Early Spring Planting

I dragged J to a plant sale today, where I began planning my garden for this year. Well, actually I bought some plants and will have to figure out where to put them, so I guess that qualifies as Planning. Spring is late this year, so lots of plants are still dormant or semi-dormant, but I did get a couple of blooming bulbs, which I'll have to remember not to kill when they go dormant in the summer. I also found a cool dianthus with red foliage and a couple more geraniums (cranesbill). As all geraniums went dormant this year, even those that sometimes bloom a little in warmer winters, I don't know what color the flowers will be yet.

I'm also planning the revision of the back garden again. I killed most of it and replanted it last year and, although I'm reasonably happy with one side, the other side is going to be ripped out. I'm eliminating the Mexican marigold--it's gangly--and moving the cistus that's behind it forward to make room for a tree mallow. I have a tree mallow on the other side, one that grew much taller than I expected, and the back garden looks seriously unbalanced.

I've torn out two flowering maples (abutilon) next to the path to the gate and am planning to plant Ceanothus. I want something that covers up the air-conditioning unit, but doesn't require that I hack my way through the thing to get to the gate.

The roses are putting out new growth, a little later than usual--like everything else. My Cecil Brunner was in full bloom by the middle of March last year, but has only started putting out new growth this year. My front yard Chinese rose has already put out it's first bud, but it's one of those roses that will bloom all summer and into the fall if I remember to feed it.