Helen Chesnut's Garden Notes: Coolish spring has prolonged bloom A big, old Cynthia has filled my kitchen sink window with its huge pink flower trusses. Helen Chesnut May 25, 2024 4:00 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Previous Next 1 / 1 This large Cynthia rhododendron was propagated by layering from an older, parent plant. HELEN CHESNUT PHOTOS Advertisement Expand Listen to this article 00:04:52 Many among us are hankering for warm and sunny beach weather, but the moderate temperatures this month have been a blessing for gardeners with a backlog of seeds and transplants long delayed in the planting by April night temperatures that were too cool.
Coolish spring weather has prolonged bloom in spring-flowering shrubs and trees. The rhododendrons have been glorious. A big, old Cynthia has filled my kitchen sink window with its huge pink flower trusses.
Another Cynthia, in the front garden, has become enormous and full of bloom. It’s a younger plant, made from a “layered” branch rooted while still attached to its parent plant by my kitchen window. Cool weather has fostered the growth of more big, succulent miner’s lettuce plants than I’ve ever seen before on the property.
The plants have been fat and juicy even in the dry forest clearing behind the garden shed. I’ve been sharing the succulent, lilypad-like leaves and their juicy stems with friends for weeks. Last year’s mid-May heat wave fried the young pe.
