February...On the Path Toward Spring

Yesterday I finally remembered that I wanted to get a picture of the orange/red Witch Hazel in full bloom. What is noteworthy about this is that it is the very first time it has ever bloomed without a bunch of raggedy brown leaves hanging all over. See for yourself...


Wow. I hope it decides to do this from now on. It took quite some doing to cut out the things I didn't want to show (it is the backyard, after all). Here the blooms are closer (without my having to actually go closer...such a thrill)...


The good thing about going around back is that I got to take a look at things I otherwise wouldn't have noticed (today)...like that the Pink Dawn Viburnum is beginning to bloom. This is such a great easy care fragrant shrub. Always one of the first things to bloom (looking back...from January, at times,...with blooms into March...)...


That's pretty hard to appreciate, isn't it...so...


Near the Pink Dawn are some Summer Snowflakes....I believe I have Leucojum aestivum...which actually bloom in spring...I show you this group because it started as a small group of bulbs (maybe six or so?)...and look now...


They obviously won't be blooming for a bit. But, what makes this interesting to me is that I read somewhere that they will tolerate moisture and this is a damp area. Looks like they might even like it. I popped over to Wikipedia and found out they do indeed prefer the moisture...which explains why some of the others are not nearly as robust...they miss the water. I'll have to be on the lookout for some Spring Snowflakes. They apparently bloom earlier and have yellow spots.

This is for fans (like me) of Winter Daphne. Here's the infamous backless one in the backyard as of yesterday...


What's that I see?? Do you see it, too?? Look closely at the bottom...oh here, this will be better...


Yippee! One of the best fragrances in nature is about to perfume my backyard! I'll have to go have a look at the others.

While we're back here, in the backyard, I'll show you a few other things...a mixed bag, so to say...

I have a continuing erosion problem...that I'm working on...not too successfully so far....


As the water picks up speed and/or is less diverted, it is pretty powerful going through here...enough to knock out the stacked castlewalls. I have a dry stream of rocks, but that clever water has now just decided to go around the rocks. I need to get above it, I think, and figure out new diversions.

Below this area...liking the moisture...is my moss farm (just kidding)...


As you know if you're read other things here, I like moss! So, I'm actually pretty cool with this. It's certainly better than weeds, although there are still weeds here. This area probably has maple roots under it, is shady and quite sloped...it appears moss would be a fine solution...apparently, nature agrees.

All of you people out there who have nice flat yards filled with wonderful soil to garden in...where's the challenge in that??! (Just kidding...don't I wish)

While standing up near the orange/red Witch Hazel, it occurred to me to wonder if my other Witch Hazel might be in bloom. Far be it from me to actually walk down there (very muddy right now), so I trained the zoom over there...and look what I found...


Now, that is beyond neat! I couldn't even see the blooms (there are just a few...it's just getting going), but through the wonder of a zoom lens...there it is.

I am beginning to realize...like in so many things...that one must know the right questions to ask to get the right answers. While this lens is wonderful, I think it might not actually be what I need for tour gardens. I don't blame the salesman (he was great) because I didn't really know and based on what I said/thought...this was the lens he recommended. I thought I might not be able to get too close (lots of people) but I now know that I will eventually get close (sometimes you might have to wait a few minutes...or just go look at something else in the garden)...and this lens, great as it is...doesn't allow me to stand close enough...even at 70mm. I think I need a new lens (haha)! This one is terrific, just like I showed with the yellow Witch Hazel....but for touring, I need one that lets me stand by the flower and take a picture...and then zoom in even closer (no, the macro doesn't meet those requirements, although it is fabulous, too). Another trip to the camera store is in my future...maybe this time, I'll be able to better express what I need....and I just know there must be a lens out there that will be...as Goldilocks said...just right.