Everything Grows...

There's a new greenhouse on the grounds!  A long awaited one I should add.  It is under cover now and already housing many of the plants which by now would have been crammed into cold-frames near the old tiny one.

It is well situated across the road from the school.  My luck!    


I walked over this afternoon to see what was happening and took pictures of those flowers starting to bloom.  I am not that into annuals, but who can resist the beautiful colours of these beauties.

A selection of shade-loving variegated coleus is stowed away from the sun under the shelves.

Not only the flowers are maturing, but a trailer full of vegetables are hardening off outside waiting to be planted tomorrow.  

This particular tractor, 'A' as we call it, happens to be a favourite with the kids.  They were disappointed this year when the John Deere was used to pull the trailer for their annual colony clean-up excursion.  I guess it makes for a more authentic experience!

Budding Daffodil

I just had to drop by at school today.  The daffodil buds were beckoning. I had to see if they opened and get pics to show they kids in case the miss this stage.

A most brilliant yellow was beaming from the opening bud!

This morning we woke up to this scene.  The snow came silently during the night without warning.  I went for a long walk last evening and there was not a hint of snow or rain!  The children greatly enjoyed the wet snow and mild weather.  Needless to say, by 3:00 it had all but disappeared.

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another.  The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month."
-  Henry Van Dyke, Fisherman's Luck, 1899

When I saw this chunk of daffodils peeking through the soil in my flower garden I was pleasantly surprised.  How often do we get flowers in March in this part of Manitoba?  When a winter storm threatened them I decided to  transplant the bulbs.   Most years they do not survive to the blooming stage so I tried my luck by bringing them indoors.

I potted them and lugged them to school to a sunny spot on a book-shelf.  We were all pleasantly surprised to find them not only a lot taller but with buds when we came back to school the following Monday.

Most of my students have never seen a daffodil and were awing over one we saw in a book this week.  I can't wait for them to see a real one!


 'for behold, the winter is past;
     the rain is over and gone.
 The flowers appear on the earth,
    the time of singing has come,'


Song of Solomon 2:11-12

The pictures were re-sized and edited with picmonkey - a new photo editing program online.  Already a favourite of mine, if you used picnik;  picmonkey is a great alternative.

Veronicas

If life gives you lemons... make lemonade.

If your Veronicas get mildew, make a bouquet!

I have had the same problem with these flowers for a number of years now.  Just when they are ready to bloom, they come down with mildew -- powdery or downy, I don't know which.

Any idea on how to conquer it?  Solutions anyone?

This year I tried keeping the area around the plant open so as to keep the air moving.  Didn't work!

Also, I have other Veronicas, including this Royal Candles variety, and they are not susceptible to it.

Royal Candles Veronica

Veronica spikes with a splash of pink Prairie Joy roses make a beautiful display.

Blooms

Haven't been uploading in a bit.  So here goes.  I bore you with more blooming favourites.  

The above pics are both catchflies.  (The flowers are sticky, hence the name.)  The one to the left is a native wildflower growing in a ditch.  The pink one on the right is it's perennial cousin, probably a hybrid or from another locale.

Gadzania -- one of the few annuals you will find in my little patch.

Peruvian daffodil, spider flower, or basket lily.

This is a quite fool-proof bulb.  It is fast growing, and multiplies each year.  The bulbs are lifted for the winter.

Hope for Humanity rose

The roses all love the weather we've been having.

...as do the hostas!

This house plant is new.  I have only had it for a few months (Thanks Susie) and have forgotten the name.  It is one of the most elegant plants I have seen.  Love how the bloom grows on the long stem.

edit -- The plant is a Streptocarpus (Cape Primrose).  I shall call it by its' common name.  It does look like a primrose.

Here is a website with info on the plant 

http://www.gflora.com/index.php?cmd=genus_body&genus_id=140

Spring Blooms

I was gone for the weekend.  I came home late this afternoon and planned on working on my flower beds this  evening.  The temperature is not quite inviting though and when I heard there were frost warnings in effect tonight, I got my camera and captured a few pics of some beautiful spring plants.  I am not sure what the frost will do to them, but seeing as they are all perennials, they should be okay.

Woodland ferns (I think), never more beautiful than when in the fiddle-head stage!

Primroses -- begifted to me last year by one of my sisters.  This is their second show.  They came up right after the snow went.  I killed them off by removing their leaf cover too soon.  I am really glad to see them again.

Pulmonaria -- also known as Joseph's coat or lung-wort -- a spring bloomer, and a favourite of mine for its beautiful hosta-like leaves in the summer.

This is the first time this fern leaf peony blooms!  Can't wait for the flowers and hoping the frost doesn't damage them.

Yellow cushion spurge with bleeding heart and day lilies in the background.

hi

I have been unable to access my blog these last fews days.

There is a google problem.  Whatever it is, I am glad to see that other blogger sites have 'it' too.  My blog is blocked by the sonic wall filtering system.   I just saw that I am able to access through the reader dashboard, but... I am too lazy to update.  Take care.  I shall be back.

Why a picture of the arbor in summer? ... I will be back with a winter pic.  Snow is now up to the first slat -- needless to say, there should be no plants lost due to lack of snow cover.

There!  We have snow...and believe it or not, it is actually warmer out.  

Warm enough to venture on short walks:)  You have to stay on the beaten paths though.  Too much snow to go exploring. 

 Now would be time to get out the snowshoes and take advantage of the weather and snow before it goes.  I like to visit the marshy areas that are inaccessible in warmer weather.

There is more daylight now too with the days growing longer.  That certainly brightens the outlook.

Morden Roses

Bouquet of Morden Roses and dianthus.

Aside from a few mini-roses, the only others in my flower garden are from the Morden hardy collection.  I like these roses and would like to add more to my collection.  Seen above are the 'Prairie Joy' (pink), 'Morden Blush' (peach), 'Adelaide Hoodless' (red), and a bud from the 'Hope for Humanity' (dark red). These are all favourites of mine for different reasons; among them being that all are prairie hardy.

Prairie Joy Rose

The Prairie Joy was one of the first shrubs we planted when moving here 15 years ago.  I have actually divided it and begifted many people with a slip.

Adeleide Hoodless Rose

This rose was started from a slip from one of my sisters.  It blooms every year with a multitude of small roses, the just-opening buds being perfect for corsages.

Morden Blush

My newest rose, this was bought last year at season closing for a dollar!!  It thrived from the start and made it through an unpredictable winter where other roses and perennials didn't.  The rose has lovely old-fashioned looking flowers, tightly pedaled in the most beautiful soft pink colour. 

Hope for Humanity

Named for the Canadian Red Cross' 100th anniversary, this rose has beautiful deep red velvety  flowers.  The plant itself has sturdier stems than my other roses.  It took a while for it to show signs of life this spring and I almost took it for dead.  I decided to leave it be and see what will happen.  A lucky move as it finally sent up shoots from the ground and is just now starting to bloom.