General maintenance, planning, planting, watering - all required in May.
This has been an amazing spring but it's about to change with a
heatwave descending on us for the weekend! Shorts and sun hats
are at the ready for any outdoor activity. (Sorry Brits and European
readers - know your weather is not good yet - I'm trying to blow our
warmth and sunshine across the pond). All this week I've been very
busy piddling and pottering to get things done in the garden before
it's just too hot. The first mosquitoes have arrived and I was bitten
several times yesterday so bug spray is at hand, yuck!
I found a favorite at the Farmers Market - a pot of Heliotrope.
Then, at LIDL, the awesome pot of French lavender at a very good price.
I didn't grow the basil - bought it at the grocery store as my pots, which
you can see below, are freshly planted seeds from a couple of weeks
ago - but they are coming along well and I'm looking forward to pesto
making days ahead!
This is the best time, early morning, for hydrangeas and hostas
around here - sunny and cooler, but the afternoons are really too hot
with blazing sun. Too late now to move them though and they've survived
for many years so we keep on doing what we've always done with fingers
crossed they will not fail to glorify this spot in front of the porch where
we love to sit after a busy day.
Thanks to all who have asked how I'm doing after almost a month on
medication for the Polymyalgia Rheumatica flare. Along with the
drastic Low-Histamine diet (which is really no fun at all) I must say I truly
am 100% better. I am just about pain free, several pounds lighter, have
much more energy, can lift things again, and feel ten years younger, haha!
Monday I go for a follow up visit with my doctor and am hoping to celebrate
my good fortune with a glass of wine and some cheese on the front porch,
oh how I've missed cheese!
Enjoy your weekend. I'll be back at the farmers market with my granddaughter,
then we'll be checking a local antiques shop now re-opened with the COVID
rules changing. We are vaccinated however still wearing masks in public
despite them being no longer mandatory in many stores.
Rather safe than sorry.
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I always enjoy peering over the fence into other people's gardens and I'm certainly casting an envious eye over your plants. I bought a pot of Lavender just like that only yesterday. If you lived here you could cross "watering" off your list.
ReplyDeleteWe actually got unexpected rain - a good drenching late yesterday - fabulous for the garden which clean and refreshed this morning.
DeleteLovely plants Mary. Heliotrope is one of my favourites. Sun....what is that?
ReplyDeleteSending you sunshine - I know how much you need it!
DeleteMary x
Dearest Mary,
ReplyDeleteYes, one of the lovely spring blossoms here in the South East!
Yours sure look healthy and happy.
Did in the past many posts about our varieties. https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2011/06/our-hydrangea-trio-and-tea-in-1930s.html
Hugs,
Mariette
PS We feel so blessed with our tiny bats that keep our property mosquito free!
Please share your tiny bats - send them my way to feast on our mozzies dear Mariette!
DeleteNice post on your 'hydrangea tea' - thanks for sharing.
Would love to let them know if they have some hungry relatives to migrate to your area... We are SO lucky! Hydrangeas are such a happy flower and I used the blue with the old cups from my Mother-in-law.
DeleteI have the same situation with basil as you - a fully leafed pot from the store and some seedlings slowly growing, but I put mine into the garden with the tomatoes as they seem to enjoy each others company. I am so glad that you are feeling much better!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much dear Lorrie - I'm longing for fresh tomatoes (although I can't eat them right now on this restrictive Low Histamine plan) and of course fresh basil is a must in summer.
DeleteI do love hydrangeas - and was just noticing on the post I ran the other day that my first flat had one outside the window - that photo is forty years old. I wonder if it is there still. And yes - can we have some of your weather please!
ReplyDeletemark
Those strong plants probably can last for 40 years - two of ours, the big ones in front of the porch, are at least 20 years old and have even been cut to the ground twice when painting the house!
DeleteOur weather I've packaged up and am sending your way, lol!
Spring is looking lovely at your home Mary. It sounds like you have a great weekend planned!
ReplyDeleteThanks dear Penny - looks a lot different from Florida doesn't it?
DeleteYour hydrangeas always amaze me. They are so huge and lush! They don't get like that here. Must be the early springs and then heatwaves you get. And speaking of heatwaves, we're having one right now. It's been in the high 80s the past couple of days and will continue until later next week. Could easily hit 90. Too soon for this kind of weather here! I'm wearing shorts and a sleeveless blouse today.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you're feeling a lot better with the medication and special diet. That will be so nice to enjoy a piece of cheese and glass of wine once again!
Everything has been open here for awhile and they just relaxed the mask laws here, too for the bigger stores like Wal-Mart, Trader Joe's and Costco. However, most privately owned stores are asking people to still wear masks as they have no idea who's been vaccinated or not. I don't blame them one bit. We went to Wal-Mart a few days ago and we were surprised that we only saw two people not wearing a mask. We thought for sure that most people would be forgoing them. Glad to see most people are still being cautious.
Have a good weekend!
......but I know you probably welcome the hot weather after your long cold winter and cool spring!
DeleteThe garden looks lovely, Mary! We've hydrangeas in the grounds of our apartment and they do receive a blast of hot sun to no ill effect. I expect they're essentially a hardier plant than presumed.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you've reaped some benefits from your pitiful diet :) I hope your doctor says you can discard it now! x
Hi Pip! Thanks for your good wishes. Yesterday the doctor was pleased with how I had stuck with the plan BUT said I should keep going on it as I feel so well, but definitely not eat cheese, grrrrrrrr!!! I may be cheating a little bit - for me going without cheese forever is not going to happen!!!!
DeleteHydrangeas are hardy - here in our growing zone they do really well but do prefer a little shade in the hot afternoons.
Mary -
Yes, we are still wearing masks in stores here too.
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks just amazing and gorgeous!!!
So glad you are feeling better too. Now that is worth celebrating.
Thanks Marilyn - it's been a bit of a haul both the garden and health issues, but we feel blessed that we are still going strong!
DeleteYou stay well too - Mary x
Yay for feeling so much better! Your yard is looking gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThanks Vee - lot of love and muscle going into it but it's paying off!
DeleteDear Mary,
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking wonderful. Your hard work is paying off. Wish I could grow hydrangeas. Yours are stunning.
Thanks dear Gina - we have been busy and still more to do as always.
DeleteTeeny tiny figs starting to bud out now - friends/neighbors already hoping to get some this summer. As we pruned heavily to keep the huge tree in shape I'm wondering just how prolific it will be this year!
Mary -
Such beautiful, tempting photographs Mary.
ReplyDelete