Those of you watching the Olympics probably know that, much to the consternation of the officials, El Nino weather is all about mild temps here in the Pacific Northwest. I know. I shouldn't gloat but I'm shamelessly doing it anyway. I got to play outside today. Yippee! It was enough just being able to do my thing, but I had the added pleasure of frog-speak and birdsong to serenade me and two cats with their typical aloofness doing their best to distract me. Figure that one out.
Don't you just love these dwarf Bachelor Buttons? I took this photo last summer. I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe... they will reseed.
First and foremost on the agenda, the long-overdue, wear-your-grubbies-because-you'll-be-covered-with-more-spots-than-a-teenager-on-a-chocolate-binge task known officially as STMFTP or "Scoop The Muck From The Pond." We're talking seriously long overdue, folks. I was thinking that any members of the indigenous frog families that could be considering expanding their clan might be a bit more attracted to a body of water devoid of the unmistakable anaerobic stench that comes with six inches of submerged, rotting leaves. Not just frogs either. People. Believe it or not my gardening friends, the photo below is a blurry rendition of the CLEANED pond.
The two photos below are of the same area in summer. I need to stare intently at these so the winter photo won't plummet me into an uncontrollable, crying, what's-the-use-I-suck-at-gardening fit. No water is visible thanks to the burgeoning Parrot's Feather on the far right. See it? The Parrot's Feather, I mean. Not the water because... Okay stop the merry-go-round.
Above: the pond is just to the right of the fat string of driftwood my son brought me one happy day last year. Believe it or not, I couldn't locate any photos aimed directly at the water. Weird.
Pulmonaria 'Reginald Kaye' is just one of the surprises I embraced after removing a wheelbarrow-load of last year's, uh, let's just call it "bounty."
A glance at Daphne transylvanica 'Summer Ice' makes me think of fellow Pacific Northwest gardener Catherine. Is yours about to bloom too?
Lonicera fragrantissima Winter Honeysuckle is starting to bloom. On a warm spring day this plant is nose-candy extraordinaire! In summer, however, the plant, with its random, inexplicable stem die-back, is hard pressed to garner any ribbons.
Top left: Aquilegia vulgaris 'Woodside Strain' is up and at it while party animal Silene dioica 'Clifford Moor' [right] never did go to sleep. Bottom left: Here's a shameless rendition of the sad, sad winter garden. Isn't it lovely? NOT. With the aforementioned pond on the right, the aforementioned cat undergoes her preening duties dead-center in the path where passersby can conveniently trip over her. And, [right] the wheelbarrow's net worth of my efforts. A good, hot soak in the tub sounds good right about now.
Click on COMMENT below to voice your reactions. Thank you.
.jpg)
15 COMMENTS, Click here to add yours:
Go ahead and just gloat. It's okay... it's too early to think about Spring here, yet, anyway! ha. But it's WONDERFUL that you were able to work outdoors today! Congrats! I'll be watching your progress. :-)
It was beautiful here today too. I was able to get the roses pruned, but that was about all the time I had. It's pretty amazing how far ahead so many of my plants are now.
My pond cleanup got skipped again last year, this year it has to get done. I can't believe how much it fills in around and in your pond! I love how full it is. Maybe if I left my plants in the ground long enough to get that big mine would look as good.
Yes, my Daphne looks about the same stage as yours. I think it only stopped blooming for about 2 months this year.
Hello lady! hope you had a delightful Valentine weekend. As always, thanks for the wonderful garden tour. We have lots of things popping in the garden including one older rosemary plant that is in bloom... go figure.
Plan your days, for Wednesday and Thursday are forecast 60 degrees; thus, you won't see me in here. I'll be in the greenhouse if you need me. ;)
Okay just gloat girl. But at least think of us here who are about to be hit with yet another snow storm. I was not happy during January but February is really beginning to be a pain in the butt.
Ugh, you reminded me that the pond full of gunk has to be cleaned out this spring.You would think one would know enough not to put a pond under a couple of maple trees for pity sakes. LOL!
Your Summer Ice Daphne is just so pretty. Love the variegated leaves.
Beautiful photos.
I was just about to get way to envious of your weather. Then when you mentioned what chores you got done, well, I wasn't quite so jealous:) It's OK to have great weather in February if you spend it cleaning a stinky pond:)
Snowing here and you can't even see the garden.
Marnie
Update: Blotanical still not accessible. I hate to say this but I have been visiting my favorite blogs and commenting using my google favorites recently... faster and with garden season upon us, I'm running short of time. ;)
Last year at this time I was the gloater! That el whatchamacallit(!) has winter settling in here for way too long. I am terribly concerned that another week of it will do poor Priscilla in (or me). I've got the cage set up and tomorrow when she steps in to get her food..I am gonna slam that door and whisk her off to the vet and then to her new home!
Please let me lie on a lounge chair in your garden and release this bird brained anxiety! Looking at that gorgeous bloom will revive my spirit beyond measure. Gail ps Thanks for listening;)
Every time I got out there, the skies would open...so I got the soaking in the tub part without any of the chores getting done. 60 degrees on Thursday will more than make up for it.
You anything-but-suck at gardening Grace!!! I think your garden rocks! Truly. Those pink bachelors buttons are to die for. I may just need to start some. I hope they reseed for you too. I can't even imagine cleaning the pond right now. What was the water temperature? Did your hands freeze off? I keep forgetting how much of a difference there is in weather. This summer it can be your mission to take new photos of the pond ~ I know there is a lot of eye candy to distract you but just stay focused and do it!!! ;-)
Okay, I better sign off before I get any more jealous!!!! Enjoy your spring garden.
I think you're entitled to gloat;-) Especially after cleaning out your stinky pond! That's exactly why I changed my mind at the last minute and had our large 'hole' filled in...with the huge trees that grow in our backyard it's impossible not to have debris...and I'd already had one there for a number of years and knew I wasn't going to be as excited about keeping it up the 2nd time around. I loved it though...Isn't it funny how you couldn't find a photo looking at the water itself...Hey, it's about the flowers, right?! If I could stroll through your gardens I would feel like I'd died and gone to heaven!!
Gloating...gloating! We are so lucky here in the PNW. I need to humbly remember that more often.
As for your willingness to show your winter garden, Grace, it's brave and admirable. After all, everyone's garden has days when it's not gorgeous. Thank you for being real!
OK Grace, I am going to give you my best pep talk here.
I know, you live for flowers. I know, nothing pink blooms in winter (well, except my viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn'), maybe you need one of those, though like the lonicera we both have, it's nothing to look at in summer).
But... winter is a time to rest, reflect, relax, hibernate, recharge. If we could garden every day of the year, maybe we'd get bored! Or maybe not, but this is a pep talk, remember?
Your water-streaked and trusty barrow loaded with the fruits of your labors speaks for itself - gardening is a process, and those showy plants you so love need their winter nap so they can look great all summer long. Well, you know all this, I'm just trying to cheer you up. :) I need to plant more winter interest in certain parts of my garden, but am grateful for what I have and try to let it pull me through the darker months.
Oh, I found a pulmonaria under some un-raked witch hazel leaves recently!
I think I'm packing up and moving to the Pacific Northwest! ... yes... jealous... very jealous as yet more snow is predicted here tomorrow... *sigh* I guess I'll just have live vicariously through your garden for now! :)
Oh, I hope the Bachelor Buttons will reseed for you, too! They r gorgeous.
I miss my garden friend.... did you know that I moved to wordpress? I hope you will stop by and see my new photos that I share from my Midwest Garden.
http://www.bggarden.com/blog/
Your blog is amazing as always... at least I know where to find you!
Post a Comment