Kaseys Korner

Out like a Lamb

That's the way our March is predicted to end this year.

I feel almost guilty putting that in black & white when I know half the country has been unseasonably cold.  

For once, not our half!

The gardens are responding to the days of sun and warmth.

Growing.

Erupting into bloom.

Narcissi 'Derringer'

Every week more Narcissi dot the beds with patches of color, filling in the landscape & erasing the winter brown.

Above:  Narcissi 'Goblet'

Above:  Narcissi 'Ice Follies' lit by evening sun and (below) Narcissi 'Mount Hood:'

One of my favorites with it's long, elegant, creamy trumpet.

Earlier bulbs have already finished blooming,

like Eranthis hyemalis ~ the Winter Aconites (above.)

Hellebores are at their peak now, above: 'Kingston Cardinal' with 'Phoebe' in the background.

'Kingston Cardinal' is another double but darker than 'Phoebe' & without any spotting. 

Below:  A longer view of 'Phoebe'

After two years of having my focus diverted, this spring I've been trying to make up ground.

Above:  Hyacinth 'Firelights'

It would be cheesy to equate the time spent to the industriousness of bees. 

But I feel a kinship.  Pruning.  Raking.  Readying....

This year I want to stay in front of the chores and not lag behind.  

Above:  Leucojum 'Gravetye Giant'

We know all too well how hard it is to catch up from the latter.  

Above:  Amaryllis 'Double Dream'

Once the garden takes off, there's no slowing it down.  

So exciting to be on that verge.

This week, the city begins weekly pick-ups of our yard waste cart ~ a real signal of the season.

Mine is FULL!  No surprise there!

I'm planning to break a bit from outdoor chores the next few days & catch up elsewhere.

Unless the roses call my name too loudly, begging to be pruned!  They are next on my list.... 

What's on yours?????

Spring arrives

amidst a flurry of activity.

My company is gone.

The yard waste container has been filled & refilled.

The rose standards have been brought out of the garage, re-potted with new potting soil,

and watered well.  

They may end up back in the garage, it is only the end of March, but once it's warm for good, they'll be ready to go!!

That makes me feel slightly ahead of the "game" this year ~ instead of behind like usual!

We'll see how long the feeling lasts...

Everything else was given a big drink along with the roses,

which was a good time to review the garden.

Peonies are up everywhere.

Along with daffodils,

and more daffodils.

A thankful thing, since the bunnies have eaten EVERY tulip in the garden except for what was planted in containers.

So glad I took the time to do that last fall, else there would be zero.

Above:  Tulip bulbs & perennials overwintered in garage, I think they were happy to see daylight!

Hellebore 'Phoebe' is also up and blowing everything around it away....

My favorite Hellebore by far in the garden.

Plus there are a few crocus but far less than there should be???

I know the ones in the front garden were eaten by voles.  *sigh*  Working with nature is a process, isn't it??  

So many more signs of life, but I'll stop there because this girl is TIRED!  After I rest up, I promise to return with more updates....  

Meanwhile, Happy Spring everyone!!!  The season we've all been waiting for is upon us.  Hallelujah!  We made it thru another winter!  :)

 

trio of Amaryllis

Just a quick post tonight as I have company in town for the week (and didn't get my act together to compose anything before they arrived!)

Luckily I'd just taken a few updated photos of Amaryllis 'Half & Half.'

which is absolutely glorious right now.

The new photos show it off much more accurately than the ones posted last week.

Amaryllis 'Exotic Nymph' started unfurling early this week too:

This bulb is from last year,

which was the first time I'd ever grown her & she quickly climbed to the top of my favorites list.

Which makes complete sense seeing she's that highly coveted Apricot color!!

The last of the Amaryllis trio is 'Cherry Nymph:'

I once wrote that 'Cherry Nymph' was the perfect red Amaryllis and each time I see it bloom, I believe it more and more.

The very first time I tried this bulb, it bloomed two double stalks simultaneously at Christmas.

It was the perfect holiday accent.

Finally my daughter celebrated a birthday this past week.

There were flowers,

fancy place settings with dainty linen napkins,

and a four layer chocolate cake with raspberry filling and white chocolate raspberry frosting:

I am not the best cake decorator, it took me forever to get it to look even this good, but I can tell you the taste was out-of-this-world, especially the frosting.

I found the recipe on Pinterest.  If you want to try it click here.  (I encourage you to do so if only for the sake of seeing how truly gorgeous this cake is in the hands of a "real" cake decorator.)  I promise you will NOT be disappointed!

 

 

lovely things

When I flipped my calendar last Sunday, (The Simple Life by Karen H. Good) from February to March, the saying this month said "just think of lovely things."

Above:  Royal Albert "American Beauty" China

Thinking of "lovely things" most likely means different subject matter for all of us but hopefully there's at least a little overlap?

At the top of my list is beautiful china & silverware.

A sweet Persian cat ranks right up there too!

A new spring wreath, a reminder that warmer days are just around the corner, seems especially lovely today.

Along with fresh, accompanying spring porch decor (although the boxwood wreath needs some sprucing up.)

Flowers are a GIVEN as lovely things 

and "must" haves....ALWAYS.

This time of year, Amaryllis are still "go-to" blooms.  This one is "Half & Half."

One I've never grown before.

I have a couple more Amaryllis about to open, then I'm hoping we can transition to blooms straight out of the garden!

That is the loveliest thought of all!!!

This week the weather calls for blue skies and warm temperatures.  

Another lovely thought....

I don't know about you, but all this thinking and looking at lovely things has me in a very zen place.  What a "lovely" way to start the week!!!!

 

Hyacinths 'Eros' & 'Dark Dimension'

A lovely March greeting to you all.

Very soon, the garden will look like the photo above!!!  

I know ~ hard to believe when, out the window, the landscape is still draped in white.

But we're almost there!!!  Hang on....

I think the Robins know it too. This one plumped up so much against the cold, he/she looks enormous!

With all the snow and frigid temps outdoors, I am contenting myself with indoor activities & blooms.

The hyacinth bulbs, started weeks ago in the refrigerator, are finally paying dividends with blooms at a time most needed.

Above:  Buds on 'Eros."  Even before it blooms you can tell it's a special hyacinth.

An assessment which rings truer & truer as the days pass & the buds unfurl.

Wow, isn't that a vision of double delightful loveliness?

Cloaked in heavenly scent. You'll have to take my word for that!

Then there's 'Dark Dimension.'

Which I photographed much better last year (click here if you'd like to see those photos again.)  It's a stunning Hyacinth with it's very unusual coloring of royal blue and indigo.  So striking, it topped my list of bulbs I *had* to repeat forcing.

Btw, last years bulbs were planted in the garden when they finished blooming so I'm hoping to see them out there soon too.  :)

Only three varieties were forced this Spring, 'Dark Dimension,' 'Eros,' and 'Hollyhock.'

'Hollyhock' in the catalog is shown as a deep pinky-red but one of my bulbs turned out to be a pale PINK!

Maybe it got mixed up in sorting or the colors sometimes vary??  Either way, you know I'm not complaining!!!

Above:  perched on the windowsill with 'Dark Dimension' in the background.

Someone who isn't bothered one iota about what's happening outdoors:

Little Ivory.

If only we could all adopt that relaxed attitude!!!!!  

Now cheers to March & the warm, sunny days that lie ahead.  May they show up soon, last long and melt the piles of snow quickly!