"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Monday, February 16, 2009

Please hurry spring, I'm getting impatient!

I've been looking back through photos trying to remember what spring will be looking like in my garden.  There are lots of green sprouts showing, but still I feel impatient to see full plants out in my gardens.  My sister and I laughed when I told her it was supposed to be 50 degrees this week.  We thought it was pretty funny to be excited about 50 degrees.  That doesn't really sound warm, but compared with the 30's and 40's it does.  I want to feel warm sun.  I want to pick bouquets from my own yard.  I want to need to water plants.  Any increase in temperature is welcome, even if it's not really that much. 
So, I thought I would remind myself of what spring looks like by looking at photos from last spring in the garden.  Of course I have made some changes since the pictures were taken, but overall this is how it will look in just a couple of months.  The pictures were taken late April, that's when the Pink Flowering Dogwood starts blooming.  There are peonies, daylilies, columbines, veronica, phlox and more that will bloom here.
This angle is looking from the front side of the same bed at the very end.  The neighbors leave the hanging baskets up year round and usually not much is growing in them.  Luckily from inside the yard they aren't too noticeable.  The lilac 'Ludwig Spaeth' and butterfly bush grow large enough to block them.  The foxgloves at the front have been reseeding in this area since we moved in.  They are just the common purple and white ones, but they get very tall and look very pretty.  Sedum 'Autumn Joy', 'Moonbeam' coreopsis and red valerian are some of the perennials in this area.
Here this bed was kind of a blank slate.  The water garden has been moved elsewhere.  This area now has roses, iris and phlox.  It gets mostly shade, but the front third gets a lot of sun making it a difficult area to plan.  I tend to like a lot of more old fashioned cottage type plants and shrubs.  There are two hydrangeas in the back.  One is a Nikko Blue, the other was a florist hydrangea that was a gift from my husband.  I planted it and it took off, it gets beautiful dark pink flowers.  I think I have a hydrangea addiction.  I have so many different types in my garden and still find more I want!  
This is a view looking from the top of the pond down the pathway.  You can see the clematis armandii in bloom as well as my favorite Pink Flowering currant.  White bleeding hearts are in front of the birdbath.  The hostas, ferns and astillbes haven't made their appearance yet.  I also planted chelone (turtlehead) for a late season bloomer.  
 I think just knowing this is only about 2 months away I can continue waiting and planning and organizing for spring!   
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22 comments:

  1. Your yard is Beautiful, Catherine! I can't wait to see beautiful lush pics of it. I only wish mine looked as good!

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  2. It is looking great! I have to laugh at your 'hydrangea addiction'. Totally laugh! It is a good thing I think. I love hearing about your garden-every bit of it!

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  3. I really wish I had taken more photos last year. Oh well, I can always enjoy visiting others who did. :)

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  4. Hi Catherine

    Roll on Spring!

    Do you grow the Oak leaved Hydrangea. Does it take some shade? I hear differing opinions.

    Rob

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  5. Catherine, Your photos are amazing and I can see how they give you a lot of hope. They give me a lot of hope. I love your design prowess, the juxtaposing of hard and softscapes especially around the pond and the pathway leading to it.

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  6. Beautiful gardens there! Sorry about the wait for spring too, it is just around the corner here in NC.

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  7. Tessa - I bet yours looks great and your greenhouse already does!

    Tina - I'm beginning to think maybe I'll just call the hydrangea my signature plant instead of addiction :)

    Tom - I feel like I never take many yard pictures either. This year I plan to take lots more!

    Rob - I do have 2 types of Oakleaf hydrangea. They don't mind some sun, but seem like they appreciate more of a part sun area. My bigger one had some branches broken off by the snow, so hopefully it'll get flowers still this summer. I love the flowers on them.

    Grace - Thanks for your compliments. We ended up with a beautiful day today, I think I complained too soon. Hope you got some sun too.

    Randy - Thank you. I know it'll be here soon enough, just so hard to wait. Hope spring comes early for you there! :)

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  8. Well yes! Of course! For me it was between hydrangeas, the J. Maples and camellias. Hydrangeas are super great.

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  9. Your photos are lovely...meaning, your yard is lovely:) It will be so exciting to watch each little green shoot pop up through the ground. I can't wait either!!

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  10. I can't wait to get really warm too Catherine. Feel hot sun on my face, etc., etc. I know it won't be long and I don't want to complain because we've actually had a pretty mild winter. I see lots of bulbs starting to shoot up in my beds and in the 50's by the end of the week for us too. Your yard is beautiful. It will be fun to follow thru the seasons and see how it looks summer, fall, etc. I only have one hydrangea (an Oakleaf) and it's planted in partial shade. I love them tho and wish I had enough to gather a large bouquet and dry them. Hang in there ~ spring will be here soon.

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  11. Tina -I love the Japanese maples and wish I had room for more!

    Jan - It is hard to wait, but eventually I know it will be here. I just get so excited to see everything again :)

    Kathleen - Thank you! Maybe the thing I miss most is feeling warm. We've had a cold winter this year, and I've gotten wimpy :) Looking forward to seeing your garden pictures too. Enjoy the warmer weather.

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  12. Celebrate the coming Spring, Catherine. It's all gonna be colorful and green from now on! Have fun and go crazy ;)

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  13. I love your Spring photos. Your garden is lovely. Here in Georgia, we've had some 70 degree days and I am so anxious for our garden to come alive again.

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  14. I agree, your gardens are great and can't wait to see them all filled in and bringing a smile to your face.

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  15. Hi Catherine, I have been trying for hours to leave a comment here. The word verification won't show. Your garden is a dream, no wonder you are anxious for spring. April bloomers help us get through the winter with memories and photos!
    Frances
    (My other comments were much better. :-)) HA

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  16. What wonderful spring pictures. I can't wait until spring gets here either. I'd be estatic if it were 50 degrees here. I'm still waiting for signs of life.

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  17. You've done a great job planning for spring color in your garden. Gorgeous!

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  18. Chandramouli - I will have fun! I love green this time of year and can't wait to see more colors as well.

    Mildred - Thank you. How nice to have 70! That would feel perfect, I hope you have been able to enjoy getting out when you can! :)


    Darla - Thank you! :)

    Frances - Thand you, I've been looking at the flowers in these pictures and realize more will be blooming before I know it, it's just hard to wait. This comment thing has been a problem for quite a few people. I'm thinking about getting rid of the word verification. Thanks for taking the time to leave me one!!:)

    Cinj - I know I feel bad complaining when I see so many people have lots of snow on the ground. I guess it'll be here soon enough and we'll all get to enjoy signs of spring!

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  19. I've been reminiscing myself. I will miss my eclectic mix in our backyard. Funny how it looked disorganized to me all the time, but now I see pics and think it was lush and colorful. Oh well, clean slate this year. Your gardens are wonderful. Can't wait to see them this year.

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  20. Ms Robin - Thank you!

    Melanthia - Clean slates are fun! I wish mine was more organized. I'm pretty eclectic too. You'll have fun planning and planting!

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  21. You have a really lovely garden! I've heard you can sprinkle coffee grounds around Hydrangea to help them turn blue...haven't tried this myself, though.

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  22. Raquel - Thank you. I hadn't heard about coffee grounds before. That might be a good experiment to try. Thanks for visiting!

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