are in bloom. They are beautiful all on their own but I happen to think the dragonfly adds a nice touch. The colours are just dreamy.

The lavender has arrived just in time to replace the fading chives. I can't decide which of these plants I appreciate more. Both look great, offer a long bloom period and add wonderful fragrance to the garden.

I have yet to blog about my Bloodgood Japanese Maple. So here goes. It's doing great. It was a 2006 Mother's Day gift (my husband knows me so well). Last year, the tips of its leaves turned white, almost as if scorched. I worried that I had chosen a poor location but decided to leave it in place until this spring. Good move on my part. It's really thriving and looks gorgeous. The serated leaf edges are stunning and the colour just blows me away. This plant still has a lot of growing to do (it's only about two-and-a-half feet tall) but I'm already imaging it a decade from now. On the down side, I underplanted it last year with lilyturf (liriope muscari). It was a great match. The lily turf provided great purple blooms and berries in late fall. But this year the lily turf is struggling.

The sedum are coming along nicely, but the real star of this photo is the thyme. I planted it last summer and this spring I've got a thick, woolly carpet of thyme. It smells and feels great, and its wonderful blossoms are still to come. I have great plans for thyme when we finally get around to fixing our gravel parking area. Eventually, I want to lay down some stepping stones for where the car wheels will rest. Four lines of stones to accomodate two cars. Everything in between....thyme. It's tough enough that you can step on it and it will bounce right back. Watch out though. Bees love this rugged beauty too. I got stung last year while working near the thyme. Small price to pay.

The asiatic lilies should come into bloom any day now. They are a new addition from last fall and the first of their kind in my garden. Three of them migrated from the far end of the yard to the shade garden near the deck, a distance of some 30 feet. Squirrels! They dug them up and replanted them! At least they could have asked where I wanted them.

Last, but certainly not least, say hello to my baby tomatoes. I recently made the most awesome Caprese Salad with store bought tomatoes. Today my husband said to me that maybe we could make it again in the fall with our own homegrown tomatoes. Wait a minute....my husband noticed my efforts in the kitchen and the garden? I must be doing something right. Like him, I can't wait to enjoy some vine-ripened tomatoes right from the yard.

2 comments:

Connie said...

Everything is looking good in your garden! My husband also bought me a Japanese Maple this year...we will use it as a potted plant on the patio. I hope it will survive our hot summers!

O.I.M said...

Thanks for the compliment Connie. My Japanese Maple is planted on the south side of my yard up against the fence. It spends the hottest part of the day in shade and then gots a lot of sunshine starting in late afternoon. The soil along the fence is consistently moist and the maple seems to like that. Best of luck with yours. They really are gorgeous.