First, thanks go to The Propagator who began Six on Saturday, keeping garden bloggers worldwide engaged and entertained each Saturday. Let’s jump right in!
ONE – During this season of adding to beds with plants I’ve grown and some I’ve purchased, I really should begin each Saturday with a “What’s New?” update. Recently I purchased three Paeonia lactiflora ‘Wladyslawa’, two Euphorbia characias ‘Galaxy Glow’ (below), and three Solidago rugosa (rough goldenrod) ‘Fireworks.’ The first two have new homes in perennial beds, and the Solidago will grow along one edge of the rose garden. Peonies have done so well for me here, that I now grow almost two dozen, ranging from herbaceous to intersectional to one tree peony.
TWO – Earlier this week my greenhouse was absolutely packed with plants, some of which I’ve begun taking to our Master Gardener demonstration garden, the site of our early May plant sale. I’ve yet to plant out the varieties of salvia and other plants I’ve been growing to add to the rose garden. Soon, though, as I’m making room for giant pots of tomatoes.
THREE – Amidst the busy-ness of planting and weeding, the willow tree’s gracefulness and fresh pop of young green soothes the soul.
FOUR – Good news, garden folks! Garden centers and nurseries tend to put hellebores on sale at this time of year. Since Lent is over, Lenten roses are being offloaded to make room for summer bloomers. For under $20.00 I was able to add three more young plants to the area of hellebores along the gravel stairway. Two are ‘Confetti Cake’ in the Wedding Party series and are still in bloom. The other is a ‘Rio Carnivale’ from the Honeymoon series by the same hybridizer, Hans Hansen. (I guess these fall under “What’s New?” up above. 🙂 )
FIVE – Earlier this week, we had a couple of enormous trees taken down by a tree professional who worked for the Forest Service his entire career. One was a giant fir that snapped in half during a December storm. The other was an old, hollowed-out bigleaf maple that was growing too close to the house. More tree work will be done next week. Meanwhile, Son is busy splitting and stacking logs. The work zone is a bit of a disaster, but will hopefully be cleaned up in time for the Meconopsis show at the end of May. Somehow the barrel of Brunnera survived falling limbs.
SIX – Coppertop’s first blooming tulips of 2019 are these pots by the front door, the earliest pots I planted in the fall, so that makes sense. The tall, purple Royal Acres mix with double pink Angelique.
Gardens at Coppertop 
Love the view inside the greenhouse, it really looks like spring is on the way although I can’t imagine having anything as neat here!
That hellebore purchase was an amazing find. I’d be thrilled to pick up a single one of them for that price, let alone get all three. They should be amazing in no time at all.
You always do so well with your tulips, I can’t wait to see this year’s color combinations!
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I am happy with the hellebores. Your bulb display is beautiful this season, Frank! Meanwhile, I’m watching the tulips plump up here…
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Oh I do have Greenhouse envy! So much space and such light. Sigh
We had to take some trees out and oh my! The difference was incredible. We did plant some new trees though but further way from the house. ‘Enjoy your garden and happy gardening!
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I really dislike removing trees unless absolutely necessary, and these were. The cost is crazy! I’d much rather spend the bucks on new plants… hahaha. So the new greenhouse is just 8×12′ but I use every inch. Happy gardening to you, too!
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The view of the willow tree is lovely and restful. That seat in the greenhouse looks like a nice spot to sit too!
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I use that seat quite a bit!
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I love your greenhouse. Makes growing so many more things possible. Everything looks like it is progressing very nicely.
I’ll have to check out the nurseries for clearance hellebores. Our Lowes has a clearance area for plants where one can find the best deals of plants gone over or sometimes under watered. With a little bit of nursing, they usually can be brought around. I’ve already found nice hosts for $1 that they put out too early and they were nipped by the cold. It’s always a great way to add plants at a fraction of the price. Thanks for the reminder to check.
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My plants seem to have appreciated the protection of the new greenhouse, Cindy. Yes, hooray for sale plants! 🙂
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Another one here with serious greenhouse envy!! It’s a thing of beauty! Many of my plants in the greenhouse are ready to go out but I need to clear away the most of the forget-me-nots and some of the perennial geraniums to make room for them. Unfortunately, the weather’s not really warm enough to put out young plants. Never mind, it keeps me on my toes!
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Greenhouses are the best!
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Love that chair in the greenhouse picture- I can totally imagine the joy from sitting there and the view of all the plant babies surrounding you!
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You are right, Lauren! This is the perfect season for using the chair, before it gets overly warm in there…
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This greenhouse is very beautiful March. It looks like mine but better with a more “functional” side. (I must add shelves …) It seems very bright. Don’t you have curtains when it is very nice and hot to not grill the plants? It was my purchase last summer and I don’t regret it
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Thanks! No curtains yet. I will see how things go this first year, Fred, since we live in a place with very cool summers, relatively.
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I expect you sit on that chair in the greenhouse and enjoy some warmth on cool spring days. Where is the part of your garden that is old pots, partially used bags of potting soil, etc.? This is all so tidy.
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I do enjoy using the chair! You’re funny. I give away pots I don’t use, but I have a great big shelf with all the black plastic pots I do use in the garden shed nearby. I generally make all my own potting mix, so not any bags laying around currently, just a large trash can full of soil, also in the garden shed. One Saturday I might take photos of the scarier corners of the garden, just to prove a point! There are PLENTY.
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Yes, please. Some scarier spots.
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I also have designs on your greenhouse, but I am sure I don’t deserve it, I would never keep it as beautifully as you do. Glad the brunnera escaped the felling, it is such a lovely spring flower and of course the tulips are wonderful. Lots more light at your place now the trees have gone?
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Yes, happy about the brunnera and more in that area. The light didn’t change much, as the removed trees were the unhealthy culprits within groups of healthy trees.
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What do you use to make your own potting mix?
I like your greenhouse, similar size to mine. Jam packed with plants. I also need to make room for tomatoes but need to get home of some bigger pots.
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Wish I could give you some from my stacks of big pots… My potting mix: 3.8 (or so) cubic foot bale of peat moss, 4 (or less) cubic feet of homegrown compost , 4 cubic feet perlite (or half each of perlite and vermiculite), 2 cups of dolomite lime, 3 cups of organic slow release fertilizer. Be forewarned — this makes a ton! (not literally) Not everyone believes in adding the compost, but it allows me to both seed and pot up in a similar mix. I just add about half that amount of compost for a seeding mix and skip the fertilizer. Do you have a favorite recipe?
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I’m super impressed that you make your own. I just buy mine in, looking out for the split bag pile at the garden centre, where they are half price!
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Hey, that works, too!
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I, too, am eyeing the greenhouse, but your mentioning of having almost two dozen peonies really makes me jealous. I am particularly fond of them, partly for sentimental reasons, partly because they are simply lovely. I’ve not had much with them, though. I think the late summers are just too hot and recently too dry.
Good luck with your Master Gardener plant sale in May. We just had ours.
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Thank you, Susan. Nice to hear from a fellow MG. Peonies are divine. This year’s plant sale promises to be a great one.
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Your garden is lush. I am in awe!
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Lushness is a benefit of spring! Thank you.
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Still getting the hang of this I’m not anonymous really!
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Love your new purchases, especially the hellebore. I always hate losing trees, but that one certainly looked like it’d met its time. What’s growing near the birdbath behind the tulips? It looks great, especially w/the tulips in front.
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Thanks, Lora. Assorted plants grow there — Spiraea, alchemilla, and currently daffs and primroses.
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It must be a spirea that I’m seeing – the orange behind the birdbath. Really like that a lot. A great shot.
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Love the greenhouse. Could you share the brand/model? It looks like a perfect size. Good luck with your sale. Our MG plant sale is May 19th, so I have 100+ plants sitting out, and I wish they were inside a greenhouse because of our cold, rainy weather because then they might look more like yours. 🙂
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100+ plants are a LOT! Good luck at your sale, too, Judy. The greenhouse is sold and installed by a local company in nearby Sequim, Washington. Their company is called Jungle Jane’s which I know is no help to you, sorry. There are so many greenhouses out there, but we knew we wanted 8 x 12 glass with poly roof, auto vents, large door, steel with concrete foundation, etc.
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Oh I would kill for a Greenhouse like that! Which I had the space.
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Another one here with serious greenhouse envy!! 🤢 I have to use my conservatory/orangery/garden room, but it doesn’t have the ventilation of a greenhouse.I must say yours looks very tidy!
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Hi Jude! Some days are neater than others…
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Someone once said that you can tell how much someone really appreciates their garden by the number of places they have to sit down and I would definitely be happy in that seat in the greenhouse!
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Thanks, Keith!
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The willow looks stunning by the water. How lovely to have the space to grow one. Your garden is looking beautiful
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Thank you! We can often be found on the grass beneath the willow…
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