FURNITURE STORE: gardens

Showing posts with label gardens. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

first light

6:16 AM Unknown No comments

Look at what was outside our bedroom window this morning.....a cloudless sky. With the exception of a five minute glimpse last Friday, this is the first we have seen of the sun in eleven days.

Along with it came the first hard frost, thankfully I harvested hydrangeas a few days ago in anticipation. Lots of little bouquets inside to enjoy...

stylish serendipity photos

This morning I prepared some small gifts to give. As I was doing that, I received some small gifts too. I am giving wristlet key chains in cute patterns made by Abby Frey to ten of my soccer lady friends that I have been sitting with all these years as we watched our sons play. Pairing them with pretty sticky notes made by Michelle Brusegaard. The boys are seniors, their final season has just ended. Sad.

As I was wrapping the presents, I spotted a splash of pink in the border out the kitchen window. Needed to put my boots on and check it out. A brave pink clematis, clinging to its tuteur, decided to put on a show right before its bedtime. It stands out among the leaf covered bed.

Green Jewel Echinacea at the other end of the bed is still hanging on too, despite a week of temperatures in the 40's, ten inches of rain and several days of high winds from Hurricane Sandy. We leave a blanket of leaves on all the beds to protect and enrich the plants over the winter. Most years we are covered in snow most of the winter, with the exception of last year when we experienced several melts. We will see what this year brings. The perennials and ground covers pop though in the spring, the leaf cover decomposes, enriching the soil.

As I am writing this, another little gift just appeared! Can you tell what it is?

Sunlight!

Something we have not seen in 8 days! Have a warm cozy weekend everyone! Hope you see some sun!

stylish serendipity photos

fall bulbs

4:31 AM Unknown No comments

Have you planted your fall bulbs yet? We finished ours last weekend. They can be planted into late November for those of us in Zone 5 until the ground is frozen. Bulbs are another one of Mother Nature's gifts for the gardener. If we make time in the fall to dig some holes, we are rewarded with pretty blooms to brighten chilly spring days.

Since we share our land with deer, rabbits and chipmunks, we must choose bulbs carefully. This year we added more daffodils to the woods edge on the east side of our property, some bearded iris and more allium to the back and front borders.

We have hundreds and hundreds of muscari (grape hyacinth) planted near the paths of our property. We always plant them in clumps, holes dug with 7 or so bulbs in each.

No tulips for us, they are eaten the day their foliage pops though the soil by the deer. They also weaken over time as their roots reach further down into the soil so they really look best the first spring after being planted. We invest in deer proof daffodils instead. We cannot have enough daffodils. They are such a happy sight, full of promise for better weather ahead after our long winters. They look pretty sprinkled throughout the woods before the maples leaf out.

For bulb planting tips, visit Martha Stewart's bulb planting 101.

fall nursery

4:32 AM Unknown No comments

Who doesn't love nurseries and greenhouses stocked with pumpkins, mums and kale in the fall? Happy places full of vibrant color! I popped into our local nursery to pick up fall pansies yesterday and was wowed by the peppers and lettuces mixed into the displays. Lettuces were being sold in large pots. Similar to herbs I suppose, clip a few for dinner and they will regrow quickly. The cool nights and warm days we are enjoying right now are perfect lettuce weather. Had to bring some of the cute peppers home for the patio.

stylish serendipity iphone photos

this morning in the garden

6:59 AM Unknown No comments

Hydrangeas taking on their late season color. Maples have not yet started to change, that will happen in about a month, we'll see how the 3 week drought in July affected our fall color this year.

The honeysuckle arbor has bloomed consistently this summer with regular deadheading. The akebia arbor in the rear is its usual abundant self. The tall fern bed pooped out in August, the gigantic hostas next to the house are gone too.