Frosty Mornings...

Maybe it's because I just never noticed.

Or, maybe it was because the grasses in the Deer Grove

were all pushed over or washed away,

in the Halloween Flood.

Or, maybe I was looking out the window,

at just the right time.

But, I got to see the Frostweed, when it was doing its thing.

I was looking out the kitchen window,

and I could see something white in the Grove.

It was 24 degrees.

Yes...not bad, considering the blizzard going on 

in the Northeast.

So, I grabbed my camera and went out to investigate.

Sure enough...it was the Frostweed.

Frostweed (Verbesina virginica) stores water in its stems.

When the temperature gets really low,

the stems burst open, and the water comes out and freezes.

I didn't touch it. But, it looks like shaving cream.

When I went out a couple hours later, 

the foam was gone....as if it never was there.

Isn't Nature interesting?

I searched my files, and couldn't find one photo of this

plant in summer.

So, I borrowed one from the Wildflower site.

www.wildflower.org

It's a nice looking plant, although unremarkable until it blooms.

The white bloom clusters are nice.

It blooms in early fall.

In the Grove, it lives without much water....none at all in most summers.

And, the deer don't touch it.

Maybe I need to move one up to the house.  

Not sure how well it might transplant.

*****************

We haven't had any real rain in a while.

Less than a tenth of an inch, over a week ago.

We're supposed to be getting more rain than usual,

because of El Nino.

We'll have to water soon, if nothing happens.

*****************

I hope you're safe a warm where you are.

'Til next time...

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity, Jig....

It's that time of year again.

May is when the wildflowers bloom here.

Just a week or so ago, I was lamenting that none were blooming here.

I return from a trip, and the Mexican Hats are in full bloom.

The prickly pear are putting on quite a show.

The ones I've moved from the Grove, to the house, seem really happy.

Then there are these guys.

They're showing up all over the neighborhood.

It's no secret, there will be more mouths to feed.

It's also that time of year, when I get together with some dear friends.

This year, we went back to Florida.

One of our group has a beach condo, in Panama City Beach.

We sat on the beach.

We enjoyed beautiful sunsets.

(the blue is due to a tungsten white balance setting)

I stayed a couple extra days.  My hostess and I went for dinner across the bay.

We drove by the house above.  Is that garden amazing, or what?

This gentleman ran past us on the beach each day.

I'm betting he's a veteran.

So, I'm letting his image help me wish you a happy, and safe

Memorial Day.

Have a great weekend...

~~Linda~~

Simply Wednesday....

Yesterday, here at Patchwork Garden, it was 85F.

Today, it hasn't gotten out of the 50s.

Nothing much is blooming.  A couple viola blooms.

So, I took a tour through some photos I took in September, 

when we went to the Grand Canyon.

That's an amazing place.

And, there were quite a few things blooming.

Three of my favorites:

Apache Plume

Some kind of aster.  Anybody  know this one?

And, I loved this plume-y grass.

I don't know what it is, either.

OK....that brightens the day a bit.

Now, back to plotting  planning what to do about the deer and the landscape.

Hope you're safe and warm where you are.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

Garden Bloggers Bloomday...May, 2012...

It's a soggy Bloomday here today.

That's not a complaint.  We've had about 15 inches of rain, this calendar year.

This time last year...we'd had less than 2 inches.

We're loving the rain.
But, it does make it a bit hard for photographs.

We all join Carol, at May Dreams Garden on the 15th of the month,
to show what is blooming in our gardens.

The above is a fountain that froze up, and now leaks badly.
So now...it's a planter.

The little bird that used to spit water, now watches over the plants.

Still, I don't have many things blooming.  There are blooms, just not much variety in plants.
I planted mostly begonias this year.  Last year's impatiens plantings just didn't work out in the drought.  Who knows what this summer will be like.  Begonias need less water.

But, I like begonias.  They're pretty and they're dependable.

Speaking of dependable...so are chrysanthemums.

They brighten up the fall.  But, they also show up in the spring.

This yellow one has been here for a couple of years.  It's been blooming for weeks.
When it's finished, I'll pinch it back to get ready for the big fall bloom.

Thanks to the rain, the back bed is coming along nicely.
Also, thanks to the rain....I couldn't get good pictures of the few blooms there.

The periwinkles are coming along.  I've always liked periwinkles.
But since the deer don't bother them, they have become one of my favorite flowers.

At the other end of this bed, the Lion's Tail is beginning to bloom.
You might notice it's in a cage.  Deer aren't supposed to like it...I'm not taking that chance.

Over in the Veggie Bed, volunteer cosmos....

...and, Zinnias are blooming.  They lure the pollinators in.

Not a bloom, but I like it.

In the fenced yard, I planted basil for color.
The Thai Basil is blooming.  I like that purple, against the bright green.

The strawberry puts on a bloom now and then.  I still love those leaves, though.

I planted a Gomphrena Fireworks yesterday.  That counts, right?

The Hawthornia we got recently are blooming.

It has a delicate, interesting bloom.

The Jerusalem Sage is winding down.

It's 'starry' seed pods are interesting, though.

By far here, the biggest bloomfest is in Elli's Meadow.
Mexican Hats and Thistle are showing off.

There are three different types of the Mexican Hats.

The Thistle is pretty, too.

Then there's this...
Seems somebody had some Nopales for breakfast.
Sigh....it's always a challenge.

One Impatiens basket.


So, what's blooming in your garden?
Hop over to May Dreams Garden, and see some pretty blooms.

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~ 

All Gone...

Remember when I told you about all the verbena in Elli's Meadow?

Remember I told you the butterflies were swarming around, loving the display?

Well....Elli's grandsons showed up to mow.  They mowed and they mowed.
Before anyone noticed, the whole meadow was mowed.
The flowers are all gone.

The butterflies are unhappy, we're unhappy, and I think it's safe to say...Elli is unhappy.
But hey.....the boys did a thorough job.

It'll all come back.  Just maybe not this year.

Also all gone, is the water in the creek and this catch pond.
We're now less than half an inch of rain, for this month.
And, the temperatures are heating up.

We're hoping the rain in not all gone!


The mulching is mostly done.  Thank goodness....it's really warm out there.

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~