20 March 2009

Spring, Scotts Bay Style

I deliberately have avoided reading any other blogs so far today, in part because I've been really busy with work and in part because I didn't want to hear or see too many paeans to spring before I could post my own exultation on the equinox. Let's have a look around Sunflower Hill, shall we, and see what spring has wrought here. We'll start with the conifer and heath/heather bed. What, you can't see the heaths and heathers? Perhaps because they've been buried since December. 

Around front of the house, you see one of the 'glaciers' I've made reference to time and again. These annoyances come when we have a melt, but not enough of one before it freezes again. I could skate on this if I had skates and still could stand upright on them. Fortunately, the ice is only on the grass here, and I could care less about grass. 

Here's part of the back yard, which you've seen from assorted angles over the past few months. Yes, the snow is still very deep in places, courtesy of those drifts formed by the winds off the Bay of Fundy. The funny thing is, I was standing on bare ground when I took this shot, and then walked across the snowbank to another part of the yard. 

Way out at the back of the garden, beside the conifer and heath/heather bed. You can see how we have patchy melts, patchy glaciers, and of course, patchy snowdrifts still. 

Although it's hard to tell from this photo, some of the deepest snow remains here, covering the chocolate garden, most of the purple beech, and a bed that will be awash in daffodils in a month or so. Theoretically, anyway. 

But you can't fool plants, not really. My mother reports her lilac shrubs have buds swelling, as do my magnolias and this metasequoia.

This is the lower garden, where normally my Hamamelis, hellebore, and the bulk of the snowdrops are. They haven't materialized yet through the depths of snow; partly depth from snowfall and partly from hubby plowing. I will observe, however, there's had to be no plowing for at least three weeks. There is hope, of course. 

I know that one of these days I'll be able to oogle and google and grin and sigh over my darling little double galanthus. But just not anytime real soon. 

I can, however, smile and sigh over this fernleaf lavender that I bought today at den Haan's greenhouse in Middleton after finishing a photo assignment a little further afield. It doesn't have the true lavender fragrance, but more of a lemony-musky scent like an artemesia. But it's cheery and fresh in my office, and a promise of the L. angustifolia that will bloom in summer. 


And if the cats' behaviour is any indication, spring crazies are upon them. Especially Mungus, who apparently misses me when I'm gone and feels obliged to attack my feet whenever possible. Given that HIS feet with their extra toes are almost as big as mine...you know when you've been tackled by a Hugh Mungus. 

23 comments:

  1. Still lots of snow down your way, Jodi, but wait a few months -- those same Bay winds that sculpted all that snow into drifts will be keeping you cool and comfortable while the rest of us bemoan the heat and humidity. Trade you any day. :-)

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  2. Jodi, The double galanthus is a darling...and I look forward to hearing you oogle, google and grin as you share it with us! You live on beautiful property in a gorgeous part of the world ...you realize of course, that there will be a but in this sentence don't you...but there is way too much winter for this totally acclimated to the middle south girl! I wish the glaciers and snow mounds to continue retreating! happiest of Spring Equinox to you! gail

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  3. It's all downhill from here on in, Jodi. Or at least we know we can expect warmer days more frequently :)
    Our ground will thaw, and we will plant, and the plants will grow and bloom!
    Our cats have the spring fever crazies too :)
    Happy Vernal Equinox!
    Just keep smiling :)

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  4. Jodi, all I can say is oh my. I like different seasons, but time for snow is coming to a close. I do like that sweet double galanthus.

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  5. Don't fret Jodi, I'm sure you will be able to oogle & google us with all the beautiful blooms your garden will be pushing out in the near future! My cat does the same thing, mainly when he wants me to get off the computer. ;)

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  6. I bet you can't hardly wait to get completely thawed out. Whew you had a lot of snow this year. That Mungus is enough to thaw anyones heart. What a cat.

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  7. Mungus does have huge paws!

    I have to say, when I saw how much snow you still had I felt sad and almost sick to my stomach. I'm hoping you have some warm days soon to melt it all away.

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  8. Hi Jodi, just seeing bare ground is a big step in the right direction there. I loved the shot looking back at the house with the blue arbor as a reference point. You can see what is underneath the snow and ice with your mind's eye. What a gift that is. Mungus is a handsome fellow, even from the belly up! The lavender is sweet and the little snowdrops are a treat. I bought some potted ones to join my little plot of five, you so rarely see them for sale in pots. Mine are the doubles too, although you can't tell that without lifting their skirts. Excuse us, ladies! :-)
    Frances

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  9. Isn't it funny how we all are eagerly waiting for the snow to come and then, 2-3 months later, dreaming about it going away?! Well, in your case, it could be more than 3 months, I guess...

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  10. It's a Mungus slipper!

    Jodi, I would not be happy if I was still seeing snow on the first day of spring! But the good thing is that it's melting just like the wicked witch in Oz. :-)--Randy

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  11. Oh Jodi, my goodness, I see why you've been sad about the lack of spring there. That is just way too much snow for this time of year. Is it unusual for you there? Romie keeps teasing me here, saying we're to get five inches of snow next week. The bad thing is, although he's wrong, he could be right. It's still too early to count on no snow, but we're hoping we don't get any. Maybe you'll just wake up one morning and it will all be gone and you'll have spring blooms.

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  12. You know, Jodi, I think I do detect a spring-ier difference in these photos, even though snow and ice are still on the ground. It looks like it's retreating, giving up--after all, your trees are budding. I can just imagine all those daffodils preparing to spring forth.

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  13. I'm feeling much better now. I have bare frozen ground but the snow is gone. Hang in there and grab any sign of spring you come across like Mungus does :)

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  14. Wow that is a lot of snow left. I can see why you are still concentrating on you indoor plants.

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  15. Spring has arrived, really it has, jodi! A bit anxious myself to work the soil and greet old faces, we must be patient a bit longer ... a few warm days does wonders and once things pop, we begin in full force to play catch up. I'm at the lake and woke to 6-inches of snow ... yea spring!

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  16. Some beautiful photography there!!

    Please check out my blog: http://ryans-garden.blogspot.com/

    Keep up the good work!

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  17. You're making the best of things, Jodi...glad you bought another plant for indoors...and it's gotta be fun to have Mungus around;-) The snow, OTOH, is an entirely different story. A story that I'd be happy to do without, and I'm sure you would too...but it is what it is! I will look forward to seeing your garden areas that are currently covered with snow!! PS: I LOVE that double galanthus!!

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  18. That's a LOT of snow so I can well understand how you feel right now about paeans to spring. Despite all that whiteness, what an amazing property you have! And summers must be heavenly with all those lovely blooms...

    Thank you for stopping by my blog. Always love your visits!

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  19. I like your term "patchy melts." It perfectly describes what your yard & garden look like. Soon all that snow & ice will disappear and you can resume posting photos of blooms from your garden.

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  20. I hope the day when you are sighing and oogling your double snowdrop comes real soon Spring weather cannot be far away now .... can it?
    K

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  21. hi jodi, great post! i like to see your impressive garden about to wake up!

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  22. That double galanthus is very sweet - and I agree with many of the commentors above: those winds will give you a wonderfully comfortable summer, while we dread that dreaded month of August! Your place looks so beautiful, even with winter lingering - I lived in Michigan for seven years, and often miss the quietness and calm of the winter landscape - down here, we've had a late spring (relatively speaking) and I fear that spring and summer will merge too quickly.

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  23. Spring crazies are INDEED in full force at this cat-crazed house. Holy cow. They run back and forth throught the house all day long. And then, if you aren't careful comig around the corner by the couch, they lunge at you from their perch on the couch's arm. Ouch. Glad spring has finally begun to show up for you--it's always too slow.

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