Sprouts and Seedlings

Walking around today I noticed that the myrtle has begun to bloom in a few areas. I love blue in the garden and it's hard to find a more dependable plant than myrtle. It's great on a slope, does well in sun and part shade and brings color in a good part of the season. I had a huge bed out back in the deep shade until my dog decided he would claim it. I still have it in several areas of the yard and I want to see if I can transplant some to my slope out front to cover some bare ground.

I noticed the foliage for the dog tooth violet is now out. This is an unusual plant that has been

 growing under one of my oaks for close to 20 years, planted by the prior owner. It even

 somehow survived some substantial regrading. It has mottled brown/green foliage and yello

w flowers with downcast heads. It blooms for such a short time, but I'll try to catch it and show you what it looks like when open.

In one of my mint "beds" this spring I've got a little lupine seedling. This may be a particularly valuable gem as the main plant is nowhere to be seen yet. I'm hoping it will still show up, as it was a robust blue lupine--just beautiful--given to us by a neighbor for our 15th anniversary. I'm going to have to dig out this seedling and relocate it. I plant my mint in large nursery pots with the bottom cut out. Mint spreads rapidly and vigorously with trailers and by underground roots. Choose a deep pot and leave at least an inch or so above ground to keep it in its place. Mine does well in almost full sun and OK in a pretty shady area. Mint is so valuable in cooking and smells so great, I wouldn't be without it. Spearmint is my favorite. I went searching for it a few years ago and my friends Laura and Pat helped me along.