OK, so last night I got things square with the waterfall. Hopefully, it will hold for the rest of the week. Time to clean out all the leaves that have accumulated at the bottom before they clog up the works!

Anyway, since my gardening is slowing down for the season, I thought I'd share some regional gardening tips for our area from the National Home Gardening Club.

With shorter days and cooler temperatures, September is a transitional period in the garden. Many annuals are on their last legs, and perennials need some care before the thermometer drops.
*Add ornamental grasses to the fall perennial garden. They add texture, color, and sound to the landscape and provide winter shelter for wildlife.

*Fall is the perfect time to plant new perennials. The warm soil and cooler temperatures let them establish strong roots before winter and get a head start on spring growth.
*Stop fertilizing perennials, roses, and shrubs. It will stimulate delicate new growth that will be damaged by winter's cold. Wait until next spring.

*Buy spring bulbs early for planting in October. Garden centers and mailorder catalogs have the best selections now.
*Keep gardens tidy. When veggies have finished, remove the plants and other debris. Unkempt gardens are favorite winter hiding places for disease and pests.
*Watch the weather. Know your first frost date, but remember it's only an average. Mother Nature loves to surprise us. Harvest produce and protect tender plants before the first frost hits. Don't forget your houseplants this time of year; prepare them for returning indoors by gradually moving them into outdoor shade for a bit longer each day. Carefully inspect the foliage and soil for gnats, thrips, and spider mites before bringing plants in for the winter.

For more information or to join the National Home Gardening Club visit http://www.gardeningclub.com/Main/default.aspx

The Friends of Boone Area Library are selling flowers, primarily spring blooming bulbs, to help raise funds for the library. The library receives 45 percent of the proceeds. The sale ends May 16.

The bulbs or plants will be delivered to the buyer's address at the correct planting time, which is generally in the fall.For more information, contact the Boone Area Library at 129 N. Mill St., Birdsboro, or call 610-582-5666.

And speaking of bulbs, I've officially started my spring planting Wednesday night with some Agapanthus bulbs I received from Breck's in Holland. As pictured here, Agapanthus are beautiful bunches of lavendar flowers that bloom mid-summer. The plants get up to 3-ft. tall and will make a great focal point along my garden path. I've chosen to plant them in large ornamental pots because Aggies will not survive winter in Zone 6. They will have to be taken indoors in the fall, dried and saved for replanting the next spring. Aggies feature prominently in HGTV landscape shows (primarily filmed in California), and I've always wanted to try them. Wish me luck!

That reminds me, now's the time to get those Elephant Ear bulbs into the ground. Mother's Day is generally regarded in our area as the date we're free of any possible frost. And speaking of Mother's Day, go out and buy Mom some flowers/plants this weekend and give thanks to the lady who probably got you started gardening in the first place (I know mine did).

And remember, the best time to weed those planting beds is right after a good rain. Tomorrow should be perfect for this!

Next week I should have lots to share as I plan on doing a lot of gardening this weekend.

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!

This is how things look today -- but not for long!

Spring is the season of renewal, and it's also an exciting time for gardeners.
It's when you get that feeling where you can't wait to get your hands dirty and to see what's coming up, so to speak.
All over my gardens, things are starting to pop up, and I don't just mean the spring bulbs. Of course, I have my share of daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses and tulips -- most leftover from Easter blooms of year's past. Yes, each year, I can't resist purchasing one or usually more Easter flowers just to brighten up things in the house. And speaking of Easter blooms, now's the time to get them into the ground. Don't expect them to bloom next spring though, most were forced to bloom early for Easter this year and will need a season to recuperate.
OK, now on to the perennials! The daylillies are sprouting green stems, the tall lillies are coming up, the grasses are off to a slow start, but they'll catch up, and my spring favorites, the bleeding hearts are shooting up rapidly! I've got green leaves on the butterfly bushes, and best of all, there're plants coming up that I can't remember what they are! It's always a fun surprise to see where I planted all those perennials I divided last fall ...
The hostas are spiking up, the astilbe and hydrangeas are breaking through and even inside the core of the ferns are little green pinwheels just waiting to unfurl in warmer weather. It looks like it's going to be a good season!

In anticipation, a few photos of what's to come in my garden this summer.








Up next I'll be getting into planting my new perennials (hopefully tonight) and starting seeds, as well as opening up the pond for spring. I just hooked up the filter this past weekend and the fish are looking good!