I’m thinking that Spring is about three weeks behind this year. If I didn’t know what date it was, I would assume it was the beginning, rather than the end, of April. A long, hard winter and a late-in-coming spring. Yesterday? Rain. Today? More rain. I do take comfort in the fact that we will reap the benefits of all that moisture, whether snow or rain, in lushness of growth.
This is the large garden bed. I took this photo yesterday. Last fall, when I was away in Hartford, a huge maple limb came down in a storm and fell on the garden. It stretched all the way across the middle of the bed.
You can see the sawdust that still remains – a remnant of all the chainsaw activity the day after the storm. It was late September when I returned home, so I had no idea what plants might have been destroyed because of the damage. This perennial bed has been lovingly established over the past eight years and the thought of losing any of the plants made me very sad.
The good news is it looks like all is well. I can see the beginnings of most everything that was in the path of that limb. Time will tell, but it looks better than I thought it would.
The hyacinths (mystery bulbs that I found deeply buried in one of the other garden beds) are gorgeous this year.
My Annabelle hydrangea, ever reliable, is leafing out.
Sedum Autumn Joy, long established when we moved here, is blessing us with its beauty.
The lilacs are ready to open. (The blue tarp around our chimney is protecting us from leaks until we can scape together the money to repair it.)
We’ve been doing a lot of bramble clearing and we have the wounds to prove it. What a pain in the tush – and the arms and the legs! We were clearing some of the brambles that are near the shed when I noticed this young tree, which was about to be overwhelmed by those pesky, thorny branches. I’m happy to say it has been freed. Does anyone know what kind of tree this is? The leaves are the maroon color of a Japanese or Norway Maple, but it is neither. I have a tree book somewhere around here and I’m determined to solve this mystery!
And the weigela bush (it’s not a tree), like clockwork, has beautiful buds ready to open. I love this bush.
Aren’t they beautiful?
I spent most of the day on Monday outside, clearing out garden beds, cutting back lavender plants near the kitchen, neatening up the stone edge that surrounds all the beds, pulling weeds.
I am passionate about gardening. I love it all, but I especially love perennial gardening. It takes patience. It’s not an instant garden. But one of the great joys of living here after years and years of apartment living and/or house renting has been the opportunity to create my very own gardens. The only bed that was established when we moved here was right next to the house and that area had only a few hostas and sedums. Everything else I’ve added over time. The beds now stretch from the driveway to the far side of the house, from the chicken wire fence to the shed. I love my gardens and I’m proud of them.
I wrote a post in 2012 called: Why I love Having a Perennial Garden. You might find it interesting.
Gardening, that meditative and peaceful process, takes me to another place where I lose all sense of time, which makes it the perfect activity during this period of mourning. It offers some respite from my grief.
It’s too early to plant seeds – that is at least another week away. But we did plant some wildflower seeds in an area to the left of the shed. I hope they take root. Our plan is to call it Shirley’s Wildflower Garden in honor of my mother. Cross your fingers.
On another, seemingly endless, note: Those of you who subscribe to this blog may have noticed a lack of posts lately. But in reality, except for Friday and Saturday of last week, I have been posting every day. This problem is due to Yahoo and AOL making changes in an effort to stop spam or spoof emails. I subscribe to this blog via Yahoo, AOL and Gmail and the only consistent delivery lately has been through Gmail, though I did get the post via AOL yesterday. I’ll say it again. Bookmark the blog. Visit directly. (Quite frankly, when you visit the blog directly, it helps my ad income.) Or subscribe through Bloglovin’. I’ve seen a few posts on how to fix this problem but the jury’s out as to whether it will work. So I’m not doing anything until I know, for sure, that the problem will be solved and that I’m not creating another problem in the meantime.
I’ve written about this several times but I’m still getting messages from some of you saying you haven’t received my posts lately. I can’t make you bookmark the blog’s URL or subscribe through Bloglovin’ but if you don’t, you probably won’t receive any updates. It’s up to you, my friends. I would sure hate for you to miss anything!
And finally, the winner of a copy of My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag…and Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha is Janet in Rochester. Congratulations, Janet! I’m sending you an email.
Happy Wednesday.
Wow I think Spring is further ahead in your area than mine. We don’t even have buds on the trees yet. The grass is green but that’s about all. I need to remind people about the feed issue, but so far mine has been fine.
I am still getting your posts, Dawn. I noticed that the address is “No Reply Blogger” which is why they are still coming through, I think. Since it is Blogger and not an individual email address that looks (to Yahoo, etc) like it is spammy, it’s working. Not sure why it is No Reply Blogger, but it looks like it’s to your benefit.
There’s just nothing like totally immersing yourself in something you love doing is there? And just think of the reward fpr all that work you’re doing. I love the idea of a garden in your mom’s memory, very sweet, and something you can lovingly tend for years to come. Happy Gardening Claudia!
Thank you, Janie! Today, alas, it’s raining, So no gardening for me.
Spring will be like a breath of fresh air to you especially this year Claudia. Enjoy every little flower bud! Cindy
I will, Cindy!
Hi Claudia, enjoyed the walk around your property. Funny how things are different in varying zones. Our hyacinths are just about gone (as are our daffodils), but our lilac is not as far along as yours (perhaps because it is from Vermont — and pretends it is still there – lol). Our wisteria is budded and will be very full again and our iris are up like crazy, but no signs of buds yet — just leaves. I do love the idea of a wildflower garden in memory of your Mom – how beautiful. Enjoy your contemplative time.
Daffodils are up – some have bloomed, some haven’t yet. Tulips are up, no blooms yet. Forsythia are flowering. But these gray skies aren’t helping speed things along!
I’ve never been much of an outdoor gardener. I do love plants and have always had indoor gardens but in the past few years have enjoyed outdoor container gardening more. Your property is so pretty. Wishing you a good day.
Linda
I think outdoor container gardening is great. I used to do that when I lived in an apartment in San Diego. I couldn’t do it in my other apartments because they were on upper floors with no balcony. Have a great day, Linda.
It truly is a late spring. We have had incredible wind and rain since Sunday and it’s supposed to keep on raining through Friday. The temps are in the upper 40’s and low 50’s. My lilac is leaf budded, but no signs of the flowers as of yet and the forsythia is leaf budded, but also remains all green. My sedum looks just about the same as yours and the rest of my perennials are all coming up as is the rhubarb. It definitely is trying, but not getting much assistance in the areas of sun & warmth. I am worried about my rose bushes after this horrid winter. The resilience of perennials, such as after your limb incident, amazes me every year as they push their way through for another season ~~ “I think I can!” ~~ it is a good mantra for spring for sure!
Your tree w/ the pink buds looks just like our apple/ (or a flowering crab, maybe)??
I planted a flowering cherry tree when my Mom died 10 years ago. I keep a plaster angel under the tree all summer which makes me smile each time I drive in the driveway. I think planting anything that grows and lives at a time like this is the perfect thing to do to help with the grief and to extend our memories. Have a good day, Claudia.
Lots of rain falling today, Chris, and there are flood watches up. I hope my rose bushes are okay, too. Two look fine, but the other one is questionable….
I’d like to plant a tree for my mom – a flowering cherry tree would be lovely.
Spring is doing much better in your neck of the woods than mine! It’s just been too cool here this spring. Wildflower garden in honor of your mom….sounds fantastic! G-mail working just fine…I click over for all blogs….cause I know you get extra $$! Rain here predicted until Saturday. We are off to North Carolina tomorrow to take a friend to see her daughter…road trip! Hopefully when we return….it’ll be nicer here…maybe even springlike! ;)
Have a wonderful trip to North Carolina, Donna!
Claudia-
So glad you mentioned bloglovin . I haven’t gotten some of your latest posts in fact I’ve not gotten some of my own! I didn’t realize that you were on bloglovin– I usually read my email in the morning with coffee after the grandkids get here and click over from there ALL ON MY IPHONE. So I haven’t seen the link on your blog.
So I’m glade you mentioned it for that as well as, reminding me to notify my own readers to do the same.
Thanks!
All of the flowers are behind here too. Not as much probably but behind everything has greened up here and we’ve had to mow twice already!
Take care – peaceful days and prayers for you. Pat
PS: I linked to your dollhouse posts in my most recent post
Oh, bless you, Pat – I’ll go check out that post. We mowed our front lawn the other day….it was already getting very long!
xo
Love your gardening posts, Claudia, and the photos are always so glorious. It’s just about the only time that this confirmed apartment-dweller wishes she had a house instead. Planning and working in my own garden would hands-down be the best part of home ownership for me too!
It is definitely the best part of ownership! Did you see that you are the winner of the book giveaway??
WOW! You are further along then we are!! Plants are just starting to pop out of the ground. Well at least the last couple of weeks. None of the bushes have leafed out yet. But there are buds. I am worried about my tree peonies. Hopefully this awful winter hasn’t been too much for them. I never realized that your big bed is on a hill! That has to look fantastic when it is in bloom!!
I am so sorry to hear about your mom. Even knowing that she is at peace now does not make it any easier I am sure. I love the garden idea that you have for her.
Yes, it is on a hill – which makes planting rather tricky!
I love wild flowers, they seem free-spirited to me … perfect for a reminder that your mom is free from all she’s gone through these past few years.
I think so, too, Debbie.
I know you are so glad to see signs of Spring – FINALLY! We are having nice weather, but suppose to have a freeze Wednesday night and then in the 80’s by Friday. Crazy.
Judy
Crazy, indeed, Judy. I would just like spring to come and stay for a while!
My husband thinks your flowering tree is an apple tree.
I’ll trade you your rain, for our wind. This is the fourth day of high winds, in Northern Colorado, and I’m ready to move!
nancyr
The flower buds are on a bush – a wiegela bush. It isn’t a tree. But the other tree with the red leaves is not flowering and I still don’t know what it is.
We don’t have any flowering trees. Oh wait a minute, we have the Catalpa trees, but no other flowering trees.
It’s so good to hear that the falling branch did not damage your perennials..I love seeing that garden when it is in full bloom..A wildflower garden is a wonderful tribute to your Mom..I love wildflowers so I am hoping the best for it..my hyacinths, daffodils & tulips have all bloomed now..I brought a vase full of tulips in day before yesterday to enjoy..It is so good to see Spring flowers again even if they are late to appear this year..Also congrats to Janet..sounds like a fun book!
It was more than a branch, Nancy – it was a huge, heavy limb that stretched all the way across the garden, over the driveway and onto the grass on the opposite side of the driveway!
In western NY we are pretty much in the same spot spring-wise as you are. I think the couple (and I mean couple) hyacinths and daffodils in our yard would be past, even though I cut them for indoors, because they face south. Our lilac bush has leaves today of about 1 inch long and the maple tree in our yard has those light green “flowers” started only yesterday. I was weeding Monday, luckily, because it has not been nice since then. I do not enjoy gardening, I would rather take care of houseplants and container gardens, but my husband put in a few gardens along our house and never touches them. I cannot stand to see them go totally to pot. Although totally IN pots would be nice! ;)
Well, it’s awfully nice of you to take care of those gardens, Laura!
I have a Purple Leaf Plum that looks like your tree. It’s usually a smallish ornamental tree.and it doesn’t bloom in the spring.
Could be a possibility, I’ll check into that.
Your garden is looking beautiful as you enter spring! I think your dark leafed shrub/tree is a prunus.
I’ve never seen any flowers on it, however….so I’m wondering if that is what it is.
Our weather is much the same as yours right now – cool and rainy. I can’t believe tomorrow is going to be May 1st already – flowers and trees are just now barely budding and blooming. We’re a few weeks behind, too. This week has been so gloomy and cold…40’s and non-stop rain. I haven’t been able to do any outdoor work at all because of the rain.
Today was the first day we didn’t have rain…but it’s cloudy and it sure looks like it could rain.
Beautiful photos, Claudia…spring is such a welcome time of year. It is early here, but I know within a couple of weeks everything will be in bloom!
I can’t wait!
Hi Claudia,
I was so sorry to hear of your loss of your mother. Please accept my sincere condolences for you and your family during this time of grief.
I agree that being in the garden will help you during this season of grief. Time to think, time to remember, time to mourn in private with God.
Your unidentified tree could be a purple leaf plum. Not real sure, but that could be it.
Spring is coming!
Susan
Thank you, Susan.
I looked at the photos of the purple leaf plum, but it is supposed to have flowers and I’ve never seen any…I’ll keep an eye on it.
Definitely too cold still but I do have my early veggies under cover and planted…other than that…yikes I need to get things in the ground soon.