I know spring is usually wet here in Central Ohio, but this year it's been exceptionally wet. It can be frustrating when I want to go out and work, but it's too wet. But overall, it's wonderful because it turns the world bright green. Also, our summer generally turns dry, so it's good to have the boost of a wet spring to start us off right.
We've also been a roller coaster of temperatures. It was chilly, then it was hot, then it was chilly, then it was hot. I'd say we are about a week, maybe two behind our normal time table for the month of May. The vegetable garden went in late this year, and the containers were all filled a bit late too. But it's done now. I always like to record the start of my containers, even though they might look a little sparse at this point. Later I always compare to see how far they've come.
There's a certain exuberance to the May garden, don't you think? Everything is strongly green and lush at this point. For the most part, the bugs haven't yet started to munch, and the diseases haven't started. Let's just say that the month of May is like a young adult, still in the prime of life.
It's also a time when new flowers open frequently. But I think I said the same thing about April. Well, I suppose that's what spring is all about, isn't it?
I'm finally seeing the roses starting to bloom this year. It seems that most years, my roses suffer greatly from winter dieback. That means spring is a true do over for them. After winter you'll often hear me say "Oh, my roses are half dead, they'll never bloom this year!" Luckily I'm always wrong about this. My theory about why roses do poorly here is that our winters are just as cold as Michigan winters ever were, but we don't get enough snow to insulate the rose roots from the cold. I wonder if I'm right.
May always seems frantic to me, as I gather and plant everything. I'm a planner, so over the winter I start making plans and drawing sketches of how I want everything to look. This year I even went so far as to make an exact list of every plant I needed to buy, and where they were all going to go. Yes, it's a lot of work, but it is a pleasant way to "garden" during the winter.
June is almost here, which means my life slows down a little. Many of my scheduled activities go on hiatus, giving me more time to spend in the garden. I'm not always gardening in the garden. Sometimes I'm just wandering through, taking pictures, or simply resting on the patio with a good book. It's a time that I treasure.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. You'll have to come back next month to see what's happening in the June nest. We'll talk again then.
