Tag: Acer

Goodbye Summer-Hello Winter

Published on by Catherine25 Comments

The warm and sunny weather we enjoyed during the first half of April ended suddenly last Sunday afternoon when the skies grew dark, thunder roared overhead, and hail came crashing down. My husband went out to close the greenhouse door and brought back two small snowballs! Summer in April was lovely, but now it feels like winter has returned. Let’s hope it’s a brief visit.

Gardens, fields and reservoirs were bone dry during those weeks, and it was a shock to find that we were under wildfire alerts. Yesterday was the wettest day in a long time, but the garden has greened up, and plants are finally starting to do what they should be doing: they’re growing.

Continue reading “Goodbye Summer-Hello Winter” →

Fiery

Published on by Catherine23 Comments

Six on Saturday

While I was away last weekend, the garden finally burst into glorious, vivid colour. I couldn’t get near it for the first few days due to high winds, rain and sleet. Finally, when it appeared as though the entire week was destined to be wild and wet, the sun arrived.

I normally resist photographing in sunshine because I prefer the results I get with overcast light, but sometimes you have to take what you get. The only day available to me this week was very sunny and windy, with only a few fleeting clouds hurrying by to soften the harsh, contrasty shadows that sunshine produces.

Tulip ‘Orca’. I’ve planted Orca many times over the years. It usually blooms first, aside from the species tulips, but this year it was a bit late. The flowers are big and hefty and don’t handle the elements as well as some other tulips, but I can’t resist its bold orange colour.

Continue reading “Fiery” →

Six on Saturday 2020 14-11

Published on by Catherine33 Comments

It’s been hectic these past two weeks and I suspect it’s going to be like that in the run up to Christmas. I missed last week’s six and didn’t manage to check out all your lovely blogs, but this week I’ll be able to take a tour and say hello.

The garden is in a sad state, there’s been so much rain and I’m tired of digging in heavy, muddy clay. I console myself with thoughts of snowdrops, narcissus, muscari, hellebores, little iris reticulata and more, that will bring colour back to the garden from late winter through spring. Perhaps this autumn will morph into a beautiful crisp winter. 😊

Continue reading “Six on Saturday 2020 14-11” →

Six on Saturday 2020 25-04

Published on by Catherine21 Comments

Here in this little corner of the world, we’ve had another week of glorious sunshine and the hose has been in use all week. Until Thursday the sunshine was accompanied by very strong winds that battered the plants and made photography somewhat difficult – but in spite of that, no one here would dare trade the winds for rain!

This is our 6th week of social-distancing and so far we’re holding up well. The garden and the good weather have been our lifeline. Continue reading “Six on Saturday 2020 25-04” →