Garden Bloggers Bloom Day Mid March Modest Display

Springing ahead before Spring is actually here ... we add more light to our days. The sunrises are more subdued as we turn and tilt. The sun seems to be racing along the crest of Walnut Hill more north each day, as it inches it's way towards our New England Spring. Silhouettes of magnolia, vessels and scissors play at the beginning of the new day.

The light is instantly bright. 

Mini Pink Rock Orchid, Dendrobium kingianum inhales the glowing rays.

 I am rewarded with the delicious fragrance it exhales towards me, when I bear up to wash the dishes. 

Her tiny flowers carry a large bouquet that wafts through the air and tickles my olfactory nerves.

A locally grown Camellia 'Debutant' lasts for a week or more in my vase and was a sweet surprise gift! These blooms were picked from one of three great trees aging around 80 to 100 years old . . . grown in a nearby florist's greenhouse, which is also filled with thousands of blooming freesias this time of year. I will be doing a post soon on this treasured family business. 

Outdoors there are a few brave snowdrops peeking through and the Robins are like blossoms in the Crabapple trees. Hundreds are enjoying the 'Orchard Diner'. 

Along with the Camellias came the gift of fresh picked and hand delivered Freesias that are brightening my days and nights indoors. A link to South Africa for me . . .  these members of the Iris family are so heavenly scented and truly my favorite late winter flower. My friends and colleagues, who grow these gorgeous full blooms, have spoiled me . . . for their Freesias are so voluptuous and rich in fragrance that any others pale in comparison. Receiving flowers hand delivered the same day they are picked . . .  in the winter . . .  is unique and so appreciated by this recipient!

 

The white blooms mirror the lingering . . .  melting snow, while the yellow blossoms inspires one to dream of daffodils they know. . . soon to be dotting the landscape. 

I must dream up a way to be rid of this unwelcome guest! Speaking of dreams . . . Enjoy other blooms from around the world by visiting Carol at May Dreams Gardens. 

Morning and Afternoon Glimpses in the Garden

Just a few shots while walking about the gardens a couple days ago. There is a bud of one variety of daylily just added to the garden last year and the flowers of perhaps Stella d'Oro. Birds are active in various ways... beginning with a chase scene featuring the Chestnut-Sided Warblers while a Cedar Waxwing seems to be meditating on the blueberries... perhaps hoping it will make them ripen quicker... a baby Robin hidden in the old apple tree is perhaps alarmed at my eyeing it and is eyeing me right back... it fledged the next day. Our fields are dotted with black eyed susan, yarrow and milkweed and cottontail rabbits are aplenty! I Shot (wish) both of these in the south field not far from one another... maybe a father and bunny... Why has the Gray Fox let me down so?? Where is cousin Coyote? The lovely single rose was inherited along with the giant Rock Maple trees... wild honey bees who reside in the middle tree, are busy gathering milkweed and verbascum pollen. The garden is a very engaging active community of living creatures surrounded by a sea of air and light.

Palette of White Lovely at Night

White blossoms are lovely in the day and night garden... but especially with the moonlight and fireflies! The fragrance of Dictamnus (Gas Plant), Valerian (Garden Heliotrope), Black Locust, Roses and Peonies are sweetly spilling over into the gardens right now. The Gas Plant has a citrus flavor, while inhaling Garden Heliotrope one is reminded of vanilla. The large Viburnum (northern arrowwood) now in bloom has a rather pungent perfume and is quite showy this year, after being heavily pruned two years ago. I believe it to be the Northern Arrowwood variety and birds love to nest in its thick foliage. The Climbing Hydrangea racing up the Shagbark Hickory and Clematis Henryi are peaking now along with wild Roses, white Iris and large carpets of Wood Anemone, which glow when night falls in the garden. Our Paper (White) Birch have a luminous quality both day and night and are striking features from many vistas in the gardens. Mid June is the time for fire flies here in Massachusetts, and their courtship flashes are like tiny fire works exploding by the thousands, all over the gardens and fields. Now if the rain would just go away. I will say the same for the Cottontail Rabbit... who is eating my food! A woody woodpecker animates white and is a frequent visitor to various tree trunks. Finally the white palette includes a tent and white chairs for there was a lovely wedding and reception here last weekend... luckily they had fabulous weather along with the full moon!