Experimental Garden March Bloom Report

Here at the Experimental Garden Spring is blooming.  Yeah!  At Last!!

One of the first things to bloom is always the daffodils.  We have two versions.  One was planted here by the previous owner and has always produced Large blooms.  It was planted under a large hickory nut tree which was removed about 5 years ago.  At the time I was afraid we would loose them but they continue to come back each ear.  This year we have only about 5 blooms.  Could it be that we mowed down the plants too early?  Comments appreciated.  

The others were repositions (stolen).  For years on my drive to work I would see these daffodils blooming by an old abandoned  home site.  When I noticed they were getting ready to clear cut the area and possibly build on it, I rescued them.  They are much smaller blooms but have demonstrated their appreciation by multiplying and blooming every year.

Of course we are enjoying pansies and soon will have tulips.  We plant a variety of bulbs half-way from the top of large pots in the fall and fill the pot and top with pansies.  That way we have blooms all winter and the surprise in the spring when the tulips (that we had forgotten we planted) pop up.

Forsythias, another spring welcome.

Here is another experiment you might want to try.  Go to an Arboreum and pinch a plant.  Years ago my daughter and I were visiting a local one which shall remain nameless (even though the statute of limitation period has probably expired).  I saw this bush in bloom and it was still late winter.  They said it would bloom in the shade and be a ground cover.  Darling daughter said "You do not have to hide that you are taking a pinch, it is encouraged."   I pinched, planted and here is what I got.  Beautiful early red blooms that you can almost see through the remains of last years weeds.

Up close

Now I do not want you to get the wrong impression, I do not "take" all my plants, but free is free.

These sedum were a gift.  Really!I have them planted in the ground and in pots and they come up every year and will bloom later.

This is our first year starting plants in the greenhouse.  I started these late Feb. and here are the first tomatoes.  Think of all the $$$ I will save by starting my own seeds instead of buying plants. 

Here is another of natures gifts.  These two plants bloom like crazy early in the year.  They look so invasive but are gone once it gets warm.  So we just enjoy them.  The bees like them as well.

Speaking of bees.  They are out now on warm days.  Busy pollinating the experiments.

The brocolli does not look so good but we are hopeful.

The Camilla are about finished blooming.  For some unknown reason the deer did not find them this year. 

We thought the visiting heron had eaten all our goldfish but looks like he missed these and they survived the winter.

 Chives, nuff said, yum yum.

Let Spring begin!

Update:  There is a new kid in the neighborhood.

Experimental Garden February Bloom Report

Spring is on the way.  There is now one hour more of sunlight than there was at winter solestice.  We have a flock of robins in the neighborhood.  The birds are starting to sing.

Pansies are a little worse for the wear and tear of winter, but they will get better soon.

This camilia never managed to bloom thanks to Ole Man Winter.

Forsythia buds are just aching to burst into bloom.

Daffodils are up.  Won't be long now.

 Last summer we built a small greenhouse.  OK, we had friend Dave assemble it for us. 
This will be our first spring experimenting with growing from seeds.  Do we know what we are doing?
Everything we do is an experiment.  I plan to start some seeds this week and see what happens.  Think of all the money we will save growing from seeds instead of buying plants!

Remember the famous quote from a rock:

Experimental Garden January Bloom Report

Not much going on in the experimental garden today. 

Fish pond is frozen.

wild life is frozen

birds are busy feeding

fly away

 a few herbs surviving in the green house

I do not have indoor blooming plants like by darling daughter click here





kid is snuggled in bed with the cat for a long winters nap

Days are getting longer, spring cannot be far away.  Tune in for the February report.

Christmas 2010

I have deleted the following songs from from my iPod:
"I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas"
"Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow"

This is our fourth snow this December.  We usually do not even get one.

 Veggie garden

 Dogwood tree

 This candle holder has been banned from the house.

Fake Icecycles have icecycles

 Early morning accumulation and it kept coming.

Lucky three times???

Snow three times in December - record breaking.  You have to realize there are years where we do not see this much snow in a whole winter.  Five years in a row we did not have enough to measure. 
Just look what we have at 3:00 pm on Dec. 18th, 2010.

Experimental Garden December

Early snow in NC.

 Hope in the garden.  Buds will bloom again.
Fountains and ponds will thaw.