White.

In spring, white is a refreshing color in the garden. In summer, it offers a bit of a reprieve from the heat. More will arrive soon in the form of Four O'clocks, datura, and daisies. For now, small snipets can be found here and there.

Lantana.



Confederate jasmine and the chimney trellis.



The foliage of Miscanthus "Cosmopolitan".



Nandina's flowers. These will turn into the red berries that persist through the winter.



In the shade, Dusty Miller looks white instead of silver.



Nigella.



The first Shasta Daisies are starting to open. They're scattered here and there through the yard.



Blackberries.



Ligustrum. Similar to the sickening sweet smell of Chinese Privet.



Echinacea "White Swan"



It's 57 degrees. The high today should reach the mid 80s again. More sun. Rain in the forecast for the weekend.

Wintersown Germination.

In the hoophouse:

Ox Eye Daisy
Salvia Blue Queen
Dianthus Firewitch
Orlaya Grandiflora
Salvia officinalis
Dianthus knappi
Echinacea Harvest Moon
Rudbeckia triloba
Great Blue Lobelia
Dianthus Depford Pink
Monarda fistula
Ageratum
Penstemon Husker Red
Coreopsis Mahogany Midget
Pink Touch Me Not Impatiens
Siberian Wallflower
Lavendula Augustifolia


71 2-liters have germinated:

Chives
Red Mexican Hat - 2
Cardoon
Shasta Daisy White Knight
Diathus Firewitch - 2
Phlox Laura
Siberian Wallflower - 2
Chloeme - 2
Queen Anne's Lace - 2
Rudbeckia hirta brown - 2
Orlaya grandiflora
Rudbeckia hirta Cherry Brandy - 2
Drummond phlox
Potentilla
Evening Primrose
Ox Eye Daisy - 3
Red Lychnis
Great Blue Lobelia
Malva
Migonette
Lavendula Augustifolia
Bronze fennel
Buddleia White - 2
Obedient Plant
Helenium
Hardy Geranium Brookside
Gaillardia yellow
Fennel
Blue Flax
Foxglove
Echinacea purple - 6
viola tricolor
Touch Me Not
Buddleia purples
Golden Margureite
Chrysanthemum Robinson's Red
Amsonia
Marsh Mallow
Columbine purple
Rose Campion pink
Pearl Grass
Dianthus Depford Pink
Rose Campion white
Salvia Blue Queen
Culver's root
Garlic Chives
Double Red Monarda
Rudbeckia hirta
Hollyhocks
Bamboo white dragon
Verbena hasata
Malva mauritiana
Verbascum Wedding Candles
Verbascum Milkshake
Salvia Lady in Red
Dianthus knappi

Germination in the hoophouse has been good. I was expecting better, but I'm not going to complain. Just a quick count tells me that so far, assuming 4 hunks of seedlings per 2-liter and 8 containers of each in the hoophouse that should net at least two hunks, I've got about 556 holes to dig. This doesn't count the 125 Rudbeckia hirta cups that have sprouted and will need to be divided into at least 2 clumps at planting time. If I manage to get it all planted out, it will be beautiful. I still have about 100 tender/annual varieties to sow. I'm a long way from being done.

While checking on my containers, I moved the sprouted ones forward. I'll be watching for the second set of leaves before planting out. Doing this early reduces loss and makes for hardier plants. I used this same method last year with decent results.



I took some time this morning, after the wood was split, to pull back some of the leaves on the perennial bed. The soil is very wet. It needs to dry out a bit before I can plant. Hopefully, the sun shining on it with the light wind we're having will help. The low humidity certainly will. I shredded the leaves and scattered them in the meadow. This spring, I'll shred more leaves from across the street to put back down to reduce watering and continue to add to my organic mass.

I found two new crocuses under the leaves by the street.



Another Montauk daisy is coming back to life near the driveway.



Golden Jubilee at the birdbath is that beautiful purple that will turn lime green as it warms up. This one was self sown.



I planted all eleven of the penny nandinas. One was tossed into the woods. Five went into the beds behind the house. The other five went into the shrub island near the meadow. They all look sad right now, but each had fresh growth under the cold damaged leaves. One was suckering all around the edge of the pot.



I also planted out my cabbages. The carrots didn't germinate well, so I will probably wait until fall to try again. The peas didn't sprout either. I sowed the other half of the pack in place and covered the bed with plastic. The 8 plants in the background are Foster Hollies. They were a penny each too. The leaves are all brown, but the pith is still green. I'm going to wait before declaring them dead. Three tea olives were also part of that bunch. I've got them in part shade near the hydrangea bed beside the driveway.



Everything in the hoophouse and the 2-liter containers got a drink of water. I disturbed a couple of stowaways in the hoophouse.





It's 48 degrees and still sunny. I'm done. I need a nap.

Foliage

Nell's right, I have plenty of foliage. Some of the more interesting ones in my yard include:

Nandinas



Dusty Miller and Heuchera



Miscanthus Cosmopolitan



A hardy fern



The old camellia that has sort of forgiven me



Daffodils (with blooms ready to break)



It's 39 and windy. It's still cold out even in the sun. Thursday may be nice at 50 degrees.

Today, I noticed things.

I tend to spend a lot of time with my face near the ground regardless of the season. It's easy to overlook a lot of things that get lost in spring, summer, and fall just out of sight from the safe areas of the yard. I took a walk last year in the wild and gully. I did the same thing again today. They're always there, sometimes covered by fresh spring growth, shaded by oak leaves high up in the treetops, or ignored completely due to things that crawl and slither.

A bird deposited nandina so red it's nearly black in the sun.



A leatherleaf mahonia on the other side of the dead oak tree.



Another one in the gully.



Oranges still trying to ripen before the wind and rain (possibly snow) take them down.



I wonder who was living here when this one fell? The rotted stump is where I planted shastas, bamboo, and forget me nots in the perennial bed.



Next year's Rose of Sharon seedlings.



A very cold camellia.



A fancy leafed English ivy that's nearly overtaken this maple.



Catbriar (smilax) with berries that the birds love to spread.



It will offer the lucky pair that takes refuge in the house I built for them some protection from the neighborhood cats.



The intricate patterns of strangling vines.



Long ago, this pine was the victim of a lightning strike.



The bark tells me it won't be long before it falls to the ground. I wonder if I'll notice.



The seeds of Miscanthus "Cosmopolitan" against the blue sky.



Finally, something new, that I didn't plant, poking out of the leaves in the former white bed corner.



I just wanted to take a closer look at some things today. I've spent so much time planning the big picture lately. It's 45 degrees and sunny.

Tomorrow I got back to work until Saturday. I'm going to miss being outside, in my own yard.

Red and Green

Two of the colors of Christmas.

Nandinas.









Camellia.



Bloody Dock.



Sedum.



Knockout Rose.



Burford Holly.



Mr. Lincoln.



Japanese Blood Grass and Clover.



Pineapple sage in the basement.



It's clear and 36 degrees. The overnight low was 24. The birdbath is still frozen. High today of 50.