Testing for Photos

Over this past weekend I took on the Herculean task of downloading 20,000 photos to my new MacBook. While my children have been Apple users for years, this is a new venture to me.

Trying to find my way through that maze of photos is daunting, although I'm sure I'll eventually learn ways to catalog and file those images to make things easier.

For now it's just easiest to steal a few shots from late winter 2008 (a file that popped up quickly :-))

The wonderfully mild winter here as been a boon to Pansies that smart gardeners planted this past autumn. One never knows what to expect though, especially after last years record breaking snow falls.

I am missing my Hellebores dearly. Wish I had thought to bring one or two here, maybe I'll hit a nursery or two this weekend and see what I can find. They should thrive well here in the shady gardens of my little cottage.

Snowdrops are up all over my neighborhood. None are on this property, right now there's a few crocus here and there but no Galianthus. A home near me has a nice mass planting of them along with some nice fancy Chickens that roam the tiny yard.

My dog Calie is fascinated by those chickens and when ever we walk past the house she has to thrust her nose through the chain link fence trying to catch a glimpse of them :-)

This post was mostly to test out grabbing and posting photos. Hope it works out!

melanie

Sunday morning stroll

It's a misty, foggy morning here on Long Island. Perfect weather to play in the garden, that is if you like to get muddy :-) I've got my muck shoes and slicker waiting for me in the breezeway, as soon as I put this post up I'll be out there having fun.

Walking around with my camera shielded by my bright red slicker I saw many things that need to be tended to. The clumps of Sedum are already pushing forward their lovely rosettes, I have many that still have last year's dead growth on them. Must cut them back!


The crocus are about finished with their bloom. Some clumps have grown quite large and cramped. I have never read about dividing crocus but I think they need it. I'm going to try to break this clump up into three or four pieces and place them in new locations.


The primroses have started to bloom. Here's another plant that looks to me like it could be divided. I've only divided them once before, many years ago and must have done something wrong because I lost both divisions. This year I'm going to try to divide them gently now, before we get too much warm weather.


Oh no! What is it about spring with the wait, wait...Hurry Up cycle? The last gardens that I clean are the shade beds in the back of my property but the Hellebores are coming up and starting to bloom and I'd better get out there some time this week.


Ugh! There's nothing pretty about this mess in my potting area. Can't pot up new babies without fixing this spot. One of these days I'm going to have to address a ground cover as the area turns to instant mud when ever there is a rain. It's too shady for grass, a concrete is too expensive. This year it might have to be a few loads of wood chips. I sure wish we could have those darn toothpick Hemlocks removed as they are almost dead (some already are) and they just take up space.
Last shot for today. Here's a little bit of what I worked on yesterday. Found lots of pots with growth in them, they are on the bottom layer. The top of the bench has Sempervivum (hens and chicks) that I started potting up. I think working with them is my most favorite task in the garden.

Off to make some mud,
Melanie

Then and Now

On the 15th of February I went out to the garden and shot some pre-spring photos. We had a fairly mild February and I was sure spring was just around the corner.

As you can see, the buds on the Hellebores were already full of promise.




While the sempervivum were quite shriveled, I knew that a few weeks of milder temperatures would perk them up quickly. This one is 'Oddity', the only sempervivum I can readily identify without any name tag.


The trough is filled with grayish sempervivums. They will turn all kinds of lovely shades once they get a little bit more sun and warmth.


Sedums in the red wagon are lush and full, just waiting for spring. They call to me begging for an overhaul this year. It's a task I look forward to, hopefully the weather will cooperate and I can get to it later this month.


Alas, winter was not ready to let go of it's hold. Last weekend while I was up in our state capitol advocating for our schools, Long Island was walloped with a snow storm. This photo taken this morning is five days after the snow, finally we've had enough melt to see the tops of some of the plants. With temperatures forcasted to be quite mild for the next few days, I expect all the snow to disappear by late Monday.

Another thing to note here is that this spot is still in shadow. With the tall evergreens surrounding our property, the winter sun has little chance to reach the ground.

I'm sure it's only weeks from when I'll be posting photos of the most beautiful, lush sempervivum. For now though, I can only sit here at my computer and look at last years photos.

As for the Hellebore in the opening shot, it's still under snow but being ever the optomist, I know I'll be out there soon taking more photos.