What's blooming in April?

Yes, tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths. But I'm more interested in the less common flowers that I have actually planted (or at least encouraged). Following are the ones that have blossoms already; several others are just about ready to pop. (This year it has only been consistently above freezing all night for about two weeks.)

Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica). The flowers start out pink and turn blue.

4/29/14

Garlic mustard

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata). This stuff is everywhere. I know it can be used in cooking, but it is invasive in New England so I am trying to get rid of it. (It releases chemicals into the soil that suppress other plants, too.) Pulls up easily when soil is damp. Presumably best to do this before it flowers.

Leafspot on mountain laurel

I planted this in the summer of 2012, but it's not doing too well. Any suggestions for an organic anti-fungal spray?

Introduction

This blog is intended to document my attempts at backyard gardening in Milton Village, Massachusetts, just across the Neponset River from Boston. We moved here from the city a few years ago, but I have only gone beyond mowing the lawn and raking the leaves since the spring of 2013. The property has several sections of (more or less) tended gardens, plus a large forested area.

For the most part the gardens are part sun, part shade, but a few areas get sun most of the day. USDA hardiness zone is 5b, though I believe my micro-climate might be more like 6a or even 6b.  I am in the Boston Basin eco-region (59d) according to PlantMaps.com.

My aspirations are multiple: