hosta

In the last few days, we planted some hosta - 3 Twilight and 3 Halcyon - to go with some hosta already planted in our front yard. The hosta already there (green with white margins) never did well. But, they were never cared for properly. They didn't get enough water. Plus, the bed gets afternoon sun. However, the Chicago area is often cloudy. So, I hope that, with regular watering and fertilizing, the plants will thrive. :)

The other plants in the pic are daffodils and tulips.

I was wondering whether we needed to buy more but then read up on hostas and discovered that they can spread out to over a yard wide. So, I may need to rethink the placement of the plants. .....

But, I enjoy replanting. Our most recent replanting adventure was a miscellaneous shrub that was being crowded out by an evergreen tree on one side and shrubs on the other. We thought there was just one plant there, but there turned out to be 5. I was worried that it might be a weed. So, we went to Lowes and scoped out the garden shop. It turned out to be Rose of Sharon -- which will be perfect for where we ended up planting it (before we even knew what it was). It's a handsome plant!

We also bought a cage for one of our tomato plants (the Better Boy). The tomato doesn't even reach the bottom rung of the cage. But, from past experience (in NC), it will soon be there and more. It has its first blossoms.

The radishes are starting to get to be a decent size now. The apple tree has several small apples. The broccoli is almost ready to eat.

My filbert nut trees are doing ok. One is doing really well. The other was broken off near the soil line. So, I put a milk jug around the 2 of them for protection. The coyote that roams our neighborhood has taken care of most of the chipmunks and squirrels. But, there are still a few around to cause damage.

I haven't been doing much knitting or crocheting. But, I have got some reading done. I'm now on my next-to-last Harry Potter book. (The kids have already read them.) I'm reading the American version. When I'm done, I'll probably start on the British version (which my daughter brought out for me on her last visit.)