Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Spring Smorgasbord

It's late enough now to tell what didn't survive the winter, and I'm quite surprised both at all of the plants that did survive, and the few that didn't. Muhly grass and elephant ears didn't make it. I'm super bummed out that my black-eyed susans, started from seed 3 or 4 years ago, didn't either. The huge sprays of golden yellow were hands down my favorite flowers in the garden last year.
Just in time to lift my spirits, yesterday my first ever clematis bloom opened. I got this clematis at a plant sale last spring for $1.

Would anyone like to guess what this is? Hint: the seeds of this plant are always sold as an annual, but it's a perennial plant here in the deep south.

It's a four-o-clock tuber!
Below are some lettuce (little gem romaine) and sugar snap peas harvested this weekend. We've really enjoyed our fresh salads. I'm trying to prolong the remaining lettuces by covering them with a sheet during the day (since it's already in the 80s here).

Christmas ferns unfurling:

Azaleas are still blooming:


Siberian irises are blooming:

Hope you're all enjoying a warm and sunny spring!

11 comments:

Randy Emmitt said...

Ginger,

So happy about your clematis bloom! Shame about losing the other plants.
My guess is Clematis henrii does it have 5-6 inch blooms? Ours is over 12 years old expecting well over 100 blooms! You likely read the post about it last year on my blog.

Dig, Grow, Compost, Blog said...

Strange that your black eyed susans didn't survive. It must be the variety or something. I have 'Goldsturm' and I swear that absolutely nothing phases them. In fact, they keep making more and more babies and I can't give them all away! I'm jealous of your veggies. Hope the heat doesn't get worse or both of us will have bolting lettuce!

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Hi Ginger, I love your Clematis. I have one that is blooming nicely right now too...got it for 75 cents on the discount rack at Lowe's. :-)
I wonder if you should write off the elephant ears? Mine come up a lot later than I think they should. Not sure about the Blackeyed Susans...that is really a mystery. They are so hardy.
I still have some of those 4 o'clock tubers! I am glad I moved them to the back of the garden.

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Ginger, Great photos. Love that white clematis - and a bargain is always wonderful, don't you think?? :-)

Susie said...

I can't believe your rudbeckias didn't make it. Mine are little but still up.

Aren't you enjoying this warm weather? I love it!

Dirt Princess said...

I found myself pulling up four o'clocks today! I love them, but I don't love them EVERYWHERE!!!

I am loving the Clematis! I can't wait for mine to bloom!

Phillip Oliver said...

Be careful with those four o'clocks - they almost took over one of my beds. I'm still fighting them today.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I love your Clematis. It does look like 'Henryi' and I'm so sad because mine didn't come back.
Your lettuce looks so good. We planted sees for some, but the birds ate it all. Guess we need to start some more. It tastes so good fresh from the garden.

Jan said...

Hi Ginger, I didn't know black-eyed susans could have their lives ended! Up here, they spread like wildfire and come bag stronger than ever the next season. I see them popping up everywhere despite our really cold & snowy winter. It's interesting how the same plant can act so differently depending on climate. Glad you're enjoying spring before the heat gets too overwhelming! I planted lettuce and am waiting to see if it will come up. This is the first time I've ever tried it (2 head varieties and mesclin). Can't wait to find out. I hope I didn't wait too long to plant it!

trailrider731 said...

Beautiful Azaleas, I sooooooooo love the burst of color early on! I am just now getting around to planting a few, so they are not the best looking in the world, I'm not sure of the diff, but Someone told me about the Japanese Azaleas, so i planted a couple, TINY yet and i moved them from the first place i placed them, so maybe next year they will look like something. SUCH a pretty Lavender color at the feed store they were!

seeya, Love the pix again,
LM
the best is yet to come!

Prairie Chicken... said...

Oooh I have Siberian Iris roots on order! Yours are lovely. Still too early to plant anything here or take a spring stock here.