And Then The World Exploded!

***Oh my!! This post was slated for mid-May but was never posted.  Here it is now!***

This year the newly sprouted green leaves struck me as if I had never seen them before!

 May announced the rebirth of the earth in my part of the world in an explosive way.  One day there is almost nothing and then there comes an explosion of green - a rapid fire succession of growth.

My garden survived the harsh winter with few casualties and I am blessed with an abundance of plants and birds.

 Soon enough we will have to begin the arduous task of trimming the shrubs that threaten to overtake the yard but right now we are just sitting back enjoying this embarrassment of riches.

 June, July and August will bring an explosion of flowers of every color in the rainbow.  But right now there is mostly just a myriad of greens - surely a sight for winter weary eyes!

Painted Fern

More fern at attention!

Lady's Mantle - adorned with morning dew

Dead Nettle - my favorite ground cover

Astilbe

Hosta nestled under the cherry tree

Wild Geranium

Columbine

Bugleweed

Epimedium

Cinnamon Fern in all its glory

Solomon's Seal

Witch Hazel

Wild Columbine

Live-Forever

A new variety of day-lily 

Columbine leaves

New growth on an Andromeda

Penstemon

Coreopsis

A shy wild Iris

During the renovation of our home the past several months, I felt very lucky that one of the rooms we could use was the sunroom which faces my garden.  It has enabled me to keep my sanity and most of my serenity in the midst of chaos.  

With any luck at all, I will have my home back in another month or so!   In the meantime, I will find refuge in the green wonderland behind the house.

Easter Morning

Signs of Spring - Glory Be

There is a good reason why I have Witch Hazel planted in my garden where I can see it from the house.  Witch Hazel, bless it's wild and wonderful little heart, blooms here in New York, in late February and early March,  just about the time I become desperate for a bit of color and some sign that spring is, indeed, on the way.  

Another late winter clue comes from the birds.  They begin chasing one another around the yard in a decidedly amorous way.   Their winter silence is broken and  an occasional song can be heard.  

Inevitably, one damp and dreary winter morning, I will look out the window and notice that the sweet American Goldfinches, who turn a dull gray in winter are beginning to show traces of their coming yellow glory.  Everyday they are a bit brighter!  

Of course, in another week or two, there will be daffodils and other fancy stuff starting to bloom.

 But right now, in spite of cold and wind and lingering piles of snow, thanks to the Witch Hazel and the Goldfinches, I can believe in spring!

May Day, May Day, May Day!

 May is FINALLY busting out all over the place! My garden is alive again , with green growth and the soft colors of spring flowers.  The delicate woodland flowers and buds that are unfurling everyday  are perfect for taking close-up photos.

As I experiment with more and different settings on my camera, I rarely use the auto anymore.  I am starting to use the macro setting and gradually I'm teaching myself to adjust the other settings as well. I think my images are getting sharper.

 The joy and beauty of digital photography is being able to shoot 60 photos, go home, load them into the computer and see them immediately.  Even if one deletes 59 photos and has one keeper, it is worth it.

Here are some shots I took over the weekend in my garden.  Not bad for an old dog learning new tricks!

Delicate Daphne

Ferns unfurl (I love these!)

Wild Geranium bud

"Hello Sunshine, this is Hosta."

Solomon's Seal

Japanese Painted Fern

Late blooming Daffodils

Forget-me-nots

There is nothing more beautiful than May in New York.  Oh wait, there's June, July, August, September and October too! (November and April aren't bad either)

April Gifts

This morning I woke up at 5:50 AM and stumbled out to the sunroom to watch the sun come up.  It was still quite dark and the first thing I noticed was the bright morning star  still twinkling in the fading darkness.  I heard (a very early) wren singing at the top of it's joyful lungs.  Grabbing my first cup of tea, I had a few minutes to enjoy the silence of dawn and count my blessings.  

Within a few minutes one of my most delightful blessings came out to join me.  My 9 month old grandson was wide awake and gurgling with that early morning joy that babies always seem to have.  He and his parents have been staying with us since shortly after Christmas and they are set to move into their new home in time for Easter, so my days of seeing him every day are numbered and more precious than ever.

Since this was Day 2 of spring-like weather, I grabbed my camera and went to inspect the garden after MG left for his first nap of the day. (How blessed is he?) The early morning light brought a soft glow to the trees that surround my yard and I can almost hear the new buds setting themselves free, at long last.

I found evidence that the peonies survived the winter, their gangly red heads poking through the recently softened earth.

The Siberian scilla, my favorite shade of blue, have been blooming for a few days but they looked especially handsome in the sunlight this morning.

My spring hunt for signs of life turned up a few Solomon's Seal, one of the hardiest plants around.  It is a woodland wild flower which will spread nicely in the shade.

Yesterday there was no yellow in the whole yard, but today----LET THERE BE SPRING !!! The daffodils have opened, there is yellow everywhere and all is right with the world!

We are moving our herb garden this spring which entails digging up a new garden.  The old spot has grown too shady in the past few years (perfect for the patio I envision) so the herbs are moving into the sun.  My sweet digger plans to begin this project soon.  I'll keep you posted.

Spring Shadow and Light

  Of all my gardens, I think I get the most pleasure from my shady garden.  Everyone thinks gardening in shade is a challenge, but the reality is, if you plant the right stuff, it's a charm.

Ferns Unfurling ©Barbara Kaufmann 2013

 My tiny shady garden is best enjoyed by strolling through it, looking for tiny treasures since many of the woodland flowers that bloom there are tiny and can  best be appreciated up close.

Ferns 

  My shady area is underneath my weeping cherry, which itself can be planted under taller trees.  I added some shade shrubs that grow wild in the woods in the Northeast, like andromeda and rhododendron. 

Delicate Epimedium.....

   Next I put in ferns, lots and lots of ferns.  These lovely plants, although shy and retiring, can show off the dappled light that filters to the floor of the garden.

.....also comes in pink

 Some of my favorites shady perennials are  are dicentra, epimedium, lobelia, wild geranium, lady's mantle, anemone, daffodils,  astilbe, primrose and lenten rose.

Daphne scents the whole garden

  Some of the best shrubs to plant in the shade include the above mentioned andromeda, rhodos, daphne, viburnum, red- twigged dogwood and hydrangea.

Viburnum just opening

Jonquils- these late bloomers light up the spring shady garden

Lenten Rose starts to bloom in March and is still going strong!

Solomon's seal with vareigated leaves looks great in shade

    The flowers and flowering shrubs, light up the dark corners all spring and summer  and into the fall.

  This selection, along with the ferns and hostas, give the shady garden interest in every season. (And best of all, the weeds are not very aggressive in the shade!

  The other morning, as I watched the sun slowly begin to awaken my garden, this poem arrived unbidden:

*****

Spring Light

the Light begins

 to move

 across the sky

slowly it creeps north

awakening my soul,

opening my sleepy eyes 

after the dark night of winter,

the sun's warmth

soaks into my bones,

lighting the way,

 the earth begins to hum

with budding potential,

green unfurls its tiny flags

and then my heart

opens to new possibilities,

take me, 

spring Light.

*****

Thought for today:  Gardening in the shade can be rewarding and inspiring!

Marching in the Woods

  45 degrees and no rain!  No more excuses!  We took a four mile walk through the woods on Sunday and it was a perfect day for :

 hunting for spring green,

 taking photos of March,

holding hands, 

 noticing the sunsparkle on the lake

 watching shimmering shadows,

listening for the red-wing.

      March gets a bum rap but it is one of my favorite months! 

     With the anticipation of a child in the weeks before Christmas, I finally emerge from the warmth of my winter cocoon and go in search of spring. 

     It is a joyful journey because, no matter how bitter the winter, spring never fails to return!

     And she arrives, without fail, in March!

****

Thought for today:  March, I love you.