March: Sam dug out the giant tree peony and relocated it down below the chicken yard. Hopefully it will grow there and perhaps even offer up a bloom or two. Once that was moved, I cleaned out the iris, dug some up for the upcoming PNW plant swap, and cleaned out the rest of that bed. Mowed the small yard.
March: Weeded and trimmed back grasses and groundcover clover. Tore out dead tomatoes and tomatillas, and put the supports in the barn for repainting. Moved plants still in pots to sandbox area, hoping I can figure out what is what -- or just plant them out and figure out what they are later. I know one is a hyssop from Mary, maybe she will remember the cultivar, I think the label faded away. Miraculously, the eucalytus made it through the winter. It is in a pot next to the house on the sunny side, maybe this one will be hardy enough to actually plant into the ground. I'll baby it one more year and see how it does over another winter. I've read that these trees can grow quite quickly.
March: Cut clematis back to about 2', cut off as many dead lilac heads as I could comfortably reach, snapped off dead stems of phlox, sedum, and peony. Weeded and cleaned up the south half of the bed until the sun went behind the house. Cut back the geranium and lambs' ears to about 6" from sidewalk, trimmed rupture wort in sidewalk expansion joints. Pruned barberry for shape. I'm still pulling out that dang decorative allium that never did much for me to begin with, curly hair or something like that, wasn't very impressive but sure regenerates itself at will. I guess I never quite get it all, I don't think it goes to seed, must just multiply like a bulb.
March: Sunny 15 C. Finished spring clean-up on the yard side of the herb border. Pruned the honeysuckle. All the daylillies took a hit from the deer (I guess) while we were gone, hopefully they will all recover. Dug out a good portion of Lucifer, not sure what to do with the extra corms. Offered them on the PNW plant swap but you really need to have the room to let these guys spread out. They look so nice when allowed to be in their natural vase shape, but they do tend to flop into their neighbors and pathways. I'm torn about putting them down by the pond - they are not natives and I'm really trying to keep that area as natural as I can. On the other hand, they could really spread their wings and provide a big pop. Another option would be to intersperse them in the front shrub/tree screen. I'm liking the shredded leaf mulch, it seems to keep the weeds down and looks nice. I'll have to approach Dick about getting some leaves from his yard service this fall, although he's pretty much into 'better living through chemistry' so not sure about that idea. The herb fence is looking pretty ragged, but doesn't really serve any purpose other than delineating the herbs. Might be a good subject for a family work party - spray it with a solid stain to brighten it up. Last time I stained it was when Dad first moved up to Stanwood (2005?), and I could not get him interested in running a brush back and forth to save my soul. He'd just pull up a lawn chair and sit for one beer while watching me work.
March: Sunny, 12 C (mild). Began clean-up, got about half of it edged and weeded. Most perennials are emerging. This bed could use some more evergreen anchors. The hebe is nice on the south end, and there's a young heather at the north end - something in the middle would be good. It's nice to cut back all the winter stalks, really neatens things up. Fens ruby is a thug in this bed, but I'm OK with that, it seems to mix well with the other plants and I have no qualms about yanking it out during clean-up. Think about trying to propagate the honeysuckle by layering, this is the prettiest and most fragrant one I have. Remember to dig out Lucifer by about 1/3, not sure where to put the extras, maybe down by the pond? Asked Gary to secure the iron flower to one of the fence posts, I'd like to rejuvenate that and make it functional again (it has a small oil container behind the bloom for night lighting). He couldn't easily find the drill so on the 'honey-do' list.
Sunny, 5 C. Edged, weeded, cut off old leaves of hellebore, divided Jack Frost, moved large clump of purple hellebore under honeysuckle (it was getting buried by the pieris). Keep an eye on this as they 'resent being moved.' Pulled out all columbines which were likely all Granny's bonnets. Perhaps try some others this year, or maybe some wild foxglove? Lightly pruned Grandma Ghost, but this needs a more extensive cut back. The birds use it a lot for cover while at the feeders. Pruned pieris to about the top of the porch, try to keep this small and compact. Lily pips are just poking up, daffs are about 6". Carefully spread out the daffs a bit (I know, wrong time, but it's easier to do it now). Hellebores are almost open, Jack is just emerging, the epimedium is spreading out nicely. Found Randolph lounging under the azalea, likely waiting for a bird to murder.
