Chives

Spiderwort

Evening Primrose

Pineapple Mint

Bleeding Hearts

My bleeding hearts are blooming! I wasn't sure I would see blooms this since since I just put them in the ground this spring!

Bleeding hearts were a childhood favorite and my adult backyard just wasn't complete without them. Thankfully my mother-in-law is an absolute sweetheart and bought me two for my birthday this year!! Thank you, Sue - you're the best!!

I planted them inbetween two hostas and they bring just the right touch of color and foliage - so lovely!

Garden Spotlight: Lily of the Valley

One of my favorite flowers growing in my backyard garden are my Lily of the Valley. My Great-Grandma Peggy and Grandma Linda had split these for me from their garden about three growing seasons ago - I love how they spread and how delicate and fragrant their tiny blossoms are. :)

My Garden Index: Columbine Flower

Another wonderful plant from my grandmother - she keeps me well in stock! This little guy hasn't produced any flowers - but I am hoping he manages to do so this year. He is already growing quite quickly this early in the spring.

How to Grow and Care for Columbine Flowers - from the Gardener's Network

Perennial, Aquilegia hybrida

Columbine is an easy to grow perennial. Columbine is native to Asia, Europe and North America. If you are a hummingbird lover, Columbine is for you. It is a favorite of hummingbirds and bees because the flowers contain lots of nectar.

Columbines produce large, showy blooms of single and bicolor patterns on airy plants with blue-green foliage from late spring to early summer. Colors include shades of yellow, white, pink, blue, purple and combinations.

Did you Know? Columbine is the state flower of Colorado. They are also called the "Rocky Mountain Columbine".

Propagation:

Columbine are grown from seed. They can be directly seeded into your flower garden.

Sow Columbine seeds in the spring, and cover with 1/8" soil. Space seeds or seedlings 16-18" apart.

If you have established plants, Columbine can also be separated by division in the spring.

How to Grow Columbine Flower Plants:

Columbine are very easy to grow. They grow well in partial shade and well drained soil. They will do well in average soils and tolerate dry soil conditions. Add a general purpose fertilizer once or twice a season.

Columbine grows 15-20", and are good in flowerbeds, containers, as edging, and in rock gardens.

Once your Columbine are established, they will grow well and bloom until frost. Being very hardy, they will likely survive the first light frosts before going dormant for the winter. They do not require mulching or protection in the winter.

Insect and Disease:

Columbine are resistant to insects and disease. If insect or disease problems occur, treat early with organic or chemical insect repellents and fungicide.


(Image of a blooming Columbine Flower - not mine, but at least an idea of what it is supposed to look like when it decides to bloom)

My Garden Index: Lilacs

My Lilac Blooms From Last Year
Originally uploaded by suzyQ_21

I love lilacs and upon moving into our first home - my grandmother gave me two lilac bushes to add to my yard - they bloomed the first year I put them in - very little blooms, but blooms none-the-less. This year I can already see the little flowers forming at the tips of the branches.

Being new to gardening I need all the help I can get to keep my plants looking great.

So I do a lot of Internet research.

Here is what I found from the Gardener's Network about the care and maintenance of lilacs.

Lilacs are a low-maintenance shrub. They offer good summer shade after they have reached several feet tall They can be used as a hedgerow, to provide privacy from neighboring properties. With just a little care and maintenance, and the knowledge of how to replenish the old wood with new shoots, the shrubs will last a lifetime.

Lilacs do not like to get their feet (the roots) wet for a prolonged period of time. They do best on hillsides, slightly elevated areas, or level ground where there is good drainage. Their roots run deep. If you have an extended dry period or drought, water infrequently but thoroughly. Lilacs do not grow well in lowlands where water tends to collect for prolonged periods of time.

Weed around your lilac bushes to maintain a clean, aesthetic look. Pile mulch high for appearance, to retain some soil moisture, and to keep weeds down. Do not make mulch so thick that new shoots are hampered from sprouting and developing.

Lilacs will tolerate almost any kind of soil, from clay to sand, with a pH of 6 to 7. Like any plants, your Lilacs will benefit from compost and humus worked into the soil to help retain some water during dry spells, and to provide additional nutrients.

You do not need to provide frequent fertilizer or organic feeding for your lilacs. Use a general purpose fertilizer in early spring or one high in Phosphorous to promote blooming. Too much nitrogen in the soil will result in poor blooms. Repeat the use of a general purpose fertilizer after the flowers have died off.

Tip: Spread your fireplace ash around the drip line of your bush for bigger and better blooms.