The 2024 Garden Year
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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 when I sit and do nothing, the joints begin to stiffen. Actually, there is a lot to do in the garden in March. It is time to transplant, prune the roses, etc. For the first time this year, I hired a professional pruning service to do some things that I could not reach.
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| April 22, 2024 |
April
Winters here tend to linger longer than I would like but just when you think you cannot endure another gray, cold, and wet day, there are glimmers of relief as late April rolls around. Tree peonies, camellias, dogwoods, tulips and early perennials like bleeding hearts make an appearance and things are looking up.
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| May 4, 2024 |
May
The transformation of the garden in just a few short weeks is amazing. Rainy weather continues into May and this year we had a very wet spring. But this is what rain will do!
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| June 27, 2024 |
June
Looking at my June posts, it appears that I spent a lot of time visiting other gardens this year. That was fun. Our own garden is at its peak in June. I remember when we first began opening our garden, the major dilemma was when to do it. I now know that the first or second week of June is ideal. The above photo was taken near the end of the month and that is when the hydrangeas begin to bloom.
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| July 20, 2024 |
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| August 13, 2024 |
August
One of my least favorite months of the year but I can't say this one was particularly bad. As I mentioned earlier, the hot spells have been more frequent, but they are usually short-lived. As you can see in the above photo, the snapdragons still looked great in mid-August. Toward the end of the month, I ordered a chip drop and it was massive. Since a lot of our ground is covered by plants now, I realized quickly that I would never find enough room for all of it. I shared a lot of it with friends, neighbors and co-workers.
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| September 14, 2024 |
September
This was a really nice fall. The hot weather left at the end of August, and it was mild from here out. Plants begin to look tired this time of year but on the other hand, the crape myrtles are just beginning to put on their show.
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| October 27, 2024 |
October
The above photo, taken in our front garden, was at the end of October but the autumn color had started weeks before that. The Stewartia was especially beautiful this year and had turned color by the 15th of October.
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| November 17, 2024 |
November
I left on November 1 for a 2-week trip to Japan and when I returned, the color was still in full swing although I did miss the lovely Gingko which has just turned color the day before I departed. The leaves were all gone when I got home. 'Skeeter's Broom' though was nice to come home to!
December
The first frost date was December 1st this year, a bit late. It has been a rainy month with cold temperatures during the first few weeks, followed by a warmer than usual trend in the past weeks. Christmas is approaching and temperatures have been in the upper 40 and even lower 50s.
Onward to 2025...
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