The Sunny Border - April 3, 2012

Everything is coming back great, including the weeds.

I spend about thirty minutes each day pulling as many weeds as I can.

 The Italian Cypress is still growing like Jack's Bean Stalk.

It may have to go, but I love it. The mandevilla vines did not make it through the Winter.

I am going to look for something light - maybe white, yellow, or lavender toned.

This is the first Knock Out rose I got. It was my birthday gift one year.

My wife got it in a silent auction at the local Relay for Life Event.

I did not prune it back this year, we will have to watch it and see how it goes.

I am a pruner.

A trip around the front yard

 Italian Arum

 Wood Fern

 Hosta - June

it's supposed to be really big when it's grown

 Guara - coming back strong

 Camelia japonica - man sized

yes I will be air layering that tall branch at the top

 It did have one little short lived bloom

next year I am more hopeful

 The peonies are awakening -

The largest one to the right is a pink the small one to the far left is red

and the one at the top of the bed is within the the white garden so it is pure white.

 Here is the matching bed to the right of the wall.

The tomato cage holds the white Clematis vine which is awaiting

some kind of support structure, either purchased or built. any suggestions?

 On the other side of the front porch this wall is near the driveway.

New Dawn roses and boxwood surround the wall fountain.

 Sunny Knock Out roses are back!

This is a big deal for me -

NOTHING will grow and thrive in this little
strip of border that is so close to the tree and its roots.

 This is not a great photo but the plants look great

and already have many flower buds all over them.

Here is the view looking from the sidewalk back into the yard.

I am thinking about moving the Guara to this side of the yard.

It doesn't mind being dry and seems to love the heat,

and i have lots of dry and lots of heat for them over here -

they should be happy.

Water Garden Iris

The Iris plant in the goldfish pond is at it's peak. I'm just proud that I remembered to get some photos this year. I really worked to place myself in just the right spots so that you could not see just how neglected I have let this garden get. One more week until Spring Break begins! I'm looking forward to some quality time in the yards.
David

Camellia Plate and Gypsy

I read several blogs about camellias recently and it reminded me of this plate that i made several years ago at our local paint your own pottery place. I grabbed a flower from the yard as we were going down with the kids to paint one rainy Saturday. We thought we could create a series of plates to use as dessert plates. But as everything else in this economy - painting your own pottery places took a hit and closed down when money had to be used for every day living and never for extras. Oh well - picture a big ole dollop of Abbeville Gypsy - lady fingers, bourbon, whipping cream, and slivered almonds - mmm.

Trip to Biltmore House

Days before Christmas we went to the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC. This was our Chirstmas gift from my mama. The last time I went I was probably nine years old. We took the whole day, and toured the whole house from the basement to the third floor, us and everybody in western NC. We had a great lunch at the Stables at the house. Then right before we left we walked the gardens. Everything was cut back and put to bed for the Winter. The bones of the beds proved to me that we do need to go back again and see everything in its full glory. It really was a great day.

Merry Christmas from Pinewood Cottage

A peek in the front door and pencil tree.

I hope everybody has a safe and happy Merry Christmas.

Air Layered Camellias and Daddy's Old Nativity Scene

     Today was the day I decided that I had to cut the air layerings from the camelia bushes. I air layered six. Four made it through the longest drought summer I have been through here in town. You can probably see from the photo that one of my spagnum moss packages dried out. The layering does have roots but it is all really dry, I won't be surprised if it doesn't make it through. The other three look moist, and have roots growing out of the moss already. They should do great. The photo below shows the great start they have.

Four new plants tucked into the nursery bed for the winter. If its a wet winter they should do fine. Below are two photos that show why I love to layer camelias. who wouldn't want to have more of these beautys around the yard, or to give as gifts.

 Professor Sargent - red

 unknown Camelia

     The two photos below are shots of my Daddy's nativity scene. He used to put this up every year in our front yard. The last time that I saw this set up and lit was probably 1970 something. I don't know why he quit putting it up. It was stored in the roof of the garage for decades. Several years ago my Mama had the garage cleaned out and the set was propped up behind garage. It is really rotten. Of course the one piece that was that most gone was baby Jesus. If you look closely he is just a small rotten blob of plywood, I had to make a little manager to hold him up. The paint has washed off, and the legs are falling off the animals but it pleases me to have it up. I do not know what I will do with it in January. I may trace it onto new plywood and try to copy it, or I might just throw it out. I don't know. It means alot to me. I doubt I could do it.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day and I hope to be the first to wish you all a Merry Christmas Season. We look forward to decorating the house for Christmas each year. We begin tomorrow with the outside garland and lights. Thanks for stopping by.

...on little cat feet...

Fall comes on little cat feet...
and sneaks into the backyard
so slowly you don't realize it.

Property of the Month

There's Bermuda Grass invading the flower beds. The Pine Straw is faded and sparce. Nothing is blooming or lush except the Knock Out Roses and the Mandilla. But we came home the other day to find the Property of the Month sign stabbed into the front yard. The city has a beautification committee that secretly chooses one home from each voting district each month. I don't think we win because we are that wonderful - I think we win because the city wants to send our neighbor a message about the state they keep their yard in...it's not working.

Mid October