Happy New Year! Are we all about fresh starts for January? 🙂 I guess that even in the garden, we’re looking for ways to improve. I like to look back and see how things went, to start with. That’ll usually help me decide what I need a ‘fresh start’ with or what needs adjustment. I have to admit that the title of today’s post isn’t very glamorous. I tried, but what I went with seemed to make the most sense (too practical for my own good). I love taking time now, when we’re technically taking a wee rest from gardening, to look back at all that we grew last year. I honestly don’t remember all of the flowers that graced us until I review the pictures! It is a process that fills me with gratitude, and energizes me for the upcoming season.

As the garden grows, so too, do the number of pictures – exponentially! Capturing four months in just a few collages is truly an exercise of discipline. There are so many pictures from the garden that I’d love to share!

While I haven’t captured everything from January to May 2022 in the pictures below, it is a pretty good job. What flowers are you thinking of adding this year? I already have a few in mind!

I hope you are enjoying your winter rest time, too!

In Peace,
Dana

January 2022. There might not be as much growing in the garden in the winter months as in the summer months, but there are some very pretty sunrises and sunsets. My garden ‘must haves’ for January flowers: anemone and hellebores! The cat and chicken are just bonus babies in the garden. 🙂

February 2022. My hellebores saved their best performances for February. I moved some around this year so it’ll be interesting to see if they will be happier in their new homes (or not). The very short Iris reticulata were new this year. They bring a lovely splash of color to the bed! And snowdrops should definitely grace every garden. They are completely maintenance free, will eventually spread, and always provide a cheerful spray of pristine white flowers to brighten any winter day.

The above picture was taken in February 2022. Look how bare the beds are!

March 2022. The pinks and purples are blanketing the garden! The showy, white Magnolia Stellata was completely covered in flowers this year (first full year in the garden). It is such a beautiful shrub. March is when we trimmed the ornamental grass. It looks rather funny here, but I like keeping it a manageable size. The kitties seemed to enjoy the bed more, too. The aubrieta is slowly making its way over the wall. It is a beautiful fuchsia color, tying in nicely with the hyacinth. And of course we had daffodils!

April 2022. We saw the apple and cherry trees show off their beautiful blossoms in April. I hadn’t realized how big a bleeding heart plant (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) can grow. Ours must be happy! Daffodils continued to offer their beauty while the early blooming tulips started their show. I added Apricot Parrot tulips this year, and I think they were fabulous!

May 2022 Part I. Lots and lots of tulips! 60 bulbs each of tulip Mascotte and tulip Lilac Perfection gave HUGE impact in front of our playhouse. They were spectacular. Last fall we just dug a big space in front of the playhouse and laid out the bulbs, covering them with soil when we were finished. It was so EASY! The Bluebells were in full bloom by May, as were the Lily of the Valley plants. The lilacs were not quite as full as in years past, but they weren’t too shabby, either. The Freesia was a new addition this year (in the pot). Also a new addition: Easydendron Rhododendron ‘Marcel Menard’ Inkarho. This is a dwarf variety that does well in any soil type – not requiring the usual acidic soil. I was happy that it seemed to settle in well, showing off a bunch of beautiful blooms (another picture in collage below). The final picture is actually of the strawberry bed cage/top that my husband built to keep the birds at bay. He did a great job as it worked!

May 2022 Part II. I did a mass planting of 50 Allium bulbs last year, too. If you have the space to do a mass planting, it really is worth it! And it isn’t that much space that is needed, actually. And best of all: bees love allium. Paeonia ‘Hillary’, an Itoh, is a soft redish color. This is a hybrid between garden and tree peonies. I’m still undecided on which I prefer, Itohs or ‘regular’ peony. I have an all white tree peony, too. But I’ve moved him around so much, the poor thing is not quite sure what to do. That is not the case with the lupine plant – as it gives a great show every year! The final plant I’ll mention in this post is the iris. I have quite a few varieties, one that much prettier than the next and all blooming at different times which was a wonderful way to extend their season!

Thanks so much for being a part of my gardening journey! Which flowers are your favorites? 🙂