The Bright Side of Winter

Snow is pretty on evergreens and makes my gargoyle look like a smurf. .

Purple Gem Rhododendron

This evergreen turns a beautiful color in the fall and stays just as beautiful through the winter months. In the spring this plant has wonderful purple blooms.

Just one of many clumps of Daffodils popping up.

Crocuses are starting to come up also.

I noticed in the winter I can get quite a bit done indoors...Even if it's just indoor gardening. :)

Helleborus (indoors)

Passiflora Incarnata "May Pop"

This pasaflora is winter hardy in my NY planting zone but I decided to give it one more winter indoors to play it safe. It also came in from the garden with some Irish clovers. Perfect for St. Patty's Day.


Hibiscus bud (indoors)

Key Lime Tree (indoors)

Even though this tree is tiny, it already gave me a lime this winter. It will go outdoors as soon as there is no sign of frost. Which here is probably the end of April beginning of May.

There is always seed starting to do in February and March. Below are seven daylily seedings that I planted about two weeks ago already popping up. How exciting! This was my first mini cross.

Winter blues

A sleepy Oakley trying to keep warm.


We've had a rough winter and the whole family has been spending a lot of time indoors under blankets to keep warm.

I snuck out a few times to get some pictures but unfortunately the best thing around was ice. So here goes...






My Japanese Maple tree coated in ice.

Icy Dogwood branches glistening in the sunset.

So since it's February, it's time to start thinking about what seeds I'm planting in the spring and which daylily seeds I will start this week. I will be shopping for some plastic containers, soil and will need to make some room under my plant light for starting the seeds. Can you tell I am looking forward to spring? I even ventured outside this weekend to clean up my front porch and to look for new growth expecting nothing. Only I did find something! One of my bulbs (a Daffodil) trying to come up. The warmer weather this weekend has melted the snow and has gotten the gardener in me all excited.

Rainy Day Garden Stroll

My Garden stroll started early this morning when there was a break from the rain. I let my dogs outside and turned to look at my garden but instead was attracted to the glittering spider web below . The web was covered in little water droplets. I just had to run inside for my camera to capture this moment.

The spider web sparked my interest this morning to walk through my gardens futher and see what other beautiful things the rain created.
Above are two late blooming Hemerocallis (Daylilies). The first is Autumn Blaze and the second is Autumn Prince. Both are putting on a great September show now that the rest of my daylilies have died down.
Here is a great looking plant called Guara. This plant is so pretty because it resembles a fountain even after a heavy rain. It has been blooming all summer and never took a break. It looked so beautiful this morning.

Here are some beautiful coneflowers putting on a late show this rainy fall morning.

This lavender is a newer plant so it has only a few blooms but what beautiful blooms they are.

This rudbeckia is still holding on with a few blooms.

This is a late blooming plant with the common name turtle head. This part shade loving plant adds some much needed color to my hosta garden in the fall.

Mums, an all time great plant to add a splash of color to those colorless daylily beds in the fall. This hardy mum was planted last year and came back much larger this year.

I can't take credit for this sedum. My grandfather planted it in this pot many years ago. It adds some beauty and style to the end of my driveway this time of year.

Fruits of my labor

This is the first time I attempted to grow more than just cherry tomatoes. I have quite a good crop for just a small vegetable garden. Above is what I picked today. Pickling cucumbers, beef steak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, hot banana peppers, cayenne pepper, thumbelina carrots and okra.

Beef Steak Tomatoes

Key lime

Spineless Okra

Cayenne pepper

Some frequent guests in my garden.

Now that all my Buddleia are in full bloom I have some very frequent guests.

My dwarf pink being their top choice. Although they sample a bit of everything else as they visit.

Monarch Butterfly on a Buddleia.

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Buddleia.

I think this may be a honey bee, if it is, then they are alive and well in my garden this year. This picture is a bit blurry because this little bee wouldn't stop moving.

A little Skipper butterfly loving my hydrangea. I don't know how I got this shot. They are such quick little butterflies.

I'm not sure what type of bee this is but he was happy going from flower to flower on my Rudbeckia.

A little lady bug hanging out on my hibiscus plant and hopefully keeping away intruders.

A Black Swallowtail Caterpillar having a snack on some parsley. I'm hoping it stays and makes a chrysalis in my herb garden.

A cool dragon fly has been visiting a lot. This was my first chance to get a snapshot.

To see their closeups just click on the picture. I learned this from Nichole's blog. :)

Something New...

I never thought I could put together an arrangement but I tried this sunday for my local flower clubs daylily show.

The theme was 'Through the Looking Glass'.

Flowers I used: Two different Hemerocallis (Unregistered Seedling ' Bob's Summer Blaze' R. Kann and a small unknown red), Campanula rotundifolia, Hosta and Hydrangea.

Here is a close up of the most predominant flower in the arrangement. Garden name, 'Bob's Summer Blaze'.

What I learned:

1. Keep it simple.

2. Make sure you have all the stems in the floral foam. ( I had a couple wilters)

All in all, I had fun and will probably take what I learned and enter again next year.

These are a few of my favorite things.

Echinacea 'Green Envy'

Pink Buddleia and a Monarch Butterfly

Hemerocallis 'Spider Miracle' and a Bee.