New Blogger, Old Blogger

    All I can say it is difficult to deal with change. This new Blogger format is not as user friendly in my opinion. I guess I will get used to it because the way I read it this is where it is going whether I like it or not.  I will just try to ignore it. It seems that I have been ignoring my blog as it is. Even so the garden just keeps on growing. 

    I will probably not be blogging much in the near future. I am having issues that are difficult to deal with not withstanding my favorite photo reader has gone kaput ie: the one I can easily use and know how to use. 

    I will be lurking and cheering on all of you fabulous writers and bloggers holding my head up above it all.

Cleaning Project

 Yesterday a couple of friends stopped by to see the garden. As they were leaving I noticed all the bird poo on the gate. I decided it was time to clean it off as there was a big clump on top of the gate. 

Imagine my surprise when the big clump opened it's eyes to check out who was bothering it. A sweet little tree frog was napping there on the gate. I have more often heard these creatures calling in the night. Rarely seen here. They blend in perfectly with tree bark. 

I went out at dusk to see if it was still there. Sure enough there it was curled up on the gate. I wonder where it went and when it decided it was safe to move about.

Have you had any unusual visitors in your garden?

Color Changes and seed planting

There has been a slight change in the color wave. A little more purple and some white.

A few new visitors to the garden. This magnificent Pileated Woodpecker was working over a stump right across from our driveway. Only the second time in 25 years I have seen one in our yard.

And I am making a slight change in a garden bed that will eventually bring a lot of color. This bed has needed attention for some time. This winter was hard on a lot of shrubs in my garden. Several died back to the ground that have never had trouble with winter. The variegated Kerria shrub got  a good cut back. 

I moved the hostas to the more shady end of the bed. 

In this wide open space I planted... 

several packets of seeds.

I will hopefully soon have plenty of color for more summer visitors.

Have you had any new visitors in your garden this spring? Are you planting seeds yet? Don't get into too big of a hurry. The seeds I planted a couple of weeks ago were frozen to oblivion. As you can see I had to start over. Such is how some springs go. I wish you better luck that I had at first.

Spots of Color

When I look out the kitchen window I see spots of color here and there. I just have to get out and walk around to see what is happening.

That stand of bright golden yellow bearded Irises are a beacon in the garden. You can see them from almost anyplace in the garden. The Biltmore redtwig dogwood shrub is almost as bright. 

In the circle bed the Carmel huechra anchor the Dogwood tree (Cornus Rudtan Celestial Shadow)

 That spot of gold on the right is a golden Marjoram. It grows as a ground cover here. I have to take it away from some spots because it romps around. I like that in an herb.

Out under the River birch the Gold color is represented by the Spiderwort Kate. This is her time of year. Every mid summer when it heats up here and gets dry I think I might rip her out because she melts in the heat and sometimes goes totally dormant.  

Every spring when I see her like this and she starts sporting some blooms I am glad I don't rip her out. 

There is other more subdued colors. 

I can hardly get enough of them. 

Annie certainly likes the warm colorful times. 

Are there any really bright spots in your garden?

Spring Lily-of-the-Valley IAVOM

Cathy at Rambling in the Garden has a meme that every Monday you post a vase of flowers.Cathy has a knack of having flowers all year round which encourages everyone to try to have something in your vase.  I don't often post but the pink Lily-of-the Valley is so pretty this year. Often the pink is washed out for some reason. This year they are so very pink. Along with the LOV are some small leaves of the mini hosta 'Cheatin Heart'. 

They vase is only about 4" tall, one of a trio of small vases that my daughter gave me years ago. I give them a workout this time of year.

While the Pink LOV doesn't smell as strong as the traditional white LOV it blooms a little earlier for me and adds a little sparkle to the garden.

If you want to see what people from all over are putting in their vase  pop over to Cathy's blog here for some spring time fun or perhaps even some fall colors from down under.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - April 2020

This is some Bloom Day. The wind is howling and there is ice on the tall bird bath out in the garden.  On the bright side there are quite a few blooms in the garden even if they are spread out. Like the  creeping phlox and the native phlox diverticulata are blooming. Hellebores are still sporting a few blooms but they are mostly going over to seeds. 

The Crabapple tree (that pink spot in the back of the above picture center) is blooming beautifully.

The first Iris Cristata ‘Powder Blue Giant’ started blooming yesterday.

There are several Grape hyacinths blooming. This pale blue one I have moved around to different places in the garden because it seems to like it here.

There are a few late daffodils blooming now but they won't last long in this freezing weathers. 

Dicentra Gold Heart came up early this year and has a few blooms on it. 

The pink dogwood out front is really pretty but is difficult to get a good picture of the overall tree. It is supposed to be Rubra but has always been pink. 

The native Columbines are beginning to bloom. This usually means there will be hummingbirds at any moment in the garden. Maybe this wind will blow them in to the area.

The Chocolate Chips Ajuga is blooming here and there around the garden. I like the way it pairs with the bright red twig dogwood Biltmore. My photo doesn't do it justice. 

I hope all is well with you and yours and you are able to get out in your garden today. If you can't pop over to Carol's May Dreams Garden to view other Garden Bloggers Blooms. 

Other plants blooming in the garden:

Variegated Soloman's Seal

Brunnera Ghost

Pulmonaria

Golden Alexander Zizia Aurea

Yellow terillium Luteum

Violets

various Tulips 

Spring Beauties Claytonia virginica

Leather leaf Viburnum

Button Spirea

Pink Flowering Almond Shrub Prunus Glandulosa

Eastern Redbud Tree Cercis Canadensis

Turkey

No this turkey isn't for Easter dinner it is a picture for Shadow Shot Sunday. Where you can go see more shadows here.

He/she is wondering what you are looking at.

Either a young male or a female. I think a young male because it wasn't very smart. It would have been a hunters dream to have a turkey cross a field and them saunter past where the hunter was await a shot. It was lucky this time that this hunter only carries a camera. 

I hope you have a Hoppy Easter. Don't eat too much candy...unless it is chocolate.