I keep waiting for the other cold-shoe to drop and technically it still could since it's only the middle of February. For now, however, things in the garden are just peachy. Yesterday, I had the good fortune of capturing photos of this little visitor--a painted lady butterfly! How sweet she was, sharing nectar with the bees on my blooming viburnum.
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| Winter-blooming Viburnum bodnantense 'Dawn' |
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| T-Shirt weather! |
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| My covered-patio thermometer is even happier. |
More evidence of spring, baby tadpoles in my outer pond!
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| Lots of algae for them to eat. |
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| Fortunately my patio pond is much clearer. |
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| Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata' in bloom. |
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| White crocus or as I like to say "croakies" |
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| Purple croakies |
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| Brunnera macrophylla is beginning to bloom |
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| A few tiny Oxalis crassipes blossoms to add to the mix |
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| Check out the enthusiastic Impatiens omeiana babies |
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And I'm happy to see that my Impatiens omeiana 'Silver Pink'
survived what was admittedly a mild winter. |
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| Impatiens balfouri and I. glandulifera seedlings abound which means the soil is warming. |
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| And Kenilwoth Ivy (Cymbalaria muralis) is popping up all over. Some people hate it but I love this stuff. |
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| Even Tetrapanax is happy with the weather. |
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| I'm surprised how big my Allium schubertii are getting |
How about a few befores and afters?
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| Looks like a mess, doesn't it? |
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Most of those tiny leaves are Geranium x cantabrigiense 'Karmina.'
According to my records, I planted it in 2002 so its spread is understandable, but a bit of tidying is called for. |
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| Another angle |
Afters
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| I replanted all the Geranium bits and cut back the ferns. |
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| Yes, it's the little things! |
Finally, just a few random photos of the garden waking up. Still so much to do!
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| Here is a shot of this whole bed, including the aforementioned, tadpole-filled outer pond. |
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| Another angle |
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| A tall Kale holding on with raspberry canes in the background |
Finally, to all of you are still under the grip of old man winter, I hope these photos
are helping. Spring really is just around the corner.
With all the plants starting to stick their noses up in my garden, I'm already starting to feel like I'm behind on the cleanup. If I take much longer, in some areas, it's going to be hard to work around all the new foliage.
ReplyDeleteIt's so great to see the overviews and notice—as another Oregonian—how very bright everything is! I can't get over this t-shirt weather...how can this be February? Global Weirding that's how. Nobody promised consistency, just utter confusion of weather, like what our friends are going through on the East Coast. Gracie, what is a Tetrapanax? I've never seen one. It's a pretty interesting looking specimen. (I wouldn't turn my back on it-:))Your garden is coming along sooo beautifully with the care you give.
ReplyDeleteThat looks so nice! It will be awhile for us yet. The temps are going to be near 0 again for the next few days. But the windchills will make it feel like a lot more cold.
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks neat and tidy after its clean-up - it's ready for spring. And how exciting to have tadpoles! I remember finding tadpoles in the back garden of the house I grew up in almost every spring but now that inland valley area is even drier than the one in which I live - and I've never seen tadpoles, much less frogs, here.
ReplyDeleteCrocuses, Daphne, and Oxalis blooming! Oh my! Lucky you! You're butterfly photos are beautiful, too. :)
ReplyDeleteYour way ahead of us. Im ready
ReplyDeleteButterflies AND tadpoles? Wow - you've got it going, girl! I need to work on the shortage of water in my garden this year. I covet your ponds...
ReplyDeleteSpring is really taking leaps and bounds for you! I hope we don't get another cold snap. I can't believe the butterfly, great shots. I can't even get close to them in the summer. It's great to see your blooming plants, and your garden clean-up is impressive. I'm moving plants and doing clean-up too.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness what a delight to see your spring blooms in February....I just hope I see mine in April.
ReplyDeleteOh, how exciting! I like seeing spring's arrival in warmer zones, knowing that it is headed our way. It's hard to believe it right now, though, with temps 20 degrees colder than normal.
ReplyDeleteYou have TWO ponds?! Well now I'm really jealous.
ReplyDeleteMy naughty "wild" impatiens are up, too. You're right, it must mean the earth is warming.
Doesn't it feel so good to have the beds clean and tidy? I love that part, it makes such a difference.