Spring: a New Beginning for the Garden

Spring brings the greening of my garden. Even without my hope it turns green and exciting. Particularly long awaited is the arrival of my pink Lady Slippers.

Each Spring a New Beginning

It has been a good deal of time since I have added to this blog. But finally spring has arrived and plants are in bloom in my garden again. I've been out getting the garden ready for summer enjoyment and have been enjoying every minute of it. Some of the early show in the garden are my pride and joy, my pink ladyslippers. These were rescued from the bulldozers which created the building lots in the woods behind our house. Lady slippers are very particular. They take ten years to form a bloom and if picked they won't bloom again (or at least for another 10 years or something to that effect). This plant rarely survives transplanting. It also uses a fungus in the soil to absorb nutrients from the soil. So here for your viewing pleasure are my pink lady slippers!

Winter "Blooms"

Snow on the Echinacea makes "blossoms" white as newly bleached cotton and fluffy as egg whites beaten with sugar to form sparkly peaks.





Holly is one of the evergreens of the garden. The green of the holly is fresh and crisp like new leaves in springtime but we still have two more months before spring brings those kinds of delights on the other trees in the garden.

Snow Princess

Woke up this morning to a beautiful snowfall, the kind that makes you glad you have an errand that will have you driving along the many roads through the hills and suburbs with the snow cover making even ordinary views sparkle.

Of course, Tober (my snow princess) wanted to go out to play in the snow. With this kind of snow the garden has its "special winter blooms" and takes on the look of a special winter retreat.

"Weeds"

Weeds are a part of every garden at least for a short time. Though they are not intended to be a part of the "color" in the garden, they can provide small delights in their daintiness and color up close. This delightful lavender weed seems to delight in multiple blossoms. And the buttercup yellow weed seems to continue to add blossom after blossom as up the step it goes, each a perfect little orchid shaped flower. Of course, there are the old standbys of yellow goldenrod, so brilliant in the later part of summer and the Queen Ann's Lace always appearing around mid to late July reminding me to slow down and enjoy the summer abundance like lace curtains blowing in the windows from a summer breeze.

Hydrangeas-the Harbingers of Fall

Two "snow-ball" bushes in the yard are loaded down with large and very full "mopheads". Their range of beiges and whites goes from beautiful ivory one would find in a bridal gown to beiges of the beach sand so recently caught between the toes on the beach. Some even go to a deep rose pink.
Large bouquets have been picked and brought indoors to dry (fall bouquets that will grace the Christmas tree and garlands when the time comes).
Of course, both Tigger and Tober have come around to find out why I find these bushes so interesting. They love having company in the garden.
The blue hydrangea also calls to be admired. This hydrangea is called "Everlasting Summer" in contrast to the "Snowball Bushes". It continued to bloom all summer. This hybrid has its own website!
Tonight may be our first frost, if so it is later than some years but let's hope we keep our gardens going for a few more joyful days of summer in September.

Butterfly Garden

Several of the plants in my garden have been planted to attract butterflies. They seem successful at attracting monarchs but not much else. So, what's a butterfly lover to do. Visit a Butterfly Indoor Garden! Luckily, Magic Wings www.magicwings.com is located not too far away in South Deerfield. Take a look at the various butterflies from around the world. If you can identify any of these for me I would appreciate it. I am going to have to make a second trip to the conservatory to help identify the butterflies that were gracious enough to pose for my camera!

Garden Security: Meet Tober

Meet Tober! Our garden security guard. Though she is 13 years old, she still hunts regularly and keeps our yard free from moles and other destructive critters. She also monitors the neighbors yards for moles as well, particularly helpful for them since they have such beautiful lawns (we on the other hand mainly focus on flowers, trees and bushes). Tober was born as a feral cat but retrieved from her mother by my daughter when she was old enough to be separated from her mother (also a long haired beauty). She lived with my daughter for many years, most of the time as an indoor cat (but she had her nights of escape every now and then). Tober adapted to many apartments in the Boston area. Finally, my darling daughter could not take two cats with her for one of the moves and Tober ended up with us (my hubby and I). Though she spent the first six months with us running to the cellar everytime she heard a strange noise or got nervous, she now is our princess cat and very affectionate as well as a great companion (she is quite talkative).

Double Daylilies!

Double Daylilies are a favorite subject when my daylilies are in bloom. They make some of the best Wedding and Anniversary cards. They appear to be to so triumphant. Yet each blossom is fleeting lasting only one day. Good thing each plant has lots of blossoms. They are very carefree, flamboyant and showy. Their subtleties of color delight the eye.
Here are a few more of the sunbathing beauties.








These daylilies were an anniversary gift from hubby's dear sister. They are a gift that keeps giving and giving. More than just double happiness. Happiness each season they bloom. The last photo is the view towards our front yard from the dayliliy location. Blooming flowers bring me into the garden to see them but then the show goes on with other scenes played out in soft greens and great lighting.