Tag: Spring in Minnesota

Longer term

We seem to be in a holding pattern year. We personally won’t be making any improvements to the townhouse gardens due to the uncertainty on the schedule for the new roof project. First things first. So this year my focus is normal maintenance only. But longer term the landscaping outside the homes that weren’t refreshed two years ago is pending refresh. Rock replacement, trim re-levelling, things like that. I am torn. Should I plan for a more cookie cutter look at the townhouse going forward? Remove a lot of the unique look – bring it elsewhere? We are not in an optimal world right now. Labor was an issue last year, for sure. The garden refresh could be pushed off for even more than a year. So what to do in 2022? Hey, that rhymes 😉

Nothing, for now. Until more is known. Keep enjoying the “little things” – the hostas and daylilies and sedum that make it through the construction, and the planning of things we CAN do. Maybe more up north. Once that snow melts and the ground thaws we can assess those options.

For now, just getting past continual snow and massive winds would be a great start.

Here’s what the garden progression looks like right now. A few things poking up through the ice and snow from our last wave of winter hanging on.

We wait 😉

Garden decorations – 2022

Up next in the spring garden work is the swap out of seasonal items in the gardens. Since we are getting new roofs at the townhome this year, and the schedule is very much tbd, I will not be putting out many garden decorations there. Things that are sturdy, things I can pull back inside easily will be it. The frogs playing checkers have already found a home. The concrete welcome frog stays inside this year. So that only leaves the frog on the swing and a few little frogs. Good enough. For this year.

Winter
spring – swinging

Clean-up time

The air at the townhouse is warming and the ground is showing. The gardens need some love. They need the bigger twigs and small branches removed, and they need the rock to move back inside the lines – haha! Luck would have it – I have time! And a need, myself, to to hang out, exactly where they are.

Branches that can find other homes
Rocks that can move back into their home

Are we there yet, are we there yet?

Spring is here!

Wait, another snow storm.

Yes! Warmer weather. The snow plow pile is almost gone!

Wait, an ice storm followed by more snow.

Such is a Minnesota March. But we have arrived at April! Hallelujah! Although we have had snow at the beginning of June – on the irises I was cutting to bring to our kids teachers – it is super rare. And, in fact, when we were out raking the other day, we discovered the ground is beginning to thaw and a few sprouts are starting to come up.

Over the winter up north we had a dawn and dusk deer parade – anywhere from 3 to 16 deer coming through. Usually around 9-10. We discovered their pattern and where they meet up. There were many wonderful hours of deer watching. And unfortunately one coyote, and one night yipping. The does will drop their fawns soon – always a vulnerable time. And the bucks are starting to grow their antlers – just starting.

I told my husband that for all the wonderful hours of deer watching we have had, it will be hard for me to be upset at their hosta browsing. But maybe stay away from the daylilies ok? We shall see.

The clematis are starting to bloom

The first clematis bloom opened Tuesday. Always a wonderful sight. Hopefully many more blooms to come.

I am reminded of the years where we kept a very tall trellis in that spot. Funny thing about clematis. They are kind of like work. They expand to fit the time (or space) allotted. We let that one get so big a bird built a nest in it, and we could see inside the nest from inside the window. We called them the “trillers” because they would trill each time Mama approached. Eventually we watched them get big and strong and leave the nest. It doesn’t take long, but it was fun to watch.

This year, I hear something that sounds like a bird in the gutter. I wish I had a drone. I could fly it high and zoom in. I don’t want to climb up on a ladder and try to see. We’ll just wait. Time will tell. It doesn’t seem like an ideal place to nest, but we’ll see.

Bonus! Free nail filing!

Gardeners worldwide know that we don’t need a gym during the tending season.  But did you know that Amur Maples come complete with free spring nail filing?

Let me explain.  Our Amur Maple out front is delightful.  When it blooms it is heavenly.  No scent like it.  In the fall, the seed pods turn a lovely pink color, and the leaves form a multi-colored carpet.

20181015_175010

Then the seed pods fall and blow all over.  Helped by our squirrel friends, in the spring the seedlings can be found by the hundreds in the rock gardens and the lawn.  The pines have nothing on these guys.  Left to mature we could start a forest.

So every spring I get in garden shape, and also get a free nail filing, by going around and plucking out hundreds and hundreds of Amur Maple seedlings.  Bucketfuls.

20200524_082947

What the hey – may as well grab linden sticks and the occasional pine or cherry volunteer too.  But mostly Amur Maple seedlings.  Like these

20200524_082957

Is it a pain?  Yep.  If the Amur Maple had to be replaced, would I hope the replacement would be something less invasive?  Yep.  But I’m used to it.  I love the spring blooms, the fall color, watching the squirrels “harvest” the seeds, and the spring tradition of getting back in shape and getting a “plucking” nail filing!