Fancy Grass...

I continue the process of moving the burning bushes that were around the paper-bark maple. i have two left to go. We purchased two types of grass to plant in the burning bushes place around the maple. They are two Purple Fountain Grass which grows to a height of 4-5' and two Fox Red Curly Sedge which grows to 2-3". I really like how these grasses look around the maple.

I also got and planted 40 Blazing Star bulbs. 20 each of purple and white. They have been planted through-out the garden.

Honey bee!

I was delighted to see this little girl on my grape hyacinth. With all of the problems that honey bees are having these days, from mites to colony collapse... it's nice to see them around and in the flowers.

April Showers!

Today it felt like April... not March, not May, APRIL. One rain barrel is ful and the other well on its way. We ended up bringing the second one in the house on Monday because high winds blew it around. But now it is back in place and gathering water. Prior to having that set up, Joseph filled a bunch of buckets from the first rain barrel... so we have one full barrel and at least four big buckets full. YIPPEE!

Yesterday I started edging/trenching the bed along the sidewalk. The phlox are doing well but the grass was taking them over. I got about 7 feet done... not much, but its a start. and the robins are happy to "run the trench"

Moving Trees & Shrubs

Today I moved three serbian spruces that were located along the driveway. They are now down along the south corner under the large pines. They had been struggling for a year. Three of the seven had already died off... So i'm hopin gthat getting them out of the sun will benefit them. I have one serb left along the driveway.

The spaces left by the serbs are being filled in with burning bushes that had surrounded gandalf. I moved three this evening and have three to go.

I alos moved the holly that was in the main flower bed. It now resides along the bottom edge very near to the moved spruces.

Fern in Progress

Fern in Progress
Originally uploaded by pjslomer.

I have this fern that grows near my back door. When it unfurls it is a lacy green leaf and is beautiful. I took this macro shot of it and was astounded by what i don't see without the macro... the little "hairs"... and what looks like a diagram of the inner ear... how curious...

A Viola named "Freckles"

A Viola named "Freckles"
Originally uploaded by pjslomer.

This is the second year for this viola. I'm happy to say that it has multiplied and is doing well... despite the stange cold spell that we had a week ago.

Spring Finally!!!

Temperatures have warmed up and it feels like winter has finally finished. It was a busy gardening day today (Earth Day). Joseph and I trimmed the shrub that had been a msytery until last year when i notced the distinctive peeling bark of a birch. We "revealed" the tree within the shrub today. Leaving four stalks and a very pretty shaped tree.

We put the rain barrels out in anticipation of the rain that is moving in to the area tomorrow. I also put out the glass bird bath and repaired the ceramic bird bath. The statuary has also been moved outside... and there is room in the garden room again.

The "freckled" violas (shown here) are blooming in abundance.

Warmer Days

Lily
Originally uploaded by pjslomer.

Today the weather was near normal... we've not seen that in quite some time. Joseph pointed out the lilys in bloom and i grabbed the camera to get a few shots. I have a lot of these little lilys in the garden, but the deer have been very fond of them. They have even nibbled through the chicken wire to get at the lilys... must taste pretty darn good.

Also noticed that the freckles viola has buds. Quince has buds. We have one pansy in bloom.

Still Cold...

We continue to be in a cold spell... Today it was above freezing but not anywhere near normal. This evening it started to rain while the temperatures fall. The freezing rain mark is up near Slippry Rock to my north. I'm hoping that it stays there.
I continue to cover the bleeding hearts at night... taking the buckets off during the day so they get rained upon.
I've noticed my a lot of the daylily leaves are looking rather freezer-burned.
Anxiously awaiting Spring...

When will it BE Spring?

It continues to be cold, windy, rainy and grey... The bleeding hearts remain protected under white buckets. We uncover them during the day and cover them back up at night. The night temps continue to drop below freezing. And snow is in the forecast for this weekend. argh! I find myself not taking time to look at the garden as i scurry from the car to the house. Maybe tomorrow i'll be able to slow down and take it all in.

Happy Easter...

Egg 02
Originally uploaded by pjslomer.

Happy Spring!

Indoor Gardening

With the garden still covered with snow, i opted to do indoor gardening instead. I gave the african violets their special violet food today. All the other houseplants got a dose of miracle grow in their water. And that was the extent of gardening for today!

This was made from an image of maple blossoms... with a fun little program from DUMPR...

The return of Winter... ahrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...!

Yes, winter has returned with a vengeance... today was in the 20s and snowing... and we have at least three more days of this. I put plastic buckets over my bleeding hearts. They weren't up very high but i was feeling overprotective of them. The rest of the garden i am letting fend for itself. The daffodils, hyacinth, tulip, etc. are sued to the cold. I'm thankful that we are up on the hill and i don't have a warm micro-climate like i did in town. For the most part, things don't appear too early up here. It tests my patience but is much better for the plants.

So Long...

To the wonderful friend that was the pine tree near our kitchen door. We loved and appreciated the shade and privacy that you gave us. We enjoyed all of the birds that would land in your branches. And even tho' we still have the totem pole that is a part of you... we'll miss you lofty presence.

Little Worlds

Grape Hyacinth
Originally uploaded by pjslomer.

I love the grape hyacinth... i expect to see tiny little garden gnomes or fairies moving in and under them.

It has been a challenging year for these babies... seems that the deer and bunnies like them too.

Buddha with daffodils!
He stands beside a dwarf weeping larch that is just starting leaf out... actually needle out, not leaves.

Trees in the making...

Last week, Sandy gave me trees that she recieved from the Arbor Society. She had made a donation and they sent out trees (at this point they are no more than small twigs). She has a wooded lot and no room for sun-loving trees, so i am giving them a home. Yesterday I planted the "trees" in two large patio pots. We'll see which ones (of the 11) take hold and then transfer from there... probably after a couple years in pots. So we have baby:

• Dogwood
• Crab Apple
• Redbud (we've always wanted them)
• Golden Chaintree
• Hawthorne
• Pear

I really needed some trees in the making since today they came and took down the dead pine near the back porch. I'm really gonna miss that tree... it was so big and glorious... and the birds loved it... especially the woodpeckers. We had them leave the tree trunk up to about 12 feet. That way we still have a bird feeding station... and a visual block between our kitchen door and our neighbors garage window. We'll need a blind for on the kitchen door now because the reflected light off of the white house next door is insanely bright.

Oh well, little seedling... grow fast!!!

APRIL showers...

Rainsrops on Daylily leaves
Originally uploaded by pjslomer.

April 1 and the day began with rain... over an inch of rain.

While the rain continued to come down, Joseph and I took to sprinkling "milky spores" in the garden and around the birch trees. We used up what we had in this grub control... and i went and purchased more for future use. I also purchased a forsythia since Joseph mentioned that he would really like to have one.

After the rain stopped, I moved the butterfly bush that was in the main garden... down near the fire ring. I also moved the "pinks" from the sundial area to main garden... trying to protect them from the deer. We planted the forsythia along the pine line at the back of our property. I also planted the assortment of "potential trees", aka twigs... in two pots on the patio.

Noticed new groth on the honeysuckle, clematis, spiderwort, bleeding heart and astilbe.

Bradford pears are leafing out... as is the crabapple.