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The weather has been a rollercoaster, and the garden is showing it! Join me for a “Garden Diary” walk-through as I prep for an upcoming garden tour. From managing unexpected pest outbreaks to dealing with the “tulip bust” of the season, I’m sharing exactly what’s on my to-do list right now and how I’m pivoting after a wacky spring.
Whether you’re dealing with a sudden heatwave or recovery from a late freeze, there’s always something to do (and something to learn) in the garden.
🕒 In This Video:
00:00 – Pest Control: Mixing a fresh batch of insecticidal soap to treat scale on olive and bay trees.
00:53 – The Tulip Bust: Why this year was a struggle for bulbs and the importance of keeping a garden journal.
02:27 – Hard Pruning & Rehab: Deciding the fate of frozen geraniums and moving plants to “hospital rehab.”
03:09 – Seasonal Swaps: Pulling leggy pansies and violas to make room for hot-weather annuals.
05:20 – Herb Garden Update: Why I prefer parsley over cilantro and my plans for basil seeds.
07:54 – Feeding & Staging: When to fertilize after a freeze and how I stage my terracotta pot backdrop.
13:00 – Front Yard Success: Celebrating the Snowball Viburnum and why Encore Azaleas are a lifesaver.
22:45 – Lawn Care Struggles: Dealing with spotty perennial rye and prepping the Bermuda grass for summer.
25:40 – The Allium Show: A look at the different varieties finally starting to bud.
🌸 Key Takeaways & Tips:
Watch for Scale: If you see white spots on your woody plants, it might be scale. A simple spritz of insecticidal soap can do wonders.
Encore Azaleas: These are a “must-have” because even if the spring blooms get nipped by frost, you’ll still get a show in late summer and fall.
Don’t Rush the Feed: I wait a few days after a hard freeze before fertilizing to let the plants adapt and avoid stressing new, tender growth.
The Power of Observation: Using your phone’s photo album to compare this year’s growth to last year’s is the best way to understand your garden’s rhythm.
💬 Question of the Day:
What is your favorite herb to grow in your garden? I’m a huge fan of parsley for its durability, but I’d love to hear what’s thriving in your neck of the woods!
🔗 Resources Mentioned:
Workx Battery Operated Pruners: https://www.lowes.com/pd/WORX-5-in-Titanium-Bypass-Lopper/5014634085
Southern Living Plant Collection: (Moondance Hydrangeas & Diamond Spire Gardenias)https://southernlivingplants.com/the-collection/plant/diamond-spire-gardenia/
Local Tip: Check out the Will Rogers Gardens plant sale if you’re looking for scented geraniums!
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43 Comments
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We’ve had the longest and coldest winter of my lifetime on the back of a record drought last summer. Fortunately, we’ve had tons of snow and minimal temperature swings. So far, any marginal plants have signs of life. 🤞🏻I think I’m more stressed than the plants at this point because I’m still unable to do anything outside. 😂 5a 🇨🇦
Another inspiring video, Linda! Thank you! 🌷
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Some years are just better than others. The wacky weather is all to blame. Oh well, how we love what we have unconditionally is what's most important, strolling along happy with and happy without. So much to look forward to in your gardens, Linda. That snowball viburnum is really going set the stage there! Stewart does such great videography of the gardens. After hard pruning on this one, I hope it does the same. Yes, Dani is an exceptionally beautiful baby girl! My fav herb to grow is basil because I love pesto, and I do grow cilantro inside too. Love Mexican food and salsas 🌱🌶️
I’m in the DFW area and we had such a warm winter then one week in January was icy. My tulips, when they bloom are so short, and when they open they already look like they are old, declining blooms. Such a strange spring for bulbs.
Linda, insecticidal soap works well on the crawler stage of scale but is not effective on other stages. You will need to use multiple methods to treat the scale apart from the long chain fatty acid soap, if you wish to actually get rid of it. Scale is not an easy pest to treat. You do have to constantly monitor and you'll probably want magnification to get this pest under control.
My Snowball is blooming this year for the first time. It’s just beautiful. I planted tons of different kinds of flower seeds & nothing has come up!
A beautiful baby indeed! Garden is looking great in spite of all the wacky weather.
Every time you see something that isn’t cooperating, take a few deep breaths and remind yourself that you have that gorgeous granddaughter 😊
Linda, I grow my foxgloves in the shade.
Thank you 💚 always makes my day to watch your beautiful garden. Bless you both 😊 hyped xx val
Any chance you’re coming to Denver soon? The Denver botanical gardens are about to burst with blooms because of the incredibly high temperatures. Could make a great opportunity for you and your family. Also a good video for YT 😂. Much love to you from Denver Colorado.
I love your snowball viburnum…!
In Amsterdam my daffodills are great.
Remember there is always…next year.
And happy memories are sweet…
don't feel bad…in ohio 10 miles south of Lake Erie many crazy storms, hot and cold. Most of my daffodils got broke so I made a beautiful bouquet to take in.
Oh yes, it’s been a terrible year for spring bulbs here in NE Kansas. With the warm temps making everything push new growth then bam we went from 90 degrees to 10 degrees with-8 wind chill for several days then back to 97,98 degrees in two days. It killed everything in its path. All daffodils died back, hellebores look like moosh and most of my tulips are damaged not going to bloom. We’ve had no rain or snow since January. I literally grieved for a couple of days for all the work I put into planting a thousand bulbs just devastated by our weather. It’s going back up to the 90s again which is doing a number on my new conifers and roses look awful with die back to the ground. Thank you for sharing this so we can see others are going through this together. Let’s hope our summer gives us a good show. ❤
7B garden here. My encores look awful but hoping they recuperate. Lost 2 Gauras and one clematis. My chaste tree took a hit and had to be cut back. I live along the river and the wind was especially brutal this year. It caused a lot of plant desiccation. As this is a new garden, my plants have been on trial to see what will live. So far the grasses have been a big winner – pink muhly and angel gamma especially!
My tulips are blooming short also!!
My tulips are a bust this year in Wichita, KS! Irises are mush! Disappointing but things will get better!
Linda i also struggled with keeping the frost cloth over containers during high winds. But atlas, i purchased large rubber bands and bungle cords to secure coths to all pots and small raised beds. It works beautifully! Love the reliability of your recommendations on gardening and non gardening items! Thank you!❤
Similar in Utah. The weather has been crazy.
Hi Linda, how long have you had the snowball?
Hi Linda! I live in Edmond and I agree this is one of the worst tulip seasons in Oklahoma. The colors weren’t vibrant, stems were short, and died off quickly after a few days. Like you, I am not sure if I want to plant tulips again this fall. So disheartening after waiting for months and not getting the show I anticipated! On the other hand, my daffodils are looking lovely!
This was my first year to plant tulips and mine are growing exactly like yours, also in OKC
Your book signing is on my Birthday on the 28th
Linda I'm so sorry for your chaotic weather but I have to tell you, this video is so good for us gardeners to see. So that we can keep truckin as you are and not just throw up or hands in frustration and say well I just do not have a green thumb… FORGET THIS!
For other fans out there , it might be the audio but does Linda sound breathless lately?
I hear frustration, disappointment and grief in your voice, It's been a crazy spring for sure but there is still much that is beautiful in your garden. Here in Central Caifornia we are experiencing heat wave so it takes extra diligence to make sure everything gets watered. So it's helpful to watch your videos as you comment how to deal with the fluxuations in weather and how it affects gardening.
Dani is so cute.!!! Just wondering if you have your sprinklers on with all the heat?
Linda! Thank you for the great perspective. The way things are going, here in Denver, someday I may be able to grow palm trees and tree ferns with no overwintering. Mother Nature always bats last.
I grow all kinds of herbs. My favorites will be chives, thyme, dill, lemon balm and rosemary. Those are just easy to grow
Well we should start planning for next spring as this one is not so great for gardening!
Noticed the hanging baskets were taken down on the side of the garage including the hardware…were they a bust, also? Was looking forward to looking "up" like we did at your other home, so, hopefully, they may still be in the works…
So sorry for the garden mishaps. My daffs took a hit, and tomorrow is another hail and tornado day.
Good to see the wins too.
Can you tell me which better boxwood you would choose for a nice size ball in a border? Maybe babylon beauty?.
I'm excited that I have people coming to my house to discuss putting in irrigation in my gardens.
This video has the biggest piece of lore since we saw Stewart face! the green house owner is John! I have always wondered who the mysterious owner was. In my mind it was a woman. I imagine it is the same friend that gave you the new snowball viburnum. My favorite herb to grow is lemon verbena to make herbal tea.
Yes, your granddaughter is a beautiful baby!
I am not a baby connoisseur but that is a gorgeous baby.
Your baby girl is very pretty 💕
Nice to see you in those two-tone Hunter Boots, thanks.
Oh Linda your poor azaleas. We here in VA had a bit of trouble with the cold hot cycle too but not nearly as bad. I really want to focus on my stepscapes and pots this season so am excited to see what you are doing. Thank you for the garden tour!
Have you taken out the Ajuga from around the rocks in your backyard?
Is Dani J. a beautiful baby? Oh yes she is!!!!! Cute as can be!!!!
I love your positive attitude. Everything looks great in spite of the weather.