Easter Sunday & Forget-me-nots

Our Easter weather was perfect, sunny and warm, with the high temperature peaking at 81F/27C. The family enjoyed a homemade waffle breakfast together and then I sat on the porch with my morning cuppa contemplating the day and listening to birdsong. Today is the final day of a weeks worth of vacation and I think I will take it easy. I have certainly crossed many chores off the to-do list, as well as enjoyed several fun outings. It will be disheartening to jump right back into my night shift schedule, but hey, it's a paycheck and there is more vacation time to come...

I mentioned my Brunnera plants the last few posts and wow! are they doing well. The little "forget-me-not" blue flowers are a cheerful spot of color in the early Spring garden. I have two types of Brunnera, each have the same blue flower but the heart shaped leaves on one are green and the "Jack Frost" variety has silver variegated leaves. Brunnera are perennial, need partial shade and well-rotted humus-y soil. They tend to grow into a one foot clump about eight inches tall with the flowers forming on spikier stems. I give them a dose of fish emulsion after they stop blooming as they are heavy feeders with significant long lasting foliage.

The "Jack Frost" brunnera resides in my shady woodland garden with hostas, solomon seals, astilbe, bishops cap, trilliam and wild ginger. It gets a bit of sun around the corner of the house and is heavily mulched with leaves and wood chips over winter. This plant has survived three seasons in this location with minimal care. I purchased this Brunnera in a gallon pot at my local greenhouse which tends to carry a terrific selection of some less common garden plants. Brunnera are a bit pricey at about ten dollars or so, but given its charming culture & durability, it is definitely worth the cost.

The Brunnera macrophylla blue is planted near a large rotting stump of a silver maple. It gets morning sun and afternoon shade. I purchased this plant about two years ago and since it is in a more exposed location I was concerned the winter polar- vortex-cold had killed it. Its leaves died back completely to the ground up until this mid-week. I had placed a large rock at the base of this plant and perhaps that gave the roots some protection because it looks marvelous. It seems to have popped out of the ground and bloomed!

We all enjoyed a quiet day in our neighborhood. With everyone grown up I didn't have to hide any eggs or fill baskets with chocolate. Although I did pass out some Schogetten (German) chocolate bars which are tasty individually pieced treats. The dogs, Emma & Wendy got an evening walk and are happily styling in their Spring "bluebirds of happiness" scarf-wear. Have a blessed Easter everyone!