The problem with this year's cool temperatures is that they are confusing plants (they confuse me too but that's another post). Some plants decide to bloom based on ambient temperature and some bloom based on day length. While the days have been (until recently) getting longer, the temperatures don't exactly scream 'summer.' There are plants in the garden that, based on temperature, are supposed to bloom in either the spring, summer or fall, and the problem is that they are all blooming now! Those spring and fall plants are not sure what season it is.
So the spring bloomers are a little delayed and the fall bloomers are way too advanced. With those plants, if I let them bloom now, I will have nothing in the fall. Thus, I have been furiously cutting back the fall-bloomers a la Edward Scissorhands to delay them a bit while hoping and praying that they have enough time to recover and actually bloom when they are supposed to.
Despite all of this, the yard looks better than it ever has and I am pretty pleased with my efforts so far this year. Actually, compared to other years, my gardening has been pretty tame. I haven't had to do much planting, digging or extreme pruning this year. Its a shame really; gardening used to be a great exercise activity and now its like more like a walk through a park that I can pick flowers from (without looking around to see if anyone's looking first). I guess that means I need to start another big project out there. Michael and I have been talking about removing asphalt from the front. That would certainly be physical. Hmm, food for thought! Anyway . . .
Here is a roundup of the blooming plants in the yard right now:
So the spring bloomers are a little delayed and the fall bloomers are way too advanced. With those plants, if I let them bloom now, I will have nothing in the fall. Thus, I have been furiously cutting back the fall-bloomers a la Edward Scissorhands to delay them a bit while hoping and praying that they have enough time to recover and actually bloom when they are supposed to.
Despite all of this, the yard looks better than it ever has and I am pretty pleased with my efforts so far this year. Actually, compared to other years, my gardening has been pretty tame. I haven't had to do much planting, digging or extreme pruning this year. Its a shame really; gardening used to be a great exercise activity and now its like more like a walk through a park that I can pick flowers from (without looking around to see if anyone's looking first). I guess that means I need to start another big project out there. Michael and I have been talking about removing asphalt from the front. That would certainly be physical. Hmm, food for thought! Anyway . . .
Here is a roundup of the blooming plants in the yard right now:
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