Sunny Sunday

Seattle was sun kissed this afternoon. It was the kind of day where you eagerly opened the windows, allowing a wash of Spring breezes to cleanse away winter air hanging inside your home. Outside it was wonderful to do even just the mandatory cleaning up of the garden. I trimmed heaths, yanked grasses that fell victim to our snows and continued plucking stray lawn that always creeps into the beds. All the while, daffodils stood nearby with their cheerful blots of color announcing warm days are here to stay.

Variegated wallflower planted in the parking strip finally received a good haircut. Typically it should be pruned to about six inches after flowering in late spring. This was a cut-and-see method because it had become really gangly. At least I'll have this volunteer to carry on. Actually, these evergreen plants apparently will reseed, although mine have shown little proof of that until now. I'm glad reseeding didn't compromise the leaf color, as I've noticed on new shoots from the parent plant.

Heuchera was divided and spread throughout the garden. I'd mentioned before that it was lifting out of the ground and just needed to be pulled apart. It was that simple and just like that I have about seven more Coral Bells in the beds.

Cleanup also uncovered a Ladybug beetle in the leaf layer left overwinter. I let this one go on its merry way, knowing it's capable of devouring thousands of aphids that find their way to my roses and broccoli each year. I'm not diligent with the soap and water, so I need all the help I can get.