June

June is probably the nicest month in our garden, as long as we can remember to water when needed. The annuals and irises look great, and the roses have begun to bloom.

Precipitation: Approximately 10 inches
Average precipitation: 3.1 inches

"In June as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day.  No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them." -Aldo Leopold

Yellow liatris 6/5/13

Iris 6/5/13

Annuals 6/5/13

Feverfew (wildflower) 6/9/13

Mock bishop weed (wildflower) 6/9/13

Yellow primrose (wildflower) 6/14/13

Winterberry 6/14/13

Buddleia (butterfly bush) 6/14/13

Rose 6/14/13

Rose 6/14/13

Euonymus 6/9/13

Pink spirea 6/23/13

Landscape 6/17/13

Orange daylily 6/23/13

Raspberry 6/30/13

May

May is when new blooms seem to appear almost daily. The smell of the lilacs is almost overpowering. Now's the time to mix the potting soil and finally plant the annuals! Official frost-free day is May 15th, but we always push the season and hope.

Precipitation: Approximately 2 inches
Average precipitation: 3.5 inches

"Earth laughs in flowers." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

True Solomon's seal 5/3/13

True Solomon's seal 5/3/13

Dogwood 5/11/13

Dogwood 5/5/13

Dogwood 5/3/13

Dogwood 5/3/13

Speedwell 5/11/13

Rhododendron 5/11/13

Lilac 5/11/13

Lilac 5/11/13

Buttercup (wildflower) 5/11/13

Azalea 5/11/13

Azalea 5/12/13

Azalea 5/19/13

Hosta 5/12/13

Hosta 5/12/13

Columbine 5/19/13

Columbine  5/19/13

False Solomon's seal 5/19/13

Iris 5/25/13

April

Spring is finally here. It's time to rake back some of that heavy mulch. Everything seems to be blooming in April, but there's much more to come. Daffodils and tulips are the big features.

Precipitation: Approximately 1.5 inches
Average precipitation: 4.1 inches

"Gardening requires lots of water, most of it in the form of perspiration." -Lou Erickson

Scilla 4/6/13

Daffodil 4/6/13

Daffodil 4/14/13

 

Jonquil 4/11/13

Aster 4/14/13

Bleeding heart 4/20/13

Tulip 4/25/13

Tulip 4/27/13

Tulip 4/25/13

Vinca minor 4/27/13

Honesty (money plant) (biennial wildflower) 4/27/13

March

Garden plants really start popping in March. Emerging snowdrops and crocuses seem like small miracles, sometimes pushing through the snow. It's a good time to prune obviously-dead branches from shrubs and small trees, being careful not to damage the live growth. 

Precipitation: Approximately 3 inches
Average precipitation: 4.6 inches

"Your first job is to prepare the soil. The best tool for this is your neighbor’s motorized garden tiller. If your neighbor does not own a garden tiller, suggest that he buy one." -Dave Barry

Snowdrop, always the first to emerge 3/14/13

More snowdrop 3/14/13

Snowdrop and vinca 3/14/13

Daffodil ready to bloom 3/14/13