The other day when we were on Henry's porch, he pointed down into his yard and said, "What is that tree?"  I gasped at its beauty, and replied.  It's probably a Purple leaf Plum.  They are blooming all around town right now.  

 

Purple leaf plums bloom in early spring, before the leaves emerge.  So what we see are pale pink flowers against dark trunks.  When the leaves emerge, they are dark purple, creating a gorgeous contrast along with the pink flowers.  The trees are grown more for this early spring display than for any tiny fruits that may appear in summer.  You can see several beside Lee and Cindy's driveway, already starting to leaf out while still in full bloom.  

 

When you're out and about, look for these beautiful trees, they are really pretty right now.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

My favorite flowers...today.

 

Do you know anybody who actually takes pictures of dandelions?  Well, I do:  ME.  Or should that be I?  I DO!!  Anyway...I loved this picture with the dandelion and bluets together.  

 

Millions of dollars are spent on herbicides to remove dandelions from lawns and gardens.  I'm not sure why people hate them.   I love them.  I welcome them into my garden, in my lawn, and in my kitchen.  Dandelion greens are edible, and delicious in a salad or cooked, and they are a rich source of vitamins A and C.  Dandelion flowers are cheerful and useful.  They can be made into wine, or boiled for a yellow dye, and they are great food for pollinators.  When they go to seed, they send little parachutes flying all around, we call them fairies.  What's not to love?

 

Of course, we should only eat dandelions foraged from places where we are SURE they haven't seen any herbicide.  

 

Give them a taste, or just enjoy the bright yellow flowers;  dandelions are great!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Here is the first Bradford Pear we've seen in bloom.  It's the one just above Al's.

 

I took this picture on Friday last week for the folks who aren't here in Five Forks right now.  We ALL love to see the Bradford Pears in bloom.  Sorry you couldn't be here.  I'll try to get a good picture of the entrance when they all bloom.  

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

These tête-à-tête daffodils are blooming in my garden.  They are only about 6 inches tall.  

 

I think we planted about 25 bulbs, 10 years ago, and they are sprinkled about here and there.  Little splashes of sunshine all over our yard.  I love that the deer don't bother them, and neither do the squirrels.  So they've been able to multiply.

 

When somebody asks me what my favorite flower is, I have to reply:  Today it is daffodils, but ask me again another day, because it changes.  They are ALL my favorites.  It just depends on the season;  ok, it just depends on the day.  Yesterday it was Pieris.  Today it's daffodils. Tomorrow......TBD

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!  

 

 

 

One of my favorite shrubs:  Pieris japonica.  It has several common names, Japanese Andromeda and Lily-of-the-valley shrub.  Whatever you call it, it is a fabulous plant.  

 

Pieris is a woody perennial, and blooms late winter into early spring, with chains of white or pink flowers that resemble Lilies-of-the-valley.  They grow best in part shade, and generally grow 4-6 feet, but I've seen them in Norfolk's Botanical Garden as high as 12 feet.  

 

There are two in Carol's garden planted in oak barrels, and they seem to be quite happy.  I love seeing them.  Especially this dark pink variety.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

Look at this beautiful Camellia japonica in bloom.  

 

While I was visiting with Jim and Roxanne, laughing about our gnome naming contest, they showed me this Camellia that they planted 15 years ago.  It blooms every year, and the deer usually leave it alone.  Well, it's blooming now, and is absolutely gorgeous.  I looked for the garden tag to find the variety name, but couldn't find it.  They told me that all their camellia bushes came from the Ace in Blairsville.  

 

We love Camellias for lots of reasons.  They are evergreen, they bloom in winter, and the deer don't bother them too much.  AND they are beautiful foliage for Christmas decorations.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I'm not sure which part of this picture I like best:  the crocuses blooming or the gnome watching over them.  He sure takes good care of them year after year.  

 

Before Jim and Roxanne moved here permanently, they came up on long weekends.  Every fall when they came up, they planted bulbs.  Unfortunately for them, there aren't any long weekends in the early spring, so they never got to see them in bloom.  Well, they are enjoying them now.  We all are.

 

It's worth the walk over to Beaconhill to see their bulbs in bloom, under the watchful eyes of the garden gnomes.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Patty's Hellebores are blooming.  It seems funny to see flowers in winter, but this is their normal bloom time.

 

Hellebores are perennial, and tolerate some shade.  Their genus name is Helleborus and there are many species.  Lenten Rose is named Helleborus orientalis, and has maroon colored blossoms about 2 inches wide.  Christmas Rose, Helleborus niger, has large white flowers and may bloom from November through March.  I'm not sure of the species in Patty's garden, but they are beautiful.  And look how pretty they are, nestled in with the flagstones and river rocks.

 

Another reason to love Hellebores:  they are deer resistant!!   Fall is the time to plant Hellebores, so you have plenty of time to figure out a place for them in your garden.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I showed you Mahonia up close yesterday, but this is what she looks like in shrub form.  Same bush, just a different perspective.

 

It matters to me that you know the whole story.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I got a great picture of the Mahonia at the park in bloom.  

 

This is Mahonia aquifolium, also called Oregon holly grape.  It is neither a holly nor a grape, that's just the common name.  The leaves look like holly leaves, and the fruits look like grapes.  Don't know about the Oregon part.

 

Mahonia is an early spring bloomer, and sometimes it blooms so early that the flowers get burned by snow or frost.  Those years they bear no fruit.  But when we do get to see the fruits in summer, they are bluish in color, grape-like, and edible.  I've never tasted them, but I'll let you know if I ever get the chance.  This bush has gotten frosted two years in a row.  Maybe, this year we'll get to see the fruits.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!