Hi there! The garden has been coming to life with some very pretty shades of pink over the past couple of weeks. My magnolias are blooming, the aubrietia is still showing off, and the tulips, those that have returned, are looking lovely. I did have plenty of tulips that didn’t return this year, unfortunately. That does happen, which is why it’s good to have a variety of flowers blooming, and to not just rely on one. But I’m still very disappointed.

The weather has only partially cooperated this week, with mostly dry conditions but also rather cloudy and cool. The rains returned last night and they continue into today. Hoping for lots of May flowers given all of these April showers!

I mustered short stints in the garden this week. The area around our raised beds, including the beds, is now all set for the season! I was a little surprised by how many weeds managed to grow in the hoggin ground cover, despite having cardboard and weed blocker fabric underneath. It is great to have it all cleared now. What a job that was! I have lots of sunflower plants in pots that are ready to be moved into those raised beds. We have another risk of frost this coming week, so it’ll be a little bit longer until I can move them out, though.

I’m joining Garden Ruminations for Six on Saturday. Feel free to join in.

Enjoy the tour!

In Peace,
Dana

1 – Pink anemone. I confess that I am unsure how I’ve ended up with pink anemone. I have quite a lot of purple anemone (mostly Mr. Fokker). It spreads, and I really like it. But this bright pink anemone showed up a couple of years ago and is ever so slowly multiplying. I am partial to pink, so I’m perfectly ok with it making itself at home here.

2 – Aubrietia and bee. I can see Aubrietia being in my ‘Six’ for a few weeks. Even the bees love it! 🙂

3 – Magnolia Heaven Scent. It seems there are only six flowers this year. This tree was planted just a couple of years ago, so I’m not sure if I should be concerned with just six flowers this year or maybe it needs more time to settle in. I’m going to be optimistic and hope for more next year. 🙂 Given the name, it is supposed to have a lovely scent. But the flowers are too high up for me to actually smell them!

4 – Magnolia Susan. This little shrub is about two feet tall, if that. It was nearly a give away at one of the plant sales I went to last year with my friend Susan. Given the pretty, dark color of the flowers AND the name, I had to buy it. 🙂

5 – Compost from our tumbler. WORMS! This compost is from one of our compost tumblers (we have two). It is mostly made up of our uncooked kitchen vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells, and toilet roll cardboard. I use this when I’m planting out plants (I moved some delphinium this week and added the compost to the soil). I also use it to add to the beds, making sure to work it into the soil – partially to protect the worms from the many birds in the yard!

6 – Tulip Mascotte (left) and Tulip Lilac Perfection (right). Oh I wish I could say these are from this year! These beautiful tulips are from one year ago. The bottom image of the top picture is what they look like today (diseased greens with only a single flower). I will have to dig them all up, along with the soil, and destroy them. It is probably tulip fire.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Have you ever had this ‘tulip fire’ in your garden? I had it a bunch of years ago, and dug all of the bulbs up and didn’t replant in that area. So I’m super disappointed to have it happen again, and in a different area. I’d love to know what your experience has been. Thanks! 🙂