First Spring for Planting Bed
2006.04.10
Other than the evergreen shrubs and the hydrangeas, I wasn’t sure if anything survived the winter in my corner planting bed. We had an unusually high number of frosts, and alternating periods of cold with heavy rains and cold with sun and high winds.
However, it looks like at least the hostas and yellow wax bells are coming back out of the ground again.
2006.04.23
Now I know why this plant is called Fringe Cups. I expected it to remain a relatively low-profile shrubby thing, but these long stems have shot up, each festooned with tiny little cup-like flowers.
2006.05.28
Hm, one problem with the Fringe Cups, it grows towards the sun, and the only time the sun reaches this planting bed on the north side of the house is in the late evening. So the plant has now grown almost completely sideways to the west. Next spring I’ll have to try a peony cage or some other staking before it gets too tall.
2006.06.15
The “Mr Big” hosta is blooming. The supposedly evergreen bunchberry died back completely this winter, but emerged earlier this spring and now is doing quite well.
The hydrangeas are exceptional for their first spring, and I’m delighted that the blooms are blue, as I really have no idea what the pH balance of the soil is. (Typically, hydrangeas are blue in acidic soil, pink in alkaline soil.) This particular variety is more inclined towards blue anyway, so that probably helps.
2006.06.22
The other two hostas are starting to bloom as well.
2006.07.29
Planting and Mulch