My metropolis outlawed Air B&B (all short term rentals) in all areas zoned R (residential). There was one of those short term rentals on the next block. They put it on the market immediately and it sold quickly.

I've spent the last few days cleaning up after a storm, repotting all the hosta I bought last year and doing the first steps to a new bed of climbing vines against my neighbor's 8' wooden fence (he's going to love that!).

bkay

@garyz6ohio OMG 200 in one day? You have WAY more energy than I do!! I'm impressed!

I was cleaning hosta's bed until I cut into some hostas that are barely out yet. I guess I have to clean something else, already did enough damage for 1 day.

garyz..that’s a lot of pots!..
lindalana..spring cleaning outside is nerve wracking..you have to be so careful with new tiny plants coming up..
I won’t ever catch up..there’s so much to do here..
Blue Mouse Ears..

Venusta..and a seedling below it..

I love this time of year everything starts growing again. It is a lot of work though, everywhere I look there is something else to work on. The forcynthias are blooming with their beautiful yellow energy. I have been uncovering the hostas when they peek beyond the mulch. I move the mulch and leaves back then give the plant some milorganite to help it grow and keep away the deers. We also are cutting down the remaining blue spruce trees in the grove between our neighbors and us. We lost one a year ago then 4 in January and 1 a week ago, I guess it was time to take the balance down.

Beth..your forsythia are gorgeous!..my forsythia blooms are over..it’s a beautiful day here..going out to do some garden work..

I had a visitor today..

Ann- What a wonderful surprise to see! Love that little fox face!

Kathy..my wildlife visitors make me happy..they’re a big perk of living here..

Paula that is a useful housemate!

Well worth the day off Gary. That is impressive.

Beth your Forcythia are beautiful. Sorry you are having to take down the remainder of the trees.

Ann you are so far ahead and it is inspiring. Your fox really makes him/herself at home. Mine was sunning on the rocks for a few days but have not seen it lately, probably in its den having babies. We are both so lucky to have our wild visitors.

lindalana I can relate.

Yesterday morning I had to Bobbex the garden against deer and sprayed even where I saw no pips.

Cloudburst

Ruffled Mouse Ears

Teaspoon has been up since mid March Covered it with extra leaves and twigs to protect it from deer.

Pulmonaria and Pulsatilla are starting. Crocus are done. I know what I have is not impressive yet but it makes me happy!

I'm impressed. Look at all those eyes! I spent the weekend raking leaves, baiting slugs, spraying for deer and pulling a tick out of my body. Way to early for all of those things, but it makes me happy seeing all the new growth. Now if we can just keep Jack Frost away.

I took some pics too, but I'm not in picture posting mode yet. Too busy working or playing for that now.

Wow! Lots of things looking good for everyone! Monday was a beautiful day here in Milwaukee. We spent the day setting up our patio furniture. After looking at the rug and umbrella cover, we decided to buy new ones. They are a few years old and don’t look great. Never going to buy yellow again! Things in the garden are starting to pip. Liberty is about 4” tall already. Others pipping are Winter Snow, Snow Mouse, Marilyn, Gabriel’s Wing, Ambrosia, Teeny Weeny Bikini, Royal Standard, Wolverine and some others. Perennials include Dicentra Specticalis, Japanese Forest Grass, Huecheras, Clematis, grasses and others. I haven’t really done much in the yard yet.

The bathroom remodel started on Monday and boy oh boy is the upstairs a mess! They have removed all the shower tiles and about half of the floor tiles. Today they are working on taking out the tub. Lots of pounding and sawing going on…..yikes.

debra

I have a neighbor who is talking about renting his house out as an AirBnB during the winter. We are pretty close to several ski resorts. But I hope he sells instead.

Gary, that’s a lot of repotting in one day! But your hostas all look like they have a good head start.

Lindalana, it’s so hard not to step on those little pips coming up, or hurt them with a rake.

Beth, beautiful forsythia! Why are the blue spruce trees coming down? Will it affect having privacy between you and your neighbors?

Ann, the foxes are out! Mine usually only come around at night.

Laurie, having to use Bobbex already. I guess that’s good to get ahead of it, but too bad those deer are such pests. I chased one away last night before it ate the tulip buds.

And your teaspoon with all those eyes will look amazing this year!

Steve, ticks already, Ugh!

Debra, your garden has a lot going on already. Renovations are a pain to live through but so worth it when they’re done.

The darn lawn service came way too early, scalping my lawn, and weed whacking down the bulbs (Chionodoxa) I grow along the tree roots in the lawn. Not only taking away flowers now, but energy providing foliage for next year’s show. I could use help with my yard, but it doesn't go well so much of the time. :-/

Otherwise, I’ve planted a bare root rose, Rio Samba, and some liatris. But mostly doing cleanup, feeding, and mulching when I can get to it.

Here’s some of what’s going on now……

This Forsythia hasn't bloomed in a few years. Wonderful what sun and water can do!

Cheerful daffodils. I placed them so people driving up our street have a good view.

And hostas are making their entrance!

And I have a maskless raccoon that comes around. First time I've seen one. We named her Dennis, but when she turned up with babies last year, she's now Denise.

Sandyslopes, Blue Spruce trees only live 25-30 years here in Michigan. It is sad they are beautiful trees. They get a canker which kills them. Also the soil is too wet for them. It still surprises me so many nurseries here still sell them. We are planting Norway and White spruces now. Between us and our neighbor taking the trees down did lessen our privacy, luckily we have good neighbors. We have been planting Green Giant Arborvitaes under the spruces. These trees supposedly the deer do not prefer. So now it is time for our Green Giants to GROW!

Beth, that's a shame the Blue Spruce trees don't do well there because they are such beautiful trees. That's probably why the nurseries keep on selling them even though there's better options for your area. I hope your new Spruces do well. The Green Giants should grow pretty fast.

Laurie..love your pulmonaria and pulsatilla..beautiful blooms..💕 I never kept journals (intended to but…) but my garden does seem to be growing fast..

sandyslopes..sorry about your garden mishaps..hired help is sometimes necessary..but stressful!..good luck debra!..I’ve never seen/heard of a maskless raccoon..

steve..hope you removed the tick before it made you sick..pics today 4-18-24..this is the first time Fire Island has some red on the leaf..

One time when I was in Ohio, I was surprised to see that pine trees went all the way to the bottom. To the ground with pine fronds. I mean you did not support them on a long stick and put them on top of a future telephone pole. They were beautiful. I am always saddened by the loss of a tree.

I have been busy this week. It is to be 90 degrees today. I have started to move the yellow and light-colored hostas under cover. I also grow Adeniums. 148 of them to be exact. I move half outside and the hostas in for the summer. Gary, I understand your pot move and I hope your back is ok.

Sandy and Beth, your Forsythia is beautiful. I cannot grow that here and wish I could. And Laurie your pips are amazing. Ann be careful. Fire Island causes whiplash. It is that sudden head turn to look back at it again. I need that one on my list.

I grow clover and therefore I think of myself as a maker of honey.

Ann your lawn crew call the boss to your house. Take him for a walk and let him know what happened. Ask him if teaching his crew would help as this is money you are losing. Most crews only know to weed whack it down to the tree or fence whichever comes first. When they come next be out there. No is a universal word.

I have to go water and figure out this SPF thing. Have a great day!

Ann, your FIs are stunning! Mine just started to pip up yesterday. Almost everything is coming up now! Yikes, it’s early!

debra

Ann, your Fire Island really lights things up! I had one, but I like how having a group of them really makes an impact.

Paula, I think you were talking to me about the lawn crew, and the boss was there! They’re more of a mow and clean up crew that are hurrying to get to the next job. That’s why I won’t ask for help in the flower beds! But I’ll make sure they don’t start so early next year.

I had to look up Adenium, and then I recognized it. 148 is a lot of them to be moving around with all your hostas. I bet they’re pretty when flowering.

I had to ask my DH about the license plate. He got it right away and lol because Princess Bride is one of his favorite movies.

Explain it to me because I didn’t get it!

debra

From the movie Princess Bride

lol

Thanks Steve! Well the good news is that you saw the tick. Frost is very possible here for quite a while yet. Fingers crossed for us all.

Debra you have a lot coming up. Remodels are never fun until the end result!

Lisa it is crazy early for the Hostas to be up here. It was too late for the Tulips and Primula that they munched on prior to Bobbex(ing) though grrr. So sorry your Lawn Service scalped your lawn & bulbs. I would have been ticked but sometimes the evil you know...WOW another beautiful Forsythia. Especially enjoyable for you since it had been awhile. Lovely Daffs and your Hosta are really far along. Denise is adorable!

Thanks Ann! Your FI's are stunning! They are set off so well in your magical woodland setting.

Thank you Paula! You have been busy with all the moving/arranging of so many plants. I hope you back is holding up too. Your greenhouse & bench set up is terrific! At 90 already I hope you get the SPF figured out pronto. May I just say again how great it is having you around after the Alphabet. Retirement seems to be agreeing with you just fine!

I am happy debra asked about the license plate - I had been studying the actual plate trying to get the message. I still don’t get that plate but now I know about Princess Bride & that I should have been looking at plate holder. I looked it up as never heard of it. I ordered the DVD from local library - they have 3 copies & all are checked out! A 1987 film - where was I that it wasn’t on my radar?

What I did today - had my windows cleaned inside & out! So dirty from the massive pollen dropping here - everything is coated in yellow powder - all those conifers! They blame this year’s increased pollen on our El Nino winter. It’s also very breezy - gusting up to 35. More pollen. We were planning to pull our patio furniture out of storage today but instead we spent the morning before window washers arrived sweeping up fir cones from our patio & driveway. When the winds stop in a day or so the roof & gutter guy we use & have his number on speed dial will come over to blow the mess off our huge hipped roof. Then we’ll pull that furniture out! Ahh - the pacific northwest & the Emerald state of WA! But, holy cow are the perennials coming up! So pretty!

Paula..thanks for the heads up to prevent whiplash!..I do have a sore neck Lol..

debra, sandyslopes, Laurie..thank you for the compliments..they never get old!..

a pic this morning as I glanced across my backyard..Krossa Regal and Regal Splendor near the bottom of the photo..

Beautiful Ann!! So peaceful looking…..

debra

thanks debra 💕..this morning from the kitchen window..the big trees are still kind of naked but the lower plants are up and running..

It was a mostly sunny Sunday 4/21 & also a dry day with not much breeze so I got my hardy fuchsia cleaned up - they are all leafing out from the gound so time to cut out the old wood! While doing this quick work I admired my hosta that’s growing like crazy! I took some shots to share!

June

Stained Glass

Maybe Lime Fizz?

4 minis in this pot - can you spot the 2 slow pokes just pipping?

Kathy..good looking hosta!..isn’t it funny how they have different growing schedules?..

Hi Ann! - yes, it is funny to see them at such differerent stages of new growth.. That Stained Glass is making me happy - I moved it out of a really big pot last fall so it’s had only one winter in ground. I’m so happy it survived! Here’s another one that’s well established & I think makes a nice accent with all the evergreen trees around it.

This flowering shrub - Mt. Airy Fothergilla - is just now starting to bloom - it has a heavenly scent! ’Surprising for such small & not really impressive flowers - they look like tiny brushes

Kathy..Stained Glass does add some pop to an area of evergreens..I had the same fothergilla!..I was born in North Carolina and like the name..it was small but doing fine..it took a hit when a neighbor’s tree fell on our side 🙁..I had to remove broken stems..it didn’t have a decent shape after that..eventually I got tired of the look of it and removed it..the fragrance was great..I should try another one..

Ann, I agree that you should think about planting another Mt. Airy - the fall color is fantastic - looks like a flame! It’s such a well behaved shrub - no maintenance needed & slow growing. This pic is from fall 2020

BTW - that last hosta pic with white center - it’s not a Stained Glass - I didn’t mean to make it read that way. I’m not sure what it is but I meant that the white brightens up the spot. I do save all my plant tags but until the last few years I wasn’t noting where in my yard I put it or when the plant was put in. I’ve developed a better system for saving my planting info over past few years.