Transplants

Last year we decided to get some plants for our house. The thing that I was most excited about was the raspberry bushes from my parents' place. We planted them late in the year, and they didn't get enough water, so they ended up dying. I was able to keep one limping along through to the fall, and hoped that it would enjoy life again when the spring came.

Now it is a champ. And we got it some friends (who will hopefully fare better than their predecessors). We got them in a bit earlier than the ones last year, and this spring has been quite cool and rainy here in the valley, so I am hopeful.

Can you guess which one is the champ? The one on the right is actually a start from the one on the left.

Some raspberry friends

The lilacs we planted last year also have been doing well this year. They were just twigs really (as my dad decided that they didn't need any leaves in order to be transplanted), but now they have leaves. No lilacs this year, but I have faith that they'll come around next year.

Munchkin showing off where the proliferation of lilacs will be next year

Here are a few other things that we have got this year. Some look better than others, but I'm hopeful for a lot of them.

Our most surprising entry goes to this ground cover. I'm not sure what it is, and I know that it generally flowers each year in the spring. I didn't expect it to flower this year because it had a few buds on it when we transplanted it. I thought all the strength would go to the roots and kill off the flowers. Boy, was I wrong!

Surprise! I'm healthy and flowering.

A close-up of the flowers.

The chives took quite well to their new environment as well. My mom always had some over on the east side of our house, and I always wanted to see more purple flowers. Whenever she would send me out to get some, I would always leave some of the more mature ones in hopes that we would get more flowers.

Chives look happy (and taste good).

We have a couple of lavender starts as well, so you only get to see the best one. It is about on par with the one at my parent's house that was started last year, so I think both of them will be champs by next year.

Even though it isn't blooming, you still can smell it.

The mums are starting to perk up also. I can be patient with them, since they are more of a fall plant. We got three different colors, but we'll see if they cross-pollinate and become one color. I think yellow was the dominant color at my parents' place.

Mums getting ready for the fall.

There is an asparagus plant somewhere in here. I promise.

A lonely sprig of asparagus. We'll have to let it go to seed so that we get more.

And here is another ground cover that we got. It gets little purple flowers, and the leaves are kind of a milky green.

Another mystery ground cover.

We also got some grape hyacinths, but they are past their prime, so you don't get to see them until next year. They only had three blooms on them anyway, so they weren't that exciting this year. It is hard to pull up bulbs (especially really small ones) after they have already flowered.

What's in your garden this year? Any blooms you want to share?