Early blooming PJM Rhododendron

A Garden Winner for WINTER & SPRING INTEREST! 

Sunday Blooms are magnificent

Yesterday my PJM Rhododendron was only budding - today colorful blossoms abound. This Rhody is a favorite -  I look forward to the bloom every year - during the winter the leaves turn a dark green/chocolate purple -. and after the blossoms fade new growth will be bright green offering an even sharper contrast to the dark winter coloring.

Alas all the leaves will turn non-descrip green again late this spring.

The day before: Saturday the buds were tight

Notable Garden Blooms and Activity

Daphne

Now blooming - Narcicuss (blooming since mid month), Star Magnolia (first blooms this week), Hellebore, Quince, Daphne - what a wonderful fragrance! Spurge aka Euphorbia

Narcissis

Hellebore

White Hellebore

Spurge aka Euphorbia

Star Magnolia

Quince

New Growth - I'm amazed and watching the new growth on my Clematis, Allium, Delphinium, Japanese Forest Grass and more

A Columbian Larkspur our native Delphinium

Delphinium

Allium Schubertii

Japanese Forest Grass - Golden Variegate Hakone

Clematis

Newest Clematis - Gillian Blades - White

Ready to Plant - all that weeding always needs reward - I bought a few plants Friday for the front porch pots. Pansies and Ranunculus.

Compost Days arrived!

Dry weather prevailed for Compost Prep and Spreading in the back

top terrace in the back!

Planet Earth Compost is nice rich dark color

A busy week  - I spent all day Thursday on weeding and general winter cleanup - happily friend Michelle was available for helping - 2 1/2 hours that morning and as she departed 5 yards of Planet Earth compost was delivered from Dean's Innovations http://www.fineroutdoorliving.com  and Friday morning 4 hours (2 men 2 hours) labor from Four Seasons Landscape Maintenance http://fourseasonslm.com/ arrived to haul and spread the compost. 

Hooray the compost is all off the driveway and spread in the back - unfortunately they didn't have enough time get it spread in the front so I will be out fron on Monday moving the piles around. I'd have to say the labor didn't have the same hustle as the guys who did it last year. Sadly one of them took a smoke break  and drove off for 20 minutes during the 2 hour time - so they did end up working close to 2 1/2 hours.

Another front yard pile ready for spreading

Front Yard is still got piles
ready for spreading

1st Post - 2016 in the Garden

Woke up this morning, got outta bed, husband made the coffee and I decided to start a garden blog.

Next weeks weather from the Oregonian this morning

Last weeks temps and yesterday's rainfall