Spring is here???

Well here we are on day 6 of spring (?) and as you can tell by the above picture of Pittsgrove, winter has decided to stick around longer than most of us would like and for the past few days has caused havoc across a good portion of the US. This time last year, we were relishing temperatures in the 60's and working daily in the garden beds. Yesterday was the first time in ages that John and I ventured outdoors here for any length of time beyond gathering kindling for our wood stove. It wasn't the cold, but the accompaning wind that cut through to the bone that kept us from our chores. We cleaned up more winter debris and started preparing the vegetable garden, but planting has still been postponed to some yet unknown date in the future more amenable to the sowing of seeds and tender seedlings.

This is still the time of year, if weather permits, to get out to your garden beds to finish any cleanup that wasn't finished during our equally uncooperative fall. It's much easier to get those pesky maple leaves and dead weeds removed rather than waiting for warmer weather which then finds all your perennials suddenly appearing and growing like Topsy making your job much more tedious.Whip out those clippers and cut back any perennials that you didn't get to earlier.Your iris won't look very attractive with a heap of brown leaves lying next to them and if you cut away the brown leaves from your helleborus you'll be greeted by some beautiful blossoms waiting to kiss the sky.

Helleborus last spring

So buck up, bundle up, and clean up those flower beds for spring is surely on the horizon. At least that's what the calender keeps telling us.

Think positive thoughts!
Cheryl

Is Spring in the Air?

Well, finally a day at Pittsgrove spent entirely outdoors working in the sunshine. John was certainly in his element today and some much needed cleanup was done by both of us. Have you ever noticed that no matter how much fall cleanup you do in the garden beds, when spring comes rolling along there is still plenty more to attend to before the beds really look good again.
We were happy to see hellebores nicely budded and all varieties of perennials are beginning to peak out from beneath the soil.
Overall the perennials and bulbs seem to have survived this past winter fairly well. The trees and shrubs are showing the most trauma, from both the heat and drought of the summer, and the snow and blasting winds during the winter. I have a great deal of pruning to do, some plants to dig up, and branches and trees that have to be taken down. That last bit will not be by me! We had more deer damage this year than ever before with all the snow cover we sustained. However, on the bright side, John told me that the chewed branches will make it that much easier for me to shape the shrubs. It's nice being married to an optimist. He also keeps weather records from year to year and pointed out that we are getting a jump on things compared to last year.





I hope the rest of you gardeners have had the opportunity to get down on your knees and play in the dirt. If you haven't, get out there soon. The muscles may get sore, but your mind and disposition will surely be rejuvenated.

Happy gardening! Cheryl

Let's Keep Things Interesting

Hunterdon County Library

It's that time of year again with autumn's arrival and winter lurking in the background, all of us must take advantage of any nice days still remaining to clean up the garden beds and prepare them for their long nap until their spring awakening.

Besides cleaning up at Pittsgrove, we've been cutting back perennials, cleaning beds and putting down some mulch at The Hunterdon County Library. We got involved there after being contacted by a member of The Friends of the Library who is also belongs to the Community Garden Club that visited Pittsgrove in May.

As you can see in the photo above, although we pruned many of the perennials (some all the way to the ground) we left the ornamental grasses alone until spring and have done the same at home. They add a dramatic focal point to an otherwise drab winter landscape.

Variegated Boxwood
Next spring when you contemplate what plants to incorporate in your existing gardens, consider what your yard looks like in winter. Some grasses could liven things up. Other plants to think about are helleborus, holly, winterberry, and variegated boxwood. With a little homework on your part and a few additions in the spring, next year's landscape can have much more appeal over the long winter months.

Happy gardening!
Cheryl

Heavenly Helleborus

Those of you who have already discovered the Helleborus, known also as Christmas or Lenten Rose, will attest to the joy of having it in your garden. This is a mostly evergreen, winter-spring flowering perennial that is easily grown, tolerates drought after it's established, and is available in a variety of colors--yellow, pink, lavender, white, etc. Not only are the blooms of the Hellebores very lovely, the leaves are attractive and diverse in appearance.


John and I were cleaning up more of our flower beds and came across our Hellebores which are ready to bloom (hence, Lenten Rose). Here are some tips for those of you who have them in your garden. Make sure you don't head out to your garden with a leaf rake ready to tackle leftover winter debris. Get down on those hands and knees and gently remove that debris by hand around your Hellebores and trim back any old foliage. Nestled inside you will likely find buds which certainly would be disturbed by rake action. You'll be glad you showed them some gentle care once you are rewarded with some of the first blossoms of spring!