Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The Day Is Long

Winter Kale in flower~planted last fall

in a Mid Southern garden during early spring.

Lunaria annua

The morning is cool and inviting and the gardener heads out early.


She notices the tulips are fading, but still lovely~
The Costco Pinks are opened completely in the sun...

She says hello to a new daffodil and wishes she knew his name.



She stops to visit the wildflowers Notices the phacelia is in full bloom and makes a mental note to collect seeds.
The Spring Beauties hiding in the shade show their candy stripe pink.

Cercis canadensis

Overhead the brilliant blue sky is filled with color.

small crab spider hunting on iberis

It couldn't be more perfect for working in the garden.

She's never alone or lonely out there ~


Coal the Cat King

Late afternoon is for resting on the porch.
A time to ponder the garden plans.

Hmm~wouldn't a red grass look good in this afternoon sun!
Note to self~Plant red grasses over the bulbs.

By the time evening rolls around the gardener is often
too tired to write a long post~
It's a good tired and she'll sleep well!

Tulipa clusiana var chrysantha

She hopes you have long and wonderful days in your garden~

Gail

51 comments:

  1. This gardener notices how lovely your garden looks at the mo. Love those tulips and the Cercis is ab fab!

    Tired in the evening, I know what you mean, there is so much to do in the garden at the mo, you can hardly keep up. Of course gardening comes first, blogging second.

    Not long before we will meet at Malvern, I am soooooooo long forward to that!

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  2. Oh Gail, the color that's waking up around you is just beautiful..at the end of a gardening day, it is the most delightful form of tired.

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  3. Hi Gail, These golden days of early spring are a tiring joy - especially love your phacelia photo! Cyndy

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  4. All so lovely, dear Gail! You have written precisely and illustrated well what is happening in our gardens. Working amongst the beauty certainly makes life a bounty of joy. Crawling into bed, we dream of the garden and the tasks for the next day. A very sweet dream, indeed. :-)
    xo
    Frances

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  5. Gail,
    I'm not a big fan of growing tulips but you Tulipa clusiana might change my mind it is stunning! Our kale has not gone to seed, the mustard greens and turnips have gone to seed.

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  6. During this stroll through your garden looks so lovely. It is wonderful to be able to work until it gets too hot then sit back and enjoy what we have done.

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  7. I rather like the flowers on the bolted Kale...I usually let the ornamental cabbages stay well past their bolting..I like the new dimension of the flowers.
    Love all the blooms in your garden. We don't do tulips in our area too much. I think it is that we don't have enough of a cold period (though you couldn't prove that by last winter!).
    I forgot to tell you in the last post--one of the kids bought their dad an album of Hair at an old record store. I love it!!

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  8. So lovely--every bit of it. It seems we never have enough time in the day to get everything done--but then, what's new? I find it hard to pace myself. Love the Pinks, the Iberis, the Bluebird, and especially that handsome boy, Coal.

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  9. Aren't you glad spring is finally here? I have the money plant popping up all over the place this year.

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  10. You have some nice bloomers blooming Gail! This weather is great but I'd like to see a little rain soon. Beautiful pictures!

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  11. Those spring beauties are indeed beauties!Mine hasn't come up yet. I do have a trout lily and trillium in buds, though. My cats also love sitting on the cushion of a wicker chair and contemplating the garzzzzzzzzzzzz.

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  12. Spring sure is popping at Clay and Limestone! Love that Candy Stripe flower. It is so pretty and dainty looking. Brave you putting the Daddy Bluebird next to Coal Cat! But then again, nothing can strike cats fancy when napping on the porch…

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  13. Another lovely tour of your garden. Such an inviting place and you always make us feel welcome through your stories and photos.

    Have a wonderful day!

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  14. WOW, wow, wow! That Kale has an amazing inflorescence! I love those species tulips at the end and wow, those Costco tulips are so fab!

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  15. Every one of the a jewel! Just lovely!-- Randy

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  16. What fun! I'm impressed your Phacelia are already blooming, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for garden tour day, but so far just buds.

    BTW, don't trust your Live Traffic Feed. I don't live in Berkeley ;->

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  17. Everything looks so wonderful, tranquil, and peaceful. That's what I notice. And Coal, looks completely at home on that chair, his rightful place.

    It's a good tired isn't it?

    Jen

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  18. The garden is looking wonderful! I can't wait to see mine! Three more weeks!!!

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  19. Those Spring Beaties are fabulous! And you get to share your garden with Bluebirds!! Perfect

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  20. oooh Gail the photo of the bluebird is just wonderful. and your cat all happily curled up ~ so sweet. Of course it's lovely there in your garden ~ those were just the two photos that really caught my eye.
    ps The tulips are just beginning here ~ can't believe they are already fading there.

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  21. Sounds like you had a very nice day of gardening. We're still waiting on tulips around here, but it's warm enough that my toddler has escaped out into the backyard to play in the sun without a jacket. Spring, come!

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  22. I adore the bluebird and the cat... but am completely smitten with the winter kale flowers! I think I need to plant some of those next year.

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  23. Gail the days are never long enough, especially that golden time late in the afternoon. Lately I have been wishing that I did not need to sleep.

    Your shots are just gorgeous, and Coal looks very restful indeed. He looks like my Tommy, who always manages to look very comfortable, and perhaps just spends his energy looking beautiful?

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  24. I wish I was sitting in the sun there with Coal. It looks so peaceful and pretty.
    Marnie

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  25. Hello Gail,

    What a wonderful day in the garden! I enjoy mornings out in the garden very much. Especially as it will soon be too hot to spend much time out there in the afternoon :-)

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  26. The stripey spring beauty needed to be noticed and you're just the girl to do it, Gail!
    Hadn't had lunaria since we lived in IL but a couple of rescue plants showed up this winter and I'm looking forward to some silvery 'money', too.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  27. Gail, thank you for featuring my blog on your sidebar this week! That is so much appreciated. Your photos today are wonderful. And I know what you mean by a good tired. If only the tulips would last a bit longer.

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  28. Gail,
    Wonderful, wonderful pics and post. jim

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  29. Gail,
    The diversity in your garden right now is wonderful -- I love the contrast between the tulips, overwintered kale flowers, and the spring native perennials on their way (my PPP has nice flower buds on it, btw).

    And what glorious spring days we've been having in the SE US!

    Lisa

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  30. Lovely Gail! I especially love your garden bench shot with the flowering kale... so enchanting!

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  31. Lovely images, and I adore that bluebird. Enjoy those spring days, Gail.

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  32. I'm visiting again after being gone for a while. Love your garden and your blog. I have the female version of Coal. She's still a young 'un, so usually busy hunting and running and climbing trees!

    Barbara H. (NE Alabama)

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  33. Gail a post with everthing that makes my heart sing...right down to the kitty cat and blue feathered friend!Yes arn't all the gardeners sleeping so much better taking in all the sunshine and freshness every day!Happy Spring Happy gardening..sleep tight because tommorrow we start all over again!

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  34. so glad to see you are enjoying this amazing weather we are having. the morning and evenings are cool and make it pleasant to be out door for long periods. i wish it would stay for longer. your gardens are looking wonderful.
    happy springtime days.

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  35. I am sure that the Cat King appreciates all your efforts to make his realm the envy of other royalty.

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  36. Yes, the days are long and beautiful, Gail. It's hard to stay inside for other responsibilities when so much is going on in the garden right now. I'm humming a little "Aerosmith" as I type..."I don't want to miss a thing..."

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  37. That must be the bluebird of garden happiness visiting you. Even though the day is long, there's so much to do, that it could be longer still.

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  38. This gardener has a magic in her hands that creates wonderful collages in her huge piece of canvas. She's been a great inspiration to me both in blogging and in gardening! BTW, how're her PPPP's doing?

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  39. And this gardener says 'Your garden is very beautiful Gail' a delight to visit. I love the sound of red grasses in the sunlight.

    I like the overwhelming tiredness that gardening brings.......

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  40. Feeling a little weary after an afternoon of weeding, I sat at the computer down to admire other peoples gardens. [...long sigh of satisfaction here...]

    I think I know your mystery daffodil. Could it be Narcissus x medioluteus aka Twin Sisters? They're naturalized all over central Virginia; maybe Tennessee too? I did a long post on them last spring.

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  41. Of course, I want to come, stroll the garden, and have morning coffee with you, Gail! I would really like a closer look at that new 'nameless' daff ... hum. It was 81ยบ here today and my garden, from morning to night, is catchin' up but I have never had a bluebird visit. ((Spring hugs))

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  42. That picture of the spider on the flower is incredible!!! How cool that you were able to capture such a picture!! I am such a sucker for benches so you know I love that one in the background of your Winter Kale photo!!

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  43. You caught me Gail. I'm really a three season gal too, but claiming that spring is my current favorite makes for a good blog post! LOL Summer is my actual favorite. I love the long days, and the warmth, and all the flowers in bloom. I wish it would never end!

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  44. Hi Gail, I hear ya on being tired in the evenings and 'long posts'! You do manage to write them though, usually, so give yourself a break. How are your hands doing these days?

    Gorgeous blooms you have! Love that'spring beauty' with the pink stripes...how lovely she is. I hope you continue to have a marvelous spring and soak in all the beauty!

    I will try to participate in your Wildflower meme (now and then) but so far haven't been good about it. I forget that I actually have some wildflowers and natives that I could be sharing. I will check the date and perhaps be better about joining (no guarantees though;-)! Happy Spring;-)

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  45. Gail: Thanks for taking me on your morning walk. Love all those plants and the light in the garden at this time of year. Good tired is just that...good!

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  46. Even if I wasn't already an avid gardener this post would certainly without a doubt convert me into one! Lovely, lovely, lovely...Kim

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  47. I love your spring garden photos,sigh...I wish I were in such a warm zone. We are 2a! Maybe in my next life - lol

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  48. What a lovely garden stroll. The photo of the bluebird is so sweet. He has such a quizzical expression. Thank you Gail for taking us with you. Yes, red grass would look good.~~Dee

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  49. Gail, early morning in the garden is one of my favorite times. The birds seem more active and the insects are still quiet. I love the way the blooms and plants catch the early slant of the sun's rays.

    Your photos capture that very well. We had to enjoy the tulips and daffodils quickly this year because of the heat, but that was okay as they outdid themselves with beauty.

    I would love to sit with you and see and listen to your blue bird. Maybe soon....

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  50. Gail, early morning in the garden is one of my favorite times. The birds seem more active and the insects are still quiet. I love the way the blooms and plants catch the early slant of the sun's rays.

    Your photos capture that very well. We had to enjoy the tulips and daffodils quickly this year because of the heat, but that was okay as they outdid themselves with beauty.

    I would love to sit with you and see and listen to your blue bird. Maybe soon....

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"Insects are the little things that run the world." Dr. E O Wilson