April Garden Report

For those who are in my family, the following is a report on what is up in our Lake property.  For other gardeners it can be a comparison for your own garden plants at this time of year. 

On this 8th day of April this is what is showing green or color:

Dogwood trees (volunteers) which are up and down the hill have leaves out and the blooms on the largest one down the hill.  The big redbud on the hill is in full and glorious bloom.  The red peony is up and reaching out of its cage.  The smaller one which has a more delicate bloom is up about three inches.  All of the greenery at this point is red.

Blueberries are all in bloom and we should have some very good ones.  I saw some green on the buds of the pecan trees so I gave them a good watering.  They will need it again in a week.

I saw the first iris up at the entrance, blooming out.  It will be larger tomorrow.  Cheerful Forsythia is at it's prettiest right now.  And the Charlie Grass is vying it for color.  Both pear trees are in bloom.  A lot of good it will do me with so many squirrels around.  Red Tip Photinia is nice and red around the top.

The female kiwi are more advanced in leaf size than the male ones.  Some of the Muscadines are leafing out and some are not.  I did a small amount of pruning and tying on the ones near the entrance.

The Jane Magnolia is at the top of it's game right now.  I was a little concerned when I saw some discoloration on the leaves, but not to worry.

Some surprises were in store for me today.  I found an Amaryllis in a pot and it is alive and well after being outside  all winter.  I wasted no time in taking it down to the curve in the road and planting it as it had a lot of nice healthy roots coming out the lower part.  Another thing I never expected to see was a Jackmanii clematis at the southeast corner, up about ten inches.  I had not seen it for several years and thought it dead and gone.

Also a Daphne Odora  appears to be up and alive and well.  I will have to wait a little longer when the leaves are larger to see if it is really what I think it is.  I hope I am right as it has such heavenly scented blooms in January and February.

Alas you can't win them all, or at least I cannot.  The large Gardenia in back is looking pretty sick.  I am pretty sure it is from white fly infestation.  I tried to cure it last year but it may be too far gone.  But in compensation the Red Camellia is still blooming!  I cannot remember it ever blooming this late in spring.  Usually March is the last month I have blooms on it.

This has been a fun day for to get in my golf cart and explore for the first time this spring.  I am very well pleased with how my growing friends fared this winter.