For record keeping, what follows is a running list of monthly garden activity I haven’t mentioned in journal posts:

• Strawberry beds overflow with blossoms. early May

• Added plants to perennial beds:  Doronicum ‘Little Leo’, Penstemon ‘Giganteus Mix’, Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Brocade Catalina’, plus two ‘Little Giant’ hardy fuchsia above driveway rock wall. early May
• The perennial cornflower, Centaurea montana, is in bloom down in the orchard. early May

• Transplanted foxglove seedlings grown from Christmas gift seed — Digitalis purpurea ‘Camelot Mix’ and Digitalis grandiflora ‘Carillon’ — to shady area between new pieris shrubs. Carillon should perennialize, if the hens will cease their scratching!  mid May
• Planted a bottom row of annual herbs in the kitchen garden, including stevia, cilantro, and silver posie thyme.  mid May
• Ceanothus in two pots at front of the house are in full bloom and in need of transplanting. late May

• Henny Penny laid down in the sun among the perennials and passed away. She’d been acting ill for a couple of weeks. Young pullets are well integrated with other hens and we now have 13 total. late May
• All tomato, eggplant, and pepper plants are taking off in the greenhouse! late May

• Hubby and I are radically pruning the English laurel from 16 feet to about 10. What beasts! late May
• They may be weeds, but the oxeye daisy above the driveway are glorious. late May