May 04, 2007

Spring is here again and this is a pretty easy one. The cherry trees are in bloom. The lilly beds are starting to grow - between the two trees on the left. The grass is a delightful shade of green. There's absolutely no sign of dandylions yet ... What more can we ask for? The only major "work" we've done so far is to have moved the sage which was scattered about the beds to a new, short strip (visible on the right) running along the driveway.

The magnolias were a bit sparse this year but the show went on as usual ... and wildlife is already showing up - forging for food. The crocuses, also planted early this spring, have come and gone.

While the strawberry bed still looks sparse, tulips and irises planted early in the season have run their course ... as have those tiny, delicate grape hyacinth ... leaving only previous years' plantings. (Grape hyacinth is barely visible on the upper bed between the not-yet budding bush and the early mountain sandwort planted to attract bees for the trees. (Hey, that rhymes!) You can also see the little shock of pink hyacinth showing itself in sandwort. On the extreme left you can barely see the previous year's yellow tulips and to the right of the tulips are the yellow leopard's bane - another spring perennial. It was from the extremities of the lower bed that the sage was moved - cleaning up and making room for more berries. We're certain the birds will rejoice at this decision!

Day lilies and decorative beans are also starting to sprout on the far end of the upper bed.

The cherry trees are absolutely laden this year. So long as we "net" our trees we should be able to enjoy an abundant sweet cherry season.

A single white tulip accompanies the red tulips under the bing cherry tree.

Added May 13/07

The apple tree, this year, promises plenty of granny smiths and macintoshes. There is still no sign of northern spy apples (promised, on the tag, at the top of the tree). In the bed, below the tree, you can see pansies now reseeding themselves - a delightful gift - leaving us free to think about other things - bringing colour without work.

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