We’ve had quite interesting weather here in Southern Ontario this spring. In March we had record-breaking heat, with an all-time high of 27C. In Fahrenheit-ese, that’s an incredible 80 degrees.
This heat was followed by an unpredictable run of heat and cold, rain and dryness, that’s resulted in monster plants in my flowerbeds. I love having nice-looking beds, but I’m not a big fan of perpetual gardening so you’d be forgiven for thinking this thrills me.
Here’s the thing. Last summer I thinned some hostas that grow in the center of our circle drive. They were so thick that they were overlapping each other, so I removed every other one. It was a big job but, I figured, well worth the effort because then I could relax for a few years, right? Wrong. So very, very wrong.
The combination of weather we’ve had so far this year has resulted in rain forest-like growth. If you look at the picture above you can see the spaces where I removed those hostas, can’t you? No?? Well, I’m as surprised as you are.
The burning bush (right, above the blue hosta) has puttered along for years. Overnight it grew as high as my head. And the holly? (Dark green lump, second left of the gazing ball) That holly is turning into a crazy weed. It had better take note because I just hacked back the japonica that threatened to take over the other end of the bed and I think the burning bush’s days may be numbered too.
But just so you don’t think I’m a total whiner, here are the transplanted hostas.
It looks like they’ve been here for years. I added the variegated ones last spring, and the rest last fall.
And then there’s the rudbeckia I thinned in April.
It’s grown back tighter than a passel of red-neck cousins. The flowers will be gorgeous, but golly, that’s a thick bunch of plants in a small bed.
I’m already bracing myself for the digging, carrying, and transplanting that I know will be ahead of me this fall, but I suppose life could be a whole lot worse. When I stop fretting about how overgrown and messy my flowerbeds look, I seem to catch a glimpse of beauty. I mean, if you take notice of the small things, there’s always something lovely to look at …
… even in my laundry room window.
Overgrown and messy? Hardly. Your flowerbeds are beautiful. Mine are “naturalized” ..now that could be considered overgrown and messy!!
Well, let’s just say that they were supposed to stay nicely spaced, at least for awhile!
Everything looks lovely.
Thanks, Patti. I just wish things hadn’t grown in quite as quickly though.
Beautiful gardens! I should set you loose on my desert like conditions. It is difficult for anything other than chicory to thrive in our sandy soil. I have to plant flowers in pots if I want them to choke out even a brief existence. Oh well, when weeds are your primary vegetation – at least you don’t have to pull them.
I kind of wish I had a desert, Susan. The expectations would be much easier to fulfill!