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

Monday, February 7, 2011

Getting ready to get to work.

After a rainy weekend it looks like the sun will be out for the next several days.  The rainy weather was perfect though for more planning of the front garden.  My husband aka the Muscle spent a lot of time measuring and plotting out just where everything will be going.  This is getting very exciting knowing that the dream of a picket fence and more gardening space is becoming a reality.  We will all get to use our muscles over the next month as we begin the work, most of which will be good old manual labor.
I could see out my bedroom window over the weekend that another Hellebore has started blooming, so when I went out to take some before pictures of the front yard I walked through the backyard to take a look.

Hellebore 'Mardi Gras Double' is just as pretty as I remember it.

Pretty from any angle, I realized just how hard Hellebores make us work for a good picture of their face.

Holding the camera underneath for a picture shows a bug's eye view of the flower.

The lighting on the pond was very pretty today.  The Dutch Iris foliage is up all around the pond.

A view down the side yard shows some of the picket fence sections that will enclose the front yard.  It will eventually be painted white and is much easier to install in sections rather than trying to do it picket by picket.  Luckily I had just cleaned this area up a week ago, it may be awhile before I can do much else over here.

While at Michael's Craft store I found a few new garden additions.  I plan to hang the little sign on the picket fence gate.

Tomorrow if the weather holds I will begin removing the stone edging from where the path will cut through the front border.  Next will be moving some plants.  This isn't the best time of year for that, but around here the saying with gardeners is "as long as the ground isn't frozen it's okay to move plants".  Now we'll just hope the ground doesn't freeze after they are moved.
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38 comments:

  1. That hellebore is gorgeous. I've got to remember to add that to my garden! We have the same picket fencing! You are going to love love love it.

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  2. Oh my, I do love this hellebore... I'm heading right to the catalogs after seeing its lovely face!! Larry

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  3. I have to have that pink hellebore. I just started planting them again, so expensive and I left a bunch at my last home.

    I love your new blog colors, so spring like.

    Eileen

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  4. what an incredible hellebore...I love white picket fences and have one myself...can't wait to see the yard when it is finished!!

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  5. Your new front garden is going to look great, with your picket fences. It feels good to get started, doesn't it? I bet your plants will be fine.

    That double Hellebore is just beautiful, I love it! I need to find me a couple.

    And, Oh dear! I think a trip to Michael's might be in my future. Your bird cage and welcome sign are really nice!

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  6. Besides all the beauty you will have in your garden...you have all the healthy benefits of that manual labor and deep breathing of fresh air.

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  7. Don't know why the bugs always get the best view - that hellebore is a knockout! It must feel great to be outside working - my Seattle daughter is telling me about all the things popping up in her yard - we can only dream in CT!

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  8. That may be the lovelies Hellebore I've ever seen! I can't wait to see your fence when it's all done and installed...should be lovely!

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  9. Catherine, the thumbnail photo of your Hellebore looked like a tree peony. What a great bloom! Now that I have garden areas that are well suited for Hellebores, I want to see about finding some as gorgeous as that one!!

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  10. What a beautiful hellebore!

    Your birdcage is sweet...and your garden looks so neat and tidy...just waiting for spring.

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  11. What an amazing hellebore!!! I love your sections of picket fence, I can't wait to see the finished project, I am considering the same for my front garden. :)

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  12. Catherine,

    The hellebore is beautiful I'll have to get that one! Nice picket fence, be careful you bought all you need as we had to get some from another Home Depot and it was different slightly.

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  13. Hi Catherine, It is not my front garden, but I get excited reading about your plans. You must keep us posted on the progress. Love, Love, Love the Hellebore.

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  14. Wow, love the Hellebore!! I'm looking forward to seeing how your front yard develops.

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  15. Such beautiful photos ~ I hope spring gets to my part of the world soon!

    Have a happy week Catherine!
    xo Catherine

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  16. Here's the post kicking off your plans to have a front yard garden. Gonna be pretty and yummy. I love your joy about it.

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  17. What a beautiful hellebore! Love the freckles.
    I'm so excited for your picket fence! Can't wait for pictures of it.

    Happy gardening.

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  18. I am looking forward to seeing your completed picket fence! It will certainly be charming and open up new possibilities for gardening around it. I love your hellebore! I found buds on some of mine today. Hopefully, soon they will be opening!

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  19. I love your hellebore. I do not have one of those but I think they'll be a sweet addition to my shade garden while the Hostas are dormant. And I really can't wait to see your white picket fence. I've always wanted on and can dream about what wonderful cottage style plants I would cover it with. But it's not in my future plans..yet! And that birdcage and sign... so stinkin' cute!

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  20. Hi Catherine, I cannot absorb that you're entering Spring already with flowers (beautiful beautiful hellebore!) and projects!! Looks wonderful!

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  21. How exciting embarking on planting a new area of the garden. The Hellebore is very beautiful in deed and worth all the effort it took to photograph it for us, thanks you. Christina

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  22. Hard for me to even imagine having pretty blooms in the garden during the month of February. Beautiful photos of your Hellebore flowers.

    Luv your new welcome sign. There's a Michael's close to me. I need to get over there sooon.

    donna

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  23. Wow on the hellebore! Can't wait to see how the new picket fence garden progresses. It will be so sweet and in character with your home. What are you going to do with the bird cage? I have a few of these here and have no idea how to effectively display them to my liking so I need some good ideas:)

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  24. Thanks everyone for stopping by. That Hellebore is a pretty one, I was lucky to find it.

    Tina - I'm not sure how I will use it yet. I've seen them hanging in trees, hanging from porches and also just set in the garden with flowers. I can't wait to see yours and how you use them.

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  25. I tried Hellebore a couple of years back, no real luck. You make me want to try again. I will start checking the garden centers when they arrive. Nice plant, I have so little shade and that was my original problem with hellebores. Maybe I can find some shady stop this year. Jack

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  26. You've got your work cut out for you! Things are looking pretty shabby up here - time for a full afternoon in the garden.

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  27. I'm doing the happy dance with you! I had a picket fence at my old house and oh how I miss it!

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  28. Isn't it exciting to really start getting back out in the garden? Your garden is making me want Hellebores! Such gorgeous and stunning blooms! Looking forward to seeing your new fence installed too. Seems we both have some painting projects this spring!

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  29. Dear Catherine, How I envy you your bespoke fence. It will, I am certain look absolutely wonderful as a boundary to your front garden. It is so good to have something handmade which will look very different from its factory counterparts. What a talented husband you have!

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  30. Oh my! The hellebores are spectacular! Love your new garden additions too.

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  31. Your hellebores are beautiful, especially the Mardi Gras Double. They look so happy and healthy in your garden. Your pond looks so serene..

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  32. Ah, a picket fence is so dreamy! Can't wait to see the finished project - but don't work too hard, I'm sure it will come together eventually :-)

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  33. How exciting - I am looking forward to seeing photos of the finished fence. As for photographying hellebores they are a nightmare!!

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  34. What a sweet birdcage. Your house will look so pretty Catherine with a white picker fence.Ewww, what a pretty hellebore. I love the double petals and red speckles.

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  35. Wowee, 'Mardi Gras' is gorgeous! You've probably sold a dozen (at least) of these just by posting the photos! I can't wait for my Hellebores to bloom now.
    It's so amazing that you're already doing garden projects. I have at least another month to wait. I am excited to see your front garden take shape.

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  36. I love your new ornamental bird cage at Welcome sign! That is the most beautiful hellebore, Catherine! They obviously grow very well where you are and come in colours I've never even seen.

    I can't wait to see all the changes you'll be doing - it sounds so exciting!

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  37. You are one busy lady - starting early. I went looking for Hellebore 'Mardi Gras Double' last week and couldn't find it. I've love yours since the first time you showed it. I only have one and it isn't showing signs of doing anything. Are they suppose to be cut back because I didn't get anything cut back last year. I was planting clear up past the middle of October when . . . well you know I got detained!

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  38. Linda - Hi! It depends on the type of Hellebore you have. If you have a Lenten rose type like the one in the picture then you can cut the old foliage back now. I usually do it this time of year so the new growth stands out. If you have a Corsican Hellebore you don't cut it back, the blooms are at the end of the leaf stalk. Hope yours shows up, otherwise I have tons of seedlings I can share with you.

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