I really stocked up on perennials this year. So much so, that I think I’ve just about cut my annual purchases in half. Here’s a few more new ones I want to share with you.

I have a shade garden across the far side of my backyard. The eastern half gets virtually no sun, just a little in the morning, and the western side gets about 2 hours of afternoon sun. So throughout these gardens I have Hostas, daylillies, bleeding hearts, irises, hydrangea, astibles, and every variety of coral bells I could find. That’s a LOT of green!

Sure, most of these things flower at some time during gardening season, but there’s still a lot of green foliage in between. So I wanted to jazz things up a bit.

Every year I get plenty of coleus to add color. I love coleus, but it’s only an annual in these parts. (I’ll get more into coleus on another date.) So I specifically looked for some perennials with variegated foliage and interesting colors to provide some contrast. Here’s what I found:

A light green and white leaf Calamint (pictured above). Specifically called Calamintha grandiflora “variegata,” it is a close cousin to the garden mint, but without the nasty spreading habit. This selection forms an upright, bushy mound of soft green leaves, splashed with creamy white. Pleasantly fragrant, its rosy-pink flowers are studded on short spikes among the leaves in mid summer. This will slowly spread to form a small patch. It is useful towards the front of the border (which is where I put it), or in a woodland setting among Hosta or ferns (perfect!). It’s also attractive to butterflies.

Next up is something called the Tasmanian Tiger or Spurge. A spectacular plant selected for its uniformly colored variegated foliage — leaves are grayish-green with clear white margins. Tall pale green stems support cream-white flowers with green bow-tie centers. It’s dependable color and texture looks great all season. A vigorous grower that tolerates heat and drought, it’s excellent for use in difficult spots where nothing else grows.

I also chose a flowering ground cover called Lithodora. Lithodora diffusa (specifically) is a hardy evergreen creeping ground cover originating in southern Europe and requiring only a little attention (Yay!). It can hug the ground very closely or mount upward to six inches or rarely as high as a foot. It spreads as a dark green mat that produces its first few bright azure blue flowers as early as March, but is really going to town blooming in May & June, continuing to bloom at intervals & less overtly up to Autumn's first frost. Check out that color!! Too cool, I had to have it!

Today we are getting some needed rain (Yes! I don’t have to water tonight), but Saturday and Sunday will be optimal for gardening, or ponding, which is what I’ll be doing.

My pond’s in need of great attention. I’ve been cleaning the filter daily and it’s time to vacuum out the sludge in the bottom. We’ll also be installing (or trying to install) a new waterfall this weekend. I’ll let you know how it goes.

And by the way, the “pregnant” fish – is still pregnant and hugging the bottom of the pond. I hope she lays those eggs soon, we’re referring to her as Brangelina at the moment …

The weather is going to be perfect this weekend for gardening!
Here's a few things to keep in mind (that I'm having a little trouble remembering myself):
If you have already planted some new perennials, they need to be watered at least every other day, unless we get some rain.
Pond filters need frequent cleaning at this time too, due to sludge build-up over the winter. Don't forget to clean out your pump too. Afterall, it didn't get much attention over the winter.
Check your pond temperature before feeding the fish. Temp should be around 50 degrees, at least. It's still a little early, and if you have plants in your pond, the fish will feed off them.
As for those pond plants, now's a good time to take them out and divide them if needed. Also, scrub off any algae that is starting to grow.
Clean your pond heater before packing it away for the summer. Make sure you get any barnacles off now, it'll only be more work in the fall.
Get the rest of the leaves and old mulch off those flower beds. Put them in the compost pile, along with a fresh helping of grass clippings. Most of you are going to need to mow your lawns this weekend.
Turn the compost pile and see what's going on at the bottom. Chances are, you'll have at least some usable compost to put on those freshly cleaned flower beds.
Now is also a good time to take down your bird feeders and give them a good cleaning. Use warm water and a little dish washing soap. Just make sure to thoroughly rinse, nobody wants to eat soapy birdseed! And make sure they're good and dry before filling with seed or it'll rot.
Clean up your decks and patios. You might even want to get out your furniture and clean it up Saturday.
(I seem to be pretty ambitious this weekend -- I'll let you know Monday what I actually get done.)

And after all your hard work, reward yourself by taking stock of all you have in the garden to look forward to this season. Remember to enjoy those spring bulbs -- daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and, one of my faves, blue bells. They won't be in bloom much longer.
Neither will the forsythias, cherry blossoms and azaleas. So take a walk and enjoy what your local nature has to offer.



Here's my wild forsythia. And in honor of the Pope's visit, see if you can spot the Cardinal! Yes, I know it really needs a trim -- best time for this is right after it blooms. Make sure to routinely trim yours, and it'll keep blooming at its best! I'll let you know how it goes with mine.
Now start making your to-do list and remember, don't think of it as work - gardening should be Fun!

An interesting press release came across my desk yesterday and I thought I would share it with you.

The Penn State Master Gardeners of Berks County will teach a series of three gardening classes at GoggleWorks, 201 Washington St., Reading.

"Backyard Composting" ($12) will be held April 28, followed by "Vegetable Gardening" ($5) on May 5 and "Container Gardening" ($5) on May 12. All classes are from 6 to 8 p.m. Pre-registration with payment of class fees are required by April 25.

You can also attend all three classes for one fee of $20. Class size is limited to 20 students per class. For information call the Penn State Cooperative Extension at 610-378-1327.

I wish I could take credit for the container garden pictured above, but that one was purchased last year at Glick's Greenhouses on Fisher Mill Road in Oley.