Today is our official last frost date.  In coastal Virginia, where I learned about horticulture, the frost date is April 15th.  Wow!!!  That is a very LONG month for me.  

 

It is so tempting to plant the garden when the weather starts getting warm.  We have done that:  planted tomatoes in April, and had to go out and cover them with 5 gallon buckets because here came the last frost.  I've planted peppers and eggplants too early too, and they struggle all season.  Best to just wait.  I am learning about patience.

 

Well, we started a couple days ago planting tomatoes, but held off on the peppers and eggplants.  They want HOT weather.  But you can see that they are healthy and ready to go in the ground.  Yay!!!!  

 

 

HAPPY SPRING PLANTING!!!

 

Our favorite Mountain Laurel is blooming along with all the others.  We love all the Mountain Laurels, but this red one really spins me up.  I think she is so pretty.

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

The fringe trees in the park are blooming, so I am guessing that the ones in the church parking lot are too.  

 

That's the neat thing about trees:  they don't move.  If you've seen something blooming in the past, you can go back to the same spot and see it again.  Like the fringe trees on Fort Eustis Boulevard.  Time to go check.

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

The whole time I was gone, Jon took care of the garden plants.  Check out my tomato plants.  They look awesome, and so ready to go in the ground.  But we didn't dare plant them before Mother's Day.  We have done that before, and had to cover them to protect them from cold weather.  Better to just wait.  

 

So, now that the danger of frost is past, we can get started planting.

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

And this is the arugula!!!  It has gone wild.  It stands about 2 1/2 feet tall, and is blooming its collective head off.  The flowers taste just like the leaves, so we use them too.  And with last week's soaking rains, it will probably continue to bolt.

 

That's OK, we love arugula.

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

This is a picture from 2019, but I heard my friend say that she saw the Lady's Slipper orchids blooming on the Arkaqua Trail just last week.  I took this picture on the trail going up to Brasstown Bald.  There are thousands of these wild orchids up there.  This is my Mother's Day present for you today.

 

 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

 

I didn't take this picture in the mountains, but this tree will grow here.  It is Korean Dogwood, and they are blooming now.  There are a couple in our neighborhood, and some others on the back road to Blairsville.

 

I love these flowers perched atop the leaves.  They always make me happy.

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

I was looking at The Farmers Almanac and found an article about 10 pretty plants that deer won't eat.  Hmmm, let's just say that most deer don't particularly like to eat these ten plants.  Of course, OUR deer will eat anything, so take this with a handful of salt.  But here's the link:  https://www.farmersalmanac.com/deer-resistant-plants 

 

Go there.  The plants are pretty, and maybe you'd like to try some in your garden.

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

When Sharon and I went to the Botanical Garden last week we saw so many roses in full bloom.  This was my absolute favorite, if you can even choose one over the others.  Let me show you a sweeping picture of the rose garden so you can get an idea of how big it is.  Hang on.....

 

 

This is one small section of the rose garden.  I would venture to say acres of roses, and they are truly breathtaking.  

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

 

 

Now here is an awesome stand of Bamboo.  I took this picture on the grounds at Duke.  I wanted you to see this particular variety of bamboo.  The canes are at least 2 inches in diameter, and it is really pretty.  

 

We've all seen the skinny caned bamboo that folks plant in their yards not realizing that it grows really fast, and spreads like crazy.  In fact, I've heard that the mission of bamboo is to take over the world.  

 

But not this kind:  it is definitely ornamental, quite stately, and obviously a source of great fun for Duke students over the years.  Thought you'd like to see it.

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!