Posted on by Donna

Walk About My Garden

Chionodoxa forbesii Pink Giant with an Eastern Comma Butterfly

 

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
–   John Muir

For this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day and Fertilizer Friday I decided to walk about the garden to see what is finally blooming.  A walkabout has long been a rite of passage, and recently been thought of as a “spiritual journey”.  And what better way to replenish your soul than to walk amongst a garden.  We had sun with temperatures in the 60s over the weekend and in the 80s on Monday which pushed many bulbs to die back and others to finally bloom.  So come along and let’s see what is going on in the early spring, early April garden …..

 

Daffodils are finally blooming.  We will see so many more in the next week.  The display is one of my favorites with their cheery faces almost as bright as the sun.

 

 

Then there are all the early spring bulbs; Glory of the Snow, Puschkinia, Scilla, Hyacinths blooming with the beautiful red hellebore and the tiny pink corydalis.  I had forgotten I had planted Iris ‘Katherine Hodgkin’ (bottom right) and it is a stunner looking almost as if it had been painted with lines of blue.

 

 

 

I also ventured in to the “forever green” area behind my meadow to see what might be back there.  This is an area that is designated wild and can never be developed.  It is protected by the Department of Environmental Conservation in New York State and violators are fined heavily.   And although it is barren and brown it was still an interesting journey.  As I gaze out through the gate you can see the meadow thawed and just beginning to show the daffodils sprouting.  There is a large pond created from runoff and sump pumps that drain into this swampy area.  You can see upon closer inspection that it is full of the remnants of cattails.  Ducks will sometimes nest here and we can hear the peeper frogs singing their song all night long.  There is lots of water under the trees that will dry up.  You can just make out the club house one of my neighbors built for his kids in the bottom picture upper right. They have since moved away.  You can also see why we have lots of large mosquitoes in the area with all this standing water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From all the bushes, trees and grassy areas I know why we have so many deer, rabbits and voles not to mention the friendly fox that visits from time to time.  The paths lead all over to more ponds and then to the houses on the other side.  As I turn to head back I can just see my gazebo off in the distance.  As I get closer the gazebo  is a great landmark that the animals must be aware of when looking for the garden where are the great food is.  I think the word has gone out to the wildlife at large.  I will try to venture back there as the seasons change to see any changes that may occur.

“Some people like to make a little garden out of life and walk down a path.”
–   Jean Anouilh

 

 

Special Note: My award-winning memoir was published on the Women’s Memoirs website.  It is wonderful childhood memory of The Night I Saw Santa.  I hope you drop by to read it and leave a comment.  I had so much fun writing this one.

 

 

 

 

All content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View.  Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.

40 Replies to “Walk About My Garden”

  1. That ‘Katherine Hodgkin’ is featured in a recent Gardens Illustrated, and now you’ve also got a lovely shot of her – I think she’s calling me to bring her to my garden too 🙂

  2. What a wonderful bulb display. You are so much further ahead than here, getting to 80º where we got to 72º. The bulbs are hardly even out yet. Your wild area will be alive soon too. So much spring promise. Your Christmas article..two thumbs up.

    1. I still marvel at how different we are in gardens just 3 hours away…can’t wait for you to see more bloom…thx for reading the memoir..it was definitely a labor of love and every time I read it , it beings a smile to my face…

  3. Hi Donna, Your second collage is so happy looking. If you hadn’t shown the rest of the photos, I would have imagined flowers everywhere.

    1. I know it is deceptive…soon I will have flowers everywhere and it is quite the shock to see it…slow going this year though…

  4. What a beautiful collection of spring loveliness! I love that through the blogosphere I get to enjoy so many lovely flowers all over again despite them being a mere memory here. Your wilderness area looks really interesting, I will be fascinated to see how it develops through the seasons. Happy GBBD Donna.

    1. Glad you could enjoy them….Yes the wilderness area grows into a mass of shrubs, wildflowers (weeds) and cattails…Happy GBBD Janet!!

  6. Your walk about the garden was filled with all sorts of wonderful blooms and sightings. I just love this time of year as there is so much discovery. And I enjoyed your memoir piece. I, too, loved (and still do love) Santa Claus.

    1. I am so glad you enjoyed the walk about. The memoir is such a favorite story of mine that my sister also remembers…nice to know you are also a believer 🙂

  7. Donna I’m glad for you that spring has started, your spring flowers are beautiful, your tempretures have over taken us we don’t get into the 80’s even in full summer, loved the walk around your wild area, I love to see a wider view instead of just close ups, thanks, Frances

    1. Frances we will hit the 80s most of the summer and sometimes it will reach the 90s with humidity. I hope to post periodically about the wild area and will give you those wider views…

  8. Your spring flowers look so cheerful and beautiful. I especially loved your pink and blue collage. You are lucky to live next to a protected site – it must be so peaceful and quiet (sigh of envy…). Thank you for the virtual tour – I really enjoyed it.

    1. Masha you are welcome…it is very peaceful here with no neighbors behind us except the wildlife….glad you liked the flowers of April

    1. Gabrielle, I am so honored to have you stop by and I am happy that the blooms gave you some joy…I was shocked to see the butterfly and found they overwinter here as adults so I hope to see more…it was a special day when I snapped that picture. You just never know what you will find so I have my camera with me every day I go into the garden.

  10. What a striking blue and white iris! I have never seen anything like that – thanks for introducing me. It must be nice to have a border of designated wild. Except for the mosquitoes, of course. 😉

    1. That iris Holley is just one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. The wild area is great but the mosquitoes from all the wet areas is the only downfall..I guess we just can’t have everything 🙂

    1. I am so glad too Carolyn…I had never seen an Eastern Comma but as I go more organic and native it is amazing the wildlife that are coming into the garden…

    1. Valerie it is an honor to have you visit my blog and thank you for your kind words. The bulbs are in full force although the other plants are coming along slowly here…

    1. Mel thank you for visiting..it is always an honor to have new visitors that I hope will come back. I look forward to visiting your blog 🙂

  14. I’m so glad I discovered your blog! I enjoyed the quotations you chose and the lovely photos. I liked the idea of a “spiritual walkabout.” It is nourishing to the soul to walk in the garden, noticing all the changes. Like a river, the garden is never the same.

    1. Sheila, I am glad you have found my blog and am honored to have you visit….I love your idea of a graden like a river ever changing…I hope you come back to see the garden through the seasons…

  15. I’m so happy for you about the memoir. One of the great things about the web is our ability to see so many talented folks. I’m also glad you have a wild place behind your place. It’s important to have conservation spots throughout our country to stop some development.

    Your blooms are beautiful. Happy GBBD!~~Dee

    1. Thank you Dee for the lovely comment. It was such a labor of love…our wild area keeps our days filled with joy as the wildlife come and visit…thx for visiting Dee…stop by anytime..I enjoy your visits and your blog…

  16. Congrats on having your memoir published! What a special honor indeed.

    I think your native area is nice and must make for great neighbors even with the mosquitoes. Those irises are beautiful. So elegant. A nice surprise.

    1. Tina thank you ..the memoir was such a wonderful experience writing and reliving the memory…I just love those irises too…

  17. I love the ‘Katherine Hodgekin’ iris! You have a lot of beautiful bulbs blooming! I think the adjacent native area is terrific, but I am surprised your city doesn’t do something about the mosquitos, as they can carry encephalitis!

    1. Deb those are one of the most beautiful irises…the mosquitoes are hard to control due to the lake, swampy areas and puddles from rain…they have mosquito traps and test areas…if they find EEE then they spray but it is hard to control…we do our bit too

  19. What a nice collection of spring bulbs from your garden, Donna!
    It gives me the chance to wish you a very happy Easter day.

Comments are closed.