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

Friday, February 12, 2010

A rainy Fertilizer Friday.

This week just flew by for us, it's hard to believe it's already Friday. We've had a week filled with Valentines and parties for the girls at school. Luckily for us Valentine's Day is still an innocent day, mostly looked forward to for the candy and cards from friends.
Love must be in the air though, because I've noticed a pair of Bewick's Wrens going in and out of birdhouse that I moved into the path garden late last fall. Seems a little early, but they picked a house not too far from the house which will be a good place to watch them going in and out.
Going outside for pictures meant grabbing the umbrella to keep the camera dry, it's back to rainy and soggy here.

Corsican Hellebore (H. argutifolius) just starting to bloom. This Hellebore blooms differently than Lenten Rose (H. orientalis) types. Instead of the buds coming up from the ground they bloom at the end of stems with clusters of blooms. They also have a more jagged leaf edge. These types seem to be able to handle more sun, although this one is blooming under a large rhododendron.

I love the lavender color of these Pansies.

A Primrose waiting to be planted. Other Primroses that have been in the ground are blooming as well, but the slugs seem to have been finding them before I can get their pictures.

Raindrops on the pond. Here a couple of Water Hawthorn (Aponogeton distchyus) are blooming. The pointy looking things coming up from the water are what their flower buds look like.

Tete-a-tete daffodils are about to bloom. I have several clumps of these that seem to be spreading really well. The true test of daffodils for me though will be if the other daffodils I planted last fall will have flowers. I've never had a flower come up from a daffodil other than these Tete-a-tetes, all I get is foliage. I'm pretty sure they're planted correctly, other bulbs such as tulips and lilies bloom for me.

And this really caught me off guard. Camellia japonica 'Marie Bracey' has this nice big flower open. This does not usually bloom until April. I found at least one other bloom beginning to open as well.

I know there's been a lot of crazy weather for many people right now; from rain to wind to snow or a combination of them. Hopefully it will start to return to normal soon and before long we'll all be outside working in our gardens and sharing pictures of Spring flowers.
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41 comments:

  1. Hey I'm going to have to go check my Camellia. I forgot all about seeing something on it a while back. Shoot maybe I could have shown it today. O'well. I like the pond with the raindrops, nice picture. I had daffodils come up last year but haven't had any luck with the tulips. Guess I have the opposite problem that you have.
    Do you know how amazed I am to find out you can't make something bloom? LOL

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  2. Dear Catherine, A lovely array of spring pictures. The tiny daffodils are so sweet. I do not have them in the garden but do have them in pots in the drawing room where they look so cheerful. I should like to say that I grew them, but have to confess that they came from a local market.

    I was interested in your saying about your daffodils coming up 'blind' in subsequent years. This is not uncommon as they get some kind of disease/are eaten. I remember once being advised to dust the bulbs with some form of powder but it is all so long ago. I cannot remember either the name of the disease nor of the treatment. Perhaps try 'Google'.

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  3. Lovely. Everything in my yard is under snow, so I really enjoyed looking at yours.
    ... Connie

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  4. Beautiful - thank you for sharing.

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  5. I love surprises in the garden (the good ones). Your early blooming Camellia is just gorgeous!

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  6. It's nice and rainy here too. Just spent an hour watching birds..Do Daffs stop blooming if they are too crowded? I always by this light purple pansy they seem to grow pretty big for me...

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  7. Happy Valentine's Day to you and your family - hope you all enjoy the weekend. Your pictures are so very pretty today.

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  8. I like the lavender pansies as well, Catherine. I'm hoping the weather smartens up around here. I'm getting sick of the incessant wind!

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  9. Oh, you've had rain! I now it sound crazy but I'd love to see some rain around here instead of all that snow we've got. We've even had more coming during these last days. Lovely flowers showing in your garden. hope you'll have a wonderful weekend with your family / kram gittan

    funny verificationcode, it fits with your post: gonedry "lol"

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  10. Oh, a camellia in bloom. I just love the blooms on them. Some one has got to breed one that will grow in zone 5. Your water Hawthorne is growing do well.The raindrops on that pansy is my absolute favorite. Beautiful!

    You also taught me something today because I thought Hellebore's and Lenten Roses were the same plant. Thanks! Have a wonderful weekend.

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  11. It looks very soggy there. I'll be looking for Corsican hellebores at our lawn and garden show next month. I like them very much.

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  12. So pretty! Thank you for sharing..they warmed my heart :~)
    *hugs*deb

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  13. What beautiful pictures! It is always so inspiring to see how others prepare throughout the often wet and windy Pacific Northwest winters.

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  14. Hiya Catherine

    You seem a lot closer to spring than this corner of SW France.

    I hope it continues and there are no late cold snaps.

    I've got outdoor jobs 'backing' up at the moment due to hard frosts.

    Rob

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  15. Very colorful post! Have a great weekend, and Happy Valentine's Day! :-)

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  16. Beautiful pictures Catherine, I love how flowers look in the rain. Very interesting comment about daffodils not reblooming, I have the same problems with tulips! My daffs come up reliably, but tulips do not, I often only have foliage on subsequent years (?). ~Rebecca

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  17. Nice photos! After fertilizing, what are you going to use for pest control in the spring? I used the organic End All insect killer last season and it worked great. Did you pick what you're going to use yet?

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  18. I love all the color. It is going to be full spring there very soon. Your hummingbirds are so fascinating and it is neat you have a pair for Valentine's Day.

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  19. To see this much wonderful color I've had to take a vacation in my iphoto archives! catherine your photos are beautiful...Happy Valentine's Day...gail

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  20. Still very pretty, even if it's soggy. Those pansies are the perfect color. I hope you have happy Valentines day!

    Rosey

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  21. Hey Catherine, all these colors are lovely but I especially like the Primrose pic.

    We got lots of snow during the night and this a.m. So I guess I still won't be seeing any blooms for awhile.

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  22. Wow...flowers now !!
    Everything looks so pretty.
    Great photos !
    Maybe I should get out there...no wait a minute...we have about 20 inches of snow still.

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  23. I love the Tete-e-tete daffodils....they are so cute. May dig up a few to bring with me to SC. Your Camellia is a beauty and those Primroses are super. I love the bright pink with the yellow centers (and the purple with the yellow, and.... and...) Here's hoping we all have a little drier spring.

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  24. Beautiful flowers for Fertilizer Friday. I love Tete a Tete daffodils, such perfect miniatures.

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  25. Oh my, what beautiful blooms you have to look foward to. I love your Tete-a-tete daffodils. You take the most gorgeous pictures, such a treat for us.
    xxxx

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  26. Jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous. I've been trying to get in touch with my true feelings. Wait, I think I did it: I'm jealous! Such gorgeous shots - I'm so happy for you that things are blooming in your garden! Kelly

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  27. Thanks for your beautiful reminder .. indeed, love is in the air! ♥♡

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  28. My next door neighbor's camellia is really starting to bloom too, so it's not just yours. Weird. I keep thinking that this is not good, that it will upset the balance. Like, what happens when the hummingbirds who migrate return and a lot of their food sources have already finished blooming?

    Love that shot of the raindrops in your pond. So peaceful. Odd that most daffodils don't come up for you. I guess mine don't repeat too well either, come to think of it. The Poeticus ones in my old garden did come back, have you tried them? Very elegant and they also smell delicious. Happy (early) Valentine's Day!

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  29. So interesting about the daffodils not blooming and then the comment you got about a possible reason. You'll have to let us know if dusting the bulbs works. I guess that's jumping the gun tho ~ we should think positively and say they'll bloom this year and no need for that! I was going to ask if it got cold enough ~ especially this year since you said it had been so mild? If the tulips bloom tho, that can't really be it.
    Funny how much earlier than normal the camellia is ~ if everything follows suit, I won't be able to stand it! There will be flowers everywhere while we are still wallowing in snow.
    I always love looking at pics of your pond and very fun that the wrens are thinking of nesting so soon. I hope you can get a photo sometime. Have a great weekend and Happy Valentine's Day! We are already on chocolate overload here...

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  30. Camellia japonica 'Marie Bracey' - such a lovely flower. Like yr phot with the rain (and insects).

    We had crazy rain in Melbourne the last 2 days as well. I had to get my photos from my archive for the FF post. Have a nice weekend, Ev

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  31. With your beautiful flowers, I think I should not grow anymore flowering plants and just concentrate on little veggies. Viewing your beautiful blooms is like appreciating my own... ~bangchik

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  32. Lovely post Catherine! Sigh! I particularly love the Corsican Hellebore. Beautiful photos as always! ;>)

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  33. Catherine girl !
    You put a huge smile on my face this morning with this post !
    I am a hellebore fan and seeing those beautiful flowers stokes my eagerness for my hellebore to come to life too !
    The other flowers are so pretty as well .. you are way ahead of my zone of course but .. wow .. that was so wonderful to see ! (I'll try not to be too jealous ? LOL)Thank you : )
    Joy

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  34. I love all the vibrant colors! It's been raining endlessly here in Northern California, too, and the few things blooming in my yard are all pale pinks and blues so your hot pink cammy's perking me up.

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  35. Beautiful photos - your garden is way ahead of mine, I'm quite envious of those wonderful splashes of colour!

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  36. Hi Catherine,
    Wow, it's spring in your zone! I love your hellebore and other blooms! I am hoping the different kinds of hellebores I planted last year bloom this spring. You sure are getting a lot of enjoyment from your pond. I wonder if we could find a spot for a small one. Larry has a whisky barrel with fish in it on the deck, but wildlife can't drink out of it there.

    Thanks for visiting my blog. I had some gardening topics in mind to post on this winter, but now that I'm getting ready for a new kitchen, I am not keeping up. I am so excited! I looked at the calendar, and noticed that the kitchen is due to be finished the first day of spring.

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  37. wow, you've got a lot in bloom - I forgot to check where you're located. Interesting comparison between the hellebore and lenten rose. I must have the lenten rose then - no jagged leaves. I should try the type you have - the flowers seem more...show offy than mine - I practically need to dig mine out of the dirt.

    Cute "little gardeners" - are they your kids? They look like spaced apart like mine are - 7 years difference.

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  38. girl...those are some of the best photos I have ever seen!!! outstanding flaunt this week!!!

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  39. I loved all of the flower photos, as usual...but the raindrops in the pond photo was by far, my favorite!!

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  40. Thanks everyone for your comments!

    Edith Hope - Thanks for your help with the possible problem with the Daffodils, I'll look more into that.

    Wendy - My girls are 8 years apart, good guess :) I never thought our kids would be that spaced that far apart, but I guess you can't always plan those things. :)

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  41. I didn't know anything about that green hellebore growing in my garden. It is in full sun and loves it though. It's a good thing I checked in here today, I learned something new.

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