Who Knows What Manner of Leaves Lie in the Heart of the Raised Beds?

To see a nice slide show of the photos, click on the first one (after you've read the post, of course!) ;-)

Or in any other sites around the yard, such as next to the house south of the front deck...

And the front of the south side of the front deck...

Or, looking north a bit further, you can see the rest of this front bed that has been unraked, contrasting with the parts that were raked (today!).

It's Spring!  It's Spring!  That Heady time of year, when tons of wicked little leaves (and rakes) suddenly "appear!" 

These  leaves await my rake.  They are along the southeast side of the house...

 


This side of the driveway looks really great!!  Raked the lawn and beds Friday!

So far, I've only raked one tarp-load of leaves today... a few minutes ago, dark clouds and thunder rolled in.  It rained hard (!) for a minute or two...

But now it's stopped, and I'm ready to head back outdoors to rake another load!  The worst thing about raking wet leaves is the fact that, piled on a tarp, the load is much heavier than dry leaves... and harder to pull any distance at all...

Not complaining, much.  It looks so NICE and CLEAN and I am so happy when I get an area raked!

Sunny Corner bed, raked yesterday

Now, with regard to Camelot:  I haven't seen the movie in many, many years.  But we haven't yet reached the month of May, and I have a LOT of raking to do before I can attempt any other thing!  (Except to enjoy the Spring blossoms that appear at this time of year!)

 Hellebore (Royal Heritage)

Siberian Squill

Can you spot a few of the daffodils I planted a couple of years ago... in the "way back?"  (I hope to plant a lot more this coming Fall!!!)

Getting ready for  Virginia Bluebells!

Happy Spring!  Happy Spring Gardening to you, my blogging friends!!
Shady Gardener... though, until the leaves appear on our deciduous Oak trees, I'm really feeling Sunny!  :-)

Zippety Doo Dah and Zowies!!

It's getting closer to Spring's arrival, here.  Sunday afternoon's snow was 1/2 gone by yesterday afternoon, when these photos were taken.  Today, the only bits of  snow left is in select, north sides of buildings.

Emerging "kittens" on my brother's weeping pussy willow tree.

Planted last Spring (2013) in his memory.

 Woo-hoo!  Daffodils are emerging!

 Heirloom (tiny!) crocus in the grass... their second season.  :-)

 Another site near the driveway.

 The latest snowfall - receeding!

 

emergent Muscari

 Are you sharing these sentiments?

P.S.  One more item rising in the garden... this time in the backyard (which would seem to make more sense)...  Moles... new tunnels.

Springing Forth with Good Wishes to You!!
SG  :-)

It's Spring! It's Spring!

Don't remember their names and I can't seem to locate the order sheet at this time.

Purchased from Old House Gardens,

along with a few other varieties!  :-)

Do you spot a least three little "clumps" below?

Very cute, aren't they???

On to some Hellebores that have begun to sprout!

Three different plants below - do you detect buds??  :-)

Happy Days!

Happy Spring!

Happy Shady Gardener!!

Fly Gets the Upper Hand?

Kate at Kate Smudges in earth, paint and life...
gave me inspiration.
At least, I'm going to give her "credit!"
:-)

It's really not her fault that I chose to write about flies and spiders
instead of ants...

I've been outdoors working (Yea!),
but it was the little break I've been taking that resulted in this!

Enjoy!

Fly Gets the Upper Hand?

by me (yours truly)

“Oh! Come into my garden,” the fly said to the spider,

Once she was rendered helpless, the fly sat down beside her.

“I’d commandeered some friends of mine,” she very calmly stated.

“We think your sticky web to be quite highly overrated.”

The fly gazed towards her friends, the battery of whom was seated.

The wasps, grasshoppers, ants and moths seemed ne’er to be depleted

.

“There are others, don’t you know?” she said, “who felt the need to be here;

there’s safety in the numbers, with not a reason to feel fear.”

The spider looked her over with a blazing angry eye;

stating suddenly, with candor, this unexpected calm reply:

“I see you’ve planned quite thoroughly, the route to my demise,

but there’s something you’ve not thought about – a virtual surprise…

…you believe you’ve squarely tied me; with reason not to fear.

However, said the Spider, I’m quite virtually not here!”

Quickly making motions, imitating those of Houdini’s spare -

Our spider disappeared! Fly and her battery knew not where!

So please watch yourself and listen; cast a discriminating eye.

And don’t fall for the entreaty --- as posed by Spider to the fly!

So... where did Spider go? See below...


Click here for the "Real Story" by Mary Howitt


Before leaving the subject of Spider and Fly, you might want to check out this link. Can you solve this problem??
:-)

Happy Spring!

Green Thumb Sunday - OOPS

Join Green Thumb Sunday at Feverish Thoughts!

(I'd named this GBBD, accidentally!)

First of all, I had such nice suggestions as to the name
of my beautiful new violet!

My "official" botanical-looking name is:
'S. Blushing Raspberry Icee'

(In Daylily terms, S. stands for Sieboldia... in My terms, S. stands for Shady's) I believe I'll call her "Icee" for short. ;-)

Now... for a look at what I found outdoors yesterday.
Please click to enlarge.
In this photo, you may just find 5 or 6 little
'Lady Sheila Ann Germaney' Iris
Here are just a few more things I found.
What do you think?
Dianthus is green all Winter, I think.

Yea!! Spring is on its way. :-)

Green Thumb Sunday

Green Thumb Sunday
Join!

Rhododendron Buds!

Virginia Bluebells

Virginia Bluebells close-up!!

"Carlton"

"Ice Follies"

This has turned into a gorgeous, blue-sky, "balmy" day! I finished the wall and hauled the rocks to other beds.

Tah-dah! Here's the complete view,

with Barbie's tree in the foreground.

This little daffodil is one of 15 Carlton Daffodils I planted last Fall.

The continuing saga of the lone hyacinth.

The Bleeding Heart is growing!

As is the Pasque Flower.

Here's a new little fellow that 's shown up over the past few days!Last, but not least. This is called "getting up close and personal"
when you're about the business of digging and planting rocks in the ground!

Not Shady. Just slightly "buggy." :-)