Mickey
We'll miss having this old boy relaxing with us in the garden. He was a goodie. Glad to have had sixteen years of his company
Larkspur
It may not last very long, but I really enjoy the masses of larkspur that spring up all around the garden. They have spread so much that there are plenty of stems to cut back for arrangements inside the house. It's pushing through the granite at the side of the car port and it's a nice screen for the cars and there's just enough room for a skinny path to walk by. Nothing like a bright purple flower to contrast the other greenery in the yard
New Project for March 2017
I've been debating what to do with the side garden at the back of the house for a while now. Over Christmas, Katie and I tried to find some large blue and white pots to match my patio collection but were unsuccessful. I'd also considered some modern metal planters. As I've been driving around checking out the spring stock at each of the local nurseries, I found myself drawn to the more rustic classic pots and decided to do an eclectic collection alone the fence. Despite my attempts to use my mini when I go to nurseries in order to limit my purchases, I always end up having to be creative to fit everything in! Here's how the project looks mid-completion.
Chinese Lanterns
I remember loving the paper thin exoticness of chinese lanterns in Wood Road. A couple of years ago, I found this abutilon plant which seemed to have a close resemblance to the orange blooms of Codsall. This year, the flurry of lanterns tripled and it's quite a show stopper.
Old Pals
March is the month of anticipation at Cloverleaf. And despite this being my fourth year of gardening, I still get concerned that some of my favorites won't make it through the couple of frosts we get. Luckily for me, these old faithfuls keep showing back up. Whether it be the bluebonnet, larkspur, pomegranate (which I'll revisit when it's in full bloom), or chinese ground orchid , it's always good when these guys show up for the springtime reunion.
Planet Earth
Although I'm able to stay out in the garden past dusk due to a handy corner street lamp, when it does get dark we've been watching Planet Earth. No snow leopards or hyenas are roaming our yard, but we do see the occasional wild beast
Green water bowl
I redesigned the area around the green water bowl. I heard Scot Ogden talk about moonlight gardens and decided to use that area to try out some silvery foliage and some plants that will look nice at dusk. We'll see...
Survivors
Despite it being a mild winter, we did have a couple of freezes that seemed to do more damage than in previous years. Fortunately, it looks like most of my faves have survived.
Attempting a drift
Inspired by the drifts of daffodils that brightened up a trip to England a few years ago, last autumn, I moved all of my bulbs into one area of my garden. This year, I get to see how they come up and whether I will need to rearrange. Here are the first few blooms.
Geraniums
And just like the begonias, I've amassed a few geraniums over the last couple of years. Deadheading geraniums is something I can picture both Sylvia and Katie doing, mid-conversation. Here's how 2017 is looking on the geranium front.