Time for six garden-related updates! I’m joining with gardeners around the globe, under the leadership of Mr. P. in the U.K., posting six things happening right now in our Pacific Northwest garden.
ONE- We have had a week of steady showers and the grass is happy. The two strawberry beds are brimming with blooms. Sunshine is forecasted, as are heaps of berries!
TWO- May is rhododendron month here at Coppertop. The first bush to bloom is always variegated ‘President Roosevelt’ out front, which has grown by leaps and bounds. Then our newish Rhody Grove kicks in with ‘Horizon Jubilee’ (peach) and ‘Fire Rim’ (deeper peach).
THREE- Lilacs have been flowering for a couple of weeks, and their fragrance is wonderful, even in drippy weather. We have seven scattered throughout the gardens in pink, white, and purple.
FOUR- Some of the lilacs border Lupine Hill, which is bursting.
FIVE- Last post I mentioned that we are currently getting our house painted. The painters began with the garden shed, which now bears our new color, a subtle greenish gray. We selected this color to blend in best with our surroundings. As soon as painters completed the shed, we re-installed the trellises for the three clematis that had been languishing on the ground. We also had dozens of nasturtium and sunflower seedlings beyond ready to be planted in the shed’s borders. The seedlings are now in and doing well.
SIX – The progress of the rose garden from end of April to end of May is amazing. Yes, the house has changed color as well (and note a painter’s ladder remains by the chimney!) This rose garden is barely three years old and brings much joy with its 20 rose bushes. The first buds are ready to pop.
Gardens at Coppertop -- March Picker 
Gee, you are in the Pacific Time Zone too, so you are also up after midnight!
That is quite a bed of strawberries. I know they perform much better there than here, but that is impressive anyway. Watsonville is supposedly the Strawberry Capital of the World, but just a few miles away, strawberries do not do well with aridity.
That is an impressive ‘President Roosevelt’ also. We used to grow it, but I saw very few out in real landscapes. Besides that, almost all of them put out unvariegated sports that grow faster than, and overwhelm, the variegated parts. Gardeners do not bother to cut the sports out.
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Hi Tony! Yes, you’re in some arid times still. I’m hoping for some weeks of sun so the berries don’t get moldy before they ripen. Pres. Roosevelt has filled his spot nicely and seems to love where he’s planted — a win!
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Hello March. I like the way the bed is going to be filled with sunflowers and Nasturtiums. On this bare side of the house . it will be pretty soon!
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Thank you, Fred. I look forward to watching it fill in! Have a great week with plenty of garden time.
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Lupine is a plant i rarely see around here. Our climate and soil is not good for them. So of course I drool with envy every time I read about them.
The new color of paint that your shed is painted is about the color of our new shed.
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Isn’t it a soothing, natural tone of paint, Lisa? This is the first place we’ve lived where lupine truly thrive, and I love it.
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Beautiful lupins, I haven’t grown them for years. My lilac hasn’t had many blooms this year due to a rather severe pruning last year. It has grown so much it needs pruning again but I want more flowers next year. 🤔😬
Your garden is lovely as always.
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Thanks, Granny. I also pruned fervently last year, attempting to keep the lilacs at nose level, but sacrificing some blooms. Just this morning Hubby said “Let them grow!” so I guess they will have a chance at getting tall now.
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Oh that horizon jubilee and fire rim rhododendron are stunners! And I know Texas is known for its own little lupine, bluebonnets, but I LOVE the bigger lupines of yours!
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Thanks for visiting the garden, Lauren. I know nothing about gardening in Texas, but bluebonnets sound pretty divine.
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Oh, fresh strawberries! We don’t grow them but we used to drive out to Michigan and pick our own. Judy makes a mean strawberry-rhubarb pie.
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Yum! Your strawberries are probably much earlier than ours, Jason. It’s hard to wait!
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Very true! Strawberry season here is usually firs or second week of June.
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The garden is looking wonderful. I’m a big fan of Rhododendrons (and roses) and yours are lovely.
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I appreciate your kind words. I know you’re loving your garden now, too. Such a gorgeous time of year!
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Crikey, you’re going to have a super strawberry crop. Will you need to protect is from birds? I notice a sturdy trellis behind, so perhaps netting? I grew a small crop for the birds last year. I just wasn’t quick enough!
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Hi there! Yes, the low fence provides a fine support for some bird netting. This weekend I’ll add netting to protect both beds, just days before I’ll begin to notice some berries with hints of blush. 🙂
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Lovely. Every bit. I love your paint color choices – very much makes the beauty all around it shine. Hope you get plenty of sunshine to make those strawberries ripen nicely. Have a happy June.
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The strawberry anticipation increases… You have a happy June as well!
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