A closer look

On the positive side of garden news, at 9 p.m. last night the temperature was 59 degrees F. which means the pond may ice out this week. 

Hellebores are appearing along with Iris reticulata.

On the negative side, think twice before you plant Alliums and let them go to seed. That grassy foliage all around our Ginkgo tree is Allium seedlings, probably the type known as "drumstick". They are impossible to pull out but I keep trying.

Rabbits and squirrels are digging everywhere. I found this Adiantum venustum uprooted and deposited in the middle of a path when I was walking around the garden yesterday. I'm not sure how long it had been there but it had not dried out. I found a thawed area and just shoved it back in the ground in a spot where I thought it might be more protected from marauders.

I also saw a raccoon in the garden yesterday during daylight hours. A bad sign since it tends to mean the animal is not healthy and following its normal nocturnal behavior. A more worrisome problem than uprooted plants.

Comments

[Peter/Outlaw]

Simple. Train the critters to dig up the allium seedlings. I've heard that sometimes healthy raccoons will go out in daylight during mating season and when they have babies to feed.

[Lisa at Greenbow]

I had those drumstick alliums once. I didn't like the way they performed for this very reason. They didn't look very pretty either on second growth. Hopefully the racoon is just feeling the stirrings of spring with the warmer weather.

[Barbara H.]

Oh dear, not good news about your garden visitors, particularly the ailing one. Down here we get armadillos, who can also wreak a little havoc when digging for grubs.

[Linda Brazill]

Thanks for the critter update. I will have to look into their habits a bit more.

[Erin @ The Impatient Gardener]

How rude of them to just uproot and leave! Much colder here yesterday, terribly cold wind blowing off the lake. While examing the area where we had a some trees removed yesterday I see that the ostrich ferns in the woods are showing green nubs.

[Karen]

I'm having the same problem with the alliums. Wish I'd never planted the darn things. But this summer I'm going to have a real go at them and try to reduce their vigour. Will never truly get rid if them from the plot. All the best. Karen

[Linda Brazill]

I constantly see photos of allium seedheads looking beautiful in gardens and I wonder if they know something I don't!