Larkspur in the June garden
With Winter (unofficially) half over - yea! – and the hustle and bustle of the Spring gardening season yet to come, perhaps it’s time to sit back and celebrate your gardening achievements.
Pull up a comfy chair and a hot drink. Do you keep a photo album or garden journal? Bring that out too. Now indulge in a bit of happy reminiscing.
Did you plant something new last season that was especially eye-catching?
Did you get a nasty weed situation under control?
Did you finally get a more efficient watering system established?
Did you repair, refresh or replace a valuable hardscape component of your garden?
Did you adapt at least one “green” technique for maintaining your garden?
Did you share your love of plants and gardening with your community?
Please share your success stories with me!
Archive for January 2009
Doin' the Twist
The rope-like, twisting growth habit on this apricot tree is unusual, so I’ve been told. These photos are of different branches, spaced out around the tree. The twisting is most obvious in the larger branches. This tree was grown from a seed, so the contortion may be a genetic aberration. So my question is: is this unusual or unique? Should I be contacting the plant patent office?
Doin' the Twist
The rope-like, twisting growth habit on this apricot tree is unusual, so I’ve been told. These photos are of different branches, spaced out around the tree. The twisting is most obvious in the larger branches. This tree was grown from a seed, so the contortion may be a genetic aberration. So my question is: is this unusual or unique? Should I be contacting the plant patent office?
Winter Colors #2
Arctostaphylos 'Panchito'
All of the photos is this post and the previous one were taken this past Sunday, January 18, 2009. Other plants showing color now include most of the Penstemon, Thymus, Dianthus, and the Cerastium. Winter indeed!
Stachys lantana
Euonymus coloradensis
Tanacetum densum ssp. amani
Viola sp.Winter Colors #1
Verbascum bombiciferum
I discovered flowers in my garden yesterday, little Johnny-jump-up violas; sweet and welcome in the mid-winter drabness. As I continued strolling around, enjoying the sunshine and warmth (temps in the mid 60’s), I was surprised to see how many plants look good right now in their winter foliage. Some plants are very green and fresh looking, some look cozy in their furry grey, and others are boasting in red and purple. What plants are contributing to your winter garden vista?
Vinca minor
Helianthemum nummularium
Mahonia aquifolium compacta
Iberis sempervirensCandy Canes Year ‘Round
This lovely candy cane bamboo (Himalayacalamus falconeri 'Damarapa') was photographed in my sister’s garden in northern California. The canes, when exposed to sunlight, show off their irregular red and green variegation. Really stunning! A small specimen clumping form of bamboo, candy cane would not be hardy in my zone 5 garden.
Another photo from my recent travels shows a lovely Asian inspired entry garden that also features bamboo. The fence and gate are beautifully crafted but, unfortunately, the whole scene has no relationship to the home it was built around! There is a serious lack of harmony here between the architecture and the landscape. I can only hope that, in time, large plantings inside the fenced area will also be established to create a transition from house to entry.
Another photo from my recent travels shows a lovely Asian inspired entry garden that also features bamboo. The fence and gate are beautifully crafted but, unfortunately, the whole scene has no relationship to the home it was built around! There is a serious lack of harmony here between the architecture and the landscape. I can only hope that, in time, large plantings inside the fenced area will also be established to create a transition from house to entry.
3,596 Miles
Now that’s a road trip! Our two week odyssey took us from Denver to Las Vegas, through Death Valley and California’s Central Valley to the far north coast of the Pacific Ocean, across to Lake Tahoe, then back home again via Salt Lake City. Whew! Not only did we log a lot of miles, but we also experienced some crazy extremes in elevation: Vail Pass, Colorado at 10,666 feet above sea level to 282 feet below sea level at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, California. We were fortunate, and down right lucky, to have wonderful weather and good roads the entire time we were traveling.
The vast, extreme vistas in Death Valley are amazing. It took us an entire day to make the basic loop around the perimeter of the park ---it’s the size of New Hampshire, after all! I would recommend staying at one of the lodges or campsites inside the park (which we did not do) if you really want to explore it more thoroughly, hike, etc. Today’s photos feature the salt flats around Badwater Basin.
Above: Looking back at the observation deck.Below: Nope, that's not frozen snow slush, it's salt!
