Wandering Around The Beds - Early April 2022

There are signs of life emerging EVERYWHERE around our garden.  Here's a few photos of things that are bringing me a little bit of Spring joy in beds around our garden.  First, the IB2DW bed - which has (now) five Pinball Wizard Allium bulbs that were planted last year.  Below, you can see the red-ish tips of the foliage emerging from the mulch.  

On the south side of the house is an Iris that my Sister Vic gave to me from her Indiana Street (Elmhurst) neighbor.  I call this "Wes' Iris".  It is coming alive as I type:

Under the troubled (in Decline) Norway Maple out front are some *new* (to me) tulips that have arrived for the first time (below).  I planted these last year.  They're DIFFERENT in that the foliage is variegated and has a pink(ish) stripe down the edge. 

And, here below, are a BUNCH more tulips that I planted down near the sidewalk in that troublesome spot.  Should note (to myself) where these are and how to augment them this Fall.

Below is a peek under the Frans Fontaine Hornbeam trees set along our property line.  If you look closely, you'll see a couple of Sedges (Pennslyvania) that were planted last year and what SURE looks like a trio of Allium tips.  I don't recall planting any here, so we'll have to watch this Spring.

Below is a look at part of the backyard beds under the Tree Swing tree.  There are some All Gold grasses that I cut back and a set of Allium Christophii bulbs, too.  You can start to see them coming up in front of the tulips in the back.

Over by the Fanal Astibles are some Drumstick Allium bulbs that I planted last year.  Below, you can see a few of them starting to come out - in front of the Summer Beauty Allium and the trio of tiny Green Gem Boxwoods that I found on sale at the end of last growing season.

Below is another look at that same section:

Back by the yard hydrant, there are a few larger Allium bulbs that I've planted over the years - believe they are "Purple Sensation".  These (below) aren't long for this location, so I should put them on my list to transplant.  

I inherited a colony of Daffodlis that never seemed to bloom.  Until last year.  Here they are tucked under one of the Northern Red Oak trees below:

Eeek!  What do I see?  Peony shoots that are dark maroon.  A lovely sign.  I transplanted all of them from the back to this close bed by the kitchen window and to the IB2DW section.  I'm hoping these will take off with more sun here.  You can see them (if you squint) below:

Here (below) is a closer look at the peonies:

Back over on the South Side, at the base of the espalier'd crab apple trees are what LOOK like Alliums.  Again....not sure I remember what I planted, but I'll be watching as they emerge this Spring.

Below is a look at the base of the troubled Norway Maple in front.  A few things:  First...the tulips.  Second, the alfalfa cubes that I spread here last month?  They're MOSTLY incorporated.  But...importantly...third:  the four Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grasses that I transplanted here?  They all are showing green shoots.  Love that.

Behind our front Boxwoods are some alliums, too.  See them below:

I divided a couple of our BIG Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grasses last year, but left ONE of them intact as a hedge.  Good news:  the divisions are showing life.  And the big one can be divided this year.  See all three of them below in the little pocket between our front stoop and driveway:

This mess you see below is the IB2DW beds.  A few things of note - the grasses are all growing.  The Serendipity Allium are back (at least two of them *are* back) and I'm hoping the Creeping Jenny survives.  

There's so much happening, but I'm already behind.  Off I go to try to capture more things that are spring-ing to life.