March 26 - Primula bed, No. 2

 a couple of the newer plants that are starting to grow and bloom.  The bed has leaf mulch on it and I have added compost from the old compost bin to each of the plants.  This old compost bin is half empty now.  So, I am starting to add grass and garden clippings to it again to build a supply of this very good compost.  Last Fall I added the mulched leaves and grass to the woodland, where it has turned into some very good soil, so this year I should add this leaf mulch to the primula bed around the plants where I do not want moss to grow.

 The drumstick primula, is beginning to expand.  The little solar garden lights are now lighting up at night as they get more sunshine during the day.

 A new primula with a lovely color.

 The epimedium in bloom.  It is a fine plant that is now established in the shade under the Harry Lauders walking stick bush, in the primula bed.  I have a few other plants in this new bed.  There is a maiden hair fern, and a licorice fern, newly transplanted, also a chocolate lily, and another epimedium, that is smaller and just getting established.  The chocolate lily had a volunteer little tree in it.  I will let the tree grow.  I hope it is an indigenous tree.  There are a couple of shooting stars in the bed also, but I did not see the blooms this year.  There is two hepaticas that like to grow in moss and are also just getting established now.  Next year this bed should be outstanding.  

 The lovely double mauve primula that is by the water garden.  I can divide one or two plants to put into the primula bed.

 This is a new primula from Matticks Farm earlier this year. It is actually by the water garden.  I should move it to the primula bed where it will get more sun.

This is a view of the new part of the primula bed from the stone path around the garden pond.  At his point in time I was removing the blue spruce that had become too big for its spot in the garden.  The moss and the little Japanese maple are in the foreground and the stone path around the primula bed is in the background.  I like how this opens up a view to the water garden 'room' from the patio area.  I hope to get the moss spreading as a ground cover up to the primulas.