spring amaryllis in the garden

We happened upon a red spring garden the other day! A color that Northerners do not associate with spring, we have been noticing red amaryllis (hippeastrum) popping up in gardens around town. This garden in the old Point historic neighborhood in Beaufort has an abundance of them. They accent the white house and dark shade of the oaks.

This home is on the market right now. Here is the link.

We saw some being sold at the farmer's market this morning. Go here for instructions on growing Amaryllis in zone 9-11 gardens.

Down the street from the amaryllis garden is one of the most visible courtyards in the neighborhood. So many are obscured and just provide a little glimpse. The Beaufort River is in the background to the left.

Lots of brick and boxwoods. Spring in the South brings lots of leaf drop as new oak leaves push through and force old leaves off. It adds a casual charm to garden and hard scapes.

What's blooming in your neighborhood? 

Thanks for visiting!

Cindy

in the garden yesterday morning

Signs of spring!



The magical parade of spring bulbs has begun, the first daffodils with a peek of periwinkle.

The goldfish are venturing out to the other side of the pond through the channel to socialize. Our pond has two sides of over 2 feet depths each with a shallow channel that connects each side. The big group of fish breaks into two smaller groups for the winter, each staying on one side, barely moving in the freezing water. Once the water warms, they make their way up and down the channel to visit each other and exercise. The flag iris are up in the background at the end of the channel. The fish love hiding among the roots.

The most delightful activity to watch from the kitchen sink window or the patio is to see them muscle against the current towards the falls (we have a pump that creates a downstream current and recirculates through the falls at the high point) and then go limp and ride the current backwards. They do it repeatedly and in pairs and it seems to be completely for fun!

A mama robin has been rummaging around the yard for nest materials. You can see the lawn needs rain so badly, still in winter mode.

The sky turned dark as I was making my way around the garden and drops began to fall. We received 2" of rain last night, a few areas of the yard are flooded, the soil was so dry. Calling for more today which is a good thing as we are behind.

The wood anemone has popped through on the edge of the woods. The lovely foliage will fully open after the blooms first appear. A few made their way to the perennial border for the first time too.

What is outside your window? Are you taking frequent strolls to enjoy the signs of spring like we are?

Thanks for visiting!

Cindy

fall bulbs

Have you planted your fall bulbs yet? We finished ours last weekend. They can be planted into late November for those of us in Zone 5 until the ground is frozen. Bulbs are another one of Mother Nature's gifts for the gardener. If we make time in the fall to dig some holes, we are rewarded with pretty blooms to brighten chilly spring days. 

Since we share our land with deer, rabbits and chipmunks, we must choose bulbs carefully. This year we added more daffodils to the woods edge on the east side of our property, some bearded iris and more allium to the back and front borders.

We have hundreds and hundreds of muscari (grape hyacinth) planted near the paths of our property. We always plant them in clumps, holes dug with 7 or so bulbs in each.

 No tulips for us, they are eaten the day their foliage pops though the soil by the deer. They also weaken over time as their roots reach further down into the soil so they really look best the first spring after being planted. We invest in deer proof daffodils instead. We cannot have enough daffodils. They are such a happy sight, full of promise for better weather ahead after our long winters. They look pretty sprinkled throughout the woods before the maples leaf out.

For bulb planting tips, visit Martha Stewart's  bulb planting 101.