Spring?

It appears we have had the coldest day with the most snow of the year and the warmest day of the year in the same week.The weather here is often a roller coaster ride of highs and lows.A roadtrip to Asheville, North Carolina was taken for a triple clan birthday bash last weekend. The Financier, Brokenbeat and Mr. Chickenpoet all were born within a few days of each other, different years of course, in early February. There was snow on the ground at the Fairegarden and the earth was frozen when we left.Upon the return there were flowers blooming, a grand thaw had occurred and the temperatures were in the 70s. The felcos were located and some trimming was done in the remaining hours before darkness. The next day gardening garb was grabbed and the entire day was spent catching up on chores that had been put off until the ground was warmer. The camera had a look around and found the Crocus chrysantha planted around the perimeter of the quadrants in the knot garden open. There are purple and yellows, but the purples always bloom first. Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’ is emerging in the old metal wheelbarrow now repurposed as a planter that was found on the property.There is progress in the hellebore buds expansion. After the older leaves were cut last week frigid temps have caused no harm to the petals yet unopened.The heather bed had been revamped with several of the Ericas removed. Grasses including Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ and Stipa tenuissima were added for diversity of form and movement. The red foliage of Calluna vulgaris ‘Firefly’ shows up vividly against the straw color of the grass.There was some plant shopping done as part of the birthday celebration and gift exchange. Along with gifts for others, a couple of things jumped on the wagon to come back to Tennessee. Cornus sericea ‘Arctic Fire’ for the front and Heuchera ‘Citronelle’, two of each were brought home.The heucheras will be added to the raised planter at the front of the house. The blue star junipers and the blue Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Boulevard’ need some chartruese to enliven the scene. That infusion has begun, the new plants will help fill in nicely.Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ is in full bloom. But she is deserving of her own post.
Frances

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~ by fairegarden on February 10, 2009.