Gardens and Birds

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rose

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Hi everyone, I went searching for the old gardening thread, and its closed. So, lets start anew.

My first camellia blossom has opened! YAY! I've never grown camellias before. I have a second bush planted in the backyard, different color, and its not as far along yet...

Heres a photo

Also... in addition to the various unwelcome visitors at my bird feeders ~ #1) public enemy The Hawk, #2) the grackles & starlings are back, #3) pesky squirrels - both gray and black varieties; we now have a raccoon. So, I was searching online for suggestions as to how to deter them, and I came across the second photo I'm posting here.

Enjoy
 

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Our mutual common enemy #1, in our case a "Red Tailed Hawk", killed and ate a squirrel off of a tree over the weekend. We have soooo many squirrels. But, this particular hawk is really stunning to watch, Diane. As long as they stick to squirrels, I'm forgiving. It was one of the Red Tails that killed one of the girls (the only death by predator to date). We do have Cooper's Hawks, or Chicken Hawks; they've never been a problem.

Your camellia is beautiful! Don't you love seeing the first flower? They take a while to really get into flowering mode here... Last year was the first they really became loaded.

Thanks for starting a new thread--I am hoping your planting so much last year yields LOTS of pictures for you to share!:-D:grin::grin:
 
LOL! Those raccoons are hilarious! and yes, your flower is very pretty. i grew up watching my grandma and my mom (somewhat) grow different plants and flowers. theyve always interested me- but unfortunately i have the attention span of a 4 year old and i forget to take care of them. guess i wasnt born with a green thumb. but i do appreciate their beauty, so thank you for sharing.

as for the wildlife- i happen to love birds. thats another thing i picked up from my grandma and mom.
sort of have a soft spot for squirrels too. ive had plenty of ppl get upset with me when i stop my car in the middle of the road to let the squirrels cross!
 
Ann, your squirrel story reminded me of my kids a couple of weeks ago. Lindsay and her fiance Chris were taking my 2 youngest to McDonald's for lunch when they heard cracking above. They didn't think too much about it until something fell very close to them. It was part of a squirrel. Of course, I'm in the bed looking out the windows worrying why all the screaming. When they told me I told Chris to be careful the hawk may get him next (he's as skinny as a stick).
And Liz, I love plants but unfortunately some plants don't like me. I have some I have forgotten to water yet they survive and others I baby and they commit planticide (maybe?)
 
Yes, I have that interior itching for getting my hands in the dirt. I am thinking of starting an herb garden box. Something off the ground so I dont have to wreck my back. There isnt alot of heat in the pacific north west. Any ideas on how to grow herbs that need warmth, or tomatoes for that matter.

Right now I have started a minature forest in my room. I have a 2 inch sequoia tree, a 6 inch cyprus tree, and a 5 inch juniper tree. I love them all! You know trees and plants give us the oxygen we need, and the Chinese say that trees take in our exhaled breaith as well as our negative energy and feed on it! So that's why I have a forest in my room, and plan on many more little trees! lol
 
Sequoia, a forest in your living room sound lovely :) We're actually getting quotes from landscapers right now to make me a "green room" out in the backyard ( green room being code speak for block out the neighbors with junk stored outside)

Here are a couple of pics taken this morning before the rains rolled back in. This flower bed had nothing but weeds when I moved here less than two years ago. Its so rewarding to see so many different plants coming back. Some I'd forgotten I'd even planted. The roses are David Austin roses (not yet blooming) The irises have buds, not open yet, and the foxglove also has buds forming. Hopefully the deer will leave my hollyhocks alone this year!

The last photo was taken a couple of weeks ago. We live near the historic C&O railroad byway. There is a towpath that runs between the Potomac River and the canal, its nice and FLAT (doesn't make me fall lol) and Ernie Dog can be off leash and chase blue herons and all sorts of wildlife to his heart's content. The tree in photo is a flowering plum...
 

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Diane, I just canme back from MD thisd weelk. I had just misded the bradford pears bny 1 day (the raimns had takemn the blssoms). My mothjer's pinmk dogwoods weere beautriful though amnd her red maplkes were the deewpest magnenta-ishj color. I gfet the besrt of bothj worlkds whem I go north for sprimng brealk. Our sproing was over weelks ago! I did a little gardenming of my owmn; I havce been growimng star gazer lilklies for mny daughters weddinmg in 23 days. I dinm't realkize howe talkl they get.
 
So beautiful, Rose! All of your long, hard work is really paying off (although, you paid a high price for it!) Now is the time to sit back & enjoy your continuous show of color!
(I am jealous as my "pests" leave nothing alone & I finally threw in the towel!)

As for forests in the living room, Seqouia, you are right up there with the new princess.
I saw a report that showed giant trees being taken into Westminster Abbey as she wanted it to look like a forest! (maybe she took that idea from you?!?LOL)
 
Diane,
Your work last year has given you lush growth now, which is so exciting! I love every flower you mentioned and hope the deer leave your hollyhocks for you to enjoy.

The towpath sounds perfect for you and Ernie, and the plum tree is lovely; Welcome, Spring!
 
Diane your garden looks so pretty already--just imagine how lovely it will be when all the other flowers come into bloom. I love irises and David Austen roses. Kimberly Star Gazer lilies smell wonderful--they will be perfect for the wedding.
Laurel
 
I love your garden pics, can I join you?

Nothing is really in bloom yet in my yard, I'm starting to get the bleeding hearts, the little wild violets are out, and the peonies are coming up... I also have tons of hostas, packisandras and myrtle for the shady areas. Different types of flox, azaleas, different lilies, a big patch of bearded irises that are an antique variety (these have been here before my parents bought the house in 1959), and an old bed of ferns (need to check them for the fiddlenecks soon), and jack-in-the-pulpits! I've also planted some hydrangeas, I absolutely love them. Now I can't take care of them very well, so I try to add a lot more mulch to kill the weeds. Well, I had my friends do the mulch, not me! I also planted some beautiful pink climbing roses for the trellis at the end of my porch, but we had to cut them way back this year to restain that section of the house. They'll grow back, but I'm going to miss them!

I'm going to try to add a couple of pictures, not sure it will work! These are from previous years though...
 

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Helen, what in hte world is a fidddleneck?
 
Hi Kim, a fiddleneck is just what they call the head of the fern before it opens, you can pick them and use them in salads, etc. They almost have the same shape as a shrimp in they're all curled up. They're really good! My Mom's street name is actually called Fiddleneck Lane...
 
Helen, your garden is lovely! I love the climbing rose, and your house itself is lovely. I planted much the same as you have, except I don't have hostas--do have lots of ferns which are indigenous. My east wall is surrounded by lilies of the valley, as there is woods on the other side of a driveway. Good job to have someone mulch for you!
 
Here are some from last year...Hydrangea, Dame's Rocket in front of Mock Orange, another Mock Orange (hit the wrong picture), lady slippers, red Rhododendrons.
 

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