One more Pansy

On her great blog, Digging, fellow blogger/gardener Pam posted a list of things that fall in the category of NIMG (Not In My Garden). I thought it was a great post and although I’ve internalized what I won’t/don’t have in my garden, I’ve never formed it into a list like she has.

Pansies. I’ve never grown pansies before. It’s not that I don’t like them—they were certainly tickling my muse yesterday at Green Spring Gardens. I must have spent 20 minutes just photographing the array of Pansies in bloom outside the historic house at Green Springs. Perhaps it’s the word “Pansy” that’s throwing me off?

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Chewk chewk chewk

Melodious mockingbird at Green Spring Gardens

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

And dances with the daffodils

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
and twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
in such a jocund company:
I gazed — and gazed — but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

— William Wordsworth

Learn more about growing Daffodils here.

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Spring Starflowers

These star-shaped, pale blue flowers with grass like foliage are Spring Starflowers (Ipheion uniflorum). This perennial is grown from bulbs and blooms in mid-spring for 3-5 weeks. Originating from Argentina and Uruguay, this plant naturalizes very swiftly, spreading by self-seeding and from bulb offsets. Often used in rock gardens and woodland gardens, they grow just 4-5 inches tall, and are perennials in Zones 6 to 7 (with mulching to protect from frost) and in Zones 8 to 9 without mulching. They can be grown in full sun to part shade, require medium watering, are low maintenance, and tolerate a wide range of soil types. They are just beginning to bloom at Green Spring Gardens this week.

I photographed these tiny blue flowers last year in mid-April at Green Spring Gardens. See how they look en masse here.

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Lotsa Phlox

Phlox paniculata — Garden Phlox — Green Spring Gardens. The sign near this plant identified it as the ‘Bright Eyes’ cultivar, but my research yielded only pink flowers with that particular identification. Any volunteers on identifying this one?

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Hellebore tryst

Afternoon delight at Green Spring Gardens © Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Signs of spring

The snow from earlier in the week (see my Currier & Ives posting about Monday’s snowfall here) has melted, and this afternoon I discovered the harbingers of spring—Hellebores and Crocus—were blooming wildly in the front yard garden. We had just returned from the Meadowlark 2009 Photography Expo at the Meadowlark Botanical Garden in Vienna and I had my camera handy. Jeff Evans, friend and fellow photographer, joined us for this adventure. I recently blogged about Jeff’s exhibit at Gallery West in Alexandria here. Although the show ended February 1, Jeff’s work is on display there and in A Show of Hands, a Del Ray area gallery that recently relocated to 2301 Mt. Vernon Avenue in Alexandria, Virginia.

Each year I have to remind myself to look for the Hellebore blooms. These downward-facing flowers are quite shy and always hide their beauty, so when I catch a glimpse of the lime green, pink, or purple hues, I grab my camera. I posted a nice shot of one in bloom in last March here. As I plunked myself down in the middle of the bed of Pachysandra to photograph these blooms this afternoon, I was forced to assess all that needs to be done to get the garden looking good again. There’s work to be done, that’s for sure!

Speaking of the Meadowlark 2009 Photography Expo, I bought a Lensbaby Muse from Hunt’s Photo and Video‘s booth. I also discovered David Honl’s product line, HonlPhoto, at Penn Camera‘s booth. I bought the HonlPhoto Speed Strap, Gel Kit, and the 8″ Speed Snoot to use on my strobes and Nikon Speedlights. I’m always on the lookout for accessories to improve and stretch my flash capabilities. These products are reasonably priced, simply designed, and will take up very little room in my already full camera bag. Check ’em out!

I’m also debating on whether to get one of the HonlPhoto Speed Grid attachments. Read about their application on the Strobist site here. By the way, this website is an excellent resource for photographers who want to learn more about lighting!

The show continues tomorrow (Sunday) and if you’re in the area, it’s worth a visit. All of the vendors offer show prices on their products during the show. The entrance fee is $5. And don’t forget to check out the juried exhibition of photos from local camera clubs.

And after not checking the mail for two days, I discovered my Nikon Speedlight DVD, featuring photographers Joe McNally and Bob Krist, had arrived.

Photo inspiration. Photo chat. Photo gadget bargains. Beautiful weather. First blooms of spring. Neighbors out to chat. Something other than bills arrived in the mail. Today was an especially good day!

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Name that bulb (or, how I got the shot after all)

Apparently I wasn’t quite as absentminded and unprepared as I thought I was. See my previous post on forgetting to put a CF card in my D300 here:

http://cindydyer.wordpress.com/2008/06/01/what-is-it-about-cats-and-suitcases/

A few days ago, I shot a handful of photos in the front and backyard gardens, came into the house, took the card out so I could take it downstairs to “process,” and got sidetracked by the cat. She climbed onto the suitcase to nap and I grabbed my camera and began to shoot. I didn’t see the images in playback and realized there was no card in it. And I didn’t remember taking it out (it was a long day; cut me some slack!). Late this afternoon, I saw a CF card on the edge of the coffee table in the library and wondered what was on it. I popped it into the camera…and voila!—there were the images I had shot the previous day.

This image is of a Smith & Hawken forced bulb kit I bought at Target’s after-Christmas sale in early January. I think it was discounted 75% down to $5.00. I bought it primarily for the cool faux moss pot. I planted the bulbs while in Texas visiting my family and the pot traveled back to Virginia the end of January, not growing even a smidge. They sat in our kitchen, basking in sunlight on a bench. Still no growth. Several weeks past the time spring bulbs normally bloom, they were relegated to the front porch and watered regularly (including getting completely soaked during several rainstorms…had to turn it on its side to drain since it was meant for indoors and thus had no drainage holes in it).

About two weeks ago, the shoots finally had a growth spurt, and late last week, blooms began appearing. I propped it up on the porch railing (rather precariously), nestling it on the wild-gone-rampant vine that covers the railing each year (another vine I planted about five years ago. It flowers in mid-summer with a profusion of puffy baby’s breath-like clusters of white flowers…the name escapes me, but I swear the vine grows several feet each day (not an exaggeration).

I thought the bulbs in the planter were going to be daffodils but now that they’re blooming, I think they might be Paperwhites (Narcissus tazetta). I’ve forced paperwhites several times and the flowers are usually larger than these, though. Plus, the scent of these flowers is not as strong as I remember paperwhites being! I would love a confirmation on the plant’s identity, nonethless. Any takers?

Plant identification update: I got a good whiff of the flowers this afternoon and they are definitely Paperwhites—the scent is so much stronger when they’re forced indoors (some people like the scent, some don’t).

FORCING TIPS: If you don’t mind the strong scent of Paperwhites, and would like to try growing them this winter, here’s a good site to visit:

http://nga-gardenshop.stores.yahoo.net/forcingpaperwhites.html

You can even buy them on this site:

http://nga-gardenshop.stores.yahoo.net/31-1501.html

If you use alcohol in the water, you’ll keep Paperwhites from becoming too leggy. Read about this tip here:

http://flowergardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/alcohol_keeps_paperwhites_short

BEWARE: Do keep in mind that Paperwhites are toxic to cats, so if you have cats, either don’t grow them or keep them out of reach (the Paperwhites, not the cats!). I have grown them a few times (out of reach because the location was best for sunlight) and cats couldn’t reach it. I wouldn’t take any chances, though, if you have cats. After learning about the toxicity, I haven’t grown them indoors. Other houseplants that are the most toxic to cats include sago palm, lilies, tulips, daffodils, azaleas, oleander and cyclamen. For 17 common poisonous plants, visit this site:

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_common

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.    www.cindydyer.com/GardenPhotos

Hungry baby Robins

I shot this photo of baby Robins last spring. The nest was in the crabapple tree just outside our kitchen window. Robin eggs are the most beautiful shade of pale blue green, one of my favorite colors.

Here’s an excellent website with FAQs about the American Robin:
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/robin/FAQBabies.html

A day-to-day journal of baby robins here: http://kathyskritters.com/tales/robins/

Here’s a really great video of a robin baby hatching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDKgLfWheoI

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Snow(flakes) in the garden

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Thanks to Kerry, I now know that the plant label identified this flower incorrectly. It is not a Snowdrop; it is a Snowflake! Thanks, Kerry!

Afternoon light

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved. www.cindydyer.com/GardenPhotos

Ah, spring!

Look what’s blooming in my garden now. I just love, love, love days (and photographic opportunities) like these! Sue calls the unusual pale blue grape hyacinth (center) “Lladro blue.” I thought that was a great description.

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved. www.cindydyer.com/GardenPhotos

Blooming in my garden…

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

In Frank Lloyd Wright’s Footsteps…

SUBJECT: Architectural Masterpiece

ARCHITECT: Cindy Dyer, a.k.a. Head Weed

CLIENT: Dim-witted Mourning Dove (with lack of sense to build nest in a less conspicuous area)

PROJECT: Nest Improvement, including A-frame (vented) roof that blends into surroundings

LIMITATIONS: budget (how much could a dove have to offer?), limited to materials on hand, and time (limited due to builder’s other job as a graphic designer)

BUILDING MATERIALS
Ample chicken wire from Carmen & George’s moving-out contributions, cheap wire cutters, plentiful source of leaves, twigs from last year’s liatris stalks, willow branches from delapidated garden ornament, and grapevines

THE BUILDING SITE
Client attempted to “break ground” without first consulting architect (or land owner); site is the empty gothic-style wrought iron planter box hanging on a limb stump on a tree in the architect’s back yard. Architect sees bird fly off, inspects site, notes start of nest, then proceeds to devise renovation plans, taking a gamble on bird returning after nest site is partially disturbed

THE THOUGHT PROCESS (yes, there was one)
— Build A-frame mesh roof, just wide enough to accommodate already-begun dove nest
— Attach mesh roof to wrought iron planter with green wire (to blend in nicely)
— weave willows to form back wall (rather crudely done, but this is the look I was going for….something a dove might do if she had opposeable thumbs, but not so complex that it would appear a real architect did it!)
— weave right side with same willow to add protection from the elements, but leave some open gaps to appeal to the (not so bright) bird’s penchant for open spaces
— leave left side of metal roof open for feng shui appeal (good vibes in, bad vibes out)
— tuck in leaves to further protect from the elements, add a softening touch to the heavy metal roof, and offering some camouflage from predators

CLIENT’S REACTION
— Didn’t get client approval (in the form of an immediate move-in) for at least one day

ARCHITECT’S LOG
— Let cats out in the backyard early evening, 3/29/2006, and birds scattered from the home site
— Took a peek into empty domicile and observed blindingly white egg
— Add a few more leaves to obscure view of aforementioned egg
— Add a few more grapevines overhead, then cut (invisible) ceremonial ribbon, pronouncing the project complete

OBSERVATION, 3/30/2006, 1:04 p.m.

Eureka! (Dad, eureka is one of those words that deserves an exclamation mark)

The client loves her new abode; see paparazzi’s photographic proof, attached, in the first photo below…she settled in and laid eggs a few days later.

© 2006 Cindy Dyer, All rights reserved.

I was able to observe and photograph Baby Yin and Baby Yang from birth to flying lesson day. Above: in the middle photo, Baby Yin is at recess under Mama’s watchful teal-rimmed eyes. (Baby Yang was not quite ready to leave home and stayed in the nest while his sibling learned the ropes.) In the last photo, Baby Yin is doing the all important wing stretches (yes, she does have two legs, but doesn’t she have remarkable balance on just one? I’m such a proud mother!)