Garden update

We didn't do a lot yesterday as we were pretty tired after spreading our three yards of mulch the two previous days.  We did make our weekly trip to Portland Nursery and brought home a couple of shrub replacements.  My favorite person at Portland Nursery helped us.  Our strawberry tree (arbutus)  is dead.  It has been slowly dying for a few years  It is a very sturdy plant and I wish I knew for sure WHY it died.  It may have been from the gutter spilling over on it; it doesn't like that kind of wet.  We liked it so much that we actually got another strawberry tree, trusting that we could fix the problem.

We are also replacing our Viburnum Carlesii with an Escallonia.  The viburnum just doesn't bloom long enough nor does it have other endearing characteristics to earn its spot in our small yard.  It does smell very good when it blooms.  Both the strawberry tree and the escallonia are loved by hummingbirds and both are broad leaved evergreen shrubs.

Escallonia "Pride of Donnard"

Here they are, sitting on the stoop, waiting to be planted.

The tulips are still blooming and looking very good.  It's been almost three weeks.  It's going to warm up quite a bit next week.  I'll enjoy that, but I bet it will end the tulip bloom.

tulips and peony blooming