Month: May 2025

Spring? Depends on the Day

Or it is a typical spring, cold and rainy for a few days, then sunny, hot and humid for a day or two with thunderstorms, then like today and the upcoming week, cool and damp. I’m still in long pants and wool socks.

Despite the weather, things are progressing here at the farm. To be honest it is hard to predict when things are going to be happening, like will I have peonies for a wedding on Saturday? Given the forecast, probably not, especially in the required color pallet, but then again, who knows. It is good for the cool crops that are coming along, but I am holding off putting the warm crops in the ground because it just isn’t warm enough. Well knock my socks off. I just measured the soil temp and it’s 60 degrees, so the soil is warm enough, but the air…not yet. That being said, I could get the dahlia tubers in this week…

The perennials are coming right along and many are being harvested. The peonies are close, oh so close.

I am harvesting a handful of anemones each day, the pansies are getting longer stems and are being a great filler, the high tunnel is growing well and I think I saw ranunculus buds this morning, that is hopeful.

The first bed has been planted out in the garden and is looking good after a week,

and all the rest of the plants have been moved into the greenhouse for more sun and hardening off before they go into the ground. The last of the tulips have been harvested and they are all in the cooler and I will have them for weeks now.

I am posting this early because Steve leaves today for ten days in Wales and I have to get it done while I have him, and I have to take notes on how to publish this because he does it for me. I will do my best, but, I might miss next week so don’t be alarmed if I’m not here. I will still get the newsletters out, but the blog? That remains to be seem.

I leave you with two arrangements this week. My #windowframethursday, and my porch one made from leftovers from the week’s sales.

So, fingers crossed I will be here next week.

Allie, I dream os flowers, do you?

Happy Sunny Day! and Mothers Day too!

We are all basking in the sun today. After having eleven days of rain, measuring up to 6.3 inches of rain, we are all celebrating. The fact that it is also Mother’s Day it is a true celebration.

Despite all the rain, I have been able to harvest the tulips and keep them safe in the cooler. Some flower farmers weren’t as lucky and lost their crops but I have been lucky. I have two more varieties that are still in tight bud so with tonight’s predicted frost warning I should be OK. By the end of the week all of the harvestable tulips will be in the cooler for many more weeks of floral enjoyment.

Believe it or not, the first of the anemone are showing color. I had almost written the crop off but the ones in the greenhouse are showing color and I see lots of buds on the ones in the tunnel, so as the spring progresses the amount of floral varieties also increases. Of course there is no telling when anything will truly happen with the vagaries of weather, but, things are happening.

The farm is looking beautiful in all the spring lushness. I just love this time of year, or really any time of year there are flowers growing in the garden that I can play with I just love. Speaking of loving flowers, here are the photos from this last week’s #windowframethursday.

The flower shed is filling up with lots of flowers now, and the robin is sitting on her nest. It really takes a lot for her to leave the nest now so soon time will tell. I should google how long it takes for robins eggs to hatch.

Here is a photo of the flower shed this weekend, looking mighty nice I would say.

Remember, we are now on summer hours so the flower will be open on Tuesdays from 2-5:00 and Fridays from 9-2:00.

I will pass this off to Steve while I check on his birthday dinner.

Hope to see you soon. Allie. I dream of flowers, do you?

In the Throes of Spring

Wow, spring is coming on fast and furious and and I would just like it to slow down just a bit. It is absolutely beautiful out, and flowers are going crazy but honestly, it is all going by far, far too fast.

You all know I walk the gardens, all of them at least three times a day. Many times to to just be in the springtime glory, because it certainly is glorious, but also to see what is coming up that will be offered for cutting in the next week. Let’s just say, there is a lot that is going to be on deck by the end of the week. Just in time for Mother’s Days flowers. Or, let’s be joyful, Anyone’s Day flowers. Since many of you readers aren’t local, let’s go on a really quick tour so you can see what you are missing.

All the spring flowers that will be ready for Friday’s flower shed will be tulips, narcissus, honesty, possibly camassia, leujococium and more. There will be armloads of flowers going into bunches and bouquets.

The interesting thing about spring is that the flowers really aren’t around for long. Yes, the tulips are because I store them, but many of the other flowers are so fleeting. Especially when the weather is hot. This is one of the reasons I stroll the flower gardens so often during the day. So I can harvest them at their peak and store them so they will be perfect for you. The peonies are also looking really good and before you know it….Bam, oh how quickly it goes.

All the spring flowers are in the ground, and I am waiting impatiently for the next round after this round. This includes the ranunculus and anemones, clarkia, oh it is just so exciting. Honestly, I am now getting ready to get the summer flowers ready to go in the ground. First the flowers that will take the cooler temps, then the summer annuals, then the dahlias. I did take the dahlias out of the cooler yesterday because I needed the space and I need them to warm up and start showing those eyes for dividing. All will be in the ground before the end of the month.

Before I forget, the flower shed will now be on summer hours. This means Tuesdays from 2-5, Fridays from 9-2. Just for Mothers Day, from 9-2. Welcome summer schedule.

Before I end, here is the arrangement I did for last week’s #windowframethursday. Even today, it is still looking good. And they say that hellebores can’t be conditioned to last more than a day.

Flowers used are fritillaries, hellebores, mertensia, muscari and spirea held together with a pin holder.

I would have written this on the porch this afternoon, but it got a bit cold, but this is my view from where I sit. Please enjoy my view.

Not too shabby. Until next week. I dream of flowers, do you? Allie

Remember, Flower shed hours are now summer hours. Tuesday 2-5 and Friday 9-2:00

Allie