Tree Peony

Guess what this is! I am so excited about this, and spent much time this weekend, putting it together, experimenting with this, along with something else I made using PVC piping.

And this, along with some other plants, also took up a good chunk of time this weekend: A Tree Peony

This was more difficult to photograph than I expected, because of the wind. I'd read about tree peonies several years ago, but could not find them locally until this year. And I'm hoping this will take as well to my yard as the peony bushes have. Although, sadly, it may have just a brief period of blooming if it is also like the regular peony bushes. But she was way to pretty to pass up.

By the way, check out this podcast for Harold Davis' ideas on photographing flowers:http://www.pixiq.com/sites/default/files/006_harold_davis_clickwithnemo.mp3   Just brace yourself for hearing the phrase "Okey-Dokee!"

Somethings Finally Blooming in ND!

More Topaz Adjust

More play with Topaz Adjust. . . .








. . . . I love weekends in the summer!

The Gift of the Flat Tire

I want to thank all of you who took the time the other day to post such caring, compassionate, responses to Bonnie's death. It helped Doug and me very much to know that Bonnie had so many fans! Your thoughts, words, and prayers were very much appreciated, and it just warms my heart to realize how many good, compassionate, people there are.

Bonnie's last day was a good day; I pestered her a bit to wake her up around 1:00pm. I knew her sleep wasn't particularly peaceful anyway; she seemed to be twitching in pain a great deal. She hadn't eaten much of her breakfast, but I wanted her to have a chance to eat the roast beef I had for her. I warmed it up, and the aroma got her quite interested! She came trotting into the kitchen, and I gave her the roast beef, mixed with her favorite dog treats!

I was about to eat my own lunch, but couldn't. The rain had mostly let up, and I thought, why not? I took her for a walk in the drizzle. It's been a long time since she got to go on a long walk, mainly because I was afraid I'd have to carry her back! And for about 40 minutes, she was totally blissed out! I let her lead the way, (sorry, neighbors), and tagged along under bushes, across lawns, around dumpsters, up to any tree she wanted (and there were so many!)

On a "regular" day, I would know that she would suffer for this walk later; it was not going to be so today. . .

When it rained much harder, I took her back home, where Doug met me, and he had a chance to feed her whatever treats, sausage, or cheese she wanted. Finally, it was time. . .

We went out to my car with her, and it had a flat tire! It's strange how your mind will work. . . my first thought was, "Well, then Bonnie doesn't have to go!", but I knew that wasn't true, and would not be fair to her, given what her life was now like.

We took our other car, and for Bonnie, I do think the process was so fast, that she was not distressed.

And Doug and I were unbelievably grateful for the flat tire! As Doug and I drove home, we knew we could stop crying because we'd have to deal with the flat tire! Normally, we would have called Road Side assistance through our auto insurance (if you don't have this, stop reading now and check with your insurance company! For about $8 a year, most auto insurance policies will provide tire repair, jump starting, emergency lock-out and towing. It's so worth it!)

But we wanted to change the tire! It was so wonderful to have to dig out the manual, have to figure out how to get the jack out of the back, how to raise the car, and how to get the bolts off. These are things that I used to do, way too many times, in my younger years, with my old junkers. Now, in my "mature" years, with my old junker, I call Roadside Assistance, and forgot how.

We brought the tire to Firestone, got the nail removed and put the tire back on our car. It gloriously took up two hours, all together, and it was so welcome, such a fine, concrete, task to preoccupy us! I strongly recommend a flat tire (preferably NOT in winter) for anyone under similar circumstances (but I don't want another one tomorrow).

And because I don't have a photo of the flat tire, here's a photo from the garden tour:







. . . or three.

I Could Almost Forget There's Ever a Winter!

In "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe," C.S. Lewis uses the phrase,". . . always winter, never Christmas. . . " How sad that would be! And how sad if "always winter."

In July in Grand Forks, I could almost forget that winter exists!



I sure wouldn't mind if this were MY garden!









They say that parts of the world that actually have winter have won a biological lottery of sorts; countries without winter have a much great struggle with disease, water supplies, agriculture. . .

But, oh! The glories of summer!

Rocks & Weeds on the Garden Tour

Sometimes the things you seen on a garden tour aren't exactly the gardens themselves.

Sometimes, there're cool weeds. . .



. . . and nice rocks. . .



. . . a bridge and a river. . . .



. . . .but of course, there are the flowers. . .



. . . and very pretty gardens:

The Squirrels' Revenge: It's not Zucchini!

You may have noticed that we seem to have this love/hate relationship with the critters around our house. Remember last year the Cedar Waxwing attack? Followed by the dead squirrel in our driveway, followed by a never-before-seen(nor since) duck patrolling our driveway.

And then, there's the recent infestation of FLEAS, thanks to the rabbits in our yard. (Poor old Bonnie.)

And Doug has been thinking long and hard about shooting things with that pellet gun. Long and hard.

Well, we thought we had a renegade zucchini plant invading our flowers along our driveway. Or maybe it's a plant I couldn't remember planting. But Doug thought some more. . .


. . . while looking out at the farm, from a garden, on the Grand Forks Garden Tour. . .



. . . and then, he figured out what this was!



He figured out that this, creeping up our steps, is NOT a renegade zucchini plant, but a pumpkin patch! And he remembered the squirrel that last year tore apart our Halloween pumpkin at the top of our steps. . . . and planted a crop of pumpkins!

Well, let's see what happens next!

Double Rainbow Guy Should See This Garden Action!

Remember Double Rainbow Guy? Just think of his ecstasy if he saw this!

I think this next photo could use just a little vignette added. What do you think?





And then I thought I'd play with a Rustic EZ Action on this one:



And Jess' Hazy Days one on this:

Garden Treasures

Thank you, everyone, for the kind words about Bonnie yesterday. She's more comfortable today, every once in awhile shows a little burst of energy, but is sleeping much better. I can tell many of you have also had wonderful dogs gracing your lives and in your hearts. I've had to check out a few videos today to find "tricks" to get your dog to take their pills, though!

Here's a few more flowers from the garden tour (best viewed with Safari or Firefox. Come on, Google Chrome; get with the color management!):

Magical Garden Tour

Doug, Ute,my sweet and wonderful Nikon Buddy,and I all took a magical garden tour today. Any garden tour is magical, but we floated around in a giant soap bubble, gazing at all the beautiful gardens:





Grand Forks is special! (Please, no fact-checkers.)

This may be cute, but who'd name their baby "Sedum Nussbaumeranum Autumn Glow?"



And the name of this one (Echeveria Powder Blue) makes me thing of "the powder room."


And since I'm still posting plant photos, I thought this would be a good time to give all of you words of advice:

1. Keep a close watch on scilla in your garden.

and 2. ALWAYS listen to Pat's advice! She warned me a year or so ago that scilla could be invasive, and I thought "nah! Not in North Dakota! What's 2 or 3 or 6 little plants?" But now it's everywhere! I foresee many an hour of digging the pretty little plants, and their pod like root structures, from my garden in the weeks ahead :(.

Future Roommates: Echeveria Western Blue and Aeonium Purple Scrolls

One sounds like a sad song of the Old West (Echeveria Western Blue)

and the other sounds like an antiquity out of an Indian Jones movie: Aeonium Purple Scrolls . . .

. . . but soon they will be sharing a container together, along with a few other roomies!

Cacti, Succulents, and the International Peace Garden

A few more of the little babies I acquired at Gardening Saturday:



The succulent above is called "Crassula-Marnieriana"



And this one is an "Aeonium". I don't know what it's other , more specific name, is, but just that it's in the broader category of "Aemonium".

Yesterday, I opened the newspaper, and saw a photo of the vendor from whom I bought all these succulents! Apparently, he's amassed what is believed to be largest collection of cacti in North America. This is in Minot, ND. ND!--definately not known for it's desserts or tropical weather! He's got over 5,200 different cacti and completely fills a 4,000 square foot greenhouse.

He's dontated his collection to the International Peace Garden, which straddles the border between North Dakota and Canada. You actually have to have your passport to re-enter the US after you've visited this garden, 1/2 of which is in ND, have of which is in Canada. Apparently, it's going to take a lot of semis to move some of these bad boys, some of which weigh 500 to 700 pounds and are 12 feet high, to Minot, this summer. The Peace Garden build a special conservatory for the collection, and will add on to the building in the future to accommodate more of the collection.

The cactus collector, Don Vitko, gave out cards with this website listed and you can check out care information for succulents, or order plants from them:

http://www.jadepoint.com/

I have 6 more succulents to show you over the next week or so.

You say "Crassula;" I say "Succulents"

Guess the name of these succulents, which I bought at the Gardening Saturday program yesterday:

You're right! It's a Cruassula 'Pellucida "B" Variegated'

And you're right about the second one too! It is called: Crassula Iycopodioides 'Variegeated Watch Chain'! You're really good at this!

Succulents have long been one of my favorite types of plants. . . . and they don't tend to exactly thrive naturally in North Dakota! (Although I do have some sedum in my yard, which remind me a lot of succulents).

It's 2010 and the Plant Doctors are In

Oh, blissful day! Today was "Gardening Saturday" in Grand Forks, with a number of area nurseries coming together with the Grand Forks Horticultural Society and North Dakota State University Extension Service to present talks and sessions on a variety of gardening topics, and a book fair and exhibit of vendors.

I acquired 10 new little succulents at $3.50 each from Jade Point Succulents. This next week, I'll introduce you to these little babies, as well as more about Gardening Saturday.

Here's a shot of JadePoint Succulents vendor table:





It's hard to stay calm in spring in North Dakota!

Welcome! Insidious Garden Invader!

I know scilla can be invasive in gardens, but it's such a welcome sight to see these first blooms in my yard! April can be such a cruel month, giving us that hint of warmth--practically taunting us with a touch of green here or there. This morning, it was 27 degrees when I got up; this would have been total bliss in January or February. . . . but by April, I want tulips and daffodils. I want to see green leaves and even a mosquito might make me happy! (I draw the line, however, on any appearance of those Evil Cedar Waxwings, which can just STAY AWAY this year, and eat someone else's windows. (Sorry, Someone Else.))