Sunday, April 29, 2012
Finished the spring clean up this weekend.  Daffs are still blooming, tulips about midway through their season; the spice-bush - a Viburnum of some kind, is starting to bloom having escaped the deer this past winter.  Everything seems to be about two weeks behind Toronto - lilac flower buds are still tight while blooms are starting in Toronto.  Serviceberry has yet to flower while those on my street in the city have just about finished. 

It's weird having had such a dry winter - no flooding, very dry surface soil in parts of the property...they've had a bit of rain though - my rain barrels are almost full.  Here's a few shots - the corner garden waiting for the iris and peony to bloom and some daffs.  My camera battery ran out before I could get a shot of the new mound garden - where the tulips are in full bloom.  Next week - perhaps the iris will be out by then.

Saturday March 17, 2012

Spring has sprung a lot earlier than usual, thanks to the winter that wasn't. Made it out for the day and started the spring cleanup several weeks ahead of schedule - the fields weren't even flooded! Cleaned up some buckthorn from behind the mound - hopefully the stuff I planted/seeds I scattered will come up; cut back perennials from the newish corner bed where all the crocuses are now blooming and cleaned up a bit around the Magnolia where snowdrops have been enjoying the fine weather. Shileau had a great day too!

Crocuses - or is it Croci?

Snowdrops near the entrance garden

the 'Mound' - near the front - a pile of not too clean fill that over the past few years grew giant goldenrod and other stuff - trying to reclaim it!

Shileau

Easter 2011 in the County

I was able to start the spring clean-up this Easter weekend - April 23 - 25. Lots of rain though and much of the land is still flooded - I forgot to bring my wellies and could only get to part of the garden. Not much winter damage at all - my lovely new Viburnum was eaten away - there's only a half dozen new shoots, including just two flowers buds. Deer, I assume; maybe rabbits. About three quarters of one of the new Bridalwreath Spirea is also eaten away but that appears to be it.
Here's the Viburnum:












My main project this weekend was to continue to clear away buckthorn - this time from near the front of the driveway. Managed a lot, and by doing so was able to create space for two Pagoda Dogwoods (two footers that self seeded in my Toronto garden) and a tiny Blue Spruce - a gift from a friend. Here's the after shots - the trees with the plastic trunk protectors are two Lilacs, an Umbrella Magnolia and a Cucumber Magnolia - both started from seed four years ago, transplanted last spring to the County - looks like they survived their first rural winter!





















Here are a few flower shots - the early dwarf daffs, early tulip - didn't get a shot of the bloodroot but it's there too!

March 31, 2011 - the start of forever after...

First spring trip to the County yesterday - beautiful and sunny, around 6 degrees centigrade. Discovered my new Snowdrops were blooming, as were a few of the crocus that were planted in more protected spots. Deer damage was pretty minimal - about half pf one of the new Bridal wreath Spireas, and much of the new Viburnum. Everything else looked great - buds fattening up to bloom, new grass coming up, loads of daffodill and tulips coming up. It's going to be a spectacular month!






Down the road at my friend Mags and Terry's home the heavy snowfall this morning was quite pretty in their field... until I came across this old Adirondack chair -- in its likely final resting place before it is recycled into kindling...

Back to the Blog

It's like you go to bed and decide to sleep in the next morning but suddenly whoosh! A whole year has gone by!


Everything's snow covered in the County right now, but there hasn't been a deep freeze - yet! The creek that drains the Marsh is still bubbling away under the ice and the water is still falling over the Consecon mill dam.




I must say that the fence line looks particularly attractive this year since the buckthorn has been cut back.




I have a ton of pictures from various projects this past year and I'll get them loaded anon.