Snow Drops

The snow drops are in their prime this week.

Spring Chicken

Since it's started to warm up, Daisy has been chasing twigs and leaves and jumping around like crazy. She's very happy.

Lavender Hyacinth and Dusty Miller

These Hyacinths are up very early. There's not nearly enough for any impact. And wheather the dusty miller will survive in this part shade location is questionable. This spot needs lots more development.

Arums

The Arums are up but will they multiply?

Blue Stars and Butterflies

The Blue Star flowers are coming out in the lawn. And we are even having butterflies this early.

Spring Crocus

The spring Crocus are up. Especially nice are the new "Tommies" that Shelagh put in last fall. If these return well next year, well triple the ammount.

Pink Hyacinths

100%.

Anemones

First Anemone out this week. Lord Sargent.

Shelagh's Garden

The daffodils in Shelagh's garden are in full swing. The minnows in the back beds aren't showing yet. Muscari are at 20%. Blue Jacket Hyacynth's aren't out yet.

Rock Garden

Daffodils, candy tuft and violas are all at 100% in the rock garden. Phlox is reaching 50%.

Borders in Winter

The borders are filled with seedlings of Larkspur, and Nemophila. The Liriope just got a hair cut about the same time as pruning the Roses.The Georgia Speedwell is blooming early.

Five Spot Was Bitten by Frost

The Parterre in Winter is filled with Five Spot and Sweet William. 20% or more of the Five Spot has frost damage.

Winter Honysuckle

The Winter Honeysuckle (in the distance by the end of the drive) is in it's peak form. The fragrance is getting better each week.

Fatsia in Clay

The fatsia uncle James gave us is looking pretty good. It's in Clay, covered with bricks, in a very wet run off area from the roof, deep shade.

First Year for Hellebores

I think the Hellebores are going to like our shade garden. This one of 5 has done very well and is making lots of seeds. The flowers hang down though. Are there Lentens that face upwards?

Cedar Stump's Last Days

The cedar stump by the swing, (under the magnolia) is disintegrating. This may be it's last year. It's covered with moss and has a colony of big black ants living inside.

Nandina Berries

The winter is when Nandina Berries show their worth. Their red color is so intense that even the color blind like me can appreciate them. Many people abhore this heirloom plant but we're proud to have ours that may well date from the time the house was built in 1887.

Pansy Beds

Shelagh's Pansy beds are looking quite nice this winter. Her combinations with "tete a tete" dafodils and muscari are just around the corner. We're looking forward to seeing that combination.

Lime Sulphur Spray

I sprayed Lime Sulphur spray on the roses and gardenias. This must be done when the temperature is between 45 and 65 degrees, with no rain eminent, and not withing 10 - 14 days of an oil spray. I'll do the oil spray in the 3rd week of Feb.

The winter anual weeds seem to be less prominent this year. Maybe my dilligent pulling of them previously has had an effect. I've gone to using the weed eater to skalp any that I see, as opposed to hand weeding. A "St Augustine" weed and feed did a good job of killing the big spot of clover. Time will tell if it also kills the Ipomea.

2018 update. I no longer spray roses. The lemon meringue roses have largely died out at this point mainly due to their susceptibility to fungus. Other roses thrive without care, eutin being my favorite. The older heirloom varieties are far more robust than the modern hybrids. Only a few lemon meringue remain on the fence now.

Fence Mending

Every few years there's a bit of fence repair to do. I use cypress so this task gets easier each time. Cypress is naturally rot and insect resistant. It lasts for decades so it's well worth the modest expense. It's brittle compared to pine so screw holes must be pre drilled to prevent splitting the narrow pickets.

snow

This oleander suffered a 70% kill this winter.