Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - Spring is Springing...

Spring is Springing all around -
I was out raking...
See what I found?

I had to let out a "whoop!" when I saw this plant!
My mom had shared her fern leaf peony with me last Spring/Summer. I brought it home and planted it in one of the raised bed gardens. It lasted a little while, but died back. Ever hopeful, and just in case, I didn't disturb the area at all. Hoorah!! It's growing!!
Here's the clematis 'Niobe' I planted last Spring.

And my newest Hellebore, "Brushstrokes."

One of a colony of Virginia Bluebells that's becoming
quite at home in the woodland walkway...

And one of the Dutchman's Breeches I transplanted
into the Backyard Center gardens two Springs ago.

And last, but never least, is a little friend worth visiting.
He and I had a chat. And he obliged me by waiting
as I ran into the house for my camera.
What a pose! :-)
(Notice his diminutive size as compared to the oak leaf and bark.)
I was raking to the tune of several happy birds...
Spring is springing all around!
Happy Me!
SG

PS If you want to see a raft of wonderful Spring Posts, head to see Carol at May Dreams Gardens

25 comments:

CMamaFishy said...

I get so excited when I hear the birds chirp and start to see the green popping up in my flower beds. Everyday something new!

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

I love Dutchman's breeches and aren't VA bluebells the cutest things ever? Like our fav, pulmonaria, they have the pink then blue blooms I adore! Happy bloom day!

Gail said...

So many lovely flowers coming into their own in your garden, Shady! I love how respectful you've been...giving the peony a chance to find itself again! It will reward you with heavy growth and health this year! Have a good day...gail ps I hope that Chicago SF is still in your plans?

Kathleen said...

Welcome home Shady Gardener! I've missed you. Glad you came back to daffodils and spring perennials coming up. So nice, isn't it? I have a pair of finches building a nest in my front door wreath basket right now so that's fun to watch/listen to also. I haven't seen any toads yet ~ your friend is out early!

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

It does look like spring is springing! I love the virginia bluebells, yours is the second I've seen today. I think I need to try it again.
I love your little frog!

Tessa at Blunders with shoots, blossoms 'n roots said...

Looks like things are waking up in your garden- love your blog name, by the way! Happy GBBD to you!

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Is that first shot of a Peony or a Dicentra? It's kind of hard to tell. Yippiee, your Mertensia is already blooming! Mine is still pretty small, but it should be impressive this year. This morning I fertilized all my Clematis. I'm hoping to jump start some of the ones that have not been performing up to snuff. I hope your little 'Niobe' blooms this year. It's such a beautiful one.

Unknown said...

Everything is looking good. I love the way your little frog listened to you and waited to have his picture taken.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I can see why you are so happy being surrounded by so many of natures spring delights.

Phoenix C. said...

That's great about the fern leaf peony.

Love the little frog!

Anonymous said...

Hi shady...the fern leaf peony
dies back in late summer..
They will come back in the spring.

Northern Shade said...

It's good to see that your frog is already out on bug patrol, and he waited for you. I've had trouble getting shots of anything faster than a ladybug.:)
Your labels not only help you keep track of your plants, they make it easy for viewers to see what's up.

Shady Gardener said...

CMamaFishy, Thanks for visiting today. Spring is a grand season. I need to see where you are!

Monica, I need to visit! Guess what, I even saw a bud on one of my newest pulmonaria today!! I'll get a photo tomorrow. :-) You're right, we share some faves!

Gail, did you check out the comment by "anonymous?" Guess I did the right thing and I didn't even know it! :-)

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Kathleen! It's nice to be missed! :-) You have to know as soon as we got home, I headed around the entire circumference of the house to see what was "up" and blooming!!

Shady Gardener said...

Catherine, The Virginia Bluebells are so much fun because they're out there moving around and increasing in number! (I love it because I have plenty of room for them!) You should definitely try them again. :-)

Shady Gardener said...

Tessa, I think we now have a mutual admiration society. I like your blog name, too. :-) Happy Spring!

Shady Gardener said...

MMD, The first photo is the fern leaf peony. A couple of my dicentra are beginning to grow, but not all of them. (I just received my first order of this Spring - and one of the plants is the Goldheart Spectabilis Dicentra. I'm excited to be planting it soon. :-) On your recommendation, I'll be fertilizing Niobe tomorrow!

RainGardener, I can't explain why he did such a thing... maybe because he's still in shock from being out so early? ;-)

Lisa, You and I share a lot of plants in common! Yea, Spring!

Hi Phoenix C. Thanks for visiting today! :-)

Anonymous, Thank You for that information. Now I'm Very glad I didn't disrupt the plant!! :-)

Northern Shade, I'm also using my photos to catalog the plants in the garden. Having the names is often very helpful. (Plus, the labels help me remember their names a little better.) :-)

Iowa Victory Gardener said...

Hi Shady!
Things are really starting to pop around here too (finally)! How lucky you are to have a fern leaf peony ... I see that some of those new ones we put in last year are breaking ground, as are the dicentra and columbines and my Blue Elf delphiniums (who I thought had given up the ghost).

Crocus are still going great guns here and our first 2 daffodils bloomed today ... what a great reward to find after a long day at work...

Give that little guy a home! We improvised a toad house out of an old flower pot last year and hope our little guy comes back ... though with Hanna around now, he may be intimidated....

joey said...

Yipee for 'springing spring'! At last spring found me also ... lots of goodies popping!

Anonymous said...

There is such a thrill when I turn back the mulch and discover little signs of life on a treasure I either totally forgot about or wasn't sure would survive the winter.

I think spring has indeed finally sprung!

Rosemary said...

Shady, what a nice Mom you have . I have been eyeing a fern leaf peony for sometime butit is pricy here, still never know.. Looking forward to seeing how it develops.
Happy spring to you!

Shady Gardener said...

IVG, I am fortunate indeed to have a fern leaf peony. My Aunt MEA gave me one several years ago, before we moved here. I divided it and brought part with me, but I didn't have a good spot for it. It succumbed. However, my Mom gave me this one, so it looks like I've got a "keeper!" Yes, I'll be getting the flowerpot out soon just in case the toad needs a home. :-)

Joey, I'll be watching for your photos extraordinaire!

Grace, I know exactly how you feel! I, too, thrill at (literally) the smallest things these days! ;-) I've just come in from taking about a billion photos! ha.

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Rosemary, We must have been writing each other simultaneously! :-) I'm very excited about it! Perhaps you might find one at a gardeners' plant sale? My mom has even sold pieces of hers, because it begins to take too much room in her garden space.

Patsi said...

I failed with my Virginia Bluebells a few years ago. Not sure why. Maybe I should try again.
Yay happy birds and raking !

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Patsi, Wish I could send some to you... don't know that it would work. Do you know anyone that has them? It's easy to be generous, as once they're happy, they spread around (not invasively).