Spring In Full Swing

Apple tree in bloom

The fruit trees are blossoming right now and they look so beautiful! I have been away for 2 weeks and everything has grown so much since I left. My tulips are gorgeous! The first ones (red) in the bed next to the house are done, but the colorful parrot tulips are still in full bloom as well as some red ones and pink ones in the stack stone bed.

Parrot tulips

The long roots of quack grass have had a hey day in the last 2 weeks and my stack stone bed almost looks like no work has been done in it. My diligent husband thoughtfully dug some of the grass roots out himself and I spent a good part of an hour today weeding it again.  I also worked on the upper level of my rock garden digging out grass roots and weeding out plantain and shasta daisy seedlings trying to take over.

When will I get to the planting part, the 'fun stuff' in my books?  I have bought a few bedding plants now:
-2 four inch pots of  beautiful blooming gazanias in vivid reds and oranges
-a 6 pack of huge fat white alyssum
-a 6 pack of blue regata lobelia
-2 four inch pots of blue sages
-1 four inch pot of dahlias with big buds
-and a fabulous, absolutely stunning pot of star gazer lilies. :D

All the plants in our green house are looking fabulous and most are growing well. Sadly none of the snapdragon seeds that I collected and planted have sprouted except one lonely little seedling. Having a similar problem with the red durango marigolds. Not sure what I'm doing wrong... Planting them too deep??? I got 3 little marigolds from oe of my first attempts at seeds, but none in the other pots... Not sure what I'm doing wrong... Planting them too deep???

Tulips and daffodils are blooming as well as the blue flox.

The numerous tomato plants are thriving as are the squashes, the gazania seedlings, the morning glory seedlings and the lavatara. The double cosmos seeds I planted the day before I left for Manitoba have sprouted. The bachelor buttons are quite tall now and Thoughtful Husband transplanted them into individual pots while I was away. :)

Inside our greenhouse

The fox gloves and the wild Bergamot are tiny, but still alive and hopefully will continue to grow. The castor beans are growing nicely and the gladiola bulbs are straight and tall in their individual pots. All of these will be planted in my flower beds before too long. None of the lupin seeds sprouted, but that's OK as I have most of my original lupines growing well in my flower beds.

Apple blossoms

I did plant a couple of things today...  I put 4 multi-bloom pink geraniums and 2 of the alyssum in the flower boxes on the deck stairs. Just need to add some dark blue pansies and maybe a couple more creeping Jennies and the odd white or blue lobelia and they are done.

Tomorrow I plan on visiting Tail Creek greenhouse and get a few things on my list. I hope that the weather cooperates so I can start planting a few pots even if I have to bring them up close to the house for a few more nights.