It's planting time again!

It's that time of year again and I'm delighted!  Time to get outside and clear the flower beds of leaves, and then spruce them up with a fresh and generous layer of mulch.  Last week was spent outside doing exactly that in the front yard first, and then the back yard.  Our front yard is dotted with color and is looking lush and beautiful.

While cleaning up the flower beds I found two praying mantis eggs!  I've never found their eggs before so to find two eggs made me exceptionally happy.  Hopefully, I didn't accidentally gather other eggs with a handful of leaves and add them to the compost pile.  I was taking my time and keeping any eye out for them.

Weeds were plucked from the garden bed and then the space was mapped out for what will grow in the garden this year.  Once everything had its own space, carrot, radish, and spinach seeds were sown.  Those seeds were sown on Sunday, April 28 and by Friday radish seedlings were visible.

Our garlic is growing wonderfully.  Many green shoots are visible above the blanket of straw that protects the cloves throughout the winter, and then helps to keep weeds at bay during the spring and summer.  It thrills me that the garlic harvest is just around the corner.  As of right now, all 77 cloves that were planted have sprouted.  Here's hoping they all continue to grow to harvest.

Yesterday afternoon Carl's Glass Gem corn seeds were planted in the back yard.  Once the corn is approximately six inches in height, a bean seed will be planted at the base of each corn stalk.  One week later, butternut squash seeds will be planted on either side of the corn block.  Fingers are crossed for a successful germination rate for those special corn seeds.

Netting was placed over the mounds of soil that the corn seeds were planted in to keep the naughty paws of wild critters away, but I may need to construct a fence around that area.

Flowers!

Tulipa 'Rem's Favorite' (Triumph Tulip)

Tulipa 'Ronaldo' (Triumph Tulip)

Tulipa 'Ronaldo' with Grape Hyacinth

Tulipa 'Sensual Touch' (Fringed Tulip)

Allium 'Gladiator' (Ornamental Onion)

Tulipa 'Annie Schilder' (Triumph Tulip)

Tulipa 'Sweetheart' (Fosteriana Tulip)

The tall plant to the right is Fritillaria imperialis 'Aureomarginata' (Guinea Hen Fritillary)

The flower bed along the side of the garage is looking lovely.
Blooming now are 'Blue Spectacle' tulips.

Tulipa 'Blue Spectacle' (Double Late Tulip)

Tulipa 'Blue Spectacle'

A new support system for the black raspberries using braided wire and turnbuckle screws.
What is needed to complete the system is some sort of nut & bolt to hold the wire
as tension is drawn to make them taut.  Once that's done, the raspberry canes will be draped
over the wires.

Fire pit with Eastern Redbud in background.

It's a beauty!  The support stakes were removed this year on Arbor Day.  

Eastern Redbud blooms. 

Don't forget to visit the Wright Garden Chronicles blog.  There are quite a few helpful gardening resources listed there.

Happy Gardening!