I had wanted to tell you about what’s new and abundant at the local nurseries this week, but I still have too much cleanup work to do before adding anything new to flower beds.
Sigh.
If I’m not the only one behind on spring chores, now is a perfect time to tackle them if for no other reasons than the weather’s wonderful and the mosquitoes haven’t yet organized into attack squads.
Topping my list is clearing out the piles of leaves and general debris from the beds. Many folks contend the natural look is the best, that it will help feed the soil. I’ve found it mostly provides cover for snails and slugs, the bane of every hosta, as well as the innocent ground orchids that never hurt anyone.
Of course, with all the recent high winds and rain, the beds already cleared of debris could need a little pick-up work, too, and the winter weeds just will not stay out of the herb garden.
Although the lantana and lions tail and some other summer and fall bloomers are putting out new growth already, they will be healthier and fuller (besides better looking) if cut back now. But stay away from the hydrangea. The only ones that might, and only might, need a trim are panicle ones – the ones planted in sun.
There are still some crowded perennial flowers to deal with as well. Shasta daisies need to move over to the rather sad little strip of the white garden. There’s also a fair size section of a saucer magnolia, known by us common folk as a tulip tree, that needs to come down because it’s shading too much of the white garden.
This is also a good time of year to move plants. The loss of shade because of the demise of a beautiful pink dogwood has created a laser of late afternoon sun that also zapped a couple of hostas last summer. There’s one less hosta to worry about since the exterminator thought that was a good spot to put a termite trap.
But an area once in shade but now in sun could provide a great opportunity. I’m going to try to move a couple of sun or maybe just partial sun lovers into those spots. Could be an interesting mix of shade and sun plants in one garden area and give the bed more bloom-time interest.
Of course, what everyone should do right now is sit back, at least for a few minutes, and enjoy the show of azaleas and dogwoods and the magnificent snowball viburnum bushes. Just breathtaking.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
