Bloom Day, January 2012

This Bloom Day is the coldest day of the winter so far. -4 degrees at 7 am. Still I have a few blooms to enjoy. This Christmas cactus is becoming quite magnificent and sits in the corner of our bedroom where it is one of  the first things I see when I wake up.

We are still a little disorganized from the nearly completed work on our kitchen so this Christmas cactus is sitting it out in the Sitting Room which is on a separate heating zone and very cool.  The small white cyclamen behind it that I bought for Christmas is really enjoying the cool temperatures.

The real surprise is this fuschia. I bought it in the spring and planted it along with a colcasia (elephant’s ear). I was potting them up in my new potting shed when I knocked a bag of perlite on top of the fuschia and broke off the main stem. I was so annoyed with myself, but planted what was left anyway. It took at least half the summer but new shoots appeared and finally in the fall it produced these blossoms. We had a long mild fall but finally I brought the pot in, minus the colocasia which had not done very well because I think our hilltop is just too cool. The fuscia continue to bloom in our unheated Great Room where it gets lots of sun, but very cool. This morning it is just about 32 degrees and the heat has automatically come on. The fuschia has been our great winter surprise.

For more blooms around the country visit clever Carol who thought up this great idea at May Dreams Gardens.

The view outside this morning

Bloom Day – November 2011

Thomas Affleck

Between the fact that the weather has been so oddly warm, today at 7 am it is 55 degrees, and our efforts to prepare for a kitchen update, I forgot about Bloom Day – not that much is in bloom.  Still, I dashed out into the gray dawn. Certainly it is the end of rose season. Does this Thomas Affleck bloom still hanging on count?

Hardy peach chrysanthemum

An unexpected stop at Wilder Hill Garden in September sent me home with this beautiful mum, identified only as Hardy Peach.  It endured snow and rain, but I think it is still ‘blooming.’

When I timidly began participating in Bloom Day I was assured that ‘buds count.”  Budded now, you can see that this Thanksgiving cactus will be in full bloom on its name day. Unfortunately not much is blooming in Heath in mid-November. I even gave up on my abutilon, defeated by scale.

I look forward with pleasure to seeing other blooms, indoors and out, all over this great land and give thanks to Carol at Maydreamsgardens for giving us this gift every month.

Bloom Day – October 2011

Ann Varner Daylily

In spite of the warm fall, with only one real frost, the garden is beginning to die. Its demise seems to have been hurried by the three days of rain we just had. All these photos were taken in the rain. This is the very last daylily of summer. Ann Varner is a real trooper. Behind her you can see there are a few Buttercream nasturtiums crawling around, and it has been so warm that even the canna foliage isn’t completely fried.

Double Red Knockout roses

The double red Knockouts on the Rose Bank are still putting out a few blooms, as is Pink Grootendorst and ‘The Fairy.’ Too few to photograph.

'Thomas Affleck'

‘Thomas Affleck’ on the other hand is still blooming and budding, right near the entry walk. I got a lot more than I bargained for when I bought this rose.

This chrysanthemum, one of six (only three survived a spring bunny attack) is just beginning to bloom amid a tangle of black netting (against the bunnies) weeds and morning glory vine.

Its sister mums have been blooming for a while and the rain is making them look a bit bedraggled.

Love Lies Bleeding

Most of the potted plants are pretty well gone. I did not get the show I expected from Love Lies Bleeding, but I did not expect it to survive our frost either. You can see the petunias behind are still blooming.

Neither did I expect the lantana to be blooming still. I couldn’t resist that funky, wiry grass, but you can see I have a lot to learn about container planting design.

I love this annual salvia, my faux lavender hedge around the roses in the Shed Bed. The photo might be slightly out of focus, but I am going to blame the softness of focus on the rain.

The cascade of morning glories was still blooming in the dim showery light yesterday morning. ‘Granpa OttI’ is one tough old guy. I am really going to miss him, and they cannot go on much longer.

The rains were torrential yesterday afternoon, but it looks like we might have some sun today.  It is trying to peek out the patches of blue sky.

To see what else is bloom around the country be sure and visit our gracious hostess at May Dreams Gardens.  When I first began participating around three years ago I never dreamed that I would be creating a wonderful, and useful, record of what the garden was doing in every season. I send grateful thoughts to Carol every month.

Color may be all gone from the garden, but the last few days have finally started bringing a vivid blush to our woodlands. I had to drive to Springfield and even in the rain, on the highway, the drive was a pleasure.

Bloom Day – September 2011

Achillea 'Terra Cotta'

Even after Irene and the following storm that jointly dropped at least 14 inches of rain inside one week the garden is looking pretty good. This yarrow is still putting out blooms even through the foliage of the yellow loosestrife and a huge squash plant in the Front Garden.

These buttery yellow nasturtiums I planted kept washing away in the heavy spring rains but you’d never know how few plants came through. They are making the barrier-transition area between the vegetables in the Front Garden and the Daylily Bank.

Most of the daylilies look like this. They are nearly all gone by except for

Ann Varner

which began blooming early and continues to put out these brilliant blossoms.

Echinacea, Russian sage, pink phlox

Pink seems to be my color. The Russian sage makes a good companion.

'Alma Potchke'

‘Alma Potchke’ is just starting to bloom.

'Hawkeye Belle'

I planted ‘Hawkeye Belle’ last year on the Rose Bank and she is doing so well. This is quite an autumnal flush.

'Thomas Affleck'

‘Thomas Affleck’ has hardly taken a breath since beginning in mid-June. Notice all the deadheading I haven’t done. Other roses in bloom right now are Pink Grootendorst, Double Red Knockout, and Linda Campbell.

These morning  glories are on a bamboo teepee in  the center of the lawn. Surrounding the teepee are three quill chrysanthemums left of six after the bunnies lunched on them this spring, but they are just about to begin blooming. Among the weeds and the black netting that finally protected this whole little garden from the rabbits. Black netting doesn’t allow for much weeding especially if you don’t begin right away and keep it up.

Hooray for annuals in the fall. Down here in the potager I also have China asters and Gomphrena ‘Strawberry Fields’ in addition to the zinnias.

My traditional edging around the rose Shed Bed is this annual salvia. In lieu of the lavender I wish I had.

I keep waiting for Anemone ‘Robustissima’ to take over as I was warned it would do. It is still petite but it seems pretty strong.

'Mothlight'

I did not undrstand that this hydrangea would get as big as it is – maybe 10 feet.  The ‘Limelight’ and ‘Pinky Winky’ hydrangeas took a beating from the snow and the snowplow over the winter, but they each have a couple of blooms and seem to have recovered.

Of course I have a field of goldenrod and tansy. NEVER plant tansy. And wild yarrows and asters are blooming along my road.

To see what else is blooming across the country, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens who invented the fabulous idea of Bloom Day.

Bloom Day August 2011

My husband was amused to wake up yesterday morning and find me – and the gray cat – out in the garden weeding in between drizzly sprinkles of rain. I have been trying to weed for weeks, but somehow there hasn’t been time. And there wasn’t much time yesterday either, but you can get an idea of what is blooming right now: Miss Lingaard phlox hasn’t quite given up, a pink phlox is in full flower, as is Blue Paradise phlox in the next bed along with a deep blue aconitum. The pink echinacea, an airy Russian sage, artemesia lactiflora, coral bells, and a small allium that was all but lost in the weeds are in bloom.

Thomas Affleck

A few roses are still in bloom, most notably ‘Thomas Affleck’ which I pass dozens of  times a day as I go in and out of the house.

Meidiland red rose

This Meidiland red rose is the rose I used on the cover of my book, The Roses at the End of the Road. Pink Grootendorst, Carefree Beauty, the Knockout double red roses, and the white rugosas are still putting out blossoms.

Roses and lilies are a standard combo. These Stargazer lilies are hardly more than a foot high this year. What happened? I think they need more sun; they are growing next to and in the shade of a cotinus.

The ‘Black Beauty’ lilies and crimson bee balm in the Herb Bed are looking raggedy, as is the lawn, but they are putting up a good show – especially the lilies.  This year the Casa Blanca lilies have escaped the deer which makes me very happy, although I don’t have a good photo this morning.

The scarlet bee balm down in the Potager will need a major dividing this fall. Maybe the flowers will then be a bit more substantial.

Renee’s hot color zinnias, right next to the bee balm are looking great.

The Daylily Bank is still going strong, with strong colored daylilies, and a few tender yellows and pinks.

Tansy

Tansy is such a pretty plant – but horribly invasive. Never plant it! I have a field of tansy and it is coming up through the layers of cardboard and wood chips in the Potager paths. It is a nightmare.

For other beautiful garden in bloom around the world log on to May Dreams Garden. Thank you Carol!

Bloom Day June 2011

Salvia 'May Night'

The past few days have been cool (50s) and wet. Sometimes very wet. We got another 2 inches of rain. The sun came out for a few minutes last evening so just a portion of my Bloom Day photos show that summer light. This is Salvia ‘May Night’ in full bloom in the northern Lawn Grove. The new tree, only partially seen, is a weeping cherry. We moved the Sourwood tree that has been in that spot for at least three years because while it seemed healthy, it showed no growth. Maybe it will do better in another spot.

Dianthus - Cheddar pinks

In the same bed as the Salvia, these Cheddar pinks are just beginning to bloom.

Campanula glomerata 'Joan Elliot'

Also in this Lawn Grove is ‘Joan Elliot,’  a great plant. It is nearly indestructible, reproduces well which means I always have some for plant sales, AND it is beautiful.

Martagon lilies

The final bloomers in this Lawn Grove are the white martagon lilies. I thought they would be a little bigger, but maybe next year. The ‘Purple Sensation’ alliums planted next to the lilies have gone by, but other alliums are budding up.

Troillus and Snow in Summer

The southern Lawn Grove holds the new Blue and White arrangement that includes touches of yellow. Both of these plants have increased greatly since I planted them last year. I can see that the Shasta daisy to the left of Snow in Summer is looking pretty crowed with the cotoneasters encroaching on the other side.  This is just one place where I am having trouble calculating seasonal growth so that things look delightfully jam and crammed, but not overcrowded. I’m working on it.

Centaurea montana

We planted this perennial cornflower about 25 years ago. Even thought the plan for this spot has changed, the Centaurea montana as been persistent. Neither the unweeded roses, or the weeds have discouraged it.  I will have this area weeded before the Franklin Land Trust Farm and Garden Tour on June 25 and 26.  For more information about this great annual tour click here

Columbine

Years ago a dear friend gave me this purple columbine. I almost killed it planting it in hot sun, but it has thrived in the shade next to the Cottage Ornee. When I took this photo I noticed that some of the columbine are purple, and some are blue. I have not seen that before. I don’t know what is happening. Any ideas?

Culinary sage

The Herb Bed in front of the house has blooming sage, chervil and chives. Other herbs will bloom as the season progresses. The Thomas Afleck rose in this bed is also just about ready to bloom.

Yellow loosestrife.

This yellow loosestrife was growing in front of the house when we moved here in 1979. We love knowing it came with the house. I added ‘Terra Cotta’ achillea last year and this spring I added an ‘Orange Julius’ spider daylily that I bought at the Bridge of Flowers plant sale last month. I think this will make a nice combination if they all bloom together. We’ll see.

The tree peonies have come and gone. The herbaceous peonies are just beginning. First by chance, and then by design, I have many later blooming peonies to be an extra treat during the Annual Rose Viewing – or this year – the FLT garden tour.

Rosa glauca

So of course we come to the roses. Rosa glauca is usually one of the first to bloom, but not this year. I think I can count the number of tiny pink roses so far. But it is the foliage and magnificent size and shape of this rose that make it notable.

Rosa 'Blanc Double de Coubert'

The rugosa are also early bloomers. Oddly, these hardy tough roses are the ones who suffered the most winterkill this year, but the blooms, on diminished bushes, are as lovely and fragrant as ever. ‘Scabrosa,’ Dart’s Dash, and ‘ Belle Poitvine,’ are also blooming, as is Harrison’s Yellow. I’ll show which roses are blooming shortly before the garden tour, but I can tell you now I think we are in for the best Rose Season yet.

Thank you Carol for hosting Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens. Stop by and visit and see what is blooming around the country.

Bloom Day May 15, 2011

I don’t think I have ever had this Bloom before on my blog. Several forsythia bushes were here when we bought they house : they are so old and entrenched that we have never been able even to contemplate the work it would take to pull them out. They rarely bloom, but they sure do grow.  But this year!  Not spectacular, but a regular profusion. A milder winter?  Global climate change? I have no idea why, but the blossoms are very welcome.

Ice Wings daffodil?

There are lots of daffodils in bloom right now. I must have at least eight varieties in various shades of yellow and white, but I will let this one stand in for all the rest. I think it is Ice Wings and it is the most unusual of my collection. If it is Ice Wings it is a tazetta. The daffodils grow in the lawn and you can see the hawkweeds budding up.

Primroses

I love the yellow primroses that has been blooming in this weedy spot under the trees near our blueberry patch for probably 20 years, ever since I stuck the pot that I bought at the supermarket in the ground.

Cherry blossoms

We planted this sour cherry tree years ago.  I love cherry pie.  But we never get the berries, the birds do.

There are thickets of wild cherry trees around the hen house. When I look from a distance they are not impressive, and when I look up close they are just beautiful.

Cotoneaster

Last year for the first time the cotoneaster bloomed.  Or at least I noticed it for the first time. The blossoms are quite quince-like.

Muscari

Three blooms in one photo.  Muscari or grape hyacinths growing in the lawn, as well as dandelions, of course, and if you look very carefully in the top left corner, a yellow daffodil.

Bluets

We’ve been planting our windbreak and saw the first clump of bluets just starting to bloom.  These must be a wildflower, surely.

Viburnam

The vibrunams growing in our woods where they can get a few rays of sun have started blooming.  Can I call this plant a wildflower, too?  They seem to grow wild in the local woods.

There are other plants blooming, white and purple violets in the lawn as well as ground ivy, johnny jump-ups, sweet violets (not the lawn kind)-  and the lilacs have fat buds, but no bloom yet.

Thank you Carol for inventing this wonderful way for us all to keep a good bloom record of our gardens, and for making it possible to visit the blooms in gardens across the country. Click here to visit Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens.

Bloom Day – April 2011

Snowdrops

The snowdrops that are still blooming at the End of the Road give you some hint of the weather here. Temperatures did get over 70 the other day, but this morning we are back to frost.

"Diane" witch hazel

This is not an impressive photo and neither is the plant, but I am just thrilled that it survived the arid Summer of 2010. I chose this particular witch hazel because I love the color of the twirly blossoms and because my oldest daughter is named Diane.

Daffodils in Whately

Nasami Farm, the nursery for the New England Wildflower Society opened yesterday and I drove down to be there for the opening bell. Nearly there I was stunned to see this bank of daffodils! And on the way home I suddenly saw daffodils in bloom everywhere. Even the Mystery Daffodils along Route 2 planted by the Secret Midnight Gardener have started to bloom. Obviously my mind was not on the roadsides as I drove along.

Van Sion daffodils

This morning I walked over the frosty lawn and saw that the Van Sion daffodils growing into the Buckland rose are just starting to bloom.  I suspect those Whately daffs might be Van Sion, too, but I didn’t get close enough to check.

We can all check the virtual garden party over at May Dreams Garden. Thank you, Carol, for hosting this wonderful event. I just looked back at April 2010 and the garden was further along, but with the first daffodils in bloom now I feel spring has safely arrived.

Addendum:  I always walk around and take photos for Bloom Day on the 14th so the record was accurate as of 8 am. However, look what blooms the sun brought out this afternoon.

Glory of the Snow

Years ago I put in a few Glory of the Snow bulbs, and scilla bulbs in the grass at the end of the Rose Walk. They have increased substantially. I never realized they came into bloom so rapidly.

Scillas

I love scilla blue.  Now my own record for what is in bloom is complete.

Bloom Day March 2011

Narcissus bulbocodium conspicuus

You must all know that the abutilon is blooming this Bloom Day, as it always is.  The only other blooms I have are  Narcissus bulbocodium conspicuus, and Baby Moon miniature daffodils from Brent and Becky’s bulbs.

I brought the more floriferous pot to church on Sunday and left them there in the hopes that there would still be a good amount of bloom for next Sunday. It is wonderful to have such a sign of spring to share with the congregation.  The Baby Moon daffs are just starting to bloom, but even all the tall grassy foliage is encouraging.

The forced tulips and the grape hyacinths have gone by, but one of my two amaryllis has a bud that is finally swelling, and I have hopes that the other will soon give signs that a bud is forming.

Baby Moon miniature daffodils

I thank Carol of May Dreams Gardens for dreaming up Bloom Day. Go visit and see how flowers are beginning to creep across our national landscape.

Blooming on February 15

Pieter de Leur

On this Bloom Day I have slightly more to show than usual.  The large tulip blossom in the photo is just about ready to fall apart, but you can see three more blossoms will carry on.

These grape hyacinths are sharing a pot with the little hoop daffodil. The revelation for me is how much foliage comes along with the grape hyacinths.  I have another tiny pot of muscari on the windowsill by my bed. All the bulbs for forcing I have used are from Brent and Becky’s.

Abutilon

There is no more dependable bloomer in every season that the lovely Abutilon or parlor maple. One attribute I have never mentioned is that this plant is ‘self-cleaning.’  I don’t have to prune off the spent flowers, they drop of their own accord. All I have to do is keep the floor swept.

Thank yous to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for inventing and hosting Bloom Day. Logon and see who else has flowers, even while the snow lies deep on the land.