A May Day

Only tulip open is inside.

The end of April brought lots of gentle showers to West Michigan. Things were getting dry around here. Now the grass and flowers and the weeds will start growing tall.

I spent the 1st day of May getting down on the ground with the worst of the dirty little scoundrels--hairy cress, wild garlic and quack grass--all growing prolifically in my uncle's large perennial garden. The weeds were pulling out easily in the rain-drenched soil. And more rain is in the forecast.

It was not very interesting garden work, but it was preferable to dancing around a Maypole in a fancy frock. Or whatever. Apparently the May Day celebration of Maypole dancing was a pagan fertility rite which (thankfully) never caught on in America.

I was distressed to see that deer had been munching on several daylilies at church and at my uncle's place. The bloom stems are not out yet, so maybe they will recover. I had just replenished my supply of deer and rabbit repellent at Countryside Greenhouse Monday on a trip with O., so I hit all the lilies and daylilies with a shot from the fresh bottle of stinky egg solids.

I also sprayed the tulips at church (again) as they are about to bloom, but deer had already munched off every single tulip stem at my uncle's property--probably a hundred or so. The plants will continue to grow for next year's display.

I do not have deer in my yard and have been spraying and throwing down Milorganite to deter any bunnies. So far, no tulips have been eaten. My display has dwindled to about 60, maybe 75.

Tulip Time starts on May 4th in Holland, Michigan. I'm wondering if the weather has been cooperative for a good display this year. It is the 90th year of celebration and more varieties of orange tulips will be featured. I read that 5 million tulips have been planted! I may have to check them out this year, even though the color orange is not my favorite.