I further assessed the winter damage to the plants this afternoon. Bushes must not be as hardy as perennials?! “Willow” has a number of crispy, dead branches – poor thing was attacked by slugs (bad batch of purchased compost?) last fall! ‘She’ does have new leafing – so there is hope.
[As a sidebar: aren’t slugs THE single most disgusting varmint yet?!!
EWWWWWWWWW! Gross!!]
I’m trying not to freak out at the amount of dandelions that have to be excavated tomorrow. And isn’t it amazing how close they grow to your favorite plants?!!?
What’s coming up (last year's photo - for 'effect'!!) :
Columbine
Stella D'Oro
(BIG yay! These were transplants from before construction)
Moonbeam (& 'Sweet Dreams') Coreopsis
Paprika Yarrow
Rudibeckia
Karl Forester
Here’s what’s currently MIA: 
Golden Privet
Rose Mallow
Dwarf Fountain Grass
And of course the ‘Original’ victim --- the Emerald Green arborvitae, that met its maker during the winter as an a la carte item at the “Bunnies’ Buffet”! We’ll see how I fair after tomorrow’s garden clean up! I’m getting the Advil out now!!
Great to hear the weather has turned for the better ... fingers crossed you'll find a few more recovering patients after your long cold spell.
ReplyDeleteI can almost feel that warm breeze from here! Sorry to hear about the slug damage...I have couple of ducks that keep the slugs at bay, but they also seem to like throwing around my mulch to see what's under it - so it seems us gardeners can never win!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the plants that are yet to return to active duty.
The weather is gorgeous! Today will hit 80 here, too. I'm thinking I better enjoy it before it gets into the 90s and everything, including me, begins to shrivel and droop!
ReplyDeleteIt's like somebody threw a switch, suddenly everything's in bloom. It's too warm & I don't like it. Slug are gross, but I think earwigs are even creepier.
ReplyDeleteBoy, was I doing the happy dance today! The temperature was warm and as Mr.McG's Daughter said -- plants just exploded in bloom! (You could almost SEE the leaf buds grow through out the day on our crooked little crab apple tree..) I turned a bit of soil, dug up some BIG dandelions and recycled a bunch of broken/dead branches. (I'm still smiling!!) BTW - earwigs trump slugs anyday!!
ReplyDeleteAha! You have so many planned! Good luck with this year's yet another wonderful painting. I see you chose great pastels - especially the Columbines. I love 'em!
ReplyDeleteI don't think we've even had an 80 degree day yet! Slugs aren't so bad...I'm rather fond of our local banana slugs. Providing they leave the gardens alone that is.
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