Yesterday I did not plant. I had not slept much the night before (just one of those nights where I kept waking up), so I did a little weeding , used some skinny logs to create a natural edging in a woodland bed, and admired what was starting to bloom.

The past few years have been a lot of brutally hard work to get this garden where it is today and every spring I am just rewarded all over again with the fruits of my labor so to speak. The next wave is opening which are all the older azaleas we inherited and I had to beat back to manageable sizes and in some cases cut almost to the ground so they rejuvenated and they are starting to pop!

Inspired first in this garden by gardeners/garden writers like the late Suzy Bales and David Culp, I can now see four seasons of interest. And although a layered garden is a lot to put in and you do move things around sometimes, I really like what I am seeing now almost 8 years later. The work is worth it.

Now a little segue. People are torturing nursery and plant businesses which are delivering about not taking their used cardboard carry boxes back. Come on now, hello pandemic known as Coronavirus/COVID19?? No one wants their recyclable content back. We have to recycle on our own. You can also take the boxes apart as in flatten them and use them under a few inches of mulch and wood chips in areas you are trying to suppress weeds. They will break down over time. Another idea is to clean out a couple of boxes and leave in your trunk for in person nursery visits and recycle them for holding other plants and supplies and help keep your car clean.

Today I am planting lots of stuff! Peonies, a panicle hydrangea ( “Tardiva”), more Japanese maple cultivars, and native perennials including Virginia blue bells!! I am very excited to have found Virginia blue bells! I hope they get easily established!

In a few days once I think we are beyond a freeze it will be time to move peppers and tomatoes out.

Ok well I have planting to do, so I am signing off. Happy gardening!