N°18 2024 perpetual calendar

[elainegrey]

2024-05-01 So many cicada holes and shells near the orchard N gate, some still squirming in the  heap of weeds (meant to smother the crepe myrtle stump). The violet leaves have so many cicada shells clinging to the bottoms.

2024-05-02 Lovely, mild with spiderwort (not the two fancy ones), rain lilies, Philadelphia fleabane, blackberries, sage, peonies, bearded irises, roses all blooming.

Bluebirds are fledgling, we found out as any household member outside got dive bombed by bluebirds. Carrie and Marlowe were kept in while the birds seemed on the offense in the back, just in case. I saw flutterings out the front window, watched Christine go out and get bombed, and watched the fluttering go towards the garden -- and then get caught in the fence? I went out and Christine stood near, getting all the attacks, and gently removed the fledgling from between the rabbit fence and deer fence. So happy with the story this year. I love our carnivores but i hate when they act on their nature.

2024-05-03 Dry - with [a trace of rain]  in evening, hoping for a rainy weekend. Stilt grass is a lush yellow green. The Star of Bethlehem seems to have stopped -- the heat? I suspect  Aunt Rachel's peony to loose its white petals today. No bloom on the Malykin's pink peony this year (again).  The bearded iris ('Jurassic Park'  or 'Edith Wolford') seem to be flying through the buds, blooming in the orchard border with Johnson's Keeper and in the old herb bed (there with the blooming sage in matching purple). White phlox (Phlox [contested] 'Miss Lingard') is blooming off the deck, providing white dapples  along with the two masses of Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus), one under the orchard mulberry tree, the older group in the mossy glade. The red and yellow native columbines dot the south berm.

The Robin's plantain and lyreleaf sage are going to seed. The best grass ever is in seed well.

2024-05-05 Spigelia marilandica 'Little Redhead'  Indian pink is blooming on the south berm.

Also blooming: * Amsonia x 'Blue Ice' (OCoffDeck, 75) * Heuchera 'Northern Exposure Red' (GHpot, 248) * miniature and full size roses * Itea Virginia (Sweetspire) (Rain, 257) - or has bloomed... * a i think native onion?  in the HK and OCoffDeck -- pink-purple delicate globes * chives

Plenty of strawberry harvests.