Rainy Days and Sundays ...

I had grand aspirations for today...

April was a month of cold, windy, cloudy weekend weather;  there was not much garden "maintenance" accomplished.  Now there is a pressing need for composting and weeding.  With recent rains and soft ground, pulling weeds should go smoothly.  Well, it would have ... with a forecast of partly sunny, 70 and only a 20% chance of rain today.

Then ... the thunder rolled ...

(From the creative minds at Microsoft Clip Art)

Outdoor plans were cancelled when it became evident this was really going to be our weather for the day.  I love thunderstorms, the smell of impending rain and damp earth.  The rains, with extra Nitrogen from lightning, have transformed all the vegetation outside to a saturated emerald green.

Besides garden maintenance, I had hoped to get some plants in the ground.  After waiting to get past the 'last frost/freeze' date (almost) for Zone 5A - I have had some impulse buys.  I bought a new Hosta (Albo-Marginata Plantain Lily), to fill in a gap in the front garden.  Last weekend, with the intent of window shopping, I found a "Banana Cream" Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum superbum) with my name on it.  (Checking that off the 2012 Wishlist).

"Banana Cream" Shasta Daisy (Leacanthemum superbum)

This past Friday, the local Boy Scouts were having their annual plant sale.  I was able to pick up two more Anemones (sylvestris), a "Turkish Delight" Sedum (ussuriense) and a perennial Pink Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) that could grow up to 8-10 ft tall!  Yesterday, when picking up some compost to plant, I found "Golden Globe" Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Globosa Aurea').   My intent is to pair them with the "Royal Purple" Smoke Bush in the front.  I think the chartreuse-tipped evergreen will contrast beautifully with the dark plumb leaves of the Smoke Bush.

"Golden Globe" Arborvitae - soaking up the rain today
(see the Royal Purple Smoke Bush in the top left corner - a match made in Heaven?!)

Pampas Grass, Anemone and Sedum - waiting for a new garden home

Between rain bursts, I did make a quick trip around the gardens.  Here are a few quick shots...

Sweet Autumn Clematis
(Amazing how delicate leaf tendrils hook a 'death grip' on the trellis; sculptured elegance/steel resolve)

Walk around the garden - 5/6/12
(White Asiatic Lily, Hollyhock, "Fire & Ice" Hosta, Weigela & Cheddar Pinks,
Sedum, Pink Double Knockout Rose bud, Candy Tuft, 'Shade Garden')

And last but not least, the pair of "Wine & Roses" Weigela I planted last year are heavy with blooms.  They are absolutely stunning and I highly recommend it if you like burgundy as a plant color-option in your garden.

"Wine & Roses" Weigela - a new fave in 2011

I also wanted to mention that I have had the good fortune to have two fellow bloggers nominate me for "Versatile Blogger".  Julia at Polka Dot Galoshes and Petro at The Seaman Mom have wonderful blogs you should check out.  My next post will feature the "Versatile Blogger" meme.  I look forward to putting it together!

Until then, pacem, amicis ...

©  All content and photography by Shyrlene Foster @ the Bunnies Buffet (unless noted)

Passive / Aggressive Gardener?

Weekends have become so precious.  The Monday through Friday routine on Life's "Habitrail" feels faster and longer, but then that could just be me?

What a GREAT photo - on the technology "habitrail"
(from the creative minds at Microsoft clip art)

I look out the window today, on a cool crisp Autumn Saturday, and it makes me smile.  The Arabian Nights Dahlia continues to bloom insanely, though the stems look more like abstract art?  Winds and storms blow the plants to & fro, and then new growth points straight to the sun...  (The stems are also very brittle, so 'note to self:  plan a better support system next year'.)

That 'baby' Shepard's Hook doesn't stand a chance
(trying to hold the dahlia up)!

Now, my question is ... why is it one minute I want to conquer the world (in my gardens), then in the next minute I look disinterestedly out the window, denying the season clean-up work that needs to be done?  Is that 'passive-aggressive'?  Is that 'burnout' from work?  ..or do I just need a few days off to recharge my batteries?  (Never mind, I think I just answered my own question.)

In the meantime, I have been appreciating the Autumn foliage!  My "$3" Garden Mums from Lowe's have come back for the 3rd season.  Their snowy-white blooms look amazing with the Royal Purple Smoke Bush as a back drop.  They also 'glow' in the night against the dark Autumn night.

Awesome contrast:
Royal Purple Smoke Bush back drop to the Snowy White Garden Mums

Up close and personal:  talk about the best 'bang for your buck'

Other Autumn 'pleasers', included a recent trip to pumpkin farm, Sonny Acres.  The entrance garden was fascinating:

Call me "Guppy" - I had to stop and check this out

Coolest plant in the garden!

And while the last of the season's blooms are out, some plants are throwing up a new growth, while others are done for the year - even without the 1st frost:

A snapshot in time ... 10/07/2011

As I toured around the gardens recently, I found a renegade Maple shoot changing colors (it was so cute I couldn't pull it).  The Center Glow Ninebark is fully recovered from last year's powdery mildew, and 'dressing' colors for Autumn.  The Cottage Garden is strategically placed near a Sunburst Locus tree, that showered all it's yellow leaves last weekend - they should mulch in the yard nicely.  The early Spring riser, Crimson Pixie Asiatic Lily went dormant early.  The new stone path in the Cottage Garden looks charming bathed in leaves, while the Dark Red Hollyhock/Malva continues to push a few new shoots.  And finally, the last dinner-plate Rose Mallow bloom faced the setting sun, one last time...

I  hope you aren't as conflicted as I have been about gardening.  I look forward to visiting your gardens this weekend!

Peace in the Garden! ...

Is it the "Buffet" or "Bed & Breakfast"?

Gardening this year as certainly been 'interesting' in the Midwest.  It's been unseasonal - continuing to be cool, cloudy and rainy (with intermittent hot & humid days interspersed).   As a matter of fact, I am starting to feel like not only do I provide a "buffet" for the local bunny population - but also 'refuge'.  Case in point:

Bunny 'Foo'
Seeking refuge under the tumble composter during a downpour.

There has been area flooding, but certainly nothing like Tennessee and Louisiana.  Standing water like this typically happens in March & maybe April - not June:

Even the neighbors with dogs try to protect their lawns with orange snow fence.

In spite of it all, my gardens continue to do well.  Here is what is in bloom:

The Pink Double Knockout Rose is in bloom -
protected by bird netting & "budding" Red Twig Dogwood  branches

My classic:  Stella D Oro Daylily bloom
(they've been with me since the beginning - the first time!)

Royal Purple Smoke Bush - reaching for the sky

'Crimson Pixie' Asiatic Lily

New garden addition:   Sweet Autumn Clematis - a gift from friend Lydia's garden
(If it ever stops raining, I'll get the trellis in the ground and get this growing wild!)

Rounding out a garden 'walk about':

From top left: "Wine & Roses" Weigela, variegated  Jacob's Ladder,
Actaea Ramosa "Brunette" Bugbane, Royal Purple Smoke bush, Moonbeam Coreopsis,
Double Knockout Rose, variegated Ribbon Grass, Asiatic Lily bud

It's another cool, rainy Saturday - but there is great hope for tomorrow, sunny and 70.  Time to plant the Bugbane, Jacob's ladder and a couple of new Anemones, to be clustered with the first one.  With all the rain, it does continue to look "lush", like Spring.  Now that I've finished my post, it's time to start surfing my favorite garden blogs.... batten down the hatches my garden buddies!  Can't wait to see what you are up to!

Am I - Really Ready??

For the last two months I have been making everyone nuts with my 'Spring Fever'.  I've looked out the windows longingly, every weekend, while I compose the post of the week.  There have been mounds of snow, blizzards, freezing sunny days and icy rains - and yet nothing has dimmed my enthusiasm.  The design planning, the wishlists, the researching - it's all gone really well.  All those activities require mental exercise.... but not physical exertion.   There in lies the problem.....

Let me sleep!!
(Clip Art from Microsoft)

Now I'm not saying that I need to train for a marathon - though some of our garden blog friends do.  Yesterday I had a BIG reality check after some light furniture moving & home sprucing for a friend.  I'm not as young or as strong as I used to be!  Not an easy thing to admit!

Now don't expect me to do "power stairs"....

NO way ... that's not going to be me!
(Clip Art from Microsoft)

I do need to get into better shape if I have any chance of getting my 'action item list' complete this season!  Aching backs and sore muscles are not going to cut it!  In the meantime, I have enjoyed the new growth on our interior plants.

The Hibiscus, Meyer Lemon and Oxalis are sending up new growth

The Fuchsia opened a second bloom.
What a treat in early March!

Since I've had 'gardening on the brain' - I took a stroll through the yard today, to get an early glimpse of what might be coming up.  The inclement weather took a break today, the snow flurries melted, the icy rain had dried up (mostly) and the sun was out.

Growing - 03/06/11

My biggest thrill was seeing the PJM Rhododendron - not only growing (a miracle for me - this is my 3rd try), but with flower buds evident!  As you see, it takes center stage on my collage.  I just can't wait for the iridescent purple flower clusters to bloom!

Also up and breaking through last season's leaves and debris - from top right clockwise: Common Orange Tiger Lilies, Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Hybrid - Pot of Gold),  Sedum (album chloroticum 'Baby Tears), Asiatic Lily (Lilium Hybrid - 'Crimson Pixie'), Paprika Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium), and Bugleweed 'Black Scallop" (Ajuga reptans).

So I better get going - putting together my 30-day 'warm up for Spring' routine together.  Otherwise I'll be crying the blues again, with some garden injury that could have been avoided (maybe)!?!  In the meantime, back to the books!!  (I re-discovered this great book in my garden library this weekend -- "Creating Beds and Borders" by fine Gardening.)  

Happy Gardening (and garden planning) this week!!!

I've Got it BAD!

It started this morning.  I woke up thinking of gardening --- really!

Ya, like I look that good when I wake up?!!

Red Husker Penstemon.  Karl Forester Feather Reed Grass.  I had the  'itch' to pull out my garden journal and start sketching what plants I wanted to put in the new "South-by-Southwest" garden.  Then I started thinking about all the 'bald'/empty spot's by my slumbering 'Crimson Pixie' Asiatic Lilies (Lilium Hybrid) by the SW corner of the addition.  I hadn't been a "red" flower kind of girl until I saw those beauties back in 2009.  The 'Center Glow' Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) looks great by them, but what else would compliment those early risers?

 

Not being able to sleep another minute - with my mind just racing, I got up and logged into the web.  It was a beautiful sunny day today, and I pulled the blinds wide open.  The Paprika Yarrow  (Achillea Millefolium) stood tall against the recent snow (it must be melting - on Wednesday you could only see the top of the dried blooms)

Paprika Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium)
Dormant in the snow

I started catching up with the garden blogs I follow.  My adrenaline got cranked up even more!  Garden Walk Garden Talk had a post that really struck me.  Donna has a design series of posts that I could really relate to -  focused on fundamental elements - shape, texture, color.  Check it out....  Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener had a more Zen moment (I need to tap into that!).  And Tufa Girl was another blogger who enjoyed a peaceful moment.  Along Life's Highway featured bunnies in the latest yard art "field report" post -- we know how I feel about bunnies (the good, the bad and the ugly).  I was a reading machine today.  Thanks, as always, for your inspiration.

I went nuts on "Google Images" -- downloading photos of all the plants I have on my '2011 Wishlist'.  Being a visual person - I needed a photo fix to inspire me.  Bee Balm, Meadow Rue, Shooting Star, Astilbe, Jacob's Ladder, Candy Tuft - to name a few.  (Hope I win the Lotto?!)

Then I had to do something tactile.  If I couldn't work outside, I'd add a little color inside....  just a little.

It's organic ... it's color, "The Spring Edition"

This wasn't organic - but was the "Holiday Edition"

Blue has always been my favorite color - but since I've started gardening, green has prevailed.  It's become a feature color around my home....  As I walked about, I started to appreciate what's inside.  Green leads your eye around from the kitchen to the family room...

The striped green vase was a recent impulse buy.  With the addition, I now have a lot of tall walls, so I had to re-adjust my train of thought - think tall.  During the Holidays I moved our Ficus tree into the kitchen.  It was not happy, and promptly started shedding leaves.  Once I moved the tree back into the family room - there was a big vertical void in the kitchen.  When I found some tall bamboo in a local craft store, I ran with it.  The 'next steps' in the kitchen - the back wall needs a 'feature' color, and then I'm thinking a photo collage would be great - combining pictures from my "Budding Photographer" and 'her' generous mother, who shares Mom's digital SLR.

Speaking of the Ficus, I had a fresh look in the family room to appreciate some of the live green there.

Ficus during the Holidays - tolerant but not happy

Ficus - happy back 'at home'

So, I'll see if this blogging is going to help satisfy some of my garden anxiety?  If not, I may have to be sedated.  Or I could channel my energy toward the Lotto --- lots of plants on that 2011 wishlist!

Happy Gardening!
(Come on Spring.......)