It's Rainin' Again

Well I was feeling pretty badly that I hadn't taken advantage of this early spring and planted my garden.  Two weeks ago we tilled the garden, added some composted manure, and planted potatoes and onions.  And that's been about it.  But today, after over 3 inches of rain, I'm thankful I didn't get any seeds in the ground, or I'd probably be replanting!

This weekend we'll put in what should have gone in the ground two weeks ago:  carrots, beets and peas.  We are in zone three, so tomatoes usually go in the ground the first week of June.  It was an early spring, but it hasn't been warm enough to plant heat loving tomatoes and peppers quite yet.  Soon and very soon!

Spring Wildflowers

Note - not a picture from MY garden... but Wild Ginger, nonetheless

I am really beginning to embrace the beauty of my shade garden.  I used to lament the lack of full sun in our yard, but shade plants can be just as interesting, especially when it comes to spring ephemerals.

 e·phem·er·al ( -f m r- l). adj. 1. Lasting for a markedly brief time

A spring ephemeral is just that - one of the delightful first flowers of the season that are short lived in the garden.  In the shade garden, these plants bloom early, generally before the tree canopy above leafs out.   Spring ephemerals in my garden include many wildflowers such as the wild ginger pictured above, Virginia Bluebells, Bishops Cap, Lenten Rose, Trout Lily, Rue Anemone, and Foamflower (though the particular variety I have blooms twice).  These beauties are just starting to bloom, but here are some pictures from prior years.

Tiarella - Foam FLower

False Rue Anemone

Another wild Anemone

Twinleaf or Bishop's Cap

What a day for a daydream

Wow, was April a rainy one!  Although this was not the most beautiful of May weekends, it was typical for northern MN.  Nevertheless, it was a great weekend to visit newly opened greenhouses, move and divide a few perennials (even in Saturday's light mist), and dream about the May gardens and all the potential they hold!

Here's what's in bloom:
Newly planted pansies (YAY!)
Primrose
Bleeding Heart
Daffodils
Squill
Pulmonaria
Forget-Me-Nots
PMJ Rhododendron
Bishop's Cap
Wild Ginger


The hostas have also broken through the ground, and my martagon lilies (their second year) have moved beyond last year's "sleep" and are now "creeping!"  How exciting!  They're about twice as tall as they were at the end of last season, so who knows what they hold in store this year.