January 14, 2008

Looking around

Today I got up early in the morning. It was still dark.

That big leaf on the picture above is anthurium, that doesn't want to bloom this winter :(


My neighbours are also getting up as I can see lights....


...cats were still sleeping...


... after small breakfast and when it got brighter I took my bicycle and went to take small ride ... eeeh... it was clean ice on that part of the front yard... however it is melting slowly everywhere...



... and I found spring!!

... at least in the nearby shop there is already spring...

You know that feeling when you discover something extraordinary in a thing you look at every day, but you don't see...

For me today it was this tree.


It is Aesculus hippocastanum - naturally beautiful tree, which is deformed here due to excessive pruning.

Looks like elefant!





After coming back from biking lets have a walk around the garden...


Jasminum nudiflorum blooming just when days get little warmer...



I decided that it will be the day ... ha finally! to cover 3 roses, that I forgot to cover in November (I don't know how could I forget?) - and I will get rid of bad conscious because of that, whenever cold hits the garden... Weather forecast says there will be no winter till the end of the month!


This is how my evergreen Euphorbia caracias Humpty Dumpty is doing in the winter. It looks just little more sad after strong freeze, but immediately gets to its normal look when it gets warmer. These pictures were taken today.


My lovely moss is colonising the ground around water pipe - I love moss! I am great fan of it!

Pachysandra terminalis.... looks little sad, but flashy green... on the right up corner there is helleborus argutifolius slowly getting prepared for blooming...



My brassica is still doing well... ha? I can still have fresh salad from the garden :)

I covered my Graham Thomas rose, planted just last spring, with dried ornamental grass Phalaris arundinacea Picta - it is invasive, grows like crazy, so I decided to grow it only in the pot. Remains of it were stored close to compost bin for winter plant protection :)


This protection does not look very showy, but it is enough to protect the roots :)

Some of my water plants are hibernated in the bucket and waiting better days there :) Ice is melting in a weird way - how does it happen?


Pond is still frozen - in the center you can see the air-hole in form of polarbear made of polystyrene (styrofoam).


There is stone on it, because the thing itself is too light to submerge in water to such level, that it keeps unfrozen inside.


On the right down part of photo my lavender, which looks still nice - only not flowering.


Some ice formations at the pond...








After walk short look at house plants...


and look what! My oleander (Nerium oleander) is getting ready to bloom!

Pelargonium brought home from the cellar one month ago is also getting ready!

Surfinia also seems to be fine having just nice, green round leafs and no sign of flowers yet.

Weather is fooling us! It is still winter... and sofa is still best place...

14 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow, Ewa, I've never seen a horse chestnut pruned that severely; interesting result, but I think I like them freely growing better, do you? Lovely ice sculptures, and the kitties look just so comfortable

Bek said...

You have all kind of seasons in your post: next to spring there is still winter:) I think by now everyone is ready for real spring to come.

Victoria Cummings said...

Maybe this is the New Winter - Spring peaking up in January. We're having it too in New England. If you don't like the weather, just wait until tomorrow and there will be a different season. Beautiful pictures. Happy kitties and warm socks are the best!

Clayton said...

What a pleasant surprise to see so much green!

I am wondering if you or any of your blog readers grows the Edible Blue Honeysuckle Lonicera caerulea edulis or L. kamchatika as I am looking for seed (good sweet fruit) from gardeners particularly in Europe.

Clayton

Ewa said...

Jodi,
This tree is pruned so much, because it was planted just under electric air wires, so they have to do it.
It looks sad - natural size and shape makes it looking more happy.

Bek,
If it is going to be so warm until the end the month, winter will be probably short but still might be biting. 2 years ago it came in February and it was -33C (rare here). I hope it will be not so cold this year.

Victoria,
Yes, seasons have changed, its little sad, isn't it? January used to be winter, not so warm.

Clayton,
Will see if any blog readers are having seeds of this great berry.
I just made quick search in internet and it the only record I found was info, that it is not economic to produce this seeds. Seedlings are available in price of 5-8$. But I don't know how it is with sending to US.

Greetings to all and thank you for visiting :)

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Move over a bit so that I can join you on the sofa as that is the best place to be in winter. ;-)

That was a nice long spin on the bike and tour of your garden. The Aesculus certainly looks very strange pruned like that and yes, I think it looks like an elephant too. Moss is great, you can never have enough of it.

Those ice formations near your pond and weird and wonderful.

We both have the winter jasmin in flower!

Clayton said...

Today I received seeds from a new contact in your country (City of Lubin) and was very surprised to receive not only my Lonicaera seeds but also Columbine and Trumpet Lily seeds. It was very generous of them no doubt. Gardeners are very kind and generous people!
Would be nice for a "bunch" of gardeners to join you there!

Clayton

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Ewa you have captured the most gorgeous dark blue sky in the first picture. I just love that color and I was admiring it when we went out early to bird this weekend. I think you only see this color during winter. Just lovely.

Your cat's paws also have socks on.
Cute picture.

I like moss too. You have a good patch of it growing. It looks so lush even during winter.

Ewa said...

Yolanda Elizabet,
There is enough space on my sofa... :))

Clayton,
Great that you received it! I was just thinking how to obtain information concerning regulations for posting live plants to US :))

Lisa,
Yes, you are right - this color 'happens' only in the winter and also not too often. I was enchanted to see it :)

Barbara said...

You had a good start into the new day, Ewa! And you are a nice girl, covering your roses !!! Well, I don't speak of mine (they still aren't prepared for the winter which will certainly COME!). I love moss too and have a whole path of it....so soft to walk on! My winter jasmine is almost finished blooming. But soon all the helleborus are coming!
Nice post, as always! So many color, almost like Spring inspite of the lovely ice sculpture!

Ewa said...

Barbara,
please be a good girl and cover your roses!
put whatever to cover its roots :)
at least that :)

Clayton said...

I do not know about "regulations" but I know people ship plants and be sure to wash the roots well. To Canada here it is possible to send in a bubble envelope but certainly better to have the proper Phytosanitary documents and Import Permits. Just expensive if you want only 1 plant.

SchneiderHein said...

What a wonderful walk trough your winter garden. But your last photograph is so cute and the best place to spend the winter days!

Ewa said...

Clayton,
I thought so, that there are some pretty restrictive regulations (as red about it in Bifurcated Carrots).

Silke,
Nice to see you around. Happy, that you enjoyed the walk :)

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