A perfect day for gardening

The weather was just GORGEOUS today. If I had a sunfish sailboat and a place on a no-ski lake, that is where I would have been. Of course, as soon as I purchased a boat and a lake cottage, the weather would never be suitable for sailing ever again. Then the boat could keep my cross country skis company in the garage.

Ominous - it did rain a bit

The next best thing is a LONG walk with my daughter, granddaughter, and the three dogs we have between us. Mine is the least well behaved, but Watson was better today than on our last walk. It is only through repetition and exposure to a variety of environments that he will become the great dog I know he can be.

Happy hosta transplants

The NEXT best thing is working in the yard. The sun was a bit too intense for heavy duty gardening, but I did accomplish the following:

Mulched chokeberry and smooth hydrangea: I'm using Southern Pine bark this year.
Planted dahlia tubers: I've never grown dahlias before. In fact, I can't even say "dahlia" correctly. Betsy Beagle's name was originally Dahlia and I had to change it.
Transplanted hollyhock seedlings: These poor things were blown off the potting table onto the deck during one of our recent storms. Nine of them survived the trauma.
Started sunflowers, marigolds, and pole beans in peat pots: Using peat pots is a new strategy.
REstarted hibiscus: I am growing these from seed. Or I would be, if the seed would germinate. The first attempt was an epic FAIL.
Transplanted a few zinnia seedlings: I have lots of zinnias to brighten the yard.

Perky mountain mint

With all the rain we have had lately (3" last week, followed by 1.25" more), I have not had to worry about keeping earlier transplants watered. My broccoli seedlings succumbed to neglect, so I replaced them with some robust ones from a local nursery. I added some Walker's Low catmint to what is supposed to be the blueberry bed - common milkweed is taking over that space again. I'm down to two blueberry plants and the azalea didn't make it through the winter, so I just might let the milkweed have its way there.