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

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Spring before pictures and more neighbors.

I just realized that this is my 100th post.  How did that happen so fast?   I had wanted to do something like a give away for it, but it came a lot quicker than I expected.  Maybe I'll celebrate another post with one.  
Yesterday was  one of those days that made me realize how much I love to garden.  It was another nice day, I'm pretty sure it was over 70.  I think because we had such an unusually cold winter for our area, I almost forgot what it felt like to be warm from the sun.  I was able to get a lot done.  I call it "power gardening".  It's something I've learned to do with little kids.  Yesterday I was lucky though because my oldest daughter was home for spring break.  The girls played outside and helped me weed with the promise of a trip to the park.  It was a good day to stand and look at my yard from different angles to see what looks good and what I want to add or change.  Mostly I just looked at all the new growth and felt happy to see it.
I took a couple of spring before pictures of the front yard just to be  able to look back at later in the summer and see what a difference a few months makes.  Here are a couple of them.
This is a similar angle to the one at the top of my blog.  Looking at this picture reminds me it's time to sow the Bachelor Buttons (cenataurea) seeds.

Facing west.  The old crabapple stump needs to be removed.

While I was looking around I found this brunnera blooming.  It's one of the few plants still here from the previous owners.  
Looking up at the blue sky through the Japanese Maple 'Orido Nishiki'.  It's just starting to leaf out.
Around the back yard there was lots of bird activity again.  The Bewick's wrens I saw a couple of days ago are indeed building a nest in our yard.  They chose a little birdhouse my daughter built at Home Depot a few years ago.  They were quite busy gathering nesting supplies.
A pair of Black-capped chickadees were making a mess at the bird feeder.  They like to throw all the seed out in search of a sunflower seed.  I guess that's why we always have so many Junco's.  One bird's trash is another bird's meal.
This little one just sat in this old rhododendron while I took it's picture.   They seem to feel safe in our yard, and will just sit and wait for feeders or birdbaths to be filled.
Let's see if we can get one more day to play outside.  Maybe I'll get those Bachelor Buttons sown.
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33 comments:

  1. I'm right there with you Catherine on forgetting what it feels like to be warm!! I could go for sunbathing right now and I'm not really a sunbathing kind of girl! That photo facing west shows what a great garden bed you have running along the front of your home. Did you put it in or was it there when you bought the house? I bet it's beautiful in the summer. I'm glad the wrens decided to stay. They will be fun to watch. You have a lot going on in your garden! Have a great day!

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  2. That is a big difference between your header photo and the one you just posted. I'm looking forward to seeing garden progress over the summer.

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  3. Without photos, I too forget how full the garden gets by summer's end. It's nice to photograph in stages and watch the changes. So glad you are having lovely weather to get out and enjoy.

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  4. It is amazing what a couple of months can do to a garden isn't it? I so hope this is our last cold snap tonight.

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  5. Catherine, congratulations on your 100th post! The weather is so beautiful these days, I barely have time to look at Blotanical. I hope it will last! Happy gardening! Love your spring pictures!

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  6. Nothing could be more beautiful than the Pacific Northwest on a cloudless day in the spring. Your gardens are so ready to burst forth, it is so exciting.

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  7. Really, why should you do a giveaway? You deserve a gift from us, who are enjoying your posts and photos. Happy 100th!

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  8. Congratulations on your 100th post. I also like to have a before picture to compare the differnece. You have a nice large bed that runs the length of your yard. Very nice.

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  9. Congratulations on 100 posts! I'm sure your info has helped many gardeners. What a blessing to have the little ones help.

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  10. Everything looks nice there and growing. We had 27 degrees this morning and expect that tonight. We also had snow on and off all day. Spring still isn't here in southwestern Ohio.

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  11. You yard is wonderful. I just love that your girls love to garden and help you out so much. I know they are wonderful kids. I try to take photos every month of my beds...just so I can compare month to month. It is neat to see your header vs the picture od the front now....it is amazing actually. Amazing how you can make something so beautiful with just a few seeds, a little water and a bit of sunshine. Enjoy your trip to the park

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  12. Congratulations on reaching the magic hundred Catherine :)

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  13. Kathleen - It's so nice to have sun, although I just heard we could have snow again!
    the basic outline of the bed was there, but we added the edging and made it larger. We also took out everything but a couple of trees.

    Phillip - I wish it could look like that all year, but I guess that's what makes spring so fun. Waiting to see it all return.

    Mildred - I've tried to start taking pictures of different parts of the yard through out the year. I love comparing them.

    Darla - It really is amazing. I hear we may have cold weather again :(

    Tatyana - Thanks! I hope you had some time to be out in the garden at least. It's so nice to have this change.

    Lanny - I agree. It's these types of days that make me love it here, and forget about all the rain.

    Town Mouse - Oh, you're so nice. It's been so fun "meeting" all these other nice garden bloggers and enjoying all of your blogs too!

    Becca - Thanks. It's fun to go back and look at old pictures isn't it? It makes me realize how much I've accomplished.

    frenchi4moi - Thanks! They are great company and make it a lot more fun.

    Abe - You must be getting tired of waiting. I hope spring arrives there soon!

    Dirt Princess - It is amazing that it will look like that in such a short time. My girls are great, and I'm so lucky they enjoy being outside with me. They are going to be great gardeners when they grow up.

    Anna- Thanks! :)

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  14. Young people interested in the amount of gardens. Spring came to your garden. Spring means freshness and bloom. Greetings.

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  15. It was a long winter, and I'm so revelling in the sun too! Your garden looks lovely and I'm looking forward to seeing the seasonal changes on the photos.

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  16. Congratulations on your 100th post! It sounds like you are enjoying spring blooms, buds, birds, and dirt. Awesome!

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  17. Hi Catherine, what a fabulous day you had. The sun had been feeling much warmer, so much so that I was seeking a place in the shade to sit. But no more, winter is back for a bit, Dogwood winter since they are blooming now. I like your idea of a before shot too. The cherry tree is a beauty. Nice you had young helpers too. The birds nesting certainly makes it feel more like spring is really here.
    Frances

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  18. Hi Catherine

    I love the blossom on the tree in front of the door Is it a cherry it looks rather white?

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  19. It's amazing how quickly everything moves from now on.

    I agree with Phillip about the difference on your summer header pic and now.

    Rob

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  20. I bet you will get those bachelor buttons sown real soon! It has been a nice spring so far so have lots of fun in the garden and congrats on your 100th post!

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  21. Glad to see you have been having such great gardening weather. Love the picture with the little bird in the shrubs.

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  22. istanbuldailyphoto - I agree! It's great to have little ones that love to enjoy spring too!

    Phoenix - I'm glad you're having some sun too! It's really good for us mentally I think after all the cold.

    Sue - Thanks. It was pretty much a perfect day!

    Frances - I hear we are getting some cold weather again. At least this sun will hold us over and remind us that spring is here. I get so excited when I see birds nesting in our yard. It things like that, that make me love being outside.

    Joanne - Yes, it is a cherry. It was supposed to be pink and it was for a few years. I guess it reverted back to white.

    Rob - It seems like it's daily that you can see the changes. I can't wait to see it in bloom again.

    Tina - Thanks! I did get them sown today! They are usually one of my dependable seeds. I love being able to cut them for bouquets.

    Susie - I think they are so cute. It sat there for awhile and didn't seem to notice my daughter and I standing there taking pictures.

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  23. Wow! That header looks beautiful after comparing the two! You did a great job last year, Catherine and I'm sure you'll come up with something different this year.
    How great to have helpers! I'm sure they'll grow up as fine gardeners - what with such a wonderful mom!
    Good luck with more wildlife visiting your garden!

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  24. It's been hard to be indoors or at the computer for a second these days, so double congrats for getting to it today and to #100! You are a prolific poster for sure. Always great to see and hear what you have going on. Here's to the next 100! Have fun, I think we get one more decent day before the rains arrive to water everything in. I need to do more planting and less clean-up tomorrow!

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  25. Hi Catherine~~ The weather has been Nirvana. I have spent as much time in the garden as possible. Love it.

    Congrats on your 100 and here's to many more.

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  26. So glad you've had the really nice weather too! I have been out all day long for a few days now- sometimes it feels like I get nothing done- until later when I really look at it. Things are blooming everywhere! I love it- soon it will be time for more rain and gray skies :(- but the night time lows are a lot higher :)

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  27. Catherine, great view of the flower bed from your front porch..love that weeping cherry tree!

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  28. Chandramouli - Thanks! Luckily they like helping or else I might feel guilty sometime about being in the yard so much.

    Karen - I know, I've been outside so much too. This morning I'm aching from all the work I've done. Glad you've had a chance to be outside too. It feels great!

    Grace - Perfect gardening weather for sure! I'm glad you're getting the sun too!

    Tessa - I know what you mean. It all adds up, and at the end of the day you do realize you got more done than you think. I hope you'll be sharing your blooms!

    Lynn - Thanks! Even though it's not pink anymore, I still really like it.

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  29. Hi Catherine, Can I be a day late? Wasn't on much yesterday. LOL Your garden looks so nice. You get Chickadees? We just don't get a lot of variety up here. I'll bet your daughter is thrilled that they chose her birdhouse to build a nest in. Your Plumonaria is different - I'm glad to see that cause I was starting to think most of them looked alike - just had different names. WoW! Hasn't our weather been heavenly? I think maybe a half day more today but hoping for a whole. So is it time to throw out the bachelor buttons? I'll do mine too. Do you do them carefully and cover them or just pitch? I think I read someone just throws them and their gardens were to die for. Does this work? Remember I'm new at this!

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  30. Rain Gardener - Of course you can be a day late :) It was too nice for you to be inside on the computer yesterday! Bachelor buttons, I usually do a combination. I pitch, then remember they need to be covered so I go back out and sprinkle dirt on them.

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  31. Wonderful - ok I'll try that. I did do an experiment about 3 weeks ago and planted some of my money plants (silver dollar) to see what they would do. They are doing the best and I have lots. Nothing coming up yet.
    Thanks for letting me be late! LOL

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  32. I just love those days when you get so much work done outside. I'm just waiting for a perfect, warm Saturday when I don't have to work, then I'll be so happy and play in the dirt all day long.

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  33. Congratulations on your 100th post Catherine! Your gardens look beautiful, and I'm looking forward to seeing more as the season progresses!

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