The clematis are beginning to bloom at the townhouse. First the white ones bloomed, and now a new pink volunteer we haven’t seen blooms on before is starting.

I had a few volunteers over the past few years that really took off this year, so I had to buy a couple extra trellises.  Not easy in the current shopping environment, but it turned out ok.

Last weekend we went up north.  I tell you!  It’s amazing how fast things grow up there!  You might say it’s wild – lol!  The ferns that were fiddleheads last time were waist high!!  We have thousands, and unfortunately some have to get cut back so we have a homesite/campsite that is reasonably free from ticks.

The butterflies and bumblebees were enjoying the dandelions.  It was a fabulous sight to see.  We don’t prevent dandelions up north so they have a nice supply of food.

A walk through the farther trails taught us we have an abundance of wild roses we didn’t know about, and even some scrubby maple trees.  (I thought we were too far north for maples.)

By far, however, the big news is … the baby daylilies are doing well up north!!  The deer are leaving them alone so far, and they are holding their own with just the natural rain.  I am hopeful!  The asparagus also survived the winter, and it looks like one asclepias.  I cleaned up the raised beds, and put more black dirt in one.  Man, I wish I had that $300 back!  I don’t like the steel and boxy look nearly as much as I thought I would, and they heaved in the center so they look weird, but oh, well.  Live and learn.

The fact that daylilies are doing well up there makes my harvesting decisions much easier going forward.  It means I will probably harvest seeds from our townhome gardens again this year, and sow some in the ground up north as well as start seedlings in the winter again.  Probably.

It’s also about this time of year, as the summer garden comes into full form, that I start to realise what fall divisions will be needed.  The townhouse garden is getting pretty mature, and I will need to divide and split quite a bit this fall.  This ‘Rainforest Sunrise’ hosta has definitely overgrown the space.

I love the coloring, and the leaves are a bit more tender, so I will keep the divisions at the townhouse.

I’m tempted, however, to try some of the ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ hosta divisions up north, as the leaves are deer resistant.

So many ideas … but a bit of time to chew on them.  For now, the daylily seedlings are all planted except two, which will go into the townhome garden in the next day or so.  The lavender seeds are starting to sprout in pots – we’ll see how far they get – and the tulips are fading back and making way for the Asian lily blooms to come center stage next.