April Showers

Today was sunny and dry, nice weather to do some yard work (cannot blame the rain today, for my laziness). I applied fertilizer to the flowering plants, sprayed weed killer, still have to remove some large weeds under the trees.  

Home made vegetable box!

April month to do list:

1. Remove some large weeds under the trees manually, spread weed barrier fabric around the lawn and under the trees then cover it with mulch (lost the battle against those weeds last year) 

2. Prune the lavender bush.

3. De thatch and renovate lawn (use weed control fertilizer). Last year we did some amazing lawn work (thanks to google for amazing tips) and enjoyed a lovely weed free, lush green lawn.   

4. Apply fertilizer to currant, blueberry and grapes (1 cup of 10-10-10)

5. Fertilize the trees, remove crocus leaves after they die down. 
6. Make some critter killing spray (pinterest) 
7. Prepare (remove weed and add garden soil with compost) the wooden frame for vegetable garden. Last year we planted beetroot, carrots, tomatoes, chilli and green peppers. 

  
8. Forgot to prune roses in february! it needs a little pruning after the first bloom. If roses aren't pruned yearly, they'll decline and die. 
9. Buy some spring annuals. 

April flowers: Tulips, daffodils, magnolia. 
Waiting for: Azaleas, english lavender, hydrangea and peonies to bloom. I planted them last year. Happy to see new shoots of peonies, gladiolus and lillies :)
Fertilizer for roses: NPK- nitrogen, phosphorus and potash, 1/3 cup epsom salt.  

Beetroot 

love this color

Grapes (2nd year)

Young blue berry bush

blueberry blossoms

currant bush

lovely daffodils 

Pieris japonica 'Variegata' (multicolored japanese lilly of the valley)

 rose bush, ready to bloom

lilly peeking from behind the tulips....

tiger lilly behind the wilting crocus... 

bllooomin!

crocus plants...exhausted after the early spring show

new peony shoot 

                                       

                                      

                    

                               

Hybrid Tea Rose

                                     Hybrid teas

The blooms of hybrid tea's are perfect and beautiful. These plants became the most popular class of roses in the 20th century, for it's elegance and beauty. It's popularity declined because of it's reputation as being more high maintenance than many other rose classes. The bush tends to be stiff, upright and sparsely foliaged. Florists sell hybrids as cut flowers, because of its delicate, beautiful flowers with long stems. It will grow 3-6 feet tall, with well formed, single rose to a stem with a high center point. Most of the varieties are fragrant. Make sure it's hardy enough for your zone, hybrid teas are the least cold hardy class of modern roses. This rose can be planted near the garden bench or entrance where it will be easy to cut the roses and enjoy it in a vase. I have 2 hybrids in my garden.

Taking care of hybrid teas:

 1. It needs winter protection for zone 4 and colder, choose a 

variety suited for your climate and zone.

2. Hybrid tea blooms repeatedly, so feed it regularly at least three times a season with a 

fertilizer labeled for rose. Remove spent flower to ensure continual bloom.

3. Protect it in climates colder than Zone 6 with heavy mulching around the base of the plant.

Light:

Sun

Zones:

5-9

Plant Height:

4-6 feet tall

Plant Width:

2-3 feet wide

Landscape Uses:

containers, beds and borders

Special Features:

attractive foliage, fragrant, cut flowers, easy to grow