Today I went to Upper Clements to Bunchberry Nurseries to give a talk on pollinators. It was like Old Home Week, with a dear friend and several of her dear friends coming up, and other good gardening chums also being there, and of course Jill, who owns Bunchberry, is a master plantwoman and garden designer. She specializes in heaths and heathers, evergreens, grasses, but also has alpines, Japanese maples, perennials, and lots of other interesting things. I wasn't on plant-purchase mode today because we need to do more garden cleanup and moving of plants before I can even think about buying new plants, but the first thing to incite plant lust in me today was this golden Korean Fir, wearing its best spring plumage. Isn't it delicious? The regular one is beautiful enough, but this one sent me into happy plant dance mode.
Jill gave me this hardy cyclamen to try in my garden, and I can't wait. Its foliage is wonderful, and while the flowers will be gorgeous, with leaves like this who needs flowers?
After the talk, I spent some meaningful time with the plants, wandering around the display garden, and was very happy to see plenty of deliriously happy bees bobbing around the heaths. I also added other plants to my 'I can't possibly live without these' list, all of which will get here eventually; mostly delicious conifers, heaths and heathers, sedums and semps...well, yeah, you know how it goes with me. I'm a plant addict.
Doesn't this just look like stained glass? It's the cover of a journal I had to have! I found it at this wonderful store I go to in Annapolis Royal, a few miles from Upper Clements. My plan is to leave it right here on my desk by my computer (and yes, Lisa, I DO work with two monitors--makes life a lot easier for me to have several programs spread out over two screens) where I can jot down the names of plants, where I got them, and so on.
In the same shop, these paper napkins spoke to me. Of course I had to have them-lavender and blue poppies being two of my favourite plants, as many of you know.
Yesterday, I had a joyous note from Soliloquy's Nancy Bond, gleefully announcing that the spring peepers had commenced their song at her home in Windsor, about forty minutes drive (or ten minutes as the hummingbird flies) from here. Having spent part of the evening in the garden last evening as a treat for having been insanely busy all week, I knew that things were warming up rapidly. I tore outside and stood on the deck listening, and heard the first of several sounds I've been waiting for: the banjo-string plucking of the green frogs (Rana clamitans) that inhabit our pond. Tonight, they're chuckling deliriously, singing their come-hither songs to one another. We're still a few days from the spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) but if I had any doubts that we've made it into real spring...those doubts have vanished on the gleeful wave of frog-song.
"Happy plant dance mode" wonderfully describes my feelings too, lately with every new plant I see and long to bring home with me! I enjoyed reading about your day.
ReplyDeleteShari
With no pond and no body of water nearby, there are no frog songs in my yard. I'm envious of you and Nancy!
ReplyDeleteJodi-I got conifer sperm all over the place here. Which is totally sicko. I washed off my front porch today to make room for my new rug and I killed of a whole nation of future conifer forest. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteGlad your speech went well today--Bravo and you seem so calm about it too. So confident--that is grand. You must have been well prepared which is why you were pulling my hair out the other day venting on my blog--no worries I took it well and have a nice hair transplant thank you. Anytime!
I like those napkins too. I think a nice fat brownie will taste grand sitting upon it.
I sure am glad the frogs are singing for you and Nancy cause otherwise I never would have heard them;)
Can't hear frogs from the balcony, but when I walk down the canal path and hear them, I know that spring is here. The other sign is bats. When I start seeing them it means that the evenings are getting longer, and the warm weather has arrived. and unfortunately so have the mosquitoes, which they're feeding off. Oh well, you can't have everything, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteGood lord, Jodi! That golden Korean fir would be enough to do it for me. Wow!!! Hope your gorgeous hardy cyclamen is happy with you, and how true about the foliage. Blooms are just a bonus! Sounds like you had a great day and found some real treasures (including your green frog!).
ReplyDeleteI would be doing a happy dance too if I had access to those lovely plants and that journal is to die for. Wow... It looks like you had a good shop as well as a good lecture. I am still trying to get my mind around the two monitors though. Ha...
ReplyDeleteThe peepers are singing here in New England too. But we've had the worst invasion of gnats I've ever seen. Poor horses and I'm ready to borrow one of their fly masks. I love that Korean fir!
ReplyDeleteOh, the peepers are singing here tonight and it is one of my favorite songs! You scored big this weekend with the cyclamen and journal etc. I hope the weather is improving and the garden starting to show more color. Those pink chionodoxa are so delicate.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun...a trip to a great a nursery! Wish it was close to me so I could have heard your talk!
ReplyDeleteI love your kitty pictures. Such cuties! One of cat babies was diagnosed with lymphoma this week. She's only 4. It doesn't look good for her. So sad.....
Carol
terranovadesign.blogspot.com
I was a bit dissappointed when I visited my favorite nursery two weeks ago. The perennials were just thinking of sprouting. I'm looking forward to next week when I go back. This time I'll be returning with a couple hunderd pots.
ReplyDeleteOur frogs have come out too. It's nice to hear the croakers. But what is really getting to me is the sound of Sapsucker romance in the air. I'll be posting about the Sapsucker, Romance and the Mailbox later today.
Beautiful cover Jodi, it does look like stained glass. Ah, the frog song has arrived in Nova Scotia too. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteOh what a glorious weekend! Your banjo-string plucking green frogs sound delightful, Jodi, as did my haunting loons that welcomed me on our recently 'thawed' lake ... a sure sign of spring when they return. Then a burst of color greeted me back home in my yard and garden including beloved bloodroot and trillium ... yes, spring has sprung!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I completely understand not being in a plant-buying mode. For me that usually happens when presented with an over-abundance of choices and no earthly plan with what to do with them. (Of course, other times, I just jump right in.)
ReplyDeleteI love the frog song. I was hearing it myself recently.
Robin at Bumblebee
Yay! You're frogs are tuning up for their spring symphony. That's so wonderful.
ReplyDeleteCindy at Rosehaven Cottage
I saw the Stained Glass that the journal cover was taken from, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC last Easter - it is FABULOUS! There is also an entire gazebo made out of glass in a similiar style, which all pays homage to the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Quick glimpse here http://www.metmuseum.org/special/tiffany_laurelton/view_1.asp?item=25
ReplyDeleteHi everyone, and welcome;.
ReplyDeleteShari, glad you enjoyed--happy plant dances are very good exercise too.
Nancy, LSS heard one peeper a couple of nights ago. I was so tired last night I didn't go out to check, but the glunkers are sure doing their thing.
Rose, wish we could send you the frogsong (and frogs--they're great mosquito controls)
Anna, you are just so funny! I don't have any problem getting up to speak; after all, they're all gardeners like we are, and they want to share info, so it's all good.
Sue, bats are nice--as long as they don't get in my attic, because the cat children chase them and then I have to be bat rescuer!
OUrfriendben...for sure, that gold Korean fir sent me into raptures. I'm getting a small one from a friend's nursery; am very patient about plants growing on, so I don't mind buying small plants and letting them grow to their full potential in time. (that way I can afford MORE plants. Bwah hah hah!)
Lisa, it was a great day--just what was needed. Though I could use another one right now, before this weekend (Saltscapes Expo, six talks).
Victoria, the poor horses! Hopefully the gnats will ease off soon.
Layanee, it's amazing how fast the new colour is happening here. I went out to look around just from the step and I swear I can HEAR things growing.
Carol, I'm sorry about cat baby with lymphoma...hopefully it's treatable or controllable so that she'll have a long time yet.
Wiseacre John, love the post about the romantic sapsucker...
Yolanda, thanks we're enjoying frogsong and spring flowers now...long time coming but worth the wait.
Joey, aren't loons fantastic? We don't have any up here on the hill, but they do inhabit lots of ponds and lakes around the province. Their cry is just so wonderful. Trillium already? Wow. In a few weeks for me, though with this heat, they should come through the ground soon.
Robin, I had sort of promised myself I'd get more cleanup done before I started bringing home plants...but then yesterday that got shot by the Dawn viburnum. Oh well, most of the beds are cleaned up somewhat...;-)
HI Cindy, spring symphonies indeed. I sleep with the window wide open and no iPod music so I can hear the frogs.
Zoe, thanks for sending that link along. I thought it was a Tiffany piece--nothing quite like his work, is there? I can afford a journal with a photo on the cover, but that's about it. ;-)