Today's Sunday Stroll starts with the lilac. It is the New Hampshire State flower, and throughout May it is in bloom somewhere in the state. We are on the tail end of this blooming, being up north, and ours are now between peak and going by. The one on the blog header has now faded, but some others are doing fine. As I wrote in my lilac post last year, when we first moved here there was only one lilac bush - the one just below. Now they are everywhere you look.
The honeysuckle, which was just opening last week, is in bloom and full of bees.
The first lupin(e) is about to open. In a couple weeks the back hill will be covered with them.
Some more mountain bluets have opened. I love this batch because they are right in the middle of purple iris and lupines. The color will be gorgeous when all three are open at the same time.
I guess because it is so sunny here we've never had a lot of lily-of-the-valley, but a few years ago they appeared alongside the road. They are doing great, in fact much better than the ones we planted in the terrace garden. Isn't that the way. Here are my two outdoor bouquets; lilacs and lily-of-the-valley.
We're going to wait a bit before replanting the zucchini and cukes which were hit by frost, to see if they come back. The peas are up and doing well, and one little corn shoot appeared. Today we're going to put the five new dahlias amongst the plants in the vegetable garden. They like a deep hole and good soil and they are dug up in the fall, so we thought that would be just the place for them.
There's a sad nature note to this week's stroll. Two of the baby robins are dead, leaving two in the nest. Last evening we noticed the nest had a terrible tilt to it so Tom went out and hitched it up with some baling twine. We are quite sure the babies fell out before he did this, before we noticed. I have felt somewhat nervous about it from the beginning because it was built on the Dutchman's Pipe trellis, which doesn't offer that much support. I think we will try to discourage any nest building here again.
This nest out on the barn is much more secure and has been used for years by robins.
That is a shame about the babies.
ReplyDeleteLove the lilacs. We were so lucky here to have a long season of blooming. Usually a frost cuts them short. I love honeysuckle.
Nan, Your walk today was lovely. The lilacs are gorgeous! I have some miniature lilacs here that bloom a little later... they have buds, but no flowers yet. My other lilacs are too young to have started their blooming years.
ReplyDeleteYou have enough lupines to cover a hillside? Did you plant all of those? I was pretty thrilled to see that I have about 6 lupines this year! I can't wait to see photos of your hillside in bloom!
I'm so glad you strolled again today, and am sad about your tiny robin babies.
hugs,
Aisling
The outdoor bouquets must smell absolutely heavenly. Our lily of the valley are blooming a bit late this year, as is the Miss Kim lilac. Everything is so green and lush with all the rain we've had.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about the baby robins...
Lovely photos, Nan. Such beautiful lilacs. Looks like your lupins are going to be nice too. Ours suffered in the torrential rain we had last week. I do love your new header photo too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, jar. So, your lilacs bloom early and then a frost can hurt them? Ours don't seem affected by frost.
ReplyDeleteAisling, are your later ones the Korean or Japanese lilacs? We have two of the former. They are okay, but not as nice as the others. I don't think the smell is as divine.
We tried to grow lupines for years and years with no success. Then a friend dug up some of theirs and we planted them, and they took! They now have spread like crazy. They are the wild, purple ones not the more cultivated pinks and whites, though occasionally one of those colors shows up. I just love them. There are so many around our area that there is a lupine festival.
Thanks, it is sad about those babies. I could never be a real student of nature. My heart is too tender.
Les, we have needed rain, and finally got it. I, too, love the 'green and lush.'
Cath, sorry about your lupins. And thanks about the header. I try to keep it current, and those lilacs had sadly gone by.
Nancy, the two remaining babies are doing well. But honestly, if Tom hadn't secured the nest, there wouldn't be any. As soon as they have flown, we're putting up two more supports for the Dutchman's Pipe along the front of the porch.
ReplyDelete