Winter never wanted to leave

Winter fought leaving with a will. Mid-April we were seeing days in the forties and nights low thirties. Northeasters roared through Maryland several times. Everyone talked that Spring was hiding from us this year.

Recently, the past few days, Spring peeked its head out briefly and was slapped silly by Summer. Summer brought days in the high eighties and nights in the sixties. In one day, the heater was traded for the air conditioner. The sudden appearance of hot days brought fear that Summer will deliver many days in the high nineties or even deliver days over one hundred.

The low temperatures taxed my resolve to garden this year. Why prepare our three beds until the days stayed above sixty? We only plant tomatoes and peppers and both enjoy sun and warmth. I couldn’t find the energy to prep too soon.

Spring comes to stay

Spring finally brought days in the seventies and nights in the fifties, pushing Summer back.

Shaking off the lethargy, I spent several days working in the front flower beds.

The meadow sage around the mailbox was breaking ground in five places. This was a single plant when planted by my son and daughter-in-law. Every year it has sprouted in more places in the bed. One day, I will not have to weed because it will have stolen all the space weeds need to make my life miserable.

The same time they planted the meadow sage, they planted three white azalea bushes between two large holly bushes in another front flower bed. The holly bushes had grown very large and were killing the azaleas.

Bye-Bye Holly Bushes

Tired of trimming the bushes, we contracted to have them removed and replaced with other plants. The landscaper recommending some plants he thought would look good with the surviving azalea. They were pretty when small but this year it was clear, they were just wrong.

My wife loved the original azalea, so I removed all the plants except the original azalea and the red roses at the front corner of the house.  In the removed plants’ place, I planted three dwarf white azaleas. To add color and occupy some of the remaining space. I planted dianthus, frosty fire variety, and sweet Williams. The sweet Williams placed between the azaleas and the dianthus framing the front of the azaleas.

Now comes the waiting for the plants to bloom.

What flower and variety is this? Name it and tell me about your flower beds using the comment form. Look forward to hearing from you.