04-28-2013 Iris time!

...and poppy time, and roses time! Everything grows so fat in Spring!
from day to day, new things pop up, new blooms, new leaves, new shoots pushing through the still moist dirt. I walk the garden at least twice a day and, every time, I discover new things. AMAZEMENT is the word; you can't help but be impressed by what nature can do and I am the lucky one standing with his mouth open, in wonder!

A couple of weeks ago I was thinking I'd like to have one of those "Van Gogh" irises in my garden. Lo and behold, just a few days late I see an emerging bud in the desired colors(Obviously, I had had the same longing the previous year, done something about it and forgotten) When most irises open overnight, this one played with my patience and took several days of teasing before,finally, opening.          

                                     It was all well worth it!

Two days ago, I was sitting in the front sitting area, enjoying my lunch when a gust of wind totally covered me with thousands of dogwood petals falling into the kind of snow storm we can all appreciate in April in NC.

Work around the yard: spreading more wood chips thanks to Craig, my friendly supplier, weeding still but in more manageable quantities and I transplanted some leeks that had grown from seeds through winter.

Poppies started opening up, some from seeds I had not tried before; I am very happy with the results. The rose pergola is slowly starting to bloom; it should be in full splendor by next week.

What makes you think I really like this guy? It looks like it came straight out of Delft or a Van Gogh painting; may his poor, tortured soul rest in peace!

Red sage. Looks better in real than on a picture. It's one of those that don't translate well but when you see her, she grabs you.

Seen from the corner

Even invaders can look good at the right place and time: Virginia Creeper (With a name like like that, no way it was to become a best seller!)

Shade garden on the side street.

Shade garden seen from the street.

Corn and bush bean cohabitation

Snap peas, or my wife's snack bar in a few weeks.

Red clover

Partial bloom on the arbor. Next week should be their week.

Young lettuce> I can almost taste it just looking at it.

The pond in front of the house with its own variety of bog-loving iris

03-23-2013 temperature see-saw

Bearded iris given to me several years ago by my sister-in-law Connie Shertz. Doing better every passing year.

The last few days have seen major temperature changes from hot to cold and, last Saturday, while we were out of town, a strong storm tore a couple of huge limbs off the maple located between us and our neighbors. Fortunately for us, they had not parked their van in the driveway as they usually do. This saved us major insurance headache,

Some of those temp changes can have drastic impact on the Spring garden: the high heat we had for a few days sent my last escaroles and lettuce heads into seed production. This is good for nature but not for those of us who expect fresh produce for dinner. With global warming, transitions between seasons have become a little harder to figure out with any luck.

On the other hand, tomatoes, beans and corn are in the ground and kind of relish a more subdued sunlight.

These little yellow flowers promise some great cherry tomatoes in another 9 weeks (Remember: gardening is based on a lot of patience; we're always waiting for something happening in six months or two years. Impatient abstain!)

The house and paths are slowly disappearing behind fast growing foliage and blooms.

Here, the Chicago fig tree is quickly hiding our sitting area.

Good time of the year for transplants. I have moved some Canna lilies to the back fence and started raising some sunflowers to fill in the gaps. I can't imagine Summer without tons of those sunflowers in all shapes and colors satisfying bees, birds, butterflies and myself. The first roses have started appearing left and right and bamboo shoots are growing so fast you can almost hear them.

You can see why it's called a "Bearded Iris."

Big fan of ferns; they remind me of Summer camp.

green face is showing up. Was, actually, today is too cold.

Can't wait for this one to open all the way!

I received those English Blue bells several years ago from Karen Tharrington whose mother had brought them over from England. They look much better this year than they did last year.

Lady Banks rose

Clematis

First poppy to shyly unfurl its tutu.

This swamp iris is not bothered by temperature change; just give it some good mud and it's happy to show off.

04-14-2013 Pollen, pollen and more yellow stuff!

                                    Who can resist such beauty?

While pollen has made everyone's life miserable the last few days, I must say that Spring has also shown us amazing colors that we all almost forgotten.

Driving through Raleigh, dogwoods, cherry trees, crab apples and, now Wisterias are in full display. The colors are simply amazing and trees are leafing at an amazing speed. In this garden, I can expect new blooms just about every day. Sometimes, walking around morning and evening already brings some new tulips or irises.

For the last few days, pollen has covered everything, including yesterday when it came out with a vengeance after the morning rain had washed the yellow stuff away.

Two things, though, right now mornings are mainly great temperature-wise and evenings are just glorious. They remind me of those evenings in my childhood that felt so good, I did not feel like going in; I'd stay out till the first sign of darkness. It feels just like this right now. Although tonight, I did not relax and enjoy it, I was planting my corn, bush beans and home grown tomato plants before the expected rain tomorrow. I was still watering when darkness fell.

Leaves are open up so fast that the house is fast disappearing behind all that foliage. Just two days ago, those pear trees were showing white only from the flowers. Now they've turned to leaf green already.

Fairy wings on the side by the street.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dutch iris

Coral honeysuckle.

Wild snapdragons

This one needs a scratch and sniff app; it smells so sweet! Chinese wisteria and spice bush.

Spice bush all covered in pollen.

Columbine

This one, I posted exclusively for Lorraine Skrinak. She'll know exactly what this promises.