Bloom Thyme Friday

Link | February 2, 2018February 2, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Today it is sunny and cold. I love the sun, BUT it allowed that Groundhog to see his shadow and I was not fond of that. His prediction is that there is 6 more weeks of winter. I am pleading with spring to defy the groundhog and come up with a better plan.

With all that said, Groundhog Day is kinda fun. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say:

This weather lore was brought from German-speaking areas where the badger (German: dachs) is the forecasting animal. This appears to be an enhanced version of the lore that clear weather on Candlemas forebodes a prolonged winter.

The Groundhog Day ceremony held at Punxsutawney in central Pennsylvania, centering around a semi-mythical groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil, has become the most attended.

Yea, it’s fun to hear all about it and see them get dressed up and all … I just hope winter doesn’t go on and on and on until we begin to feel like Bill Murray. #groundhogdaythemovie 😳😳😳

GOOD NEWS: I heard today on Instagram from my friends @maplehurstgardens, located in NJ, that The Groundhog predictions are mostly wrong. #thatswhatimtalkingabout

LET’S SPRING AHEAD

While we are thinking about spring, I am wondering what are your favorite spring blooms. Here are two of mine:

Daffodils

Dogwood Trees (we have 5)

At just the right time spring will come and we will have the pleasure of watching our garden being reborn. And….

HAPPY BLOOM THYME FRIDAY!

Bloom Thyme: It’s Coming Back!

April 18, 2015April 18, 2015 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

You’ve been with me as we counted down the days until spring. It is here and just when I thought that winter had taken away all the pretty things forever, they started coming back. This week was a week of big change in the garden … from dark and dreary to beautiful rebirth! Take a look…

Lovely little violets from Uncle Tony’s garden…

Test roses from Star Roses and Plants… so excited! I’ll keep you posted!

Star roses getting a dunk in Moo Poo tea before planting. 24 hours in moo poo tea will work wonders!

Rugosas are getting ready for their fireworks!! Only a few more weeks!

Rhododendrons always make me think of trips to Roan Mountain!

The first and very fragrant lilac! Many more to come!

Wishing you a lovely week and a…

Bloom Thyme Friday: Winter Blooms

January 2, 2015January 2, 2015 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

As you know I am not a big fan of winter, but January 1 is one of my favorite days. Nothing says FRESH START / CLEAN SLATE / DO OVER / ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE like a new year!

Reminds me of a favorite scripture…

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! -Isaiah 43:18

WINTER SURVIVAL: THE POTTING SHED

I have been on vacation all week, so that means a ton of Potting Shed thyme for me. Just playing and playing. I’ve potted amaryllis and daffodils and they are already showing signs of life! Wanna see? Come on in…

Pink, White, Red and Red & White ... — Pink, White, Red and Red & White …

I think I have every color of amaryllis planted. They’ll be stunning in a few weeks!! An easy/breezy way to add color to your winter. Such a great return on very little investment in money or time. I have a friend who has a contest with her sister and mother each year to see whose amaryllis blooms first–all are planted on the same day … of course. 🙂 Isn’t that a great idea! For more on growing amaryllis, read on here.

Daffodils are planted outside and inside each year in memory of a special family member who loved them too—Mr. G’s brother, our Uncle Tony. He was a wonderful man and a wonderful gardener.

Daffodils getting heading UP... — Daffodils heading UP…

SPRING…

For those in my hemisphere …

Sorry Elspeth. I’m really not trying to rush your rose season. 🙂 I love seeing your roses! You can enjoy Elspeth’s beautiful Australian garden here.

Happy Bloom Thyme Friday!

Daffodils and Memories

April 5, 2013March 9, 2014 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

From the tiny Tete e Tete to the gigantic yellow trumpets … I have always loved daffodils. They scream spring!!

Daffodils are perennial, increase eagerly and are wonderfully deer and rodent proof.

Four years ago they became even more important to me. We lost a beloved family member on March 19, just as the daffodils were blooming. Uncle Tony (Mr. G’s brother) heroically battled cancer for 20 years. At 49 years of age, it was much too early to lose him. Uncle Tony was a rare and special person … extremely creative, rock solid in his faith, a lover of people, a gardener AND a lover of spring & daffodils.

Just before his death when we were visiting with him, he mentioned wanting to get out in his garden and in particular wanted to see the daffodils blooming. That did not happen.

In the fall of that year, I individually wrapped hundreds of daffodils in burlap, tied them with a jute bow and gave them away to anyone who wanted to plant daffodils in Tony’s memory and so many did!

Each year people give me reports on Tony’s daffodils and I know he is remembered.

He was just too special to forget.

Here are a couple of favorite family pictures….

Uncle Tony, Mr. G and our son Matt when we was about 4

So many of our family memories are tied to plants and gardening. Here are a couple of other posts about family members and gardens…

Memories of my Mom

From Ordinary to Extraordinary

Do you have plants that hold special memories for you?

Spring Fever

March 20, 2013March 21, 2013 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Spring fever is a term applied to several sets of physical and psychological symptoms associated with the arrival of spring says Wikipedia. It isn’t mentioned here, but I can tell you that at my house it includes being so excited that you can’t sleep. And, you should limit reading gardening books too late at night–might cause an adrenalin rush!

It is way too easy for me to get spring fever — regardless of the time of year. I start counting down the days until spring the day after Christmas. So, you could say that today is a day I look forward to most of the year. However, due to current low temperatures, the quote by Hal Borland below is one I am clinging to today…

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. – Hal Borland

Look at this… the difference between this year and last year …. same week!

But, I am not discouraged …. no, not one little bit. Spring is my friend and I am willing to wait. I’ll be seeing the forsythia and daffodils blooming soon and I’ll be filling buckets with Moo Poo tea to soak those bareroot roses I ordered this winter while I was “patiently” waiting on spring. Soon … real soon. Fingers crossed!

COMING SOON………..