Hill House Gardens

Where Did Spring Go?

2010-04-06T05:45:00.001-07:00

In Asheville North Carolina, Spring passed in about 10 days as temperatures have soared into the mid- to high-80's. With the warm temperatures during the day and falling into the 40's at night, everything in the garden is taking off!

At a minimum, everything has broken through the ground, with many plants in full bloom.

Daffodils started to bloom about 10 days ago with even some of the shaded Daffodils showcasing blooms which we usually have not seen over the years.

The early red & yellow Darwin Tulips emerged in full color on April 5. From our guests we heard that the Biltmore Estate tulip show was non-existent over the weekend when they kicked off the 25th Anniversary of their Festival of Flowers. By now they are probably in full bloom.

A newer perenial we added to the garden 2 years ago, has realy showcased its small white blooms. This is quite the contrast to the narrow chartreuse leaves of the Spirea Ogon.

Also blooming are the Creeping Phlox we have along the stone wall in front of the Inn, as well as Flowering Cherry and Quince. As noted earlier in our blog the Helleborus was s;low to delevop, but they are 'shining' now.

We'll keep this blog updates as more blooms appear in the garden. In the mean time there's still a little cleanup up to do and needless to say, the weeds are in full 'bloom' as well. There's always something to do in the garden

Spring Garden Clean-Up

2010-03-14T05:11:00.000-07:00

The weather in Asheville, North Carolina has taken a change for the better over the last 2 weeks with temperatures reaching the 60's. With much more temperate day-times, we finally had a chance to start the spring cleanup.

Under those leftover ornamental grasses and leaves from fall (there are even some leaves left clinging to the Red Oak trees from last fall), we found tulips and Daylilies starting to emerge. This was the perfect time to spread some organic bulb booster to enhance their growth through spring.

The tulips we have planted are Darwin Hybrids that emerge each year without the need to dig them out or plant new ones -- these were planted in the early spring of 2004! The first blooms we had were really exceptional, but each year brings new challenges -- either nickel-size hail knocking petals off, late frosts or drought, have managed to minimize the blooms we see each subsequent year. We'll keep you posted on their progress during this Spring.

There is still considerable cleanup to do in the garden as a result of the huge snowstorms this winter, Our Euonymus evergreens took the brunt from the weight of the snow with broken and bent branches. And the snowcover seems to have encouraged the Chickweed to get a foothold in the lawn. An application of Bonide Chickweed Clover herbicide has done a pretty good job in the past, but those pesky seeds always eventually show up.

Just a heads-up, the WNC Orchid Society has their Spring Orchid show the weekend of March 26 at the North Carolina Arboretum, just on the outskirts of Asheville. If you have never been there, the Arboretum is a fabulous outing with nature with nice easy paths for hiking.

Enjoy!

There ARE Some Signs of Spring!

2010-02-26T08:04:00.000-08:00

Usually by this time of year, there are many signs of Spring beginning to poke through the ground. But here in Asheville, North Carolina (Zone 7), where temperatures have been averaging 8 - 9 degrees colder than last year with about 3 times the normal amount of snow, the usual signs of Spring are still to be seen.

Typically, the first blooms are the Helleborus, and this week after the last snow has finally cleared, there are some purple buds beginning to appear. The severity of this winter is pretty apparent with this plant as it typically makes it through winter still staying pretty green. It has become quite compacted from the depth of snow this year with many leaves having browned from the low temperatures. With early blooms, the Helleborus is a garden favorite and has done well in a shady garden setting. And each year, there are some new plants having set seed from the previous year.

As we have begun to clean up the garden, a few perennials that we planted last year are still pretty much recognizable. Many of the Hucheras that we planted in both shady and sunny areas last year are still recognizable with the leaf color still evident.

And the evergreen Tassel Fern has kept most of its fronds and green color in tact.

The only other sign of Spring beginning to show is the foliage from the Daffodils.

We'll let you know what else shows up in the Garden as we get to spend more time in the garden.

Good Planting!