April 28th, 2010

More of Spring at my Farm

I received so many wonderful comments when I posted 'Springtime at my Farm' last week.  It really has been a spectacular spring and we certainly have received sufficient rain.  However, I am concerned about how early everything seems to be blooming this year.  The flora became quite confused when temperatures reached 90-degrees F last March.  That hot spell lasted a few days and really disrupted bloom schedules.  Each spring in late May, I host, what I call, my Peony Party.  At that time, the peony bed is usually in glorious bloom.  This year may be problematic, as the peonies are bursting with energy already.  I hope that I don't have to give my party a different name.  Take a look and see what I mean.

◄ Back
1 of 58

1 The sky was very dramatic and changed drastically throughout the day.

2 The bright yellow foliage is dwarf golden barberry. As you can see, it offers an excellent color contrast in the border.

3 This is one of the hundreds of alium we planted last autumn.

4 The same flower shot with a macro setting

5 A macro of another alium bud - what looks like a giant water tower in the background is just another alium stalk

6 An alium bursting open

7 Potted succulents line the terrace.

8 Huchera Peach Flambe - blinding orange-red in spring turning to peachy-plum in autumn

9 A lovely single white peony

10 Arisaema sikokianum - Japanese Cobra Lily - an elegant cousin of the Jack in the Pulpit

11 The pure white spadix, or Jack, is surrounded by a pitcher that is glowing white inside and nearly black on the outside.

12 White bleeding hearts - These old-fashioned plants have puffy heart shaped flowers with little dripping tears.

13 This is the giant leaf of Astilboides tabularis

14 A water droplet suspended from a red bud bloom

15 White Viridiflora tulips - The term Viridiflora is derived from two Latin words: viridis meaning green and flos meaning flower. All Viridiflora tulips have a streak of green somewhere on each petal.

16 A deep purple tulip

17 The herbaceous peonies are going to bloom much too early this year.

18 The buds are getting larger with each passing day.

19 The lupines in the cutting garden catch water beautifully.

20 As do the feathery metasequoia trees - (Dawn redwood)

21 The three Pomeranian geese came charging.

22 They make quite a racket, hissing and honking, as a warning to stay away.

23 The lilac allee is blooming so much better this year.

24 A puffy white bloom

25 A lilac shade

26 A pale pink variety

27 A brighter lilac shade

28 A double variety

29 Another white

30 A gorgeous single variety

31 Fragrant lilacs for my home

32 The Japanese maple grove planted last summer is thriving. This bright red variety is Acer palmatum 'Shindeshojo.'

33 Trillium luteum in the woodland garden - The trillium is a simple, graceful perennial that is one of the most familiar and beloved of the spring woodland wildflowers.

34 The mottled leaves look like an expensive piece of silk.

35 Podophyllum peltatum - commonly called Mayapple - another great woodland plant

36 A very beautiful muscari

37 A Japanese maple with bright chartreuse leaves

38 The azaleas are popping in the woodland garden.

39 An amazing two-toned azalea

40 Beneath the allee of lindens, we have alliums growing along with Allegheny pachysandra and leatherwood ferns.

41 These are crab apple trees in full bloom.

42 At this time of year the donkeys only are let outside for 3 to 4 hours each day. The spring grass is very rich and donkeys eat it constantly.

43 This overeating can cause serious health issues, such as a condition called founder and laminitis.

44 Billy must be thinking about all that lush grass outdoors.

45 I really love Alchemilla vulgaris - lady's mantle - along garden borders. The leaves are very efficient at collecting dew.

46 A tree peony bud opening

47 A yellow tree peony

48 Down in the berry patch, the strawberries are busy blooming.

49 A macro of a strawberry flower

50 A pollinated flower is becoming a strawberry.

51 This is a cluster of currants beginning the ripening process.

52 Phurba is busy edging the carriage roads.

53 The wisteria is blooming along the pergola.

54 Wilmer emerges from the greenhouse - this time with many packages of twine.

55 The twine is for staking the peony garden.

56 Three long rows of stakes run the length of each bed.

57 The twine is laced through the stakes to form a support for the peonies.

58 It's kind of a spiderweb pattern, which should work well to keep the peonies from flopping over.

Posted on April 28th, 2010 in Gardens, My Home, Photo Gallery | Permalink |

Comments

Post a comment

Comments are moderated, and will not appear on this weblog until the author has approved them.