Flowers

 Spring and early summer are my favorite times to be in the garden.  It's so camera ready....so here is a view of what is blooming around Irish Gardens today


My pretty pink roses

 A purple rose or two

 This peony is flowering for the first time and boy does it look beautiful.

 My Rhoda was looking dead but behold it flowered.

 A yellow rose

 Another peony also opened....lots of blooms this year

And the 4 o'clocks opened too.

Lots is going on here in Irish Gardens and I will have more posts ready in a day or so.  Stay tuned to find out whats going on.  See what we are growing and what we are doing.

First signs of spring......

......Finally

Although there has been some warm days and the snow is gone, spring has been slow to show up here in NY.

But spring has finally started to arrive.  The crocus are blooming.  Not all of them mind you just these guys but they are always the first in my yard to bloom.  And they are so pretty too.  So how is spring showing off in your neck of the woods?  Anything?

As the snow melts.....

......spring does start to show up

The Rhubarb is showing off it's love of spring's cool weather and starts to pop up.  Course around the rest of the yard you see the grass starting to poke through the remaining snow but here in this garden that gets full sun we see the rhubarb is growing.  I am wondering if I need to cover them or just let them do their own thing as they seem to be doing ok just as they are

 Mean while in the greenhouse signs of spring are popping up everywhere.  In there the snow never covers the ground but the melting snow does water it.  Here you can see the garlic chives starting to grow.

Here the apple mint is fighting with while clovers for growth.  Looks like the mint is winning but you never can tell with those pesky clovers.

So what is showing off it's spring growth in your garden?

Spring doesn't mean.......

....it's time to plant outside.

Nope it's just a date on the calendar really.  It does mean that typically the weather is warming up and the snow begins to melt, and certain flowers begin to bloom.  But although you may have the urge to plant those seedlings outside once it is spring on the calendar DON'T.  Some seedlings just aren't ready to go outside for some time yet.  

Here in NY (at least my area of NY) it is another month before I can plant many of my seedlings outside.  In fact it is snowing right now. You have to wait for your last frost date.  This is the date that on average there won't be any freezing temperatures after.  Know your zone and your first and last frost dates.  They are different in each zone and area.

To find your zone go here and type in your zip code.

To find your fist and last frost dates go here and type in your zip code.

An important thing to remember is your zone typically doesn't change each year, but your frost dates to a point do.  Granted the dates will be about the same every year but it's good to check to be sure.

So don't go planting anything outside until you check those frost dates...make sure you are within your window.

Week 12 in a NY garden

March 18-24 2013

Weather 39 degrees

Well the last month or so not much has been happening here.  Between snow being on the ground or just plain old cold weather not much happens outside.  But inside it's seed starting time now.  Last week we started our seeds here at Irish Gardens.  Lots of seeds.

So far 3 trays full of seeds are being started.  More to come but this is a start.

But thats not all thats going on this week here. 

The crocus and daffodils are starting to grow.  Now that all the snow is melted they have decided it's time to make their appearance.  Within a week or so we should have our first spring flowers blooming here.


So what are you doing in your garden this week?  Anything blooming?  Still under snow?  Or do you have lots of plants growing?  Let us know.

Week 3 In a NY Garden

Week 3 - January 14 - 20

Weather - Mid 40's cloudy

So this week in Irish Gardens we continue to plan and look through the seed catalogs.  Not everything can be done in one week you know.  So this week we will continue to plan for the upcoming season. 

Just because we are still in the planning stage doesn't mean you are ready for that yet.  Maybe you are just joining us and have decided to start a garden this year. Well here is something else you should think about.  Do you know what zone you are in?  Check out the Plant hardiness zone map here and make sure you know. 

Here to the left is a map of NY to show you that even here we have many microclimates and there for different zones.  Irish Gardens is located in Dutchess County and in Zone 6a

 Now that you know that do you know your last frost date?  This is a special date that on average you won't have a frost after and it becomes safe to plant tender annuals on or after that day.  Click here to find this date out.

Above is the zip code for Irish Gardens.  This is what it should look like when you put in your location.. It will give you other information as well but this section is the most important to you.  

Now that you have this information when you go about planning your garden you can know what plants are good in your area and when you can plant them.  Make sure to write these dates down on the first page of your plans.  The Almanac is a good place to go for other gardening tips each month...

So what are you going to be doing in your garden this week?  Are you like me and continuing weeks 1 and 2 or are you on to a new step?  Post about it and let us know....

This week in a NY garden - Week 2

Week 2 - January 7-13

Weather - 30 degree's blue skys

This week at Irish Gardens it's time to map out the garden plans against last years gardens and what seeds we have on hand.  For me I took this survey that was done of the house in 2009 and added the gardens.

Now you can see all the little gardens that make up Irish Gardens.  You don't have to have a map like this but I like to because it helps me plan things.  Like for instance I know that the sun travels from left to right along the top of this map so all (mostly all) of the gardens in the top half of the map will have 6+ hours of sun every day.  

Next I take each garden (by name-as they have all been named) and focus on them one at a time.

Like this one circled is the Greenhouse garden....so named as it is the greenhouse.  I take each one and make a more to scale diagram of it like this......

Each square on this map is = to 1 square foot.  I mark on the map where the perennial herb crops are and now I know how much space I have left in the greenhouse to plant other crops.  I save these each year so that I can look back and see what worked and what didn't.  

Now that I have the greenhouse garden mapped out I can plan on what I want to grow in there.  

Take lots of pictures of your gardens each year and you'll be able to remember better what worked and what didn't as well as be able to visualize your garden in bloom.  

So this week this is what we will be working on....marking the perennial crops and begin planning the annual ones.  What will you be working on in your garden this week?

This week in a NY garden - Week 1

As the New Year begins I wanted to start something new on here to help other gardeners.  Granted not every gardener is going through the same weather conditions as me...unless you live right next door, but I wanted to give everyone idea's as to what they can do in there gardens for every week of the year.

Feel free to join in and post about what you are doing in your garden this week...there is always something to be done for the gardens.  Add  your post to the bottom of mine so others can read what you are doing.

WEEK 1 - December 31 - January 6

Weather - 6 degrees, calm, clear skies

 As it is NY this is not a uncommon sight to see in January, but it does make gardening difficult.  I am sure you are wondering if there is snow on the ground what can she possibly be doing in her garden.  Well that is what these posts are for.  I may not be gardening outside but I always doing something for my gardens.

 My new passion and business venture is making baby plants.  Irish Gardens took orders at the beginning of September for spring delivery of new baby plants of your color.  Right now we have Rose of Sharon cuttings beginning to root and leaf out.

Not only am I growing my own new plants from cuttings but I am also scouring seed catalogs for new plants to grow this year and planning on where they are going to go.

So what are you doing in your garden this week?
Post and add a link to it below