With the weekend temperatures at a cool 70 degrees, the fiance and I tackled two flower beds, framing them with stone and bricks. We also dug out the weeds and put in compost plus top soil to make the beds receptive to future plantings. Finally, we decided to go with black mulch to better set apart the colorful violas that I finally got around to planting in the front beds. (I had bought another flat of blue violas from Strong’s Nursery that went on sale.) The orange, blues, and whites popped against the dark background. And not to mention, the mulch will be help stifle the weed infestation that overgrew the bare beds. My only regret is that the violas didn’t get more ground time during the last month.

In addition to the new violas, I also planted a bag of lily of the valley, purchased from Home Depot. While the packaging advertised 16 plants, I discovered 2 sprouting bundles in the bag (similar to daylily rhizomes), which I quickly put into the front flower bed. It is supposedly a shade-loving plant, and further research indicated that this plant may actually grow like a weed under optimum conditions.

Speaking of weeds, I went ahead and invested in a spreader, plus a bag of weed killer. Unfortunately the yards are overgrown with weeds, not having enough turf to prevent it. But with the sudden onset of rain this weekend, I haven’t had time to apply it.

I’ve convinced the fiance to try a kalmia latifolia in the corner bed by the door, instead of the originally planned azalea. I had already made an online purchase for the Olympic Fire variety, but soon learned that Musser Forests in Pennsylvania was prohibited in shipping to Texas. Interesting. I’m going to have to find a local source somewhere…

Last thing to report…my japanese maple Asahi Zuru is showing signs of life. Green buds have begun to emerge from their red shells. This is exciting news, given that last year, the maple hadn’t leafed out this early. It seems that sitting by the patio door getting some morning sun has encouraged it to sprout early. I’m contemplating replanting in a bigger pot to help it spread its roots some more.

Is it leaf burn, too much water, or a lack of feeding? My Asahi zuru is displaying browning on its mottled leaves, which appears to radiate from the leaf center. I’m repositioning it into full shade to see if it will help banish what I suspect is leaf burn. Variegated japanese maples are supposedly sensitive to the heat than most cultivars, so I am hoping this is the case here. Pulling it into the patio shade will also distance itself from the water sprinkler, though I seriously doubt this is a case of overwatering. I haven’t yet fed this maple since it I got it…perhaps its time to research its diet. In any case, I’ve also had to prune a topmost branch since it looked and felt dried out. I hope this isn’t the beginning of the end…

More photos of the patio garden. The Devil’s Wine calla lily has risen in blooms and a magnificent deep purple-red flower. It pairs beautifully with the 2 Purple Flash ornamental pepper plants on its flanks. The peppers, incidentally, will not grow taller than 2 feet high. Also featured in this photo string is a shot of the pale leaves from the top of my asahi zuru. I imagine due to the lack of chlorophyll they are not faring too well. Beautiful colors anyway…

Calla lily bulbs are in! Though I’m somewhat disappointed with the size of the Flame bulbs…scrawny compared to Red Sox. I’m wondering if I should have purchased more Flames. The asahi zuru is leafing out nicely…though I’m seeing more variegation in the leaves that get more sunlight. Must get to a nursery to buy potting soil!

I snapped the next set of pictures of my slowly-expanding patio garden this morning before work. The asahi zuru is slowly unfurling its leaves, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. Both salvias are sporting brilliant red blooms. The new rosemary shrub is perfuming the patio. And last night’s addition, a Salsa asian jasmine, sits merrily in its store-bought pot, waiting for a new home. You can see the new planter trough which I have painted in hammered bronze.

Meanwhile, I’ve added another round of plants to my shopping cart. I ordered two varieties of lavender, Coconut Ice and White Provence, from Blossom Farm in Ohio.

Coconut Ice Lavender Plant	2	4.90	9.80
White Provence Lavender Plant	2	4.90	9.80