Bluebell Time

Towards the end of last week was reckoned to be the peak of the native bluebell season around here so we made a quick drive to take in the sights along the riverside.

 The blue is such a pretty sight in the woods where the trees are not quite leafing out yet.

There are masses and masses of these and I guess I was feeling on "overload" as to what to photograph next as I did not really take too many shots at all.

I was on the lookout for other good looking photo potentials and with the blue sky and somewhat still day I kept  trying to find something that looked good in the late afternoon sun. In this instance I liked how those white looking tree trunks show up on the far side of the river.

 This tree right by the river obviously loses a good deal of top soil every time the river is in flood stage. And yet it keeps on standing upright.

Back in my own garden I have been rewarded this season by a number of blooms on my own bluebells. These were planted in 2011 and quickly went into hibernation that season. Last year there were only two flower stalks total among the eight plants.  This year however all of the plants have flowers on them and this is the one with the most blooms. They are still nothing like the size that they are down by the river but perhaps it is a case of giving them time to settle in. And this year the spring bloom season is quite a lot later than last year with lots of cool weather (and snow even) in March.

Maybe another river walk is called for before the season is totally over.

Why we shouldn't underestimate nature

How long is the time between winter and summer? If I start the day wearing corduroy pants at what time is it reasonable to change into shorts? Whoa, this sounds like sensationalism but really it is a true reflection of what has been happening here lately.

 I may have shown you this view (above) that was the scene on my front yard on March 25 - yes, just sixteen days ago.

 And this morning, the same view. Wow.

Overnight spring arrived. Last evening as I drove down the driveway at 6.45pm I thought "darn it, I meant to take a photo of the cherry trees this afternoon" but I had not. Tuesday morning I had carefully examined both of the trees and there was not a single flower to be had but by early evening a few buds at the very top of one tree had opened up.

 When I raised the blinds this morning it was like wow, instant springtime! The two cherry trees out front were covered in fully open blossoms.

 Volunteer pansy and viola plants are happily blooming in the most unexpected places.

 Can you believe this one? Not even 1" high - I left my mug there for scale. What is keeping it alive? This afternoon I found another similar one just in front of the black iron upright post in the background.

 Out back the rhubarb plant is rapidly growing and the periwinkle is showing it's color.  The bird baths all had to get filled up and the birds started using them right away.

 One happy chore that announces the season is open is the annual first hanging of the hummingbird feeder. I have yet to see a hummer in April when, reportedly, the first sightings are made. But, in happy anticipation, I still try to hang the feeder out in the first week of April.

The spring season is easily two weeks behind what it was last year. Daffodils, cherry blossoms, periwinkle and more are behind schedule. But then there was all that snow in March.

Another less fun chore of spring is the cleaning of the electronic air filter. That is a time consuming one since they each first have to be soaked in the cleaning solution for 30 minutes, carefully hosed off and wiped down and then set out to dry for at least two hours. Once I get done with this post I need to bring them in off the front porch and re-install them so I can turn the air conditioning back on so we can sleep tonight.

Yes, it's whoa to go. The reason for the wearing of the shorts today was that the temperature got to the mid to high 80's  with more of the same promised for tomorrow.

I'll leave you with this last image of the daffodils and periwinkle taken this morning after the lawn got the second cut of the season.

Right now, at 8.36pm the outside temperature is 83 F (28 C) and I must post this and then go and re-install the air filters.

The Easter Bunny Cometh

and other assorted seasonal trivia.

 Yes, indeed, the bunny did show up in time for Easter. Look carefully now.

 With the very cool temperatures we have been having the blooms on the plum tree have been looking good for longer than usual.

 We are always slow to eat the Easter candy in our home so I thought if I made a display I could get extra mileage out of it.

 Outside some of the spring bulbs are flowering. Oddly, for the scilla (bluebells) there are very short stems this year as if the flower buds were saying "oh, I can't wait for you stems and leaves to catch up - I'm ready to bloom now without you!".

Not that you can tell from this photo but the lawn had it's first cut of the season this morning. At 7.45am when the outside temperature was not yet above freezing. Oh well. It's only grass, it will grow back.

And on the second positive note for the day that demonstrates spring is nigh I watched as a very determined chickadee spent the afternoon going in and out of the birdhouse that only ten days ago had snow on the roof. It is indeed a desirable residence.

Never mind a white Christmas...

It's a white Easter I'm more worried about!

The recent so-called winter season has been all topsy turvey. December through to February saw us receive very little snow. But March? OMG!

This morning I went outside with my camera around 8.00am. 

 It looks very picturesque doesn't it?

 Remember that "desirable residence" of a couple of posts back? There's even more snow on the roof this time. Fortunately there has not yet been a signed lease! But how long can it be before a potential tenant appreciates the glitz and glamor of this shot of orange in the snowy landscape?  Last week I was excited to see a bluebird flying around this nesting box - I'm guessing it was attracted by the blue paintwork but the hole is too small to allow entry for a blue bird. Further back in the yard is a house specifically intended for bluebirds but I have yet to have success and have a bluebird move in. Maybe I should apply some blue paint to that one!?

 Out in the woods the open air compost heap has already compressed a pleasing amount. And maybe after a lean few years it might be time to try filling this bird feeder again. It is a proven squirrel proof feeder but the chipmunks can empty it in about 24 hours so I have not filled it at all in several years.

The bird condominium was all cleaned out only a week ago ready for the spring season. In the background you can see evidence of how bored the squirrels have been this winter - they have stripped all the bark of that cedar tree and likely carried it on up the trunk to where they have a nest. Of course the squirrels might contend that they were cold rather than bored and the bark has helped stop the drafts in their high rise apartment. From an artistic point of view I like how that one medium brown tree trunk gives some color to the snowy scene.

 And that pretty daffodil photo of a few posts ago?

This feeder did get filled on Saturday for the first time in several years. This afternoon there was a steady stream of small birds flying in for "take-out". I hope it is a long time before the chipmunks find it again.

But yes, with Easter Day just six days away who would have thought we would be having snow?

In Anticipation of the Garden Season

Last week it was time for the early spring cleanup in my landscape. Weeds were pulled out and bushes and trees pruned as necessary. Or, in the case of some bushes along the front of the house, pulled out entirely.

The otto luyken laurel bushes were planted at the time the house was built in 2000. They were fine bushes but their mature size was too big for the location and they were planted too closely together. In the past several summers they have been repeatedly attacked with a fungus because there was not enough air movement (due to the close planting) and have had to be treated repeatedly. It was time for them to come out.

A nandina domestica had been planted in the corner to block the view of the white pipes that control the sprinkler system. Again, it was a lovely bush, with great color all year and the added benefit of berries but at maturity it was just too large for the corner it had been allocated. So out it came also.

 Now I have empty open space to be planted. I will be looking for smaller sized shrubs that can be planted a little further away from the house so it is easier for a painter to access the front bay window as well as allowing light and air movement for the window frame. But those white pipes are not a pretty feature and do need something planted in front to hide them from view.

 In the fall last year I decided to experiment and see if I could get the hydrangeas that had spent the summer on the front porch to overwinter. I cut them back by a good half and relocated them to a cool room on the ground floor.  They got through the exile in fine condition but are already covered with green leaves indicating they are ready to go outside. My goodness, I even found a flower bud ready to burst open.

But, it is too early in the season for them to go outside just yet. It is also too early in the season for the plant nurseries to have much new stock in to look at so I can decide what to fill that big empty space out front with.

Roll on springtime!

Looking for Spring in all the Wrong Places

As you may know I like to use this blog to record events as they happen in my garden. Then I can look back and check when spring arrived in years past.

Anticipating my absence from this past Friday to Sunday I realized I would not be able to photograph the first daffodil and plum tree blooms of this spring. On Thursday the blooms were almost out...

 But when I went outside this morning (Monday) this is what greeted me.

 Today my landscape guys were scheduled to come by and do the spring pruning including some trimming up of the holly trees here (below) to open things up a little. The laurel bushes in front of the house (above) are going to be taken out - although they are good bushes they are too constrained by the space they are in and require constant pruning as well as spraying for fungus problems caused by their tight quarters.

Will the cooler temperatures have frozen the balance of the daffodil buds I wonder?

 A "to do" list item for the boys on the weekend was to install and/or clean out the bird houses ready for the spring market. This newly erected desirable residence can boast snow on the roof - alas, I'm not sure that is going to come very high on the "must have" list of the birdies out shopping for a new home.

Pruning and early spring cleanup has been rescheduled for Wednesday. If I concentrate really hard maybe I can persuade the weather gods to relent and let us have good sunny days ahead to enjoy all the pleasures of seeing the garden awake for the season.

One last winter storm

The news media went into overdrive a few days ago predicting that we were finally to have a real snowstorm. An avalanche of forecasts for a heavy, wet snow with anywhere from 2" to 10" or maybe even more was what we were told to expect. Now since we have barely seen snow this winter people got all geared up for it and prepared for what to do on a snow day. Schools were declared closed, government offices closed, businesses urged people to work from home and local authorities asked you not to travel unless absolutely necessary so the snow plows could keep the roads clear.

This is the scene at the back door when I got downstairs for the morning on Wednesday. H'mm, not much snow there, maybe more is to come?

This is what we had at the heaviest - but since temperatures had been warm in the preceding days the snow never did stick on the road.

 Out back the daffodil leaves are poking above the snow by several inches.

And this maple tree in the foreground is covered in buds.

And by this morning, this is all that remained. The neighborhood children have waited all winter long to play in the snow and could not resist this chance to at least try to build a snowman.

This coming weekend we change over to daylight savings time so this was the last chance for old man winter.