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!!!

 

OK!!!  I found out that this gnome has NO name.  Let's have a contest.  Name the no name gnome.

 

Submit your ideas for a name for this guy, and we can vote, and ultimately let Roxanne have the final say.  

 

You can text or email me, or use the comment section to enter your thoughts.  :D  

 

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!!!

 

This one is at Meeks Park, but if you look up anywhere, you will see the Red Maples starting to bloom.  They look fuzzy from a distance.

 

I love seeing the branches full of red blossoms poking up into the blue sky.  Lets me know that Spring is almost here!!!

 

HAPPY ALMOST SPRING!!!

 

Miss Gerry is up to her crafty mischief again.  Patty started it a couple years ago on Halloween, and I'm just keeping it going.  

 

I love playing with this haybale.  It is so fun and easy to paint.  The painting process took 45 minutes.  And I think the flower decorations were made years ago by Kim and Rick.  Glad they left them here for us to enjoy.  I hope this makes you smile.

 

HAPPY CRAFTING!!!

 

Look at this beautiful stained glass piece that Jim made for us.  For perspective, it is 13" x 18".  And it hangs in the top part of the window just below the stairs.  We LOVE it, and it's especially pretty when the sun shines through it.

 

When I took him a thank you note yesterday, he told me that Roxanne drew the design.  What a team they are!!!!  She creates the designs, and he turns them into stained glass.  What a fun craft.  And it keeps them out of the pool halls.  ;D

 

 

HAPPY CRAFTING!!!

 

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!!!

 

WHO DOES THIS???

 

This is what I saw when I got up this morning!!!  Jon had his computer apart on the sofa.  Apparently, a dvd got stuck in the drive, so he dismantled the computer to release the disc.  Personally I would have let the disc stay in there for all eternity.  Not Jon, he takes stuff apart, then puts them back together.  

 

It reminds me of the story he tells about taking apart his grandmother's sewing machine when he was little.  He still does this with toasters, refrigerators, cars.  And usually without any leftover parts.  

 

Well, I just heard the computer boot up, so it must be working now.  

 

HE'S AMAZING!!!!