Daffodil House

On the way to work this morning, I noticed that my favorite house for daffodils is in full swing just now. What a lot of work it must've been to plant all of those, but certainly worth the investment.

Not much to say about the work day, really...but I can tell you I'm very relaxed this evening, since My Other Half has more or less completed his work on restoring the aging hot tub that came with this new rental (okay, don't everyone bust down the door at once, but soon, we'll be inviting...).

It's still a work in progress, as I'm sure the neighbors will agree, as an insulating cover for the various pumps and motors will go a long way toward making it a more soothing experience.

But hey, it certainly was a sweet way to wrap our Friday.

Rhododendron Sunday

Ahh, a beautiful, sunny Sunday morning on Not Wisteria Lane.

The greening grass, the blue sky, the daily-growing perennials in the front border...all of it beckons to me, whispering ideas for how to pass the day: seedlings that should be repotted, locations of border perennials to be mapped out to help me learn the layout of this new garden. The lawn areas could be raked a bit more for winter thatch and snowplow-displaced driveway shells, and maybe even mowed. And the round end beds need to be finished, including the installation of the big birdbath.

Ah, Sunday. Project day. "Day of rest."

Well, not exactly. Today we were hosting the Cape Cod Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society for their annual dinner meeting at the restaurant, so it was a work day. But at least it was a garden-centric work day!

Also, by the time the event began, clouds began covering the sky. I'm sure I was not the only gardener present who was not unhappy at the prospect of it raining while we were inside doing other things!

Included in the festivities, due to the spring timing, is a cocktail hour display of lovely blooms currently in progress from various members' yards and gardens, as well as a guest speaker and a plant auction, all before the dinner itself.

I was able to snap a few pictures to share with you all. At this late point in the day, I'm feeling a little dense that I didn't take the time to jot down the names of these particular rhodos, as well.

In my defense, I was also making sure the room was warm enough, and that the microphone worked and trying to make the entree selection orders taken from tables more or less match what was actually prepared in the kitchen based on the advanced reservation, and all the other hundreds of attempts Mr. Murphy's laws make behind-the-scenes at a typical function. In that regard, today was pretty mild.

And having the flowers there made it seem less like work.

The guest speaker for the afternoon was Steve Hootman, who's the curator and co-executive director of the Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden, of Federal Way, WA. Did you know there are over a thousand species of rhododendrons? That makes it kind of a crime that we see the same two or three varieties in so many yards around us, doesn't it? Be sure to check out the gallery of rhodo photos (heh...) at the RSF website, if you click (why wouldn't you?)!

I didn't get to see all of Steve's slide show presentation, but what I saw was quite fascinating, I thought, particularly his botanical adventuring in the mountain wilds of Japan and Korea. I've always enjoyed tales of botanists exploring habitats, discovering new plants and harvesting seeds to bring home with them to cultivate and study.

I think I'd enjoy learning more of the stories behind so many of the plants we befriend in nurseries each year. Where do they come from, who are their relatives, what do they like, what do they hate? A plant's 100 list can be pretty helpful in encouraging it to thrive, when you think about it.

Anyway, that was our day, and a good one it was. The weather was still a little grey and iffy on the way home...but really, all the better to see the fresh pink blush of this pretty cherry tree in Brewster.

After another enjoyable family dinner and a new (!!!) episode of "Desperate Housewives", I'm happy to report I did find time to transplant some of my more eager sunflower seedlings into larger pots.

Monday Meanderings

Here's a picture of Crystal Lake, a lovely little bit of water half-visible through the trees along Route 28 in South Orleans. Since it's alongside one of my possible commutes to and from work, I've admired it any number of times since the move, but options for pulling over thereabouts are slim and not really prudent with the traffic flow.

Not a fan of the highway, I generally opt for one of the other two, slower and more scenic routes to and from work, when time allows.

Last night, I was cleaning my new glasses (we've been together about two weeks...a big tongue-in-cheek welcome back the bifocals, which I'd not missed these past twenty years) and the bridge broke clean away from the frame of the right lens. Augh...

Anyway, I had to drop them off at the eye doctors on the way to work, so the route past Crystal Lake was the best option for getting to that side of town...and I'd forgotten there'd be delays, due to some spring roadwork along that stretch. The upside of all this, and the point (if there's one at all) is that the flagman stopped me in the perfect place, and for long enough, to roll down the passenger window and fire off the shot above. Enjoy.

Our theme of gray continues, weather-wise, as you can see. Hardly rainy enough to call it so, but enough to mostly keep the car's wipers on delayed setting. Mom and Dad will be visiting next week, and as they'll be emerging from the tall white remains of an Adirondack winter, I guess I don't mind if we save some really fun and sunny weather for while they are here. But I wouldn't mind a day or two of "practice" sunshine before they arrive...you know, just to be sure we get it right and all.

The bulk of the day was unremarkable, excepting a minor headache from having switched back to the old glasses' prescription and the old frames don't exactly sit properly on my face, requiring regular adjustments. And of course, there are the usual concerns about how far the dollar doesn't go lately, which seem to get us all lately.


Lately, I've often been selecting the commute through Brewster, what with spring coming on and all. I figure I can count on a town that has an annual festival called Brewster in Bloom (first weekend in May!) to entertain me (and hopefully you)on the way home with some nice floral vistas. Here's the first fruits of that way of thinking.

Not only is this whole hillside planted with daffodils, but there was a ribbon at least two feet wide of daffodils which ran over camera to the right and sort of rings the whole property and the small cottage/business in the center of it. It was starting to rain, then, so I'm afraid I stopped only long enough to enjoy the daffs and not to note the name of the place.

Before arriving home, I made a visit to the local Stop N Shop for a few needful things (forgot a couple, as is my custom...). While I was there, tho, I stopped at the Starbucks franchise and asked if they participated in the Grounds program (see Saturday's post) and indeed they do!

The grounds are all done up in a handy (and informational) little coffee pouch( which alleviated some of my concerns about the grounds and how fresh they would be--mold can be a problem if you don't act fast with them) and ready for sprinkling in the garden, which I'll try to fit into tomorrow morning's routine, weather allowing.

First Kitty of Spring

I hope everyone had a terrific weekend. I'm glad to say that I've heard the egg hunt made the chaos of the Easter Brunch Buffet a lot more fun...mission accomplished!

In other news, Aunt Pat sent these photos of her cat, Oreo, whom she caught lounging in a basket of daffodils during this first weekend of spring.

Most of the time, kitties really have the right idea, don't they?





Of course, as much as I say the word "spring", I can't get the temperature this morning to rise about 31 degrees! So for everyone who's wishing spring would just hurry up already, check out this garden. Click your mouse on the black field: you can plant in tidy rows, or just create a garden overflowing with colorful chaos!

Enjoy!

Bulbs Emerging

Daffodils and crocuses outside the Old Jailhouse Tavern in Orleans.

Catching Up

Whoops...it's been a few days since the last blogging. Which isn't to say that there hasn't been garden activity...in fact, Tuesday was nothing but! But it was such a full garden day, that it really sapped me.

Plus, work is busier this time of year and we are approaching the end of the traditional TV show season, so a number of my favorites are holding my attention as we race toward season finales. ("HEROES": best show on television, "LOST": finally paying some story dividends for my three years of attention, "HOUSEWIVES": always fun...)

Tuesday, as I mentioned, was a day devoted to the garden. It was a pleasant day, with cool breezes in the morning. I added a few more seedlings: dianthus (pink and assorted colors) and some snapdragons (yellow, red and pink this year...well, so far, anyhow...) here and there, imagining the pretty pictures they'll make a month or so from now.

I also transplanted some white daffodils (about to bloom; i know, not the best time to transplant, but I always forget when they're done, so now they've been relocated...and it looks like they'll be blooming shortly anyway...so nyah...).

There was also a large clump of what I had come to suspect were alliums too overgrown for blooming. They were crowded up too close to a promising clump of peonies which have not yet bloomed for me--they had to go somewhere else.

Digging them up confirmed their identity, or at least their general family, with the whole back garden smelling of onions for a while. I divided them and replanted in assorted locations, and we'll see what comes of that. I'm hoping for some flowering variety to whom I've not yet been introduced, but anything's possible.

I was giving all that a final watering in, when it started to rain. I had a feeling it was only going to be a passing shower, so I continued on with the hose and indeed, it passed pretty quickly and in a very short time, the sun was shining once again...and all before I was done watering.

During a lunch break inside, I heard a large bird noise outside the window, and glanced out to see a crow in this evergreen bush, where the cardinals had apparently built a nest. The crow's head was tilted back and I could see something white in his beak, which I assumed was probably a cardinal's egg. No photo of that dramatic moment, but here's the scene of the attack.

I felt kind of bad for a few minutes. Those cardinals have been trying real hard for a few years now to find the right place, and it seemed like they were making strides this year. Of course, just a week or so ago, I watched as a mob of crows dive-bombed a hawk or an eagle who was raiding one of their nests...so you know, it's just the Natural Way of Things, I suppose.

After lunch I decided to begin tackling the newest bed in the back garden, being built/dug out around the "foxglove factory." You can see the foxglove forming rows amongst emerging grasses here.

I started by digging in the rock border, then tearing out the grass clumps, being careful to work in between foxglove and some raspberry plants.

There was also some poison ivy vines, which I unwittingly ripped out bare-handed, only recognizing them when it was too late, as they are only barely leafing out. (On that front, I may have a tiny isolated patch or two of rash, which I'm being careful about, but I seem mostly to have dodged that bullet...whew...)

There was also a brief "Sopranos" moment when my digging uncovered this old glove, posed here with one of those foxglove plants.

My recent toilings in other parts of this old garden had revealed a large patch of lily of the valley, and I began transplanting them into the cleared areas, along with a few of the larger, "extra" hosta plants from the garden at the back of the house, which is on my list for renovation later in the season. I also left a space for a bleeding heart which should be arriving shortly.

Eventually, this was the result of my efforts.

Still plenty of grass and Lord-knows-what-else to be dug out, but it's nice to have a project I have begun which I can now return to, making a little more progress with each visit.

In a short time, it'll be cleared out and ready for transplanting of other things...such as some of our irises, who I suspect would love a little more sun. I envision a path of stepping stones weaving through this area, ending at the base of the apple tree (which is off-camera to the right).

Here was the view from our side porch at the end of a long hard day.

We've had a few thunderstorms pass near us this week, and spritzes of rain here and there. Now we're actually getting a nice soaking of rain, which was long overdue. The temperature's dropped off to 45 though, so brrrr...or at least I thought so, until I heard tell of some Adirondack snow showers yesterday.

Here's the first columbine to form a flower, and it's our second blue one (yay!! We've had only one of this color previously...so my seeding efforts are bearing fruit...a ha ha...), nestled against some wonderful ferns.

In the driveway garden, this pretty blue spire has come quietly into bloom. I know there's another name for it which is escaping me. Just now my tired mind is only coming up with "carpet bugle", which may be the name of a different, related variety. I'm sure it will occur to me after some much needed sleep.

Ajuga, that's what it's called!

The back garden at dusk, looking quite tidy and inviting. You can't pick them out easily here, but as I took this, there were a pair of robins as well as a pair of catbirds wandering the paths and leap-flying across the beds, no doubt finding all manner of yummy eats...but hopefully not all the flower seeds I've spread/planted this past week!!

Friday

Last night I dead-headed many of the early bulbs, primarily daffodils and hyacinths... even the grape hyacinths' moment in the sun is drawing to a close. But there's so much more to anticipate.

In fact, this time of year, there seems to be something new in bloom every day...like these white blossoms that suddenly appeared on a few trees in the woods yesterday.

And as you can see, the vinca's been putting on a show for a while now, in assorted locations around the property. This is just the first time I've managed to capture a good picture of it.


In the back garden, my little golden allyssum plant from the Farmer's Market is coming into bloom, too.

So there's no reason to be sad, since the show's just getting started...and there'll be so much to see this year.

I've been meaning to stop into the doctor's office in Orleans shown here for a years now, with a mind toward inquiring as to the identity of this red-blooming upright shrubs. They are quite handsome, but a complete mystery to this gardener.

Meanwhile, in one of our shady beds along the kitchen walkway, violets previously transplanted have filled in the border blooms quite nicely.

Following an afternoon drink, these red primroses are downright sexy in the late day sun.

And another different species of miniature daffodil has surprised me with its blossoms. I love the way they hang off the stems like little ballerinas. If they bloomed just a little later (and it won't be long, actually), they'd be a perfect partner with our columbines.


Here's another of this gardener's favorite things about the coming season!!

A Garden Day

Ah, today was one of those rarest of pleasant days, one spent almost entirely in and around the garden, away from the often-troublesome world of Man. I don't mean to sound like a particular Amazon of Note, but only to express that, as a species, we seem to needlessly complicate things sometimes, and to me there is no greater pleasure than spending my time in the company of Nature's way of things.

Things got off to a fun start, when I discovered a small garden snake basking in the sunshine. We were both pretty surprised that I decided to pick him up for a closer look, but we also both stayed pretty calm about it and--while I'm sorry I didn't have my camera at the time--this was a pretty cool start to my day.


This nuthatch and his mate greeted me enthusiastically, it seemed, as I came out to the back garden for a cup of coffee on the bench, contemplating the back garden by morning light and calculating the goals for the day. The temperature was nice...getting into the mid-sixties today, though a cool breeze kept the sun from ever feeling particularly hot. They say there's humidity coming our way later in the week.


I don't exactly put together a plan for the day in the garden, per se. There's usually plenty I hope to accomplish, but my time out there often closely resembles one of those dotted-line maps of Billy's adventures around the neighborhood in the Family Circus cartoons. I sort of wander from one task to the next, sometimes abandoning one for another, or stopping to enjoy some newly discovered bit of nature. Surprisingly, I usually get a lot accomplished, but there's always a trail of tools in my wake.

Today, the goals included choosing sites for and planting (1)the recently acquired rose bushes, (2)a sixpack of dianthus, (3)a very special pot of chrysanthemums and (4) some gladiola bulbs.

By day's end, all this was done, and I also managed to do some serious weeding of grasses out of the three central beds. There's still plenty more to be done, but at least these three locations are taken care of. And while some of the earliest are fading, many of the hyacinths are still holding on and scenting the air as I do this close work around them.

I also had some transplanting in mind, and moved one large clump of grape hyacinths and tiny daffodils (now fading) to an assortment of different locations around the perimeter of one bed. I'd also thought to transplant some other things, but I managed to break one of our older shovels, which shunted me off to a different course of action. It's always nice to have something left to do another day, a reason to come back.


I also climbed a ladder at some point in the afternoon, to trim some lower branches from the white pines closest to the western edge of the garden sight. An assortment of dead branches came down easily and were added to the latest shelter pile.

And while I was way up in the middle of the air, I spied these blossoms in the upper reaches of the ancient cherry tree at the bottom of the garden. I like the mossy old branches of this tree and have therefore been hesitant to do much pruning. Also, this end of the garden has not yet been on my priority list, though I'm expanding in that direction.

However, I've had a glimpse of how lovely this tree might be, and in light of the current flush of blooms on other fruit trees around the perimeter I've worked on, I'm encouraged that some thoughtful pruning later in the season may have delightful consequences for this tree, too.

Meanwhile, the pond is quite full with the water of recent rains, with the old log in front of the house sitting just out of the water.

Lately, we've been spotting a pair of turtles basking there. Experience has taught us that getting any closer than this just causes them to splash away, and they looked much too content to disturb.

This robin sang a pretty little song as the sun began to fade in the west.

Like many other species, the robins also seem to be spending their time in pairs lately.

I was working on the glads by then, planting about a third of what I have (two kinds, gold and purple), to spread their eventual bloom over a long period during the summer, in various locations amongst other things. I'll continue planting throughout this month and we should have a nice long showing as a result.

There were bumblebees (and a few pretty moths and butterflies) in the garden today. I was wearing a bright orange t-shirt, and on more than one occasion had to wave some enthusiastic bumbler away with the admonishment that I was not a giant flower.


Here's a zippy dianthus that caught my eye. I always like this plant, and its cousins Sweet William and (I think there's also a relation here, at least through similar habit) the Creeping Phlox.

I've always been a fan of the way they spread around and fill in an area. This one's color is a bit vivid, I'll concur, but I'm imagining a whole drift of these things and how could I possible resist that?

Here you can also see (no flowers yet, of course...just potential!) a grand little clump of foxglove, as well as our primary stand of peonies, and a nice spread of shasta daisies, mixed in with some agastache and bee balm, and--like many other places--some columbine seedlings.


Damn, aren't these cherry blossoms something up close?

In other parts of the garden, the strawberry vines are full of these pretty white flowers.

By the driveway, another group of daffodils have opened, revealing yet another variety.

Another angle on that old log the turtles are so fond of, though by now, they had departed for wherever it is they park their shells at night. And good advice, that. By the evening, I was a bit sore, sunburned, scratched and bitten and so I retired sleepily to watch a little television, whilst picking ticks off me.

Ah, but what a day it was.

A Not So Sunny Sunday

Starting off today, I offer you this little glory of the snow plant, which I spied yesterday outside the restaurant, but failed to include in last night's post.

I'm not sure we had an actual freeze last night, but it was certainly chilly...a condition which continued throughout this overcast day. I still got a reasonable amount accomplished in various garden locales, but did so with more layers than I needed earlier in the week.



Here's a long shot of the garden at the back of the house. Let's see, from left to right, there's violets, trillium, primroses, money plant, assorted daffodils, a host of hostas, and a rose bush, with assorted ferns mixed in here and there.

Oh, yes...and a chipmunk waiting behind the trillium for me to go away!


In the back garden (which you can see is starting to look a bit tidier than the winter had left it), I got a good deal more weeding done, and started spreading around some of that new topsoil.


The cherry tree's blooming pretty nicely...and I think I heard the telltale sounds of baby chickadees from inside this old birdhouse.

There was certainly plenty of bird activity out there this morning, like this chipping sparrow who was rooting around in the unraked territory beneath the apple tree.


There were the usual chickadees and cardi
nals ...and I think I heard an oriole (it's been a few months, though, since I've heard them, so I'll reserve confirmation of their return until a visual sighting is possible.). A mob of crows were trying to deter some larger bird from raiding their nests. I saw them all more in silhouette than dead clearly, but I think a hawk was the culprit they pursued.


I also spent some attention on the front garden bed, from which I attempted yet another surgical removal of the rampant wisteria vines that crisscross the bed. I have little hope I got it all...but I was able to get a heck of a lot of the stuff out, which is a step in the right direction. Once that was done, I added some of that nice fresh topsoil.


From the road as I left for work comes this view of our very full pond. Nice little spot.


And I'll bring the weekend to a close with a reminder to you all: the days of Spring go by pretty quickly and before you know it, you're trying to figure out how to disguise old daffodil foliage behind daylilies...so don't forget to stop and enjoy the flowers!!