Gardening Update #2

It was a beautiful spring day Saturday. There was a slight wind but not enough to be bothersome. I took the opportunity to do some more work in the gardens. One of the tasks was redoing the Easter lily, (Lilium longiflorum). To protect the lily from the voles, Mum planted it in a container with the bottom removed. I pulled it up and got the bulbs out and replaced the old container with a new one. I separated out the babies and placed them in a pot to grow. I also dug up the asiatic lily (Lilium asiatic) beside the front porch. When I first planted it I use plastic mesh to protect it from the voles and I replaced that with a container as well; lots of holes in the bottom and a layer of small stones to help with drainage. I transplanted some of the tall phloxes into the area the voles attacked. The good thing about the phloxes is that they are hardy and do spread; I have had to weed them out in the past. After working with the phloxes I moved some of the canna lilies back from the front of the bed where they were located. Canna lilies (not a true lily) grow quite tall reaching over 2 meters easily. I found out the voles do not like the cana lily rhizomes; there were no signs of the voles feasting on the rhizomes. I was concern with the cold and wet weather but the rhizomes were sound.

Sunday morning there was a considerable drop in temperature. I looked out the window to find some of my canna lilies that I had moved sitting on top of the ground with a hole where they should be. I put the coffee on and went out to investigate. I got my hand spade and gardening gloves and decided to grab my camera to take some photos of any tracks left behind by the creature that decided my canna lilies were planted incorrectly. My first thought was that some neighbour was violating the rules and letting his/her dog roam at night. However, I was to be proven wrong, the tracks were raccoon tracks. I never had these problems when Molly the Deranged was here. I think I am going to buy me a dog.

Raccoon Tracks

I replanted the canna lily but afternoon a rain started falling and so any work outside would have to wait. Sunday morning found snow and sleet on the ground. So much for the spring weather of Saturday. I think one is going to have to forget about spring flowers. The daffs that had been blooming were over on the ground. Tuesday was much the same with some freezing rain that coated everything in a thin layer of ice. I was worried about the flowering almond as it was starting to bud out. Today the snow and sleet was gone and just a light rain to dampen everything. I do hope this cold weather passes soon but chances of snow and frost still lingers in this area until April. In fact, Mum told me that one of the worst snows was in April where it snowed every Wednesday for three weeks.