The Yard Filleth

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With our truck and trailer constantly in motion on road trips to our growers over the last two weeks, our yard is beginning to fill nicely with a wide assortment of plants.  Above are just some of the coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) we’ll be using this year and directly below is a nice assortment of additional plants that will lend color out in the gardens this season.  We leave the tents and tables up from the Spring Plant Sale as they are perfect for staging and organizing our plants as they arrive.  Recent cold evenings have thwarted our early planting plans but we’ll hit full speed this Saturday and continue until the yard is empty (mid July if we’re lucky!).  We continue to prepare areas for planting and hopefully the soil will warm quickly as we head in to the early summer months.  The good news is that 1/2 the plants have arrived…the bad news is that 1/2 the plants have not yet arrived…

It was a VERY busy day around the Horticulture Center with deliveries, volunteers, etc.  This time of year can get hectic but we have so many good people around that thankfully thrive on these challenges!  Our grounds staff consisted of Larry H., Trevor, Nolan, Janice,  Big John and Terry.  Larry, Trevor and Nolan had a lot of work to do with the Giant Aquarium and Larry later went on a plant pick up and took care of significant watering in the yard.  Trevor and Nolan worked on some path repair late in the afternoon.  Janice planted in the Heirloom Garden and worked with our Chestnut House volunteers this morning.  John and Terry also ran for plants this morning and worked on rototilling, planting (trees and shrubs), reseeding turf and myriad other projects that including juggling a wide range curve balls on this busy day!

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Directly above we’re unloading our second trailer of goodies today.  Our volunteers (some seen below) had a great day out in the gardens.  Due to my busy work load, I was remiss with taking more photos.  Kathy and Eva did a great job weeding the main slope in the entrance garden which we hope to plant soon.  They were later joined by Patty, Mary and Nancy.  Kay did a wonderful job in her section of the shade garden and expanded to another section nearby for some serious tidying.  Marv worked on his moss areas which are looking spectacular.  Stan and Kristin were doing some work near the Japanese garden today and Maury ran lots of errands for us as usual.  The Chestnut House volunteers helped later this morning and worked on a wide range of tasks.  Dave T. worked on some projects (see below) at the Horticulture Center.  We also saw Joan, Corky and many others.

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the “always productive” Chestnut House volunteers can be seen above and below (Janice to the far right, below…)

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Kristin (above) and husband Stan (below) do great work although the risk of a public display of affection necessitates that they work at least 50 feet away at all times…they did a great job today

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Shark Sighting Above! (with Dave Thomas…for the Giant Aquarium!)

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‘Fire Island’ plantain lily (Hosta) with bugleweed (Ajuga) – both perennials

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‘Liberty’ plantain lily (Hosta) – perennial

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‘Purple Fountain’ European beech (Fagus sylvatica) leafing out – woody tree

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the alpine garden is at peak right now!

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one of many tree peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa) starting to bloom!

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‘Candy Stripe’ creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) – perennial

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‘Hartlage Wine’ sweetshrub (Calycanthus raulstonii) – woody shrub

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‘Herman’s Pride’ yellow archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon) – perennial

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‘Redstone Falls’ foamy bells (xHeucherella) – perennial

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Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) – blue selection – perennial

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‘Jack Frost’ false forget-me-not (Brunnera macrophylla) – perennial

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red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) – woody tree

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golden hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata ‘Aurea’) – woody plant

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‘Kneiffii’ cutleaf goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus) – perennial

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patch of ‘Ghost’ hybrid painted fern (Athyrium hybrida) – perennial

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26 of the 27 Hummingbird Garden Art Projects are up and looking great!