The Garden Awakens
Anise 'Woodland Red' ( Illicium floridanum ) A few weeks ago, I thought spring would never arrive, but now the change is astonishing. The nights are still cold (40s and sometimes even 30s) so planting tender annuals and vegetables is unwise although I have already succumbed, but covering and uncovering things gets old quickly. Someone made a wise comment last week and I must agree with them - "Don't plant anything tender until after May 1". Several plants are blooming like never before. One is the Anise shrub (above and below). I don't know if the recent tree pruning, which is allowing more sun into the woodland path, is affecting it or perhaps it is just age, but I've never seen so many blooms. Michael refers to this as "the stinky fish shrub" and I have to admit to smell of the flowers is quite unpleasant. It is so beautiful that I can overlook that. The old pink dogwood tree, which was already here, shades our woodland path and it too is prett
Isn't this crazy?? Well you can make a picture for your Christmas cards next year. The best part about all this is that your young plants are covered and safe from the worst of the cold. It is an amazing amount of snow. I bet you don't even have a snow shovel. Be safe and warm.
ReplyDeleteI wish I'd known and gone out last night to shake the snow off ! This morning I couldn't see or remember what was under the snow . I keep running out to swipe more off buried shrubs ;(
ReplyDeleteHard to believe that this area is near Portland, Oregon, not Portland, Maine. The red house is brilliant, shows color while everything else is white. Excellent photos as usual, especially like the dogwood and apple shots.
ReplyDeleteHow are you doing driving on this lovely fluff?
ReplyDeleteI did okay driving on the previous snows but they were not this severe. I was scheduled to work today but I called in. I am not going to attempt it. They are really good here about keeping the major roads clear. It is the side roads you have to be careful on.
DeleteDoes your town shut down like we do down here in the south when it snows?
ReplyDeleteYes, all the schools close and most residents do not know how to drive in it. I am surprised though at just how much traffic is on the roads while watching it all on the tv news. I guess a lot of people just have to go out (although a lot of people just got caught in it).
DeleteIsn't this just crazy? I can't say I'm a fan...but you've probably already figured that out. Hope you're enjoying your forced day off.
ReplyDeleteSnow is so beautiful on Christmas cards and from a distance. (like from here where we have none.) Hope you stay safe and sound.
ReplyDelete... But it's so beautiful. No major storms yet here in Virginia.
ReplyDeleteRay
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI do hope you can hibernate indoors until it melts.
(I must say I'm surprised the dogwood took the snow so hard. Is it a C. florida? BONAP shows them as being native up into Michigan and New Hampshire, so I would have thought they'd take snow like champ. Maybe yours got soft living in Oregon?) ;)
Hope all your other plants are safe and comfortable under their insulating white blanket!
Aaron, it is c florida. It is the largest tree on our property. There were three broken limbs. Not bad, I suppose. It was just a lot of snow!
DeleteYour winter is as wacky as ours has been! Better photo ops for you, though. The wet sidewalks here are kind of boring.
ReplyDeleteIt's like day 5 right?? I'm over this snow. It's suppose to snow and then melt here in the PNW. So melt already! :)
ReplyDeleteYou have to admit that it's lovely! But wow, way too much for the area, am I right? You probably never saw that much snow in Alabama, so you've already learned that a nice blanket of snow can actually be good for your plants, protecting them from the bitter cold.
ReplyDeleteRobin, we would occassionally get a snow like this in Alabama but it would be gone the next day. It certainly never hung around for a week!
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