HAPPY NEW YEAR !
It seems to me the older you get the faster time passes. Here we are in a brand new year and this January has been, as it often is, a mixed bag when it comes to weather -first Spring-like temperatures and bam ! a whole week of below freezing, which is very hard on the garden, especially those that are beginning their bloom cycle.
The daffodils are hardy and despite the freeze managed to bloom on schedule.
Some of my camellias were frozen in the bud and the hellebores were limp from the extreme cold. My most anticipated blooms in January are the beautiful pink Prunus mume 'peggy clarke ' which also attracts lots of bees.
It, too, suprised me with its hardiness and bloomed right on schedule.
New year, new plans for the garden. I have to replace most of my asters due to a rabbit that's taken up residence in the sweet garden. My garden companion Odie, a Schnauzer-Poodle mix, is on the job and sniffing out the rascal. I'm planning to plant more asters this Spring and keep them saturated with bunny repellent and hot pepper spray.
One of the best noses in the business-Schnauzers. Here Odie is sniffing out a bunny that devoured my asters. He's also chasing voles. I've been spraying their tunnels with castor oil which seems to help.
I think its more important how a garden looks when it's not in flower and I add lots of evergreens and texture so that it's interesting in every season.
