A Story -"Masterpiece" and Cheery Tete-a-Tete Miniature Daffodils

A Story

Masterpiece

 Doom and gloom, woe and worry, darkness and dread.  

Still the sun was coming up in the morning.  At least, Monica believed it was somewhere behind the clouds. The air was still puffing breezily.  Water was sparkling out of the taps.

Time for a little art. Monica lay on the couch and pondered different colour schemes. Yup, we'll start with brown.  Maybe a little beige.  Always good to have bright light for a project.

The creative process takes time so this would be a gradually evolving endeavour.

She mixed the brown with water, dotted it with beige. Quite abstract really.

Green was added a few days later.  Paisley shapes evolved.

Finally, after a few months of intriguing effort the masterpiece was revealed.

Tomatoes: yellow, red, dark purple, orange ranging from the size of a grape to the size of a softball. Some were smooth, some wrinkled, some striped. Some were pear-shaped, some were flattish, some bulging out in all directions. The tomato patch was a glorious expression of wild abandoned growth with a promise of delectable tastes. 

"Ah," sighed Monica. "Life is good."

A charming pot of tete-a-tete daffodils. What a welcome sight in early March. These little cuties grow to 6-8" inches tall and have one to three flowers on each blooming stalk. Like any daffodil, in the garden they like to grow in a situation that gets lots of sun in the spring but can tolerate shade later in the season.  I will be planting these out in the garden when the soil is workable.  They may not bloom again next year but should be revived enough to bloom the following year.  A little bulb fertilizer will help. Daffodils are great in areas where squirrels and chipmunks have a taste for certain spring bulbs like crocuses.  The animals never eat the daffodils.

A Story -"The Surgery" and Snowdrops

A Story

The Surgery

Peter had been feeling more tired than usual and occasionally had some chest pain, but both he and Brenda were surprised when tests showed that he had serious plaque build-up in his heart.  They had been eating lots of vegetables and lean meat, and walked every day.  The cardiologist said that often the cholesterol problem had a genetic base. However, the doctor explained that the necessary bypass surgery was pretty routine these days and that after the recovery time of a few months, Peter would feel better than he had for a couple of years.

"At least we caught it before you had a heart attack," Brenda said trying to find a silver lining.

"We'll have to cancel our trip to Portugal," Peter replied.

Brenda suppressed a sigh. They had been saving up for a few years to go to Portugal and now the trip would have to be postponed. Realistically, they would have to wait a year to make sure Peter was fully recovered. She didn't relish the restricted life of the next several months.  It wouldn't just be missing out on the holiday.  She knew that life would be quiet and boring while he recuperated.  

The surgery was scheduled quickly and their days were filled with appointments. Peter was nervous, agitated, and irritable. Brenda wished he would be more positive so this pre-op time wouldn't be so stressful.  There would be plenty of real pain after the operation. Let him fuss and complain then.

The day of the surgery the surgeon spoke briefly with them, reassuring them with the confidence that came from thousands of successful procedures.  Peter relaxed, and even joked with Brenda. She gave him a big smile and kissed him firmly. 

"See you soon, sweetheart."

But lightning strikes without warning. Peter died on the operating table.

 Snowdrops are fairy flowers that come up extra early, even before all the snow has melted.  They tide us over until the bright purples, yellows and pinks of the other spring bloomers come along.

Snowdrops are planted in the fall.  They can tolerate shade as long as they get sun in the spring. They bloom reliably for years and will slowly naturalize making a nice big patch.  However, they are not invasive.  Some bulb fertilizer sprinkled around them after blooming and again in the fall will ensure the plants are healthy and robust.

A Story - "Pick-axe Hard" - Red Leaves and Pickaxe for Loosening Hard Soil

A Story

Pick-axe Hard

"It had been a dry summer and the untended garden space had solidified into unyielding hardpan.  

Carol's mother, Margaret, lived overseas, far from family.  She stubbornly refused to move closer.

A regular shovel wasn't going to make much headway with the garden soil.  It called for serious action. A pick-axe would be needed.

 Margaret wandered around her house, dusting old photographs, rearranging decorative items bought years ago.

The pick-axe easily dug into the earth.  The heavy sharp point loosened the soil and any interfering rocks.  

The heart attack that landed Margaret in the hospital had come without warning. Painful and earthquaking.

The blade of the pick-axe dug a wider swath and prepared the flower bed for the spring bulbs.

After Margaret was stable, Carol made arrangements for her to come to her home.

In May, the daffodils sprouted and bloomed their cheerful yellow trumpets.

Margaret sat in a garden chair and couldn't help enjoying the daffodils. When her granddaughter came to visit, she drew her grandmother a picture of the daffodils with a heart above her signature.  Their relationship was blossoming."

 

When confronted with very hard soil, I usually use a pick-axe to loosen it up. Because a pick-axe is fairly heavy, I don't have to lift it much above the soil surface, only 8-10", for it to easily go into the soil. I start by digging with the sharp pointed end, and then continue with the blade end. I find it much easier than trying to dig the hard soil with a shovel or a garden fork.

A pick-axe is also great for grubbing out shrubs and small trees.  The blade is powerful enough to cut through the roots and then I can pull up the whole plant so it's less likely to reshoot. The pick-axe is not a fancy high tech or new tool but it is very useful.

I planted my daffodils and will be happy to see them next spring.

A Story _ "Perfect Fix" and Feathery Muscari, Pansies, English Daisy and Mini Solar Birdbath Pump

A Story

Perfect Fix

Jenna was skating on the famous Ottawa Rideau Canal, thirteen kilometers of frozen delight. Figures skaters twirled and swirled.  Turbo-charged hockey players zoomed by her.  Jenna glided cautiously, a tourist soaking up the playful atmosphere.

Suddenly, her skate pick caught the ice, throwing her down hard.  Her right knee zinged with pain.  A hero braked sharply, held out his arms.  "You need a beaver tail."

Confused, Jenna gratefully grabbed his hands and hung on to his arm as he guided her to a snack shack.  He ordered hot chocolates and delectable deep-fried cinnamon doughnuts, shaped like beaver tails.

Perfect fix.

This is a feathery muscari which isn't offered very often by the bulb companies.  This is its third spring in my garden and this is the first year that it has opened properly so that may be why it isn't seen so often. We had a lot of rain in late April and early May so maybe that's what it needs.  It is flopping a bit as the location is fairly shady. It is a lovely periwinkle blue colour unlike the regular grape hyacinths that are more dark purple. The feathery muscari grows to about 6-8" high.

I had planted four columbine in a row.  They all came up just fine but then one died so I needed a replacement plant.  I decided on this pretty pink English daisy which, where I live, will likely only last the summer. If I see the same double columbine as the one that died, I may buy another one to replace it.

Some pansies to brighten a partial shade spot.

 

I saw a mini fountain set up on the internet and decided to try one out. It is a small submersible pump powered by a solar panel (4" square).  I bought a plastic cup and drilled a hole in the bottom and cut away a bit on the top end to allow the wire to go out.  I flipped up the cup and put the colourful top on the bottom that is now the top. The pump has a suction cup to keep it in place and it goes inside the cup. The pump works when the sun shines on the panel but not when it's cloudy or dark. I had bought a green bowl to go with the green cup but it was too small and too much water was landing on the deck when the pump was at full force. I am enjoying the sound of the water and it was so easy to set up.  I am hoping some birds might like it, too. 

A Story - "Ballerina Tulips" and Pulmonaria, Daffodils, and Sweet Basil

A Story

Ballerina Tulips

The colourful pictures of tulips were very enticing.  Mom and I leaned close together studying the catalogue.

"My favourites are the scented orange Ballerina tulips," she said pointing with her arthritic finger.  "They're really special."

When I visited in May, Mom declared indignantly, "I watched the groundhog eat three Ballerina tulips this morning."

"Too bad,"  I commiserated.  "Maybe I should put mothballs around them, or get a motion activated squirter, or..."

Mom gazed out the window and sighed.

"No, I don't want any of that,"  she said quietly.

"He's cute and," she hesitated,"he's company."

Pulmonaria is so pretty and it is an early plant for pollinators.  Even though it was chilly here today (last night was -3C) and windy,  I saw a bumble bees buzzing around the pulmonaria this morning.  Pulmonaria likes to grow in part shade but on my property it's not overly fussy and tends to spread more than I would like. It's not too hard to get out though.  My soil is on the heavy side and I think they really like that.  I never fertilize it and it's always vigorous.  The leaves have fine hairs on them,  slightly prickly, so it doesn't get eaten by insects.
 

This clump of daffodils is interesting as I never planted plain yellow daffodils.  I had some doubles that I got years ago and I think they have reverted to their two parent plants - a yellow and a pale cream. I find it fascinating how some plants will revert over time. Anyway, all daffodils are lovely and cheerful.  They come back every year and multiply, and no little creatures like to eat them.

I started this basil from seed in January. Basil does very well on a windowsill even in the dead of winter. I am always surprised that it doesn't mind the chill by the window and the lower light levels. I have pinched off some of the top leaves to use in soup so it will branch out a bit more now.  

I accidentally bought some cinnamon basil (this is sweet basil) and I also planted some of it but I found the leaves had a strange chemically aftertaste that I didn't like.  I just watched The History Guy on Youtube and he had a video on saccharin  - the history and chemistry, etc.  Very interesting.   In the comments, some people said that saccharin tasted bitter to them and others said they liked the taste. I don't like the taste of Stevia. It's so individual how we taste things. I find cilantro tastes like the smell of skunk. Yuk.  If you haven't discovered The History Guy yet, definitely check him out .  He covers a whole wide range of history topics and produces them very well.

A Story - "Cards" and Blue Scilla, Fuschia, Dutchman's Breetches, White Crocus, Glory-of-the-Snow

A story

Cards

Marsha blinkered her view so she only saw the birthday cards in the rack.  Beside her, a young mother scanned the Mother's Day cards.

"You are always there for me with your precious love," the mother read.

"That's just right for Grandma," she confided to her baby snug in her wrap.

Marsha's throat choked painfully.  A shudder rippled through her chest as the agony of her loss shivered through her.  Quickly she grabbed a birthday card.  Her heart do-looped anguish as she struggled to the cash.  The image was chiselled in her mind.

Her mother slamming the door, gone forever.

The blue scillas are a treat to see in the spring.  They are easy to grow and naturalize. Because they are a small bulb growing only about 4" high, they are never a bother no matter where they appear. The blue is so striking that it gives a strong pop of colour even though the plants are small.

Last summer I bought 4 fuchsias and they bloomed nicely all season.  I decided to try to overwinter them in the basement which is usually about 10C.  All the leaves fell off which was fine as I wanted the plants to go dormant.  I barely watered them. Now I have pruned them , watered them more but still not a lot, and have started giving them time on the deck.  If frost is likely, I bring them inside at night. They look very bare...

but the plants have lots of leaves starting to grow.

Hopefully in a couple of months it will be full of flowers like last summer.

Dutchman's breetches, which are native to my zone 4 area, come up very early. The feathery greyish green leaves are lovely.

You can see by the flowers that they are related to Bleeding Heart.

I thought this cluster of white crocus looked very pretty in the sun.  The purplish stems and orange stamens are so cheerful against the vibrant white.

I have been increasing my collection of Glory-of-the-Snow (chionodoxa) as the chipmunks don't eat them.

Their star-shaped flowers are like little fireworks in the spring garden.

 So nice to see the spring flowers and to hear the frogs croaking away.  Lots of birds especially in the mornings and some mourning cloak butterflies are drifting around.

A Story - "Work" and Snowdrops

A Story

Work

The scribe memorized the decree stating that the priests supported the king.  It seemed like a waste of time to write out what was obvious to all.  Adding to the burden, he would have to transcribe it into, not just one, but three languages.  No mistakes would be tolerated.  The task would demand all his concentration and energy.  He groaned as he began his arduous work.

Two thousand years later, in London, a middle-aged tourist gazed at the Rosetta Stone awed by its beauty and importance.  Here was the key that finally unlocked mysteries of the ancient Egyptian world.

My snowdrops (Galanthus) are blooming.  What a welcome sight at the end of winter.  Some years they have even bloomed under snow, but this year the snow is gone and they are in full view.  I have some double ones which come out a little later.  They are pretty as well but not as vigorous as the single ones.  The single ones also multiply more quickly.  I like to put the snowdrops in an area that I can see from a window so I can enjoy them even if the weather is dreary.

I have had trouble with chipmunks eating crocus bulbs but I don't have any trouble with anything eating the snowdrops so that's another good reason for me to have them.

They are delicate, petite flowers and if you look closely at them, you will see how pretty they are.

Another story "T-Shirt Turn Off" and free summer bulbs

 Here is another story.  Hope you like it and it gives you a chuckle, but also makes you think a little.

"The weather forecast was cool and sunny.  Just perfect for the hiking group to enjoy a trek, but Janice frowned that morning as she got dressed.  She really enjoyed the hikes but lately Matt was being just too friendly.  How to put him off tactfully was the question.  Suddenly the lightbulb lit up.

Not long into the hike, Matt came up beside her. 

"I was wondering if you..." he started.

No time to lose.  Janice quickly unzipped her fleece to show off her T-shirt.

Matt sucked in his breath, eyes goggling.  He sputtered, scooted away.

"Jesus Saves" flashed her T-shirt."

Our local grocery store had lots of summer bulbs left over and today they were just giving them away.  Well, who can resist that?  I had bought the big yellow dahlia in the spring and was really happy with it. Lots of big lemony yellow flowers and a robust plant.  So I thought I would take another one from the free box today.  I also picked up a pink dahlia, a package of five calla lilies, and two packages of acidentera (18 bulbs).  When I got home early this evening, I opened up all the packages and put everything to soak in water.  The dahlias still had  shoots that looked alive, and although most of the tubers in the cluster were very dried out, each plant had a firm one.  The acidanteras all had small shoots, still green, although looking pretty stressed.  In the calla lily package was a large (3") corm with about 6 shoots as well as some small corms with no shoots.

This is absolutely the wrong time of year to be planting any of these but I like a challenge, and they were FREE.  My plan for the dahlias is to pot them up and try to get some growth on them before winter.  I will try to extend the season for them as long as possible bringing them inside if frost is threatened at night. I should be able to do that until the middle or end of November.  Then I will let the foliage freeze and  put the whole pot in the cool basement.

The acidentera I will simply use as forced bulbs.  If all goes well, they will bloom in December and we can enjoy them for a little while and then I will throw them out.

The calla lilies I will pot up, grow them  outside as long as I can and then bring them in as a houseplant. In January and February, I will put them in the basement and give them a rest.  Hopefully, then they will be ready to grow again next spring.

We'll see how it goes.