A Quiet Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day: February 2015

Today, I ventured out into my garden for the first time since I came down with the stomach flu last Friday.  It felt great to be outside in my messy February garden, so I decided to celebrate by taking a few shots for a belated Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day post.  

Indian Plum, Osmaronia cerasiformis

The Indian Plum has busted out in full bloom, making the local hummingbirds very happy.  

Brunnera 'Jack Frost'

Yes, I can still see you, Barnaby, hiding behind a Pagoda Dogwood branch.  

Variegated daphne

The sweet fragrance of the daphne blooms overwhelmed me while I took pictures in the front yard.

Star Magnolia

I noticed that a few Star Magnolia blooms are about to unfurl.  

Euphorbia wulfenii

This euphorbia guards the poetry post from the Neighborhood Miscreants and Partying Garden Gnomes.  My neighbor refers to the euphorbia as the Shrek's Ears plant.  What do you think of that name?

hellebore

The hellebores are quietly blooming in the side yard.  

Thanks for joining me on my walk through my garden.  Its time for me to kick my feet up and drink some more ginger tea.  Please don't forget to visit our lovely hostess, Carol at May Dreams Gardens, to view flowers from around the world.  Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day to you!

A Quick Trip to the NorthWest Flower & Garden Show

Be still, my beating heart…

lub-dub!

lub-DUB!

LUB-dub!

LUB-DUB!            Designed by Robin Stockwell of Succulent Gardens

It's garden show season!  

Do you feel like this in early spring?  I sure do.

Anna, William, Gina, and I kicked off the garden season by attending the North West Flower & Garden Show in Seattle, Washington.  We piled into Anna's car before dawn and only stopped for coffee, laughing all the way North to our destination.

A view of Seattle out of the Skywalk.  

Stepping into the showroom, the smell of Spring overpowered me.  I felt my pupils dilate with plant lust and I felt my early spring fever rush through me.  Then I saw display gardens that I wasn't allowed to walk through. What?!?  I've been spoiled all these years by the Yard, Garden, and Patio Show in Portland and didn't even know it.  

As I made my way through the crowds, laughing with my group, I took pictures and imagined what Mr. Barnaby would do to these scenes if they were in my garden.

Mr. Barnaby would prune the hanging foliage from the container on the left because tidiness matters.

Can't you just imagine Mr. Barnaby making himself at home in the middle of this romantic picnic for two?  

Mr. Barnaby loves to sit on patio chairs and floss his teeth with ornamental grasses.

Mr. Barnaby would love this setup.  A dane sized wading pool and a couch to sleep on in front of a fire.

So even a dane owner can pick up a few gardening ideas at the gardening show.  I was enthralled with the vendors.  The art and the plant shopping were fantastic.  Next time that I attend, I'll bring a bigger budget for plants and art.

To read more about our adventure and see amusing pictures of our group, read Anna's fun post here.  I was too busy laughing to remember to take pictures of us.  Shame on me!  We returned home the same day, despite losing our car in the car garage, and my voice was scratchy from laughing all day long.    

Wordless Wednesday: Tetrapanax papyrifer 'Steroidal Giant'

Tetrapanax papyrifer 'Steroidal Giant'

The new sprouts emerging on the naked stems of the Tetrapanax papyrifer 'Steroidal Giant' look like praying hands to me.  Do they to you?

Pomeranians and Puddles

You just never know what you're going to find out in your garden.  Some days it's water droplets on newly emerging shoots.

But, yesterday, I was out photographing my front garden and sighing over the bare dirt when I looked down and saw an adorable pomeranian at my feet.  She appeared out of nowhere and didn't have a collar or tags.  When I looked around to find her human, she wandered out into the street.  I jumped out and grabbed her up from the oncoming traffic.  Silly girl.

One of the Crony Brothers came out to check on all the ruckus and chatted with me.  We both went and knocked on a few neighbors doors to see if anyone knew her.  She received plenty of pets and coos, but no owner.  I ran inside and dug out Barnaby's old puppy collar and leash while the Crony Brother stood on the sidewalk holding her.  

Cars slowed down, people waved, but no frantically searching owner arrived to rescue her.  I thought for a moment that maybe she was going to be The Crony Brothers' new sidekick, but no.  She's currently waiting for her family to find her at the SW Washington Humane Society.  I've posted signs, posted an ad on Craigslist and the neighborhood website, and one of my new friends is waiting to make her acquaintance, if she isn't picked up in the next 3 days.  

I just never know what is going to happen and who I'm going to meet in my garden.  Have you ever found a lost pet in your garden?

Mr. Barnaby and My Garden

Mr. Barnaby, my 170 pound Great Dane, helps me tend my garden and take garden pictures.  And when we've completed our chores, he collapses on the patio furniture with a fir cone or 'hides' in plain sight in his favorite spot in the back garden.  He has a weakness for golden japanese forest grass, Hakonechloa macro 'Aureola', and keeps it trimmed to a nice stubble.   I really wish that he would develop a taste for dandelions or bittercress.

View fullsize

A dane in the life of my garden.

Saxon Holt's garden blogger photo contest titled, Gardening Gone Wild Picture This Photo Contest, is focusing on photos from 2014 that tell a story. This is my submission.  I had so much fun digging through last years photos, giggling at all of Mr. Barnaby's shenanigans. I took this shot from my picnic table as an afterthought while sipping a cup of tea.  

What story do you see in this shot? And what caption would you give it?