Read and see what is new with Johnston Honey, latest specials, and what is happening in the gardens year round. We will periodically post a newsletter with this and more so check back often.
Fall 2004 New beeswax candles arrive for the holidays
Pre Spring 2004 American Bee Journal Article on Johnston Honey
Winter 2004 Deciduous Trees Contribute to Minnesota Winter Landscape Interest!
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March 12, 2005
Springtime at the Johnston Honey Farm!
Visit the Johnston Honey website for full newsletter, specials, and news.
The first newsletter of 2005 is dedicated to this spring's early birds! Nothing beats the winter blues more than searching the garden on a warm late winter day for signs of spring.
The first green plants to appear are the daffodils. They might show up in February if it has been especially warm, but die back as the weather cools again. They begin to pop up again in April and bloom April-May.
Monkshood is one of the best plants for spring. It appears very early (but not too early, like the daffodils sometimes do). Most varieties bloom by mid summer, but one, Aconitum Arendsii, blooms in October.
Crown Imperial Fritillaris also makes an early appearance. It is difficult to get these bulbs established, and when planted in the fall they benefit from watering and mulch. Once established, they seem to last for years.
The Allium Globemaster appears with the hyacinths and tulips. It blooms in June and lasts for about 3 weeks before dying back by early summer.
Herbaceous Peonies are a reliable early spring perennial. They never seem to suffer in harsh winters and will last for generations. They die only when they become heavily shaded or the soil is chronically wet.
Tree peonies also do well here in Southeast Minnesota and begin to bud early. They are expensive, especially if they are grown on their own root (not grafted). Crocuses and a variety of other small bulbs (see pictures) are faithful friends of the spring garden. However, crocuses are relatively short lived in the Johnston Honey gardens. Some of the other small bulbs are more reliable.
Take some time to view the early birds displayed in the enclosure and start planning for next spring!
(18 photos) (click on photo for larger view and caption)
