A Productive Weekend and My First Plant Exchange

Well, I have survived my first plant exchange unharmed. My boyfriend and I attended a plant exchange in Minneapolis yesterday and actually had quite a good time. I was worried about what I was bringing and decided on leaving a few things at home which I wish I would have brought now. All I had was 2 Chamomile plants, 2 Scarlet O' Hara Morning Glory's, some Chives, 1 Ornamental Strawberry-Lipstick 2 Ferns, 3 Hostas and a package of Fairy Lily bulbs (rain Lily's). I only came home with one hosta, everything else went fast. I should have brought a bunch of peppers, only one other person had any and they were much smaller than mine. Who knows, maybe I will go to another this season, we'll see. I came home with at least triple what I had brought. A few exciting items to add to my garden are as follows: Jack in the Pulpit, Lily of the Valley (pink, finally), Mountain Aster, Lamium, Red Bee Balm, Mint, Spiderwort, Sea Holly, Phlox, Dianthus, Salvia and the list goes on. Including probably 8 new red raspberry plants which I will have to find a place for. I can't wait to get home and put them in the ground! It will be nice to have some perennials blooming already this year.

As for things accomplished this weekend (other than creating more work for myself with all these plants), I was very productive. I prepared the end of the front bed which for some reason is overflowing with soil. Derek came up with an idea to fix that problem with some extra bricks we have laying around. The idea is to make a section in the front a low level bed and raise the remaining up about 4 or 5 inches. It will be a subtle chance but at least add something interesting to look at. I may go purchase a few more bricks in order to make a more significant raised bed. We'll see, I already have a lot of work cut out for myself and him. I am so proud of him for the idea however, I love that he is taking a part in this years garden and not only that but bringing more to it than I would have. I hope this continues!

I finished planting the front bed completely with flowers. I can't wait for things to start coming up so I can mulch and add some annuals here and there. I quite honestly have no idea what it will look like but I hope it is not overwhelming. It probably will be since I put some VERY tall flowers in including sunflowers and Marshmallow that will cover up half of the front of our house. We'll see.

Things I remember planting this weekend:
White Bleeding Heart
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Fairy Lily
Carnations
Aquilegia(transplant)
Pansy Black?(transplant)
Twinkle Toes
Double Anenomes
Zinnia-State Fair
Magic Carpet Mix(Gurneys)
Bergamo Bee Balm (annual)
Durango Marigolds
Ranaculus
Peacock Orchid
Ornamental Blue Fescue Grass
Lychnis
Evening Primrose
Scbiosa



Ornamental Strawberry

I also just identified a few plants (some I bought end season last year for about 70% off) around the yard. I definitely have a Clematis vine, Peonies that doesn't look ready to bloom yet, and a flower called an Ornamental Strawberry-lipstick (mentioned above). There are more too that I don't have the names to at the moment.


I am taking Thursday off of work to get some more work done but how I wish I had a wheelbarrow. My back is aching from all the hauling I had to do this weekend. Wheels would have been awfully nice. But I will get it done none the less, I am still hardening off my peppers and other things which I keep forgetting need lots of room. But I still have a few areas that need preparation so I'm not too worried. It would take a whole week of time off to really get everything ready to the point that I want it to be. Oh well, I will take it slow, I don't think I'm as behind as I think I am. The summer hasn't even begun yet.

Till next time, enjoy the WONDERFUL weather!