Spring Pleasures This Week

Spring and early summer is the best time for blooms in the Sandbox.  Because we get a fair share of rain in spring everything gets a good drink to give lots of new growth.   Adding composted materials to the soil holds that moisture for a while.   By July the weather will be extremely hot and humid.  Any water that the soil receives then seems to bead on the top and does not penetrate but runs off.   The Aurinia (formerly Allysum)  Basket of Gold is just so pretty right now in the garden. Thankfully it is drought tolerant and does well in lean well drained soil.  A winner here.  It really stands out and catches your eye. 

The dwarf Iris is coming up now.   This one is a purple variety.  I have no idea what the name is.   It was probably given to me.   I need to keeping track of this information.  The tall bearded ones will follow these ones in the garden.  As Iris only bloom here in the spring we enjoy them now.

The apple tree in our backyard is now blooming.  It smells heavenly when you walk out there.  They are just the palest pink and white.  I will be watching out for honeybees as they are so important to pollinating these blossoms for fruit later.   Unfortunately, we seem to not have good fruit.  Don't know why.  It may be because we have a black walnut not too far from it.  It is a theory as apples and black walnuts do not mix because the black walnut has juglun in its roots and makes it toxic to some plants.   But, the blossoms in the spring are always wonderful.

This wonderful little shrub has gorgeous fragrant blooms.  They look like mini roses on the stem.  This poor thing has been chewed so many times down to the stubs by Peter Cottontail that it is just about two feet tall.  It should be quite a bit bigger than that.  I am contemplating digging it up after flowering and moving it to a better spot in the yard.  It is getting crowded out the big blue Colorado Spruce anyway. 

The Brunnera is another beautiful plant in the garden in the spring with its heart shaped leaves and flowers like a Forget-me-Knot.  This plant is meant to be in a moist environment.  The only reason is survives here is because of spring rainfall.  I have to keep it well mulched.   Okay,  I have more blooms I would like to show you but this is enough for today.