Jen, Beautiful
Paul, Yes I would say post meal. How nice to have a mouse catcher close by.
DO YOU HAVE SOME SIGNS OF SPRING 2013? #3
Yay for mouse catchers. But, methinks I might have had to change my clothes.
Thanks for sharing the Scary and Pretty pictures, gang.
OMG Paul, I think snakes are great but seeing that in person would have freaked me out.
Paul: We go through a cycle at our house -- the chipmunk population gets larger and larger and larger -- then suddenly it drops off. That means we have a snake. Then the hawk shows up. Then the chipmunks return.... and so on and so on.
OMG, Paul!!! I have a Rhodo of that same variety. Now I will remember this photo every time I walk pass that Rhodo.
Lovely Irises, Jen.
Oh my Goodness! I would have had a rip fit. Snakes just make me shiver.
I don't mind the snakes. They usually give me a jolt because I don't see them until the last minute. I was on the phone one day and there was a large black snake sitting out in the sun halfway in the yard, trying to warm up. I definitely provided some quick entertainment to my friend on the other side of the line.
Quote from happy_macomb :
Paul: We go through a cycle at our house -- the chipmunk population gets larger and larger and larger -- then suddenly it drops off. That means we have a snake. Then the hawk shows up. Then the chipmunks return.... and so on and so on.
We do the same thing. There at least 3 different snakes I have seen in the garden this year. The chipmunks are every where this year and the rabbit population is up too. Come back predators! Come back.
Hmmm do people have pet owls?
In all the 43 years I have lived here--I have only seen a Black Snake once.
I have already posted many pictures of it--so will show just a couple--
One--where I leaned too close to get a picture--and Mr. Snake did not like it......
I followed it for over an hour with my camera....
It was headed for a Rendezvous with a lady snake--up in my old Juniper bush.
Then entwined--they headed under my front, concrete steps...EEEEKKK....
I did have visions of an invasion somewhere in the house foundation--of all
the concrete blocks...studded walls and all kinds of spaces...that was not a good feeling...
I would not mind having one--but, like Paul said, it can startle you when you don't know it is right THERE!!!
I thought, the one I had, was a branch that fell off my Maple--and went to pick it up.....YIKES!!!
Gita
Paul, it must have been the weekend for black snakes. We had one sunning itself on the dock deck on Sunday. Saw it when we were taking my 3 year old great nephew down to fish. I'm not bothered by snakes either (unless it is a copper head), but they can definitely startle you. Andrew has never seen a snake before, and everyone treated the sighting just like we would treat any "normal" wild life sighting, so his first exposure was one of caution but not of fright. The one on the dock had two lumps down its length, hopefully got some mice that had been occupying the outdoor kitchen cabinets!
A few new pictures--The peonies are opening up and the Roses are starting to bloom.
#1--This is my first and oldest peony I own. I have NO idea how old it is....25? 30? yrs...
It has HUGE, white blooms, with smithereens of deep pink in the base of the bloom.
It is one of 5 I have.
Please note the TINY bed it is in....about 5' x 2'. Just the Peony and the Proteus Clematis--and now
two good-sized plants of Monkshood as well. It is right next to one of the old, white Azaleas...
My KK Hibiscus started here.....:o}
#2--Close up of the bloom.
#2--And this is my tiny, "refuse-to-die" First prize Rose....It gifts me with only ONE bloom--every year.
This year the bloom is very small--but still a perfect Rose... The stem is only about 14" tall.
#3--This is the most perfect Rose shot I have ever taken of this same rose--way back in 2006.
This past year, the "The Avalon Garden Club" of NJ asked for permission to use this
Photo on their Website. What an honor for me!!!
************************************************************************
Here is their request:
Our local non-profit Garden Club (approx. 100 members) is creating a website for its
> members and also as information for potential new members.
> The Avalon Garden Club's emblem is the First Prize rose and we would like
> to put that on the Home page of our website. I have grown the First Prize
> rose and am familiar with its form and beauty. I feel that the photoraph
> (c2dc94-First bloom on my new First Prize Rose) on the Internet is a
> wonderful example of this beautiful rose.
> I am asking for permission to use the photograph on our website.Thank you
> Mary Reynolds (Avalon Garden Club Website Committee)
***********************************************************************
Gita
How nice Gita!!!
Somehow we have never discussed your First Prize Rose. I bought one on clearance at Lowes about six years ago. It struggled, gets black spot, has been moved a couple places...but two years ago my daughter saw it blooming, one of maybe two per year just like yours. She declared it the most perfect rose ever...so now I am taking more care with that bush. It looks marginally stronger this year so far, and has just opened the first of three buds. ... what a coincidence...
Sally-- YES! it is an absolutely perfect Rose....
Another one is "Sweet Surrender"--long out od patent--I believe.
If You ever see it--RUN--do not walk to the nearest cashier and buy it.
It is another totally perfect Rose. Perfectly pink and so very scented...
It has so many petals it has 2 whorls inside each bloom. It is also very hardy
and quite disease resistant. Mine seldom gets any Black Spot....
Mine is old too--the main stem looks more like a trunk. It flowers profusely with amazing blooms...
Another beauty i have is the perfect, long-stemmed, red Rose--called "Proud Land".
Wallmart had it this spring--all for $ 5.47. I believe these are Roses that are out of patent--but still
sold as beautiful Tea Roses. You can Google these--of course--for more info.
#1 & #2--"Sweet Surrender"...
#3--Proud Land"
How's this for "Perfect Rose"... I almost clicked the thumbnail of "Proud Land" so I could sniff it. Gita, stop doing that to me!!! =P
We need smellivision!!
Those 'Sweet Surrender' flowers look textbook perfect! This plant is still available online, but I don't remember seeing it locally.
How much sun does it get, Gita?
I'm afraid of Hybrid Teas but I will remember Sweet Surrender.
Gita: I think that peony is Festiva Maxima.
-- Here's a shot I just went outside and took...LOVE...LOVE this Peony...
--Purple iris I dug up from my Uncle's garden. he died in 1991
--Remember the small-leaved Hosta I got last year at HD? We were all discussing "MouseEars"...
This is NOT M.E. but it is cute...It is in a small bowl-planter...good for one more year...
--My big Brazilian Plume---can't wait for it to bloom!
--LOVE when my old hemlock gats its new growth! Like a shower of lime green....
never got around to pruning it--now is too late....:-(
I just ID this beauty with the help of greenthumb99.
Columbine meadow rue, greater meadow rue.
It has never produced any viable seeds though...sadly.
#1. The bloom
#2. The foliage
Beautiful pictures, beautiful people taking them. Hi to all. JB
Neat plant Paul, I really like that.
Gita you should see my Braz Plume. It's huge like yours and has a ton of blooms coming on.
Here are a few of my Iris
I figured you might holly. I'm going to pay close attention this year to it, perhaps I have just missed the seeds. I wish it seeded like Columbine, then it would be easy to share.
Paul---
You could encase the spent blooms in some Panty Hose and that way you would catch any seeds
that may be too small to gather any other way. Or--maybe a piece of really sheer fabric--
like chiffon or tulle (bridal dept.). I suppose it has to be something that lets light through.
Give it a try.....G.
...if he has any panty hose that he can spare, that is. ;)
Ahem--I was going to make a joke similar to that--but did not...
His GF must have panty hose......just rip them off Paul--make it a "game'......
See who comes out the winner...............tee..heee....
Anything is worth it if it has to do with plants....right?
G.
Thanks I will just keep a close eye on it. The plants have invaded enough of the relationship.
Pretty irises, Holly. I now have quite a few of them blooming in my garden too. I bought the rhizomes from an Iris farm in Reston VA 3 - 4 years ago. The rhizomes came very small, about a couple of inches in size. It took such a long time for them to grow into sizable clumps and produce more than just a couple of flowers.
Paul, very interesting meadow rue. I don't think I have ever seen this plant. Love the soft pink color of the flowers.
Nothing says May like roses! My knockouts got terrible blackspot but seem to have recovered well.
FIne Gardening had an article about meadow rue- sounds like an awesome lesser known group of plants.
I really love mine. I would love love love to have babies for the spring. The pressure is on now.
