Busy, busy past week. Bees came in from Wolf Creek healthy and vigorous lil buggers. They are happily in their hives. The Rose Comb Rhode Island White chicks hatched - so darn cute. 
Did a good cleaning of the chicken coop in preparation for these lil ones moving in. In the interim, they're in the brooder for the next week acclimating to life.
Amherst NH Garden Club annual sale was held last Saturday May 7th. Lots of plants and vendors. It was a chilly and dreary day; some showers, but that didn't deter anyone. Place was 'hopping' all morning. One vendor had vintage tools. I picked up a hoe and cultivator $5 each. Picked up some old garden magazines .50cents each.... And books for $2 each. And, of course plants. We stopped at Mason Hollow hosta nursery (Mason, NH) on the way home for their opening day. Purchased H. Little Jay, H. Game Boy and H. Vulcan.
Pictures H. Liberty coming to life after a long winter....
Daffodils
Grape Hyacinth
Wild violets so pretty yet such a thug
What an amazing weekend! Both weather wise and shopping wise. As mentioned previously, The Mixed Border Nursery Hollis NH, is closing after 20 years. We made quite a score on plants including Peony Bartzella (ITOH) and Peony Cora Louise (ITOH). And, a Kyushu Linden (happy dance - our bees are gonna love this one). I've never seen this particular Linden in commerce (at least here in NH).
Perfect gardening weather (60's with a little breeze kept those pesky 'May flies' away). Planted approx. 400 of the 700 onion plants received from Dixondale Onions (TX). Expanded the perennial bed to make room for all the new additions.
Cleaned out the hives we lost over winter. Ruth called from Wolf Creek Bees (TN) to say the packages will be delayed another week due to cool, wet weather in (TN). These are small cell bees, minimal treatment (I believe they do use essential oils).
We have Rose Comb Rhode Island White eggs in the incubator from Rob Newburn in IA..... so far so good. Rose Comb Rhode Island White is a rare breed that needs preservation help..... If you're interested, check out the Rose Comb Rhode Island White FB group. For livestock breeds (poultry, cattle, horses, swine...etc) in need of preservation, check out ALBC American Livestock Breed Conservancy.
Happy Gardening
My order from Bluestone Perennials arrived today..... doing the Happy Dance.
Always great, healthy plants from Bluestone Perennials
A glorious spring day here Sunny 70F. Started prepping the vegetable garden
Layed out rows; put down and stapled Netafirm dripper tubing, covered with black plastic -- two rows ready to go.
Garlic is up about 8" looking great; Thank you Keene Organics, WI highly recommend.
Did some flower shopping today. The Mixed Border Hollis NH is closing after 20 years in business. Really good deals.
Picked up some Peony plants - Cora Stubbs and Coral Charm, Hosta Orange Marmalade and H. Leather Sheen, Daylilies Siloam Tiny Tim and Rosy Returns, Summer sweet pepper bush for my bee yard and several echinacea plants.
Speaking of bees, we lost 4 hives this past winter. 
Only one hive survived. We have packages on order from Wolf Creek Bees TN; should be coming week of April 25th.
Onions (Dixondale Farm) will be coming in this week. We'll be busy this next month planting the vegetable garden and expanding the bee garden.
Loving spring
Hi all,
Today we attended the New England Daylily Society (NEDS) April meeting. Lots of fun had by all.....
Charmaine Rich of Hold'N Heaven Daylilies East Thetford VT was speaker.... Charmaine focuses on
relief, pleated and cristate Sculpted forms. She has some amazing future introductions to come.....
check out: http://holdnheavendaylilies.co...
Love this future intro: http://holdnheavendaylilies.co...
I was lucky enough to win a couple of today's auction plants
Feel the Music, West of the Moon and Man in the Maze.....
This year AHS Region 4 summer regional is in my 'backyard' this year -- Nashua, NH July 22-24th
Can't wait to attend Brown's Ferry Gardens Heidi and Charles Douglas featured speakers.
I highly recommend anyone with interest in daylilies join AHS and your local daylily society.
Happy Gardening
