Rainy Tuesday

Rainy day here.  I shouldn't be surprised that my two young dogs bring all the wet and mud back inside with them.  Ah youth. 

Excited that February is almost done.  The first of the crocus (yellows for me) are blooming. 






The long foliage hanging over the crocus belongs to sternbergia lutea.  It will disappear soon, not to be seen again until fall. 




Note how the crocus foliage appears snipped.  It is indeed and my guess would be rabbits.  Rotten things.  My cats are getting older (they'll be 12 this spring) and prefer being inside most nights and especially nights like tonight when the weather is unpleasant (cold and windy rain).  I can't blame them; however, it's been many years since I've had to deal with rabbits...thanks to them.  Let's hope they get back on the job soon. 



A couple more, popping out from the old daylily foliage. 

Below, some hardy cyclamen looking a little weather-worn...




Finally, a personal harbinger of spring...larkspur seedlings.  These are offspring of some from the Mary Washington House days.  I look forward to them every year.  There were so many weeds in this area, that I had to really pay attention when weeding not to inadvertenly yank them out, too.

Rolling On....

It's so fun to go outside and see what's new...I think we're at least two weeks ahead, possibly more.

I wasn't sure for a long time if this variety was indeed February Gold, but it does look like the other pictures on daffseek...


Because I always like a close up...


Still waiting on the new February Gold purchased last year from a different source...

Newly opened Cassata...will turn all white with time...



Also just opening is Arrowhead, a Cyclamineus type that will recurve as it matures...


My dwindling Easter Bonnet...growing amongst the tree roots and being shaded out by azaleas...


Other flowers....Pink Roman Hyacinth...quite the vigorous bulb, unlike its blue cousin...


Cyclamen Coum...


Iris reticulata...this one blooms in the foliage, not an attractive trait...


A better picture of Galanthus Viridapice (no wind)...


One of the Golden Lotus Strain hellebores...


And...the worst for last....beware daffodil virus (these will be removed tomorrow)....remember, no mercy!

Fragrant Shrubs Starting to Bloom...

One of my favorite shrubs is about to burst into bloom...the backyard daphne...


It's especially nice this year as the one I have in the front yard has become a vole victim. The cats have dispatched the vole...but, I'm guessing it feasted on the front yard one for a few weeks while we had all that snow....shoot, and that one was planted with vole block. At any rate, I'll enjoy this one....nothing like the fragrance...Daphne Aureomarginata....

Daphne Alden's Regal Red will also be blooming soon...unfortunately, it suffered a split in the center of the shrub (heavy snow)...however, it won't be fatal, just will disfigure the shrub.

While we're thinking fragrant shrubs...


...my last witch hazel is blooming. It's the only one I have after last fall's shrub purge...it's nicely fragrant.

The ever faithful Viburnum Pink Dawn is just getting going as well....



Yesterday the first two blooms of an iris reticulata opened...today, a few more...


Even more blooms today on crocus Lilac Beauty...


When I took this one, I was doing so to mark another little patch of crocus starting up....neat, though, to see the little pollinator...


In another area, this crocus seems to have migrated a bit, but I like its placement...

Nearly hidden away by the front steps and under the mushrooms, this hardy cyclamen is blooming...


and, of course, a couple more snowdrops...

Viridapice


and a double, Nivalis Flore Pleno...just starting to unfurl...


Still no daffodils....rain expected for the next couple of days....maybe next time I'll have some daffs...at last...to show.

Catching Up...

Hardy Cyclamen, I believe it's Cyclamen coum...


Notice how much rounder the leaves are. This was a nice little find (below). I have tried this Sedum a couple times now, without success (Ogon)...however, check this:


Here are a few pieces that have overwintered. Yea! One of the things I like about sedum is that while it sits in my pot ghetto, it can be prone to dropping pieces which then root. Lucky for me. Maybe the pavers kept it a bit warmer here as well.

I am not a particular fan of spireas. I grew several while I lived in Washington (state) and yes, they were quite easy care...but, they just didn't deliver (to me) on their promise. However, for the last couple of years, I have greatly admired one that I see in spring while I'm down in South Carolina. I didn't buy it because it was much too large (I like small things....easier to plant...they'll grow). So, I ordered it...or so I thought. Sigh. These orange leaves are not the bright neon yellow I was expecting (like the sedum above)....maybe they will turn...if not, sorry, but I want the one I want.


This, flower friends, is a survivor. It is the simple garlic chives. Some years ago, a small bit (much like what is there now) came home with me from the Mary Washington House. I have, every year without fail, abused it. (not intentionally, mind you) I weed whack it completely, only noticing when my nose smells oniony-garlic and there appears to be nothing left. It's in a weedy area that perhaps this year I will gain better control of. I could have sworn that I inadvertently pulled it out numerous times (along with the chickweed, etc.)...yet, here it is:


I grow lots of regular chives (with the pink flowers) and couldn't do without them. Perhaps this year....finally...I will enjoy garlic chives. And, yes, I will be sure to cut off those white flowers (no reseeding everywhere here).

The Johnny Jump Ups are putting on a fine show...for the first time...here. Maybe because they have planted themselves here and there (vs my trying to plant them). The color variations are fascinating...






I like all their little variations. I'm still planting daylily seeds (inside) and working on moving even more outside into planting boxes...they seem to like growing in water....here's a picture...


*****

I am happy to report that I did get my lettuce planted but, alas, not the peas. I also rearranged some daylilies working toward clearing a bed for seedlings. Much more to do on that front. Rain yesterday, so no work outside.

I have...at last...acquired my much wanted Camellia Nuccio's Pearl! After waiting endlessly last year and finally being sent a different one by Wayside (so aggravating...not even hardy in my zone!....check that fine print when you order, by the way...places can be sneaky)....yesterday, I went to a very kind person's home....who received my camellia in error (so frustrating!)...and called me....I have the camellia in hard. It looks good....that pleases me....but what I had to go through to get it! (How hard is it to get one's name and address correct?? Pretty hard, apparently...) ....wish me luck! I think (yeah, right) this is the final camellia for me....space, you know...

Almost Autumn...

....and the gardenias are blooming!

Here's Kleim's Hardy:


and Chuck Hayes:


As you can tell, white is difficult to photograph. Maybe, though, you're able...almost...to smell them through the pictures. There's nothing like a gardenia for fragrance (unless it's a tea olive, winter daphne, etc....ha). I'm tickled with these as gardenias are rather difficult here. Both have been here several years now and I'm hoping they're getting used to things. Chuck Hayes has at least a dozen more buds. In fact, I suspect a couple more may be opening as I write. If they want to be fall bloomers, that's fine with me. Despite our water issues and harsh winters, it's pretty darn neat to see and smell gardenias by the front door!

Nearby is a clump of hardy cyclamen:


Among my many fall chores, I need to dig daffodils as some have outgrown their tight quarters. As an example, yesterday I dug out Flower Record. It started as maybe five bulbs in two spots...and look what it is now:


I was forced to tackle this one as one of my cats likes lying where these were planted and was constantly uncovering them. Well, no wonder when I realized how packed in they were. I suspect their tight growing conditions has helped to keep some of the bulbs smaller...they had no where to go. Well, now, they'll get spread out...and I can be the lucky recipient of a drift of Flower Record instead of two small clumps. Aren't daffodils great!

Two Years Strong!

Imagine that. Who would have thought it! Two years ago on a whim I decided to share my garden and, okay, bits of me with the world. And, we're still here...the garden and me! Both of us have changed some, expanding and retracting (probably more expanding than retracting, but let's not go there...), a little older, maybe a little wiser (maybe), more colorful and more adventurous, but...most of all...enriched by trying this blogging thing and meeting all of you. Really! It's been more fun than I expected (I mean, I didn't expect fun, but hey, I'll take it!).

Since I'm no computer whiz (yes, you know that), I won't entertain you with fancy graphics or whatever they might be called. I'll just keep on...doing whatever it is I do. Which means, I think, I'll talk about what's going on in my garden, what garden-y things I'm doing or seeing and especially those gardens I visit. And, speaking of that....(great segue, don't you think?)

Did you miss me?? I've been gone....however, I have lots to share with you! (I know, that file keeps getting bigger and bigger...so, I guess you'll just have to hang with me until I get around to it all...right?) Three new-to-me gardens are waiting to be shared, i.e., Portland's famous Japanese Garden, The Oregon Garden, and, my favorite of these, I think, The Bishop's Close. Of course, I went shopping (need you ask)! But, I was very restrained and only three (okay, four) plants came home with me...and some wonderful Oregon grown Dahlias (who can resist? not me). If you know Portland, you know about Powell's...so, yes, a few garden books begged to come home with me also (even a few cookbooks...oh right, that's the other blog...the one I will get back to one of these days). So, see, there's lots to talk about.

And, I haven't gotten to the Horticulture Symposium I attended before I left...can't wait to tell you all about that! A few things are coming up in the future (it never ends...or at least, I hope it doesn't!...it is Garden Education Season, after all!) and there's all that other stuff still waiting...

For grins, here's last year's anniversary post (there actually was a second one) and my very first one.

Because you expect it (don't you?) and because there are a few things to look at....here's what I found upon my return:

My second crocus to bloom (the first was already spent)...not the Cream Beauties I usually have (think they went along with the tree I had taken out...):


Those Snowdrops that were just poking out are going strong (and some others are now peeking through):


The Hardy Cyclamen that had just a couple blooms now has a nice little group:


Daffodils are putting up foliage all around, but I think these are the first buds I've found:


Yesterday, I was out doing errands and I happened upon a feeding frenzy at a local grocery store. People snatching at flowers (tisk, tisk, those of you who waited until the last moment...)...it was quite entertaining...and then I spied some tulips...quite cheap, too...and I just had to jump in....



Worth it, yes? A little blogging anniversary present to myself! Here's to a new year of garden adventures!