Monday, February 8, 2010

Mish Mash Monday

Following suit with Monica's suggestion (Garden Faerie's Musings),
today's post covers a few different subjects.


Have you visited Randy and Meg Emmitt's site
Randy & Meg's Garden Paradise?

If not, you really should. Randy and Meg live in North Carolina. Randy is an avid and consummate photographer of a variety of garden flora (lots of subjects) and fauna (usually butterflies, dragon- and damselflies as well as birds) and a great provider of information about his subjects, as well! Can you tell I enjoy visiting their site?

At any rate, in January they received unusual Winter weather (as much of the country seems to be experiencing), including ice on the ponds that was even deep enough for a curling match!) See the January 10 post here. It's a riot! On January 12, Randy posted about a contest he was having. You MUST visit this post, so click here!

I entered his contest - after all, he was giving away his own creation -
Butterflies of the Carolinas & Virginias - Interactive CD!

And guess who won??
ME!
(I'm so happy!)
This is what it looks like...


I'm having a lot of fun with it, and maybe I'll even learn something!


On February 4, I took the following photos outdoors.
Since then, we've received a good covering of snow - with a forecast of 2 - 4" tomorrow (that being the forecast from the more conservative weather report). We'll see!

Below: Arum Italicum - still green... next to a small hypertufa planter. (Looks like the squirrels remain active!)

Helleborus Orientallis Spotted - planted LATE last Fall.

Another Helleborus (I forget which variety...)

Helleborus 'Brushstrokes'



The last subject of the day deals with the addition of a few more Mini-Greenhouses! An earlier post, January 10, 2010, dealt with creating and setting out the first batch of greenhouses. At the end of January, I set out six more... and here they are. :-)

Credit goes to Gail of Clay and Limestone for sending me seeds LAST Winter. I used most of them at that time, but there were a few more Tennessee Coneflower seeds that I just set out... hopefully they'll germinate. Jim Groble of illic est haud equus quoque mortuus barrou was SO kind as to have mailed me ligularia seeds recently! So... thanks so much to the two of you! I'm hoping not only that your seeds germinate and grow - but that mine will do the same! ha.
Can you see how the snowfall enters the jugs? This worked Very Well last year, so I'm excited to see how they work again this year. :-) Happy Looking Forward To Spring to YOU, too!

13 comments:

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

It's so nice to see someone else doing winter sowing! I've had trouble with marker wearing off milk jugs and I use individual plant tags inside... but hey, whatever works! I still have a lot more winter sowing to do! My hellebore looks very similar (color, shape, winter-ness) to yours.

Gail said...

I thoroughly enjoy Randy and Meg's blog the photography is fantastic! I do hope the TN coneflower germinates for you...It is a treasure to have in the garden. Thank you for the link love! Hoping your day is filled with warm sunshine. gail

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Monica, I've had the same trouble. This year I covered the labels with packing tape. We'll see... ;-) Thanks for your visit. (It's beautifully white again outdoors. It's February.)

Hi Gail, You've discovered another site to visit, and you'll enjoy it! I look forward to seeing what last years plants do this year! They were very healthy last Fall. :-) Thanks, Gail.

Rosemary said...

Interesting mish mash! Will check out that blog. Congrats on winning the contest.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Score! That butterfly cd would be great fun. Congrats on the win. I discovered Randy and Meg through your blog. I really enjoy their stuff. :)

Jim Groble said...

You are most kind. I hope the ligularia does as well for you as they have for me. Our hellebore are under 2 feet of snow but I think they look like yours. If memory serves me right. jim

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

Lucky you won one of Randy's book. He does have a great blog with amazing photography.
Don't you just love the winter sowing? I'm interested in seeing the Ligularia from seed. It's such a great plant.

joey said...

Congratulations and happy germinating, Shady! Will you be my Valentine :)

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Rosemary, Thanks! :-)

Kate, Isn't it fun to learn of excellent new blogs?

Jim... I know what you mean. It seems like a long time since Fall, already... and we have a alot more Winter before Spring arrives. ;-)

Joey, Absolutely!! :-)

Randy Emmitt said...

Shady,
Thanks for all the good things you have said about our blog and my photography! We have almost made a year with the garden blog and you were the first ever to comment on it. Glad you are enjoying the CD. Betting 75% of the butterflies on my CD are in Iowa too. Your wood nymphs are slightly different than ours.

Ellie Mae's Cottage said...

I'm so intrigued with the idea of winter sowing in milk jugs. I've been reading Skippy's Vegetable Garden and Kathy does that too. I've got to try it... even if it's just one jug. Thanks for the inspiration!

Anonymous said...

Hi SG~~ It's like your plants want so much to grow and yet old man winter won't let them. ... I was a winner too. Wasn't that sweet of Randy?

Shady Gardener said...

Randy, What can I say? I'm just a fan. ;-) PS - You'll have to post a one-year blog-iversary!

Hi Jackie, I know what you mean. you should try it. :-)

Grace - I remember that you won, too! Are you enjoying your cd??