It's Only May

 I feel as tho I must scramble to get the garden in and have to keep reminding myself that it is only May and I have all summer to build this garden. Our growing season will last well into November, without a frost, so what's my hurry? As mentioned, I had a berm made along the inside of the fence for my eleven hydrangea, and four clematis, and many many hosta. Yesterday that was planted and mulched. Doesn't look like much yet but I planned on giving them enough space to grow into the big plants they will surely become. Interspersed are some bleeding hearts, celandine poppy, and baby hosta.

 

The big pots will be planted at the end of the season, after dividing their contents. 

At the end of this berm are four baby Bowl of Beauty peonies, which I started from bare sticks. Always a lovely surprise when the leaves appear. 

 Similarly this hosta Empress Wu came in bare root and the core was broken off and looking rotten. I requested a replacement, which they sent and voila now I have two healthy specimens. Who knew? They are small now but will become monsters in three years. 48"x70".

 I have two of the new Bloomstruck Hydrangeas and they are thrilling me with their blooms. We'll see if they stay blue in this garden.

 A new variety for me in coreopsis, Ladybird, a red one. I also have the standard bright yellow Early Sunrise and Moonbeam. 

 Getting ready for phase two, the veggie garden, I decided to get while the getting was good, and now I have peppers to keep alive. Poblano, Coolapeño, Big Bertha, Mammoth Jalapeno, and the wonderful Giant Marconi.

 

The tomatoes I will be growing are Red Pride, Debut, Celebrity, Husky Red Cherry, and Bush Goliath. I prefer determinate varieties rather than the indeterminate, so I can control their sprawl. These shorter varieties will still be staked. but hopefully will fruit abundantly. 

And we have Cantaloupe Super 45, and Sugar Baby, a smaller icebox watermelon. 

 The lettuce is looking great and I plan to gather some leaves for salad today. The basil is both great and puny. All these were planted at the same time and yet they are growing so differently. Hmmm.

So let's have that rain that is forecast, and let it be a good soaker!