Gardens through the seasons

24 Mar '08 8:49 pm

What a lovely place you live in Faith. I love the Bradford Pears and the pond.

25 Mar '08 7:55 am

You may end up with even more ducks Faith. I'm sure I have read that the males return to their home area every season (once they find a mate) to breed.

I love your latest pics, especially the pear trees (which are simply awesome) and the blue pond reflection. That pic is so serene, I can just imagine hiding there for an early morning coffee Very Happy

Jacks words about enjoying the gardens fleeting moments, made me think how I get a wee bit sad when the garden is past its' best and those little treasure pairings of nature go to seed, but then before we know it Shocked

all happens again next year! The best thing is the garden itself goes from strength to strength! Oh I love the garden!

Hee hee and I just have to add my plaque too. My sister bought this for me years ago when I first started this garden Very Happy

25 Mar '08 5:51 pm

I really love your plaque too,Pumpkin-it is such a sweet picture.
My garden looks awful-we have had no rain for a long time and everything is deadish-the trees look distressed.Very discouraging.
Dixie.

27 Mar '08 10:16 am

Thanks Dixie, the picture on it is pottery and all stands out Very Happy

My garden is very dry also. We have only had 2 days real rain since Christmas and there has been very little water available for the garden. Everything has crispy edges, though on the bright side, Autumnal days are just around the corner and most of the crispy leaves will drop for winter Wink

28 Mar '08 2:05 pm

Hello again Pumpkin. It's so nice to hear from you again. Your garden plaque seems to have held up really well. Do you leave it out the year round? I have had several other plaques over the years and they all seem to fade out after a few seasons. Reading the discussion between you and Dixie about your dry weather makes me cringe with the memory of this last years draught. I am still waiting to see how many things I lost last year. We have had some wonderful rains during the last three months, but the weather people say that won't last and that we are not out of the woods yet. I hope both of you will have some much needed rain soon.

31 Mar '08 1:44 am

I know what you mean about pulling the weeds before they go to seed. I remember one of my first years gardening admiring the leaves and then the flowers of a weed in my first flower bed. I remember admiring the leaves and later the seeds of this weed. I remember feeling very virtuous for allowing such a good looking plant to remain where it was. A more compulsive gardener would just yank anything they hadn't planted themselves. As you say the number of new weeds of that type that returned for years in that area was tremendous. I would describe my change in my perspective after that as having transformed from "live and let live" to "kill or [or have your garden] be killed". I'm not above allowing self seeded volunteers to remain but only the ones I know and indulge because of my admiration for them, and only the ones which come up in opportune spaces. That said, I also like the way the purple flowering weed looks on your rose berms.

2 Apr '08 1:20 am

Just a few more pics of early spring happenings at Bide-a-Wee Farm. I have been diligently working my way through the various gardens trying to eliminate as many weeds as possible prior to mulching with fresh composted manure. I know I will have to keep at it for a while as new weeds pop up, but it certainly feels good to see the beds emerging from their winter doldrums. I have made it through the cutting garden beds, the mixed perenniel border and have made a good start on the Potager (vege garden). Next will be the Meditation Garden and the Rose Berms. The shade gardens are not in bad shape because of all the winter mulch from falling leaves and pine needles. Too bad the full sun gardens don't have this advantage. The water fowl have been very active with a pair of Canadian Geese hanging out daily along with our two hand raised Mallards and their wild cousins (the Mallard pair who come here to raise their clutch of ducklings every year). The pictures I am attaching are of these birds as well as a couple of close-up shots of my spring weed crop. Today has started off with thunderstorms and more much needed rain, so I am inside for a change. Here are the few pics I have to offer.

2 Apr '08 5:41 am

What a great place to live,Faith-a joy to see the birds return..
I have not heard of that weed-we have plenty here-brought because they looked pretty I suppose,but not native to NZ.Autumn brings weeds galore and I need to get going into them befroe winter.
Dixie

10 Apr '08 6:46 pm

Hello,

Good snaps, I liked. Looking forward to more photos of your gardens. Smile

11 Apr '08 1:58 am

It all looks so natural that it is difficult to believe that for months you battled along with muddy trenches. What joy it must give you, Faith! Oh, and I suddenly realised on looking down at your tulip that I DO know your weed, although not well... and that it really IS a weed, needing the magic of macro to make it look in the least impressive.

As I groan at getting up in the dark - and soon in the cold as well - you must please enjoy the wonder of your unfolding spring! Luckily I still have nearly three months of joy from my garden before I reach the "please let's just get the winter over with" stage!

Gardens through the seasons

plaques

Pumpkin's Plaque

Hi Faith,

Weeds 'n Things

Spring again

Your ponds took to your garden like ducks to water!