The 2024 Garden Year
January 19, 2024 January Our year started with snow, ice and frigid temperatures in mid-January. Our temperatures stayed below freezing for almost a week. I think it was the most consistent cold that we've experienced since moving here. Fortunately, it was a dry snow so there wasn't too much damage. Once again, we almost lost the azara and I'm afraid there would have been some breakage if I had not kept knocking the ice off. February 14, 2024 February In past years, it seems that inclement weather seems to hit around Michael's birthday in mid-February. After the January snow and ice, this month was actually quite tame. Nothing exciting to report - mostly birdwatching . Early flowers like hellebores, cyclamen and crocus begin to bloom in mid month. March 3, 2024 March I got into a walking routine which I'm happy to report I am continuing this year. You get to the point where you feel guilty if you miss a day. I do miss days occasionally but I'm learning that ...
Wow, incredible garden and fabulous shots! Found you over at GBBD, garden touring from my couch...this is fun.
ReplyDeleteAren't you glad you bought that impulse yucca!
ReplyDeleteWhy do they call it a chaste tree? That
makes me giggle. Like the other trees are slutty.
You do amazing things with coleus, btw. I always think that's not a good plant for me, but when I see it here I want to reconsider.
ReplyDeleteAh, the vitex in full bloom. Only the jacaranda is prettier, I think. You make me miss my old, overgrown vitex with this picture, Phillip.
ReplyDeleteYour other flowers are lovely too. Nice photos.
Great shot of Salvia 'Black & Blue.' I grew that one as an annual a couple of years ago. I should get it again. Keep those Hydrangea photos coming. It is so wonderful to see them when they are so well grown.
ReplyDeleteI am living hydrangeas through you! Ours will take another month to bloom but yours are just delicious! Love the Salvia 'Black and Blue'! Nothing chaste in my garden! LOL
ReplyDeleteIf 'chaste tree' makes Chuck giggle, what will happen when you tell him the other nickname is "monk's pepper"?
ReplyDeleteThe closeups are beautiful, Phillip but your mature, large plants in full bloom are what knock me over. What a gorgeous garden you have made!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Phillip, what a great title for a blog and garden! These images are so peaceful and soothing. I love your macro lens images of the buds just opening. What type of camera do you use?
ReplyDeletewhat great shots...leaf man is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteChuck, I've read that the chaste tree gets its name from the fact that Athenian women used the leaves in their beds to keep themselves chaste during the feasts of Ceres.
ReplyDeleteSarah, my camera is a Nikon D50.
Pam, I wish we could grow the Jacaranda tree. It is so beautiful in photos.
Thanks for visiting my blog, and leading me to yours as a result. I really enjoyed my first visit.
ReplyDeleteMargaret
Thank you Phillip! The Daylily is lovely! Red is the hardest color for me to photograph. I had no idea that 'Red Dragon' would bloom. I have something to look forward to now. I'm sorry I'm just getting around to visit but I got five very nasty viruses from a garden site I visited and I'm just getting back up and running after re-loading the PC.
ReplyDeleteGreat flowers Phillip!
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed how much father along yours are than mine!
Hi Phillip, where to start? Your coleus pots are fantastic, we use the coleus in our containers also, it stands up well in the heat and needs no deadheading, most of the time anyway. The vitex is majestic, do the leaves have a scent? Why would they discourage romance? The hesperaloe is a wonderful plant, you made a wise impulse buy. Your garden is a favorite of mine, with mature specimens of choice plants, well done!
ReplyDeleteFrances at Faire Garden
Beautiful, Philip. I love the hydranga with the statuary. The pots look great. I enjoy the color contrasts.
ReplyDeleteStunning as usual. Just as nice is the wall behind the ivy and purple heart. Did you paint that? I used to paint backdrops for photo shoots and did some interesting treatments similar to that wall.
ReplyDeletePhillip,
ReplyDeleteYou have been posting some lovely pictures lately. I can't believe that your Chaste Tree and Rose of Sharon (Blue Bird is my favorite RoS, BTW) are blooming. Those are like a month away for us.
I planted a lot of Black and Blue this year and so far I have really been enjoying it.
What a beautiful garden you have! I like that vitex tree, especially.
ReplyDeleteYou asked about my shrub clematis... I picked it up at a nursery on impulse, didn't even no such a plant existed. It does have to be held up by a large hoop, otherwise it just flops over, but it will have blooms on it most of the summer, and those beautiful seed heads that clematis have.
Thanks for joining in for Bloom Day.
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Hi there Philip, what great captures from your garden :-D
ReplyDeleteI love to see so many new gardens on GBBD. Your garden looks like a great place to be in and you have some wonderful plants - many new to me :-D
Have a great weekend :-D
Phillip, thanks for the info. I'm leaning towards the Nikon.
ReplyDeleteGreat picture of the Vitex. I've just decided not to use it on a terrace because of its urge to, um...grow?
ReplyDeleteHI PHILLIP, I love all your photos. The garden looks great. You must spend a lot of time in it. I use coleus also. They are so versatile & easy care. Now the question---Where in the world did you find the Leaf Man in the pot with the coleus?
ReplyDeleteLola, the leaf man came separately. He was a gift and I'm not sure where he came from.
ReplyDeletePhillip,
ReplyDeleteAs always your garden is a delight! You do a great job with containers and I do love your painted wall!
Gail
Wow! Gorgeous garden!
ReplyDelete