What's Blooming in the Garden Today?

After a few false starts, it appears that Mother Nature has decided to release us from winter's grasp and allow spring's flowers to proceed. 

Red Bleeding Heart

White Bleeding Heart

Just in time, I think, because I am SO far behind with my normal spring pruning and garden maintenance.

Variegated Solomon's Seal

Brunnera macrophylla

Part of this delay is because we had winter weather for a lot longer than usual this year.  Those of you who follow along on Instagram are aware that I have been traveling a LOT this year, which has taken me away during prime garden prep season.  Trips are finished for a few months (I think), so I have to get cracking.

Pink Lily of the Valley

Calycanthus

I was outside all day yesterday, pruning most of the Miniature Garden.  Roses in all of the other gardens are finished.  We had rain overnight, which made the garden too wet for work this morning ... perfect, though, for a quick circuit through with my camera to capture all the things in bloom.  Later this afternoon, I hope that it dries enough for me to get outside to prune the last few roses.  Weeding and mulching are next.  

Dogwood

Lilac

Speaking of roses, buds on 'Dr. E. M. Mills' are beginning to show color! 

For those who want to visit to see the roses in person, this year's Open Garden Day will be May 20, 2018, from 10am to 3pm.  Everyone is invited.  Dogs may come, too, but they must be on a leash at all times.  No flexi/retractable leashes are allowed.  

Hey, Connie, How is Petal?

Petal is awesome, thanks for asking.

It's been five months since we adopted her.  In that time, she has settled in beautifully and has blossomed into a wonderful addition to our family. 

"Mom, can Ruby and I have a bite of that?"

sniff, sniff, sniff

"What's that cat doing back there?"

Petal loves toys.  We keep them in a large basket in the family room.  She regularly empties the basket and gathers her favorites.

Donut Cow and Green Frog.

Squeeky Jack, two bones, and an antler.

Miffy Bunny, her current favorite.

As she got comfortable with our routine, she found ways to help around the house.

Cleaning the recyclables.

Quality control inspector, while I attach the hangers to a mirror.

Dog chewy taste tester.

In true greyhound style, she spends a huge majority of her time either lounging on her bed or sound asleep.

Almost as a way of celebrating the anniversary of Petal's Gotcha Day on the 12th, a string of coincidences on Facebook led to finding and making contact with the family in Pennsylvania who adopted her mom, Marigold.  I  look forward to getting to know Marigold and her family and am excited to share Petal with them. 

Marigold's adoption photo.

It is wonderful to have Petal in our family.  Having ANY greyhound is a good thing (because I love the breed THAT much).  This particular greyhound is a perfect match for our lifestyle, habits, and mix of critters.  She accepts the cats as members of the pack, and she and Ruby get along almost perfectly.

Petal is exactly what we asked from her adoption group:  gentle, friendly, and doesn't eat cats.  She is also eager to please, curious, quiet, funny, patient, affectionate, a little bit pushy ... and perfect ... except for the 'chews on shoes' thing that developed recently.  That's okay, it helps remind us to put our shoes away where they belong.

Five months with Petal feels like she's been here forever.  In this short time, I can't imagine our family without her in it.

*************************
I often share Petal photos and videos on Instagram.  I can do it in-the-moment from my phone, and I really have come to love that.  If you want to see more of her, and the other critters, house projects, garden stuff, etc., click over there and follow hartwoodroses.

Hello, Hellebores!

In the world of easy-care plants, Hellebores are probably my favorite.  They thrive in shade, can take dry or damp conditions, and they bloom their hearts out for months and months from late winter till late spring with a wide variety of flower colors and forms. 

The only maintenance that Hellebores require is a careful trim at this time of year, when new growth is emerging from the center of the plant, to remove last year's old foliage.  (I took these photos earlier today, while I was outside doing just that.)  I have a LOT of Hellebores, and it only took me a little over two hours to do all of them.

Most of the Hellebores in my garden are seedlings from the few named varieties that I bought at plant sales years ago.  Happy Hellebores reseed easily, and I am glad to have them spread as far as they want in the areas where they grow.  When seedlings grow where I don't want them, I dig them and move them to another spot, or I give them to friends.  I allow my shade garden to get a bit wild, so masses of seedling Hellebores (or Hostas or Italian Arum) are a good thing.

It looks like this year's Hellebore season should be a very good one.  Bloom time is just starting, with all of these flowers you see here and a LOT more still to come. 

Spring is Coming!

As I have been out and about over the past week, I have seen unmistakable signs that spring will soon be here.

I spent three afternoons this month at Hollywood Cemetery, evaluating the roses in preparation for our Rose Volunteer Day on March 10.  The roses are still sleeping, but there are other plants springing to life.

A maple tree in full bloom.

A clump of snowdrops on a family plot.

Winter Jasmine.

Lawn full of tiny purple crocuses along one of the main avenues.

More crocuses.

During a walk in downtown Fredericksburg last week, I saw this lovely patch of snowdrops.

A friend and I were looking at a cabin near Harrisonburg on Monday.  The owner of the property was obviously a gardener.

A huge naturalized patch of Winter Aconite.

More Aconite, in another part of the yard.

Snowdrops.  I really love these!

Here in my yard, it's the beginning of Hellebore season.

Yesterday and today have been unseasonably warm ... 80 degrees both days with blue sky and bright sunshine.  It's been glorious!!