From Jacques Thompson, 12 December 2021

So yesterday we had a front blow thru (which thankfully we were on the warm side of), that left behind 1.25” of rainfall, and the 55-60 mph wind gusts made quick work of undoing all of the leaf-blowing and gutter-cleaning I’d done just a day prior. 

The lower garden had a brief stream-visit, enough to keep us from crossing to walk out in the tree farm behind us. But as there is no frost in the ground (as yet), the water quickly soaks into the ground (once it stops running). 

Our Stream, dubbed “Ever-So-Often”, comes in from the SW.

And exits thru our Gate on the North.  My solid fence (seen on the left), is constructed using panels of Ondura roof panels.  The solid fence transitions to wire, as the low area with its intermittent flowing water, would carry away the solid panels. All of the flotsam will need to be collected and placed into one of the beds.  Some of the floodwater still lingers, visible thru the Norway Spruce branches on the other side of the fence, upper right. 

The raised area on which Andrea is standing was created when the pond was excavated. The removed soil was bermed up around the pond to keep soil-laden flood water (of the intermittent stream) out of the pond.  Our pond now occupies the site of what was once called “Lake Ever-So-Often”, as this naturally low area often flooded. The bermed-up sides of the pond are high enough to divert the flow around the pond – well usually. On two occasions in the past, the excess volume of flowing water was great enough to crest over the berm!  As what remains of the latest, train-load of crushed gravel is still sitting out on my neighbor’s property, and the only route I have to transport the gravel to where it is needed is up and over this section of the berm, this narrow section will be the last of the graveled areas to be completed.

 Tomorrow I’ll be back to rake up the mess and blow debris off the gravel paths.

Jacques Thompson

Oct 25, 2021, 5:47 PM

The weatherman said we were in for 2.5-3” of rain, starting around noon today and running thru Monday evening. That gave me the needed window to get the last of the gravel I needed to move in order to finish-up the latest path conversion.  I’d formed-up and poured the 2 transition steps between the gravel pathway where it merged to grass paths, and I needed additional gravel  in order to raise up the gravel path and bring it even with the top of both transition steps.

While making trips back and forth to the gravel pile (out in the Nursery) and the newly converted path, I noticed things were coloring up and going past so I snapped a few pics with Andrea’s phone.

The native Cornus were the first to show some color.  This year they were loaded with fruit, and the Robins made quick work of the bounty.  The dwindling gravel pile is just visible out in the nursery in the upper right of this pic.

The Sugar Maples starting to color-up

Amur Maples as well

The return trip with a wheelbarrow of gravel.

Anemone japonica ‘Honorine Jobert’ still going strong.  These are growing in the bed atop of the stone wall that’s pictured in the previous pic center-left.

A seedling coneflower growing out of golden-needled, low-growing Juniper, J. conferta ‘All Gold’.

Moving farther along toward the job site, the paw paw are yellowing-up.

Looking to the left from the previous shot, the Aconites are finally coming into bloom.

One of two dwarf witch-hazels ’Little Susie’ in full flower, though out of focus; my bad!
The load of gravel dumped (still further on). I return for another load.

The falling mist brightens the wet foliage of these Heucheras. I added to this bed earlier this year.

Looking up from the coral bells is another view of the Paw Paws.

Some pass-along mum from who-know’s-where.

I swear this Bowman’s Root looked better than it does in this pic.

Always liked these Sedums, remind me of my mom who grew them in her beds.

A Dysosma from Chen Yi that runs far and wide. This form has the palest-pink blooms; Disporum flavum foliage in the background.  The Rhody is ‘Ken Jannick’. I purchased it as it is touted as being more tolerant of alkaline conditions, and it is quite happy in my garden (unlike most Rhodies)!

After I’d hauled all the gravel I needed (for this year), I collected my tools and forms (that I removed from the transition steps), textured the top-side of the steps by hammering with the claw-end of a hammer  and headed up to the house in the rain.  No Pics of new steps as they were recovered with wet towels and then dry-leaves enveloped in a tarp (to keep the leaves dry). Covered the curing steps to protect from frosty night-time temps.

I’ve already got next year’s gravel project waiting for me.

Thankfully some thoughtful soul had paid to dispose of these pavers at the Township recycle center (where I worked). Next year I’ll have a paved area for this table & chairs, after I’ve hauled in the gravel to cover this area.

Allium thunbergerii in a trough.  A very late flowering allium and only 8-9” tall.

I’m so glad I got outside early yesterday morning and got the last of the gravel hauled to finish up my last path project (for this year).  I took the dogs for a loop around the garden while the rain has paused to find this. 

I won’t be hauling anything thru here anytime soon.

The rain gage reads 3.0” so far!

Jacques Thompson

Oct 3, 2021, 12:00 PM

Here’s a look at some of what’s in flower this week. 

Colchicums are putting on a show throughout the garden.

Anemone japonicas make great fillers in our garden.

My favorite (right now) is A. j. ‘Pamina’.

Anemone japonica ‘Honorine Jobert’ (white flowers) can get  a bit floppy.

This little cutie is A. j. ‘Red Ridinghood’, a most recent addition from Benedicts Nursery.

We’re getting some very good Aster’s (thanks to generous friends); I need to get more photographed.

Colchicums are a big hit here as well.

C. ‘Rose Queen’

Colchicum agrippinum (no longer in bloom), is my favorite.

Though I am drawn to the weird as well: C. ‘Harlekijn’ came from Brent & Beckys’ Bulbs.

Alright, I’ll stop with the Colchicums!

A late-blooming Allium, the seed of which came from the Botanical Garden of Pyung Yang.

A hibiscus from Tim Karl, I believe this is ‘Cranberry Crush’.

Tony had written an article on Sternbergia in last fall’s GLC Newsletter.

I divided a clump last year, so now I have to wait for these singles to clump up again.

‘Little Honey’ (oak-leafed hydrangea), seems to glow in the muted fall light.

Begonia grandis goes on for weeks!

Chrysanthemum weryrichii, a low-growing, running mum.

However, this is the last of the Ipomopsis rubra.  I have it on good authority that I’ve been circulating seed of this plant under the incorrect name I. aggregata ssp. aggregata.

I think this fall-blooming crocus is the only one (of once hundreds), that the “chippies” have somehow missed.

And finally, after a season-long wait, the hanging baskets of Tricyrtis macronthopsis are in bloom, though showing their trials in a very dry September.

Lastly, a fall-flowered vignette (though I think I’ve posted this before).  

Hoping you all have Great Fall Gardening!

Jacques Thompson

Thu, Sep 16, 2021, 7:50 PM

I thought I’d wander around the garden and see if I couldn’t find a few blooms to send along.  There’s not much as we here haven’t gotten anywhere the rainfall amounts that others nearby have.  I’ve done my best to avoid the brown foliage that shows through the garden this year.

Begonia grandis ‘Heron’s Piroette’.

A larger growing Turtlehead along with Anemone japonica ‘Honoring Jobert’ down by the pond.

Another Anemone japonica ‘Pamina’.

Colchicums are coming on strong throughout the garden.  A great bulb for those of us with heavy clay-loam soil!

Another C. speciosum.

Colchicum agrippinum – one of my favorites.

Another fall blooming bulb Sternbergia lutea – this is one of several that I separated from a big clump last summer and scattered about the garden.

Lots of Asters are starting to flower – this is ‘Harrington’s Pink’

An unknown Hygrangea:

This Hydrangea is quercifolia ‘Little Honey’.

Lastly a mixed collection of Anemone, Aster, Chrysanthemum, Coneflower and Little Bluestem Grass.

Now if we’d just get some real rain here!

Assuming there is no snow, I usually always have something out by the end of February — but this February has been unusually floriferousI Here are a few things that were out even last week (Feb. 20-25), or even before

Some standard early plants nobody should be without.

 

A few things that I don’t normally have in bloom quite this early are also striking for being out or almost out already

Even my first spring Cyclamen

 

 

 

 

 

And here are a few things that just about opened that I am worried about…

We’ll see how this goes in March — hopefully no 15 below weather!