This is the day I wait for every year - the first tree peony blossoms. I bought this one because of the name which translates as Guan Yin's face. Guan Yin is the goddess of compassion and I am sure her face is as beautiful as this blossom. Tree peony flowers look fragile, but the plants are extremely hardy. I vaguely remember buying a bag of pink tulip bulbs last fall, and then sticking them in any old…
Ohhhhhh - Look at that! I cannot tell you how many times I uttered those words, and Le Flaneur listened patiently, turned and followed my pointing fingers at heucheras, sailboats, meat packing establishments, roof top restaurants and etc., etc., etc. We took the train into the city and set off to explore an array of Parks. We began at Battery Park, South Ferry, where people can get ferries to Staten Island, or Ellis Island or the Statue of…
Tulips of many colors and hues are in full bloom on Shelburne Falls' Bridge of Flowers. It's enough to make one stop - or at least slow down - to enjoy the day and be grateful to live in such an area where going about one's duties and errand running brings one this kind of pleasure. And don't forget you can add a little bit of the Bridge to your own garden by buying a plant or…
A walk through the blooming garden does not take very long this month. I do love the scillas reflecting the blue of this morning's sky. They have increased and increased and even seeded themselves in unlikely places. Last fall's moderate temperatures lasted so long, that we gave up mowing the lawn before the lawn had stopped growing. Glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa) shares this area at the end of the Rose Walk with the scillas. I planted them at the same…
The historic Bridge of Flowers is in bloom! When I ran across yesterday admiring all the flowers I met three visitors from Australia, taking lots of photos - and who could blame them. I took photos too. First there is the new sign on the Shelburne side. It was painted by Jane Wegscheider of The Art Garden and hangs from a structure created by Bob Compton of Rising Sun Forge. The flowers begin even before you step on…
These daffodils are growing into a rose bush - or the bush is growing into the daffs, I'm not sure which. These bulbs were here when we moved in 30 years ago. They are unusual in the slim pointed 'petals' of the perianth, and the fluffy doubleness of the cup. There is also a slight greenish tinge in some petals which I enjoy. I have Kathy Purdy to thank for identifying these daffs which are an heirloom variety…
The main task for these past few beautiful days has been setting up the new garden in front of the house which gets protection from the wind, and sun early in the season. I thought I could plant hardy vegetables here and start my harvest early. Once again I used the lasagna method of starting a new garden. First I put down old chick house cleanings in lieu of finished compost. We did not get chicks last year…
On April 1 I made it down to 'The Orchard', a term we use very loosely, and found that the snowdrops were up. But the snow lingers in the orchard, and we rarely go down there early in the season so . . . . I dug them up, in flower, and moved them to the Herb Bed in front of the Piazza. Deborah at Kilbourne Grove recently posted about getting a gift of snowdrops 'in the green'…
Finally, I was able to use the solar clothes dryer! The sun shone and temperatures are rising. The daffodills under Miss Willmott lilac have started to send up shoots. When I cleared away dead foliage I could see that the Lady's Mantle, alchemilla, has a lot is going on. The snow is gone from below the vegetable garden, and there was only moderate squelching across the lawn to see the snowdrops. My very first blooms.
The Boston Flower Show is back! There were flowers everywhere, in all kinds of arrangements and gardens. There was also a lot of water - a pond like this one with a stone 'lily pad' that appeared to float on the water. The pond was surrounded by azaleas, conifers and bulbs. I may have to do a whole posting about water in fountains and streams. There were flower arrangements like this simple vase of brilliant tulips for a…