Catching Up in the Labyrinth

If the Redbud bush is blooming, then Spring must be on the way!  This is a Cercis Candensis 'Don Egolf' that I bought from the National Arboretum several years ago, and it is finally getting to a significant size.  Not that it won't get a lot larger.  This year, with the sudden shift to warm daytime and night time temperatures, it is blooming at the same time as the Serviceberry tree next to the shed.  Usually the Serviceberry is several days ahead. 

A few of the hellebores are visible at the base, and it looks like there is room for more.  I do have some that need to be moved out of the North Garden, and this spot has potential.  Of course, once the Redbud leafs out, they won't be able to be seen.  But that is the why they will fit - seen when blooming, blending into the background the rest of year.

I will be happy when the Redbud will be visible in this view, across from the other side of the labyrinth.  As it is, if you look closely, behind the tree trunk, the very tips of the branches.   Lots of the bulbs are up, including the new grape hyacinths and anemones in the front, pink and blue Dutch hyacinths, yellow and white daffodils.  We scattered the bulbs, hoping and expecting that they will multiply over the years, to become large clumps over time.  That is already happening with the daffodils that were put in a year ago, and it is very satisfying.

You can see the zoysia grass is just beginning to turn green.  I also hate to admit it, but some of that green is wild onions.  I need to mix up my nasty blend of RoundUp with dish detergent.  Using a cotton rag and wearing gloves, I wipe the leaves a few times, and the detergent strips off the waxy coating, allowing the weed killer to penetrate. It is slow, but over the years, I have radically eliminated most of the onions with using extensive amount of chemicals.

 Here is a close-up of one of the hyacinths behind the new growth of the false indigo, with a bright yellow/green ground cover.  The early spring colors for many things seem so much more intense than later in the year.  The fast growing foliage has a flush of color once the plants attain their full height and harden up for the intense heat and light that is coming up.  Very soon.  There will be turning back once the cold air is gone, and the sun become more intense.

Finally, there is a Spring ephemeral making its first appearance in bloom, planted last year with the hope it would match the catalog description.  This is a Ranunculus ficaria 'Brazen Hussy.'  Bought from the Plant Delights Nursery I am particularly delighted that it was introduced by Christopher Lloyd, whose garden, Great Dixter, captivated me many years ago.  I have learned a lot from his books, and am pleased to have a plant that he introduced into broad use in horticulture.

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Catching Up

I admit it, I have been delinquent in keeping up with all that is happening in the yard.  It is not out of any lack of interest or desire, but because I have been away both for work and for rehearsals in Boston for an upcoming trip.  Then, when I finally got to the house last weekend, the day was rainy.  I only got in a couple of hours, if that much, of work before the weather got in the way.  Again.  It has been raining most weekends when I have been there.

So, here are some pictures from the North garden.  The first shows the ever expanding clump of Mayapples with their broad, multilobed leaves at the back, with Narcissus, in front.  In the very front are the emerging Day lilies and Celandine poppy.  A nice mixture of textures at this early stage.

The Speckled Wandering Jew, which I wrote about last November, is also coming up out of the ground.  You can see the remains of the old stems that I left at the base so I would know where to look for it again.  This was an impressive ground cover for a shady spot last summer, and I am tempted to see if I can get more plants either by rooting the stems or division.

It is very good to see it again, since a number of the Zone 7 plants I have bought over the years have not survived the winter.  I don't understand what all of the factors are, since the new USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map shows the whole area to be 7b.  I am concerned about a new Agapanthus  last year, that is looking like it is killed back. I am pursuing a hardy Agapanthus for my garden, but it must be a blue one.  I had high hopes for that one last year, since it both bloomed and was putting on significant new growth.   I just have to wait and see.

 Finally, the shrub in the corner is beginning to bloom.  I don't have my records of the different plants with me, so I cannot identify this one.  If my sister, when she reads this blog, would remind me what this bush it, I would appreciate.  She is my one regular reader, so thanks in advance.

That is the beginning of the catch-up.  I will add more photos later.

Feast for the Birds

So, there I was stuck inside with bad weather - rainy, cloudy, windy.  I had noticed the berries were disappearing from the large holly tree growing behind the house.  But I had yet to see any of the birds enjoying the feast.  Several years ago, there was a flock of Blue Birds who started at the top and devoured the berries within a day.  Last year, in the middle of the heavy snowfall, the tree filled up with about two dozen Cedar Waxwings.

As I started eating lunch, birds started flying into the holly, moving so fast it was not clear they were.  I did notice a robin who was sitting still, but not really eating anything.  Then, one Cedar Waxwing arrived, then a few more.  They were working their way from the other side of the tree, as if they knew I was watching.  So, I got my camera, and even though I was shooting through the window, and there were heavy clouds at the time, I sat and waited.

The Cedar Waxwing was the first to strike a pose.  Then, to my surprise, a Blue Bird flew in - only one, but that was all I needed because he stopped in a wonderfully open part of the tree.  He did not stay long, and I didn't see any others the whole time.  They never stay around very long, but they know about this holly tree. There are a half-dozen other hollies that I have planted (which still survive I might add), so there are more reasons for more Blue Birds to come.

Then, another bird arrived that I did not recognize.  David told me he has seen them around several other times.  So, first I tried to get a good picture. 

Once I had something I could use as a reference, I pulled out the guide book.  So, here is a new bird for me, the Northern Flicker, an Eastern Yellow Shafted, along with a Cedar Waxwing. 

Many wonder why we haven't cut that holly down, because it blocks so much of the view of the water.  But every February and March, when I see all of the birds eating the berries, and learn to identify new birds, I know I will never cut it down.  It is such an important part of the natural habitat.

Hellebores!

What can I say, but that I love Hellebores!  When everything else is sulking in the ground, waiting for warmth, they push their way up, and give their best.  The variety of colors is not wide, but the differences from one plant to the next are part of the party.

So, here are photos of five different Hellebores. For some of these plants, this is the best they have done, having been bought as small plants.  None of these have fancy names or plant patents.  But all make me smile.  So, rather than try to fill this out with words, let me just let the pictures say it all.