Homecoming

I was out of town this weekend. I must say I missed all my blogging buddies. I have lots of blog reading to catch up with too. I was busy helping a friend celebrate her birthday. It is always so nice to get away for a weekend. When you come home, especially this time of year, it is such a joy to go around in the garden to see what has popped out to greet you when you get home.

I was thrilled to find this little clump of bloodroot. I had one these two blooms last year. These were the original planting. You can see how it has multiplied this past winter. I was so afrain that the drought last year would kill them. Then the drenching it has taken so far this spring was a worry. This delicate looking wildflower has stood up to all the exaggerated weather conditions that has been thrown at it over the past year.

Another little surprise was this clump of Grape Hyacinth. I have threatened to thin and move it to better surrouondings for years but haven't done so as yet. It just hangs in there for me.

There are all kinds of pop ups since I have been gone. It is just amazing how quick the garden responds to the longer spring days. I just hope the freeze predicted tonight doesn't put a stop to all the blooms. I hate the thought of losing all of the apple blossoms and hydrangeas like last year. Keep your fingers crossed. More later when I get myself back into routine.

Walk About

When we were at the park with Luna yesterday we saw that all the Dutchman's Breeches were abloom. So many things were blooming but it was so dreary I couldn't get in the mood to photograph much. The camera didn't want to focus without flash and the flash washed out everything...so... back to Greenbow we went. The May Apples are poking out of the ground. Just ready to open.

I sure wish I knew what kind of Viburnum this is. The leaves are just beginning to open and they are so pretty. The green is rich and the texture of the leaves just draws your eye. This spring when you are thinking about bushes to add to your collection you really should try some Viburnums. There are Viburnums for every situation. This poor thing is in deep shade and it keeps its lovely shape without pruning and even blooms. I wish I could tell you what kind it is but, I am not a good record keeper.

The fiddles of the Japanese Painted Fern 'Ghost' are much different than the Chirstmas Fern Fiddles that I showed you yesterday.

The Ostrich Fern is different in its way of growing. When they become mature you have these dark bumps all over the ground. They kind of remind me of Cypress Knees. When the Fiddles begin to develop during spring they curl up on top of the dark bumps and...

become nice little fiddle heads. I have been told that these are good to eat. I haven't tried them. While the ferns are busy unfurling for the season the Fern Leaf Tansy makes a pretty plant. Its leaves don't make fiddle heads but it sure looks like a fern. I have often had people ask what kind of fern it is. It has pretty yellow blooms in mid summer too. Another remarkable thing about this tansy is that it takes a really hard long freeze to make it disappear during winter. It stays green for a long time. Some winters here it is evergreen but not as lush as during summer.
I was pleased ot see that the Brunnera survived the removal of the big bush beside it. It is awfully small. I am just glad to see that it wasn't stomped to death.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and you find lots of Pop Ups in your garden as you Walk About.

Pop Ups

Every day that I walk outside I am finding pop ups all over the garden. It is such an exciting time in the garden. When Christmas fern fiddleheads begin to unfurl... Hellebores nodding heavily with blooms...

Some Daffodils doing double duty...

Later blooming daffodils opening...

Spirea setting out many blooms on the ends of its branches...

And one of those Patio Peach trees Durazno 'Bonfire Patio' showing off its blooms. Such a fun time to step out into the garden.

Spring Clean Up

The past couple of days have been typically beautiful spring days. My Dearly Beloved and I have been out in the garden raking the leaves and debris off of the flower beds. We have pulled lots of weeds. I had my first casualty of the gardening year. This tool broke way too soon. I hadn't even worn the tag off of it yet. I really hate breaking this tool. I didn't even know I liked this tool until I received it as a gift christmas before last. I used it all last year but it didn't make it through this season. If you like certain tools and use them often you know how I feel. I know that Carol would know how I felt if she broke one of her hoes.

Of course our Overseer was in the garden. It was her job to alert us to the meter reader and to keep all squirrels and cats at bay while we were out.

We had to take a little break in the action to watch as this Robin was busy building a nest in one of the shrubby trees out front. There is another Robin building a nest in the apple tree in the back garden.

The Saucer Magnolia is all abloom like I can't remember it ever blooming.

Dearly Beloved took the above two photos.

I tried to get an overall shot of the Magnolia. Somehow it just doesn't show up in photos as it does in person.

Behind the Magnolia you can see the forsythia blooming. I call this arrangement my "Folly". When I stuck these two forsythia into the ground I was just going to leave them there until I found somplace for them to take up a permanent residence. I had bought them as a table decoration for easter one year. Then I forgot about them. They sent out these L O N G branches so I decided to tie them up over the garage window. They made an interesting (to me) arch. I like pulling into the garage and seeing either the brilliant yellow blooming or the dark green of the leaves. Some years this arrangement is stuffed full of blooms. This year it has a bare spot or two. Most were caused by those galls I wrote about this winter. I will cut them out and hope that it improves the bush. Now if I could also get the House Sparrows not to build nests here it would fare better.

Out of the Garden VI

We went to the county south of us to bird this morning. We hadn't been there for a couple of weeks becasue we knew they had had more rain than our county received and you have seen the pictures from our county. Well, it was worse than we expected. We have permission to drive the levee around a power plant where we bird and we did so to see what it looked like around the plant since all the roads were still closed.
The road above is a road we normally drive to check the ponds that were made a few years ago to create a place for waterfowl to be able to rest during migration and in hopes that birds that need this type of habitat could nest here. It has been a great success so far. They won't have to pump any water into the ponds for some time.
Below is a road that runs around the south end of the power plant. You can see the sign that tells you that there is a stop ahead. It is nearly submerged.
The deer are very stressed right now. There is not much high ground in this area obviously. Here you can see one taking off for high ground.
On almost every levee we came to there would be a heard of deer seeking refuge. You don't see them out like this during the day very often. We normally see turtles sitting on logs sunning themselves during warm spring days like this. Not much of that going on because almost every available log was under water. We found one turtle crossing the road. It didn't want us taking its picture. A car came along so we had to hurry on so it wouldn't get squashed.

We did find a few turtles in this little retention pond. It is always fun to find them sunning themselves. A sure sign of spring.

We saw our first Great Egret of the year today. Sorry most of the pictures the animals are so far away. We were stuck on top of the levee and couldn't get closer. My Dearly Beloved offered to crop and fix the pictures but I didn't want to wait. Have I told you I am impatient??

Along this stretch of levee there were 12 Canada Goose nests. It is always fun to find them nesting. You first see these little flags flipping in the wind. You know the nest is near. The down they line their nest with gets blown out of their nest sometimes.

Some of the down looks like cotton and it is so soft. Think down filled jackets or duvets. Up close some you can see the feathery part of the down.

Here is one of the nests. We didn't want to dawdle. The poor parents were squaking and trying to lead us away from the nest.

It was such a beautiful spring day here in the Wabash Valley. I just wish this flood water would go away. Every thing and everyone needs a break in the rain. A few more dry sunny days like today will help matters.

Wild Flowers

During this time of year even a dandelion is a welcome spot of color. We had our first dandelion while walking at the park with Luna. We had several firsts. The first Spring Beauties Claytonia virginica... They are popping up everywhere. They are forming little islands of pink in some lawns. If you are lucky you can see these little islands in the woods too.

The first vinca vine blooms...

Our first Rue Anomone Anemonella thalictroides. They are such dainty flowers. I just adore them when they burst into bloom. Come on sunshine.

And finally our first Prairie Trillium with some Dutchmans Breeches in front of it. There was some Dutchmans Breeches with buds. If we should get some sun in the next few days we will be inundated with blooms. Can anyone spare a few rays?

Spring Blooms

My Dearly Beloved was outside taking pictures today. He was feeling right artsy.

Some of the narcissus are beginning to bloom.

He got pictures of some in bud.

He also found an arum unfurling with a hosta poking up right beside it.

He had a little different way of looking at the daffodils too. Don't they look windswept? The wind was blowing but i don't think it had anything to do with the way these are standing.
After I got home from work I went out to see all these buds he was photographing. I found that some had actually opened. You notice the blue sky in the background? The sun was shining so brilliantly. It was wonderful. We are supposed to get 3" of rain tomorrow. UGH... I hope they are wrong this time.