Familiar blooms & plants return

May brings back some of my favorite blooms and plants in the gardens. The lilac bed is maturing and should offer more blooms this year as will the bleeding hearts near by the nestled under the trees bordering the east side of the property in what has been called the Mulch Garden. The creeping phlox is taking over its spot in the Peace and Joy Garden, surrounding the St. Francis of Assisi statute. The Lillies of the Valley transplanted from Cambridge are spreading okay after all in front of the house and soon the hosta there will overwhelm as usual.

Ah the strawberries! They are beginning to flower now and all are healthy; how far away can strawbery jam and strawberry-rhubarb pie be now? The rhubarb as always is faithfully offering itself for a first sampling in May. The picture of a part of a highbush blueberry gives you an idea of what appears to be a bountiful year. Nearby in the Raised Bed Garden are peas bursting forth.

I continued with more wood gathering, planiting and garden preparations this past week. 45 tomato cages are now in place in the Field Garden and support for a dozen cherry tomato plants are set up in the Raised Bed Garden. Pole beds are in and so is the first planting of green and yellow bush beans. More lettuce was planted as well. All the gladiola and dahlia tubers left their basement winter storage and entered the ground in various location to add their significant visual splashes in both vegetable gardens. How could I forget...the relentless annual task of cutting grass has now begun in earnest!