What's growing in your Great Lakes Garden?

17 years ago

I'm curious as to what you all have going now in your gardens? In my veggie garden I just put in my tomatoes and peppers last weekend and mulched them well. Got smart and ran a soaker hose under the mulch. They look perky today. My green beans, and cukes are up. Just put in zuchinni last weekend so they haven't poked through yet. Annual seeds are starting to come up. Zinnias, cosmos, poppies. Put in a flat of statice, snap dragons, and stock and a bunch of other annuals for cutting that I can't remember right now. My moon flowers have come back from old root even though they're supposed to be an annual. I planted tons of moon flower seed that hasn't come through yet. The perennials are doing great. Separated a bunch of black eyed susans and shasta daisies (love the Becky variety). Put in more lavender and older lavender is really taking off right now. My foxgove is blooming and so are the peonies. Bought some more phlox, maltese cross, foxglove, oriental poppies, and a couple of new additions that I can't remember the name of at the moment. The warm weekends in April that we had helped me get a headstart on cleaning up the perennial garden and dividing some stuff. The morning glories are poking through -- some self seeded and some new seed. My roses aren't as glorious as I always think they should be and they're such high maintenance but I don't give up. The asters have gone crazy and after digging an repotting a bunch to give away I've starting tossing some in the weed pile. The hardy hibiscus is up and well. One Rose of Sharon looks good and one not so good. Put in many more lilacs and some spirea last weekend. Now they all want a drink every day. The baptisia I put in last summer is just a little puny twig. Don't know if they're slow to start or if I accidently sprayed some round up on it. (Yes, I use roundup on the flower garden -- not the veggies though. I couldn't keep up if I didn't roundup occasionally) This is just my fourth summer on this property so I'm still adding to my yard and gardens. Two weeks ago I put in sweet corn, bunch of different kinds of pumpkins, a sunflower patch and planted potatoes for the first time. They're all up. Last year something ate my entire sunflower patch so I moved it this year and hope to outwit the critter. There was no garden and almost no landscaping when I moved here so we've come a long way. Spent $250 last night on plants for my many pots and need to get to those this weekend. I need to retire so I can give my full attention to all the demands of the garden. So that's what's going on in my mid Michigan garden. How about yours?

Comments (7)

joyful_grower
17 years ago
Wow!! No veggies this year. Just have a potted tomatoe plant that has tomatoes already. (Were there when I bought it, daughter loves tomatoes!) Let's see, my clematis are blooming, purple, soft white, burgundy, and one called presidents (purple with a pinkish stripe in it...gorgeous!)
Also have 1 other clematis that is a late bloomer...but it is growing great!!! 2 of my peonies are blooming. The other two won't bloom as I transplanted them now (and now in the fall as I found out after reading in the peony forum). But my 2 bushes look good. My hibiscus are growing great guns. I even transplanted one and a piece broke off and left that where it was and both are growing! yea!! My Japanese Iris are blooming....others not yet...but I just transplanted them from my sister in laws garden (Metamora area) (I'm near the Ohio border) My azaleas have bloomed....hmmmmm.....asters are budding...which I thought was kind of early.....My rose bush has yet to show me anything yet but green leaves. I've transplanted some bulbs....waiting to see if they come up and what they are!!! Still looking for more to plant! I have tons more but can't remember the names!!! Each year I look and say gee I don't remember planting that!! LOL> My lilies are budded and I'm waiting to see what color they are. Just don't remember....planted them last year next to a "fountain....that I buried the bottom in the ground to look like a pond"....LOL> As I said it's always a joy to see what comes up and see the colors!!! I know there's more....but what's growin' in yours??
karen_w
17 years ago
I'm in the Grand Rapids area and a lot's going on. Iris are about done. Peonies are starting. Rhodie has been open about a week. Geums, buttercups and forget-me-nots are planted together for a riot of color. Clematis is blooming. Roses are budded. Also hydrangeas. :) K.
islandgirl_mi
17 years ago
My peonies and irises are in full bloom, as is one of my lilacs. Tea roses are also blooming and the hardy hibiscus are up about 4 or 5 inches. Have my tomato plants growing in half-whiskey barrels and they are doing great!! Marble-sized fruit on the Early Girls. (Last year the deer came through and picked my tomatoes for me. I hope they forgot where I live this year.)
I bought some clearance perennials last year and it's going to be a surprise what they are when they come up. I think some are asiatic lilies, and one is a complete mystery!
joyful_grower
17 years ago
Don't you just love it!! Islandgirl_mi!!! The suspense is usually worth the wait! I hope the deer forget where you live too. The rabbits usually get my goodies out in the garden. But last year my Westie got a rabbit (Blossom is just a year and a half) and buried it....alive....but my son rescued it, but haven't seen a rabbit in the yard since! LOL. Perhaps you can find a deer chasing dog! LOL. Good luck
hummingbird
17 years ago
Hostas, hostas and more hostas. Wait there's some ferns and heuchera too. Not much for flowers going on in my gardens.
sunnyday2day
17 years ago
It's really popping here in mid-Michigan right now. Clematis and roses are showing off more than anything else. We've got about 1/4" of rain today which we needed...hope there's more tonight. Heucheras are wonderful, and the perennial hibiscus have shot up a lot in the past week. I'll show off a clematis duo I have. If you haven't grown this showy vine, I heartily recommend it...so many beauties to choose from. Here's a couple of duos I really like... :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/SunnyDay2Day/333977fe.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/SunnyDay2Day/MarmoriandVVII.jpg
lee53011
17 years ago
My bananas are up and my cannas. Also black magic elephant ears. And my prickly pear cactus has buds!! Also lots of calendula, and datura. Here is an after and before picture of my lasagna bed.

Lee