If anybody is near historic glyndon MD there should be 3000+ daffs coming up this spring. I don't even know how many different cultivars. DM me if interested. It is beautiful country out there, great biking area.
DO YOU HAVE SOME SIGNS OF SPRING 2013?
The First Sign of Spring? The HUGE increase of cars at local nurseries...LOL! INCLUDING MINE! On Saturday morning, I put down a pre-emergent lawn fertilizer/crabgrass preventer and it is nicely tucked under all the SNOW we got today. I had so much activity at my bird feeders, and my crocus are/were up. Ah! Spring is coming! Throw what you will at me, March!
30 years ago I planted King Alfred and Ice Follies daffodils. King Alfreds have declined but the Ice Follies with no care and no dividing have continued to bloom year after year. I do remove all of the blooms so energy can go back to bulbs. I think I've put down Bulb tone three times...The other survivor of my bulb care regimin is narcissis poeticus...very reliable.
Sally, I have dug up many a clump of daffodils from old abandoned properties and they also do well with no care...there is something equally charming about 3000 blooms or a precious few!
Speaking of blooming: last year peak cherry blossom bloom in DC was March 20th. This year the estimate is for April 4! Two week difference...
I am hoping for a gradual transition to more seasonable temps and not that 'turning on a dime' to the hot hots. Don't mind not having an 'early' Spring, as long as Summer is liveable!
Grayce, be sure to tell us about any great plant finds as you are out and about over on our 'plnt finds' thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1303167/.
Embrace Spring! Pic is DGS from yesterday in Vermont.
At last, these little cuties are blooming and a storm is coming. Poor babies.
They are so pretty, I just love the little patches of them that I have in different places in the yard. Some are just 3-5 bulbs and they add so much to the yard. Just brightens up the day when you see them.
Ric took these when we came home this afternoon. We had been running errands all day and when I came home these large purple crocus were just screaming take my picture. Then once the camera came out he did a quick tour of the yard. The little light Lav and white crocus are very small bet the blooms are only an inch and they are growing just barely off the ground. The bright yellow crocus are big about the size of the dark purple and then the light lavender ones are smaller than the big ones but bigger than the small ones. Very delicate looking. Those 5 varieties are all I have blooming right now. Seems there should be more, maybe they will come up a little later. I think next fall I will have a big spring bulb order. I have practically no spring bulbs in the back yard.
All very cheerful! My crocus have dwindled in the front, I guess I am due to beef them up this fall. Poor drainage...
God, and I was so excited about my little patch. You are very lucky to have all those beauties.
................thanks for sharing. ☺
Trying to learn new computer stuff
AHA finally
Isn't he cute? Picture from . "Gnomes," by Wil Huygen, illustrated by Rien Poortvliet
http://www.amazon.com/Gnomes-Deluxe-Collectors-Edition-Huygen/dp/B006OHTITM
Sally---
I have these books! I have done a lot of paint-on-wood-chip-boxes crafts
using my Gnome book for picture suggestions.
I have done BIG Wood plaques--and all kinds of other things--including tiny (2 1/2" tall) Gnomes
made out of pom-poms that I have a bunch of. Will have to scan in the pictures to show you--
but it would be wayyyy off topic here....
If you can spare the cash, get this book. it is hilarious to read all the "truthful" facts
about the lives of the Gnomes. SO much blarney--but so easy to believe....
They are 6" tall......they reach sexual maturity at 300 years.....etc...Love that kind of stuff...
Also--it is considered good luck to have a Gnome in the house--even if you will never see it...
The Amazon prices seem better. Used is OK.
The one you pictured was the first I book. The second one is called "Secrets of the Gnomes"...
There are two similar books--all fantasy--one is called "Giants"--the other is "Faeries".
All beautifully illustrated and full of all kinds of "factual" facts....
G.
GUess what G. I saw the book on our donation table, thought of you, and asked if I could have it. I should not be surprised that you have them!
Another picture, practicing using this new system...Anemone. The color looks washed out though. I'll have to try again and not mid day.
Sally---
What is the "New System" you are practicing???
Let me know if you get totally "hooked" on the "Gnomes" book.
IF you do--I will gift you the other one--I have a couple extras.
They have been out of print a long time already! Hard, if impossible, to find...
Of course--there is Amazon and E-bay--and they are asking $$$$ for them.
I have a few Spring pics I took the other day. Nothing different that what everyone else's.
Most of my Helebores have blooms--but I am NOT going to lay on my stomach
to get their pictures--yet...They are SO hard to photograph!
G.
Oh, I am excited about the little patches, too. I have my Lamppost Bed heavily planted with spring bulbs but come may it is a pain to try and work in some annuals. Trying to plant over the bulbs is hard to do, if there is a trick to it I don't know it.
Ric, Loves Gnomes, The ones we have in our garden are his.
Oh Gita, Look at those Daffs.
Sally, Did you say you got a new Photo program? I have one, too. It does more than my old one does but I am a slow learner. I would love to find someone that has the same program that I do. I would pay for a few classes, when it comes to computer things I learn best by having someone teach me than trying to learn from the system. Maybe I should search on line for demos. They have How To demos for almost everything on line.
So here are a few of my Hellebore.
Holly, do you interplant or underplant your hellebores with any thing? Just scattered around? A hellebore bed? I'm thinking they might look good with some coral bells? Here are some pics I posted over on our plant shopping thread
Pic 1 hellebore 'Pink Frost'
Pic 2 coral bells 'Georgia Peach'
Pic 3 noid hellebore
I have them growing in all my shade beds. There are ferns, coral bells and all the other shade loving type plants mixed around them.
Gita/ Holly
I wastrying to email a picture off my phone download on a Mac computer and edit and post to D G. Phew! Mac is good but different and takes learning.
Coleup your Georgia peach is that big now? Havent even noticed my Montrose rubys at all.
Judy--
Your "Pink Frost" is so pretty! And--looks like the blooms are a bit upright.
Much easier to photograph....
Holly--
I have that really dark one as well (your pic. #4).
I have 5 Helebores...all in different stages of bloom at this time.
need to try and get some pictyres... Gita
Does the book show you how to make gnomes? From scratch? I have no artistic ability at all. I did do needle felt and found it amazing that the things I did actually did come out looking like my model. I loved that, but I can not paint or draw at all. I need all the help I can get.
Sorry, no, the Gnomes book is just a big colorful picture fantasy book. Think kids book on steroids and adult size.
Thank you Sally.
Well, and a lovely, beautiful, WHITE spring Sunday morning to all! I'm so sad, all of the ickiness falling from the sky, even though it is honestly pretty. I counted (to the best of my ability, they're so fast) 28 birds frolicking around the feeders on the deck. Cardinals, sparrows, finches, teacherbirds, juncos, woodpeckers - I could go on. Watching them is like watching the smallest of children racing around a playground. I wish they would share some of their cheer over the weather.
I stayed home rather than go to church. Didn't like the way the ice was coming down. I believe I'll plant some more seeds in the window, and go to Revelations study this evening. Hopefully the temps will cooperate with the asphalt by then.
I do have to admit, though, that lacy big clumps of beautiful snow make charming accent on big black dogs! :o)
Oh my you are sparklin today aren't you Barb? lol
I love you Barb, but you keep all your lovely white sparkling stuff and I will love you even more.
It has been cold, windy and damp here for a week and I am so tired of it. It is to rain/snow/sleet tonight. What else can I say? ☺
I have three or four in's of the white stuff's today ,they didn;t cover the drive or walk so I don't have to shovel or dig them from there ,, all right with me!!!
The stuff's we are talking can be invasive or overwhelming so beware if you do want more (^_^
They can cover everything in what seems like only a few hours!!
This message was edited Mar 24, 2013 11:42 AM
If I could find a hole to crawl into I think I would. Ju, good thing you do not have to shovel, you are too old for too much of that stuff. Be careful my friend....we want to keep you around for awhile. JB
ROFL juhur, the most invasive "garden" item ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JB I feel for you, and me, and all os uf. One years was very gloomy, I kept finding myself looking out windows for no reason. Eventually I decided I was just trying to GET SOME DAYLIGHT in my brain.
Daylight in the brain. That sounds good. What I was doing was if the sun would come out for a few minutes, I would put a heavy jacket on and go sit on the deck in the sun until it went in, which was never more than 20 minutes at a time. It was so darn windy and cold even that was no fun. But it was fresh air. You find yourself doing almost anything to change your attitude after while. Between the greenhouse and the sun on the deck, feeding the birds and walking the dog, not much else to do until the wind stops. I just can not stand the wind. It makes my vertigo go wild. Strange head I have. LOL
I ran outside to see if i can get some hellebore shots for you all.
After all the snow coming tonight--I may not get another chance....
SO- got pictures of 4 of the five. The fifth one is not doing too well...hmmmmm
It doesn't even have new leaves growing. Not dead--but WAYYYY behind the others...
And--just a few ho-hum shots of color in my garden.
Pretty much the same as everyone else s....
Oh Gita, how pretty. You are so lucky.
What can you say , spring someplace/? and people that know how to grow flowers!!!!
If I had the strength I would throw my computer at you, Ju....it is your fault, you send me all your bad weather. ♥
Gita, Beautiful!
JB, Waiting to see what we may get. Looks like it is coming in sometime tomorrow.
Sleet rain here now to begin round two . oh joyous right,, uh huh ,,. JB some us just only have the gift that way , I bet you would find the strength to do that if I grinned and said ""your welcome""" lol^_^
We've got about 4 inches of the dirty s-word so far, and probably two more come night. Maybe we can keep it down here away from ya'll.
Away we go it is snowing .... this weather .
"" is snow fun at all""!!! ""Snow foolin"" !!! ^_^
We have a Store Meeting tonight--scheduled at 8:30PM. until 10PM.
Can't be any earlier--as the store is open until 8PM.
The Lumber Aisle will be transformed, once again, into the "Restaurant de'Jour...."
It is not just an ordinary meeting--it is when they distribute the "Success Sharing" checks.
I believe this is done quarterly--as all sales are driven for each quarter.
These checks can be a decent amount for the higher ups and managers. Like a LOT!
For the average associate--it may be $200-$300--taxed at 40%. Bummer. !!!
How they decide who gets what--I do not know. Maybe "position"...wages--Length of service....money generated...etc.
It is supposed to be the highest pay-out EVER! I think, overall, the HD Company will be shelling out
some 28 million $$$ across the Company.
We ALL earn it for the company--with driving sales and good customer service.
Our store, being as old as it is (21 yeears) and as low-volume as it is--
exceeds ALL expectations every quarter. WE ROCK!!!!!!
Many customers say they would not shop at any other HD--because we have a good core of people
who know a lot and are VERY polite and customer friendly. That says a lot for all our associates!
Besides this--the meeting tonight is also a great "cook-off" among the best cooks we have in the store.
I do not know who the "Judges" will be--but I bet there will be a nice prize for the winner.
It will be a real pig-out!!! I will have to force myself to eat something all that great at 9PM!!!
But--I will do my best. Really! I will work VERY hard to try everything....Ahem...
Some of the people will have worked until 8PM as their regular shift--and then will have to
finish up preparing all their food. Pushing the button here....
Overall--I am happy that they are doing something this special instead of just handing out the checks.
Glad i am off tomorrow--will sleep in.....Snow or no snow--I am going...
So far--right now-- at 6:45Pm--there is nothing coming down. I think, here, if it snows, it will
be sometime way later tonight.
G.
Congrats Gita, I know you contribute to that stores success. Well earned bonus check. Have a great time at the meeting.
Kudos gita! I'm sure you a bright star there among many. Enjoy.