Winter 2012 Results

To say the least, it was a mild winter… This was to the point where the USDA released a new zone hardiness map where it moved my region from 6A to 6B! This said, the colder weather broke around the second week of the month, forcing almost everything out of dormancy. To boot, daffodils and the like had sprouted shoots as early as mid-January!

I had decided to winter-protect my macrophylla hydrangeas, which went for not since most of the winter was actually above freezing. As I recall, the lowest temperature was about 7 degrees and there was no cold snap that lasted longer than a day or two.

Warmer temps also led to me moving a few things around, such as daylilies, many of which were donated from Carol who had her side garden tilled. 

We've seen a welcome return of what we'd call normal weather here in western PA.  With that is also coming the end of the planting season for this year. Over the last couple of weeks, we've bought our small selection of hardy mums and some clearance perennials to plant into the fall. Included in these are 2 additional types of hardy hibiscus and 2 types of panicle hydrangea. The panicles were starter sizes of Pinky Winky and Little Lamb.

Well, things have maintained pretty well durnig July. Most summer bloomers have come to fruition, as the hydrangea rebloomers have finished with their first flush and are working on their 2nd, and the hydrangea paniculatas are now fully into their mid-summer blooming. Joining my faves have been roses at their 2nd flush, and butterfly bushes beginning their bloom cycle. We've kind of moved into some more humid weather to go with increased heat, so it hasn't affected the plants as bad as the dry heat did earlier in the month.

I forgot to post that I recently added a Pee Gee hydrangea tree at 4' tall and stuck it in the northeast corner of the yard - another winner from Giant Eagle which at their premium locations carry good plants at good prices throughout the Summer.

Two days of burning sun put a bit of a "whippin'" on the yard and garden, so today I was forced to water down the beds by hand a couple of times, the first of which was just IN time to save a few poor souls from completely wilting or drooping over. Into the evening I then turned on the sprinklers in both the front and back for a few hours, which will need to happen twice a week while it is dry outside. 

TIme to recap the last week in my Garden. We've been in another dry spell, although not as hot as it was during last month's - which most of the plants are taking very well. Anyway, I've bookmarked Home Depot as the clearance hydrangea capital of the world for the last week of June, as they had palletsful of very nice "public domain" specimens at 50% off! Adding to my collection is now a 2nd 10-gal David Ramsey, which was $20 and had at least 10 new blooms ready to flush out on new wood. Also I added my first Hydrangea serrata, Grayswood, which has uniquely rosy leaves and is a lacecap for my patio entrance (shade area). I also picked up a Black Knight butterfly bush, which fit nicely along my west fence border. The only major work I did to fit these in was moving my dwarf Rhodies from the patio entrance (where they weren't doing well at all) to my back hillside in between the regular Rhodies. I then put my Forever & Ever lacecap and the Grayswood in those open places, while moving the Forever & Ever Fantasia where the lacecap was, since it can take more sun than most.