Ugh

I don't know why it never occurred to me that my darling milkweed, which is now naturalizing all over the garden, would be toxic if the dogs ever decided to nibble :( They've both been sick, and since it's been a week and they're still not recovered after resetting the GI tract, I don't think the milkweed was the culprit. Besides, the chances of them both eating something that isn't even palatable are slim. However, the fact remains that the milkweed needs to be at the *back* of the garden, so I've pulled up several plants. I need to pull out the lilies-of-the-valley, which also contain cardiac glycosides. I won't miss them - they're annoying little plants.

Everything I cut down the other day is already showing signs of budding at the first axial leaf, so I think they'll be okay. I did discover however that my lovely Coreopsis rosea is actually a yellow coreopsis. Maybe the rosea died and I put a yellow one in that spot without remembering? It's very strange, esp. since the rosea tag is still there.

To do: plant those two pulmonarias I just bought!! Also, move the veronica out from behind the daylily. Plant annual pots. Attempt to divide the little bluestem before the helianthus eats it.

And the Baptisia...

...is done blooming, but! BUT!! I have fruits :) When they get bigger I'll take a picture. Baptisia fruits are really gorgeous.

Pics

Since 100% of my commentariat demand it (Hi, Zya!), here are some pictures from the first week of June 2006:


Roses, front porch


Tradescantia bracteata


Tradescantia ohioensis


Penstemon digitalis


The yucca plant, this morning

Finally normal weather

Today and tomorrow: 75, dry, cloudless, perfect. Actually, bad transplant weather, but good for overall maintenance. Today I cut back the Monarda didyma (garage only), Helianthus, and mystery Aster. The Helianthus and Monarda are flopping away from their centers already. Am going to look for some supports that will keep them together better.

Baptisia is pretty much done. Sure didn't get many flowers! But it was still very pretty. Now I can see if any of them got fertilized. Seems doubtful, unless it's a selfer.

Yucca has formed an inflorescence that is just emerging from the leaves. This is the second time it has flowered. I grumbled about it not flowering every year but maybe yucca isn't meant to flower every year? Desert plants and all.

Salvia is just starting to open, as is the new penstemon. Roses are exploding glowingly and look lovely.

Memorial Day wknd

Hot!! Sticky!! Unpleasant!!
Had to water all the new plantings, and some of the old ones, today. Also used up five bags of mulch, and need more. Mulch never stretches as far as you think it's going to.

Baptisia continues to open up, and both Tradescantias are glowing electrically purple. Butterflyweed does *not* transplant well; I think it's dead. Also, Liatris does not transplant well after the growing season has started. I moved a huge clump of corms from behind the dying rose to up in the garage garden last week. The foliage actually feels a bit rotted and soft now. Plants damaged by the hailstorm of a couple of weeks ago are recovering, though the big-leafed aster looks bad. Most of its leaves were shredded. The backyard side of the rosebush popped overnight last night, so the rest should follow tomorrow or the next day. Right on time!

It's time to buy annuals, but the weather is unmotivating.