The Little Things Do Count.

Most of the daffodils are fading now and I must say goodbye to that wonderful show. A few of the late ones, a great double Manly

Another nice later blooming daffodil, Mint Julep

The tulips were just stunning this spring. The latest wind/rain storm has just about put an end to them, yet they were so nice. I try to remember just how much we need that wind and rain.

This is Shirley, and Queen of Night ( the darker tulip ). Both of these have been faithful in returning. It is great to have a tulip be so reliable here.

When the daffodils are done blooming, the foliage needs to remain. So I place just a little touch of color where the daffodil blooms had been.

The dwarf iris are starting to bloom. They fill in the void before the next big show. They are so cute and I am glad now that I went into a buying frenzy last summer. This is Romy
This diminutive iris is Bugsy

This puts Bugsy in perspective, as it is blooming in front of the tall bearded iris.

This nice dwarf iris is What Again, and it is rightly named, as it is a great rebloomer.

A very pretty dwarf iris with lots of detail Frisk Me. that is Bowie to the left of the iris, trying to get in the shot!

A dwarf iris that was given to me, not sure of the name.

Another dwarf iris given to me. It is a nice bright yellow on a small bloom.

The virginia bluebells were the most vivid blue.

And the bleeding heart added a little bit of color.

I now begin my search for Asiatic buds and buds on the Tall Bearded Iris. That will be quite the show!
One of my Asiatic Lilies has a deformed look. This is known as fasciation, a condition where several stems appear to bond together. Not totally uncommon. I have seen this more often with dandelions. The blooms should be very interesting. I do like the little interesting things that can happen in a garden.

The buds are beginning to appear on the Tall Bearded Iris.

The garden is filling in now with the little blooms, now that the daffodil show is over.

It is the little things that count. Yet this morning, there was big excitement to see the first tall bearded iris starting to unfurl. It won’t be long now for the next big show! I must stop to thank the dwarf iris for such a great intermission.

Happy Gardening, don’t forget to note the little things.
“Were all the year one constant sunshine, we should have no flowers” –Henry Vaughan

Oh Happy Days

a href=”http://obsessivecompulsivegardening.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/picture-001.jpg”>
All signs point to the arrival of spring. We have had a few burst of snow here and there, but I am going to hold fast to the belief that the snow is now gone forever. The transformation in the garden is beyond amazing, so much that at times I struggle to do any real work in the garden. I take long pauses just to take it all in.
The daffodils are at their best this spring.
The new raised bed has been a showstopper
<
The tulips are getting ready to go to the party.
<
Bowie is enjoying the warmer days and the trips about the gardens. He is giving his approval here!

This rather large cat stands with silent regard.

This garden cat is new and twirls in the slightest of breezes. It makes me smile.

Now for a few of the delightful daffodils. This is Raspberry Ring. A long timer, with great increase and a good bloom time.

Hillstar, a later bloomer, smaller bloom with multi blooms per stem.

Sorbet, a nice split cup daffodil.

Billy graham, a daffodil with a pink cup and yellow petals.

Katie Heath, a pink daffodil. Multi blooms per stem. Very pretty.

Punchline

Wave, a double daffodil ( sometimes needs staking ) , but I love it anyway

Cheerfulness, a mini double, with multi blooms per stem and very fragrant.

Muscari, is a great way to border the beds.

Other spring bulbs complete the spring scene. Here is checkered lily, also known as snake’s head.

I love gardening because while you enjoy the present blooming, there is the great anticipation of what happy days are to come.
The Asiatic Lilies have begun to grow. What a show they put on. It will continue to be happy days.

Getting spots ready for the incoming daylilies. How exciting is that? I expect delivery from my auction wins along with my order from Ladybug this week.

Also have a cherry crop to look forward to. mmmmm, cherry pie!!

A lone goose stands guard. I did ask him nicely to stay out of the gardens. They have so far heeded my pleads! That would not be a happy day, should they decide to search for bugs in my flower gardens.

The most happy of days this spring was the spring wedding of my daughter in central park in New York City!! And the announcement from my son and daughter in law of the upcoming birth of a son, my first grandchild.!!! So many happy days to look forward to.
Happy Gardening, and thank you to my new subscribers!

O Spring, Spring, Wherefore Art Thou Spring?

Spring started to appear, so it seemed. Robins appeared, and even the red winged blackbird arrived, and that is a sure sign that spring should be here. The crocus started to bloom and even a few bees were spotted. Where did it all go? Was it all a dream?
The snow descended. It seemed so surreal. I needed to leave very early in the morning. This was the scene from a window when I arrived for my workday.

<

The temperature was hovering around freezing, and the snow slowly turned to slush. By the time I arrived back home to my garden, the snowfall was greatly diminished, yet so dreary looking. I so want to get out there and start opening up the garden! Wherefore art thou Spring?

The crocus seem so helpless in the snow. I wanted to brush them off, yet I refrained from doing that. Let nature do what it will do.

The gardener can only stand by and watch the beauty of the approaching spring.

The daylilies are all starting to green up. This is what the dormant daylilies look like as they begin to grow in the spring. It is exciting to see the greening up. I know spring is here, perhaps spring is being just a bit shy! Hopefully, the next pictures I share will be the daffodils in full bloom.

Meteorological Spring is Here!

Meteorological spring occurred on March 1st in the northern hemisphere, and I welcome it! Now I do remember that I did not like the idea of a meteorological fall, but I will accept the meteorological spring. While the vernal equinox will occur on the evening of March 20th, and is most often accepted as the first day of spring, I welcome the early accounting of the start of spring.

The crocus in my garden recognize that spring is fast approaching.

This start of spring is the quarter of the year which includes March, April, and May. This quarter is between the coldest quarter of the year and the warmest quarter of the year, thus representing Spring.
March is the start of warmer temperatures and the end of the winter weather.

As the snow finally starts to melt away, I start my search for those sure signs of spring. The birds seem to be more talkative in the morning hours, and the trees are budding.

It is still a bit too cold outside to engage in any real gardening. Inside the last of the forced daffodils are blooming. I did end up having a few of these chilled bulbs that did not bloom, but they will still be planted outside when the soil is workable.

Then it happened. One of the amaryllis decided to appear, what a treat.

Bowie found time to sun on the deck. I will be able to join him soon!! Don’t forget to SPRING AHEAD!!
Moving the clock one hour ahead makes spring seem to be here sooner! Happy Spring.

Forcing Success

The sun rises over a winter scene in the garden, yet inside the daffodils and hyacinths are starting to bloom. The gentle forcing of bulbs for winter bloom is a rewarding task.

This is the first daffodil to bloom. It is Katie Heath, a diminutive bloom that belongs to division V, Triandrus daffodils.

I have learned that one of the first things to know when forcing bulbs, is to use those that are most likely to cooperate!! Division VIII, the Tazetta Daffodils, are one of the easiest to force. The Tazetta are more of a southern daffodil, yet I have found a few that will live on in my zone 6 garden. I have Avalanche and Golden Dawn blooming in my garden that had been forced to bloom in the winter. This is Golden Dawn happily blooming outside a few years later after having been forced to bloom during the winter.

The ability to live on in my garden, is important to me. I always plant the spent blooms in my garden when the soil is workable in the spring. While it may take a few years to recover, all of the bulbs have returned to bloom again outside. Don’t ever throw those bulbs away!
Hyacinth are also very willing to bloom during the winter months. This is the hyacinth Fondant. The fragrance is just wonderful.

There is no better reminder of spring than the sweet fragrance of hyacinth

The hyacinth do become top heavy, however, a few properly placed popsicle sticks that care of that.

So far, I have had 100% success with the bulbs. Every container that I have brought out of the chill room has produced buds. I started out with the containers in a refrigerator. The frig is a larger sized dorm refrigerator, that was not frost free. The bulbs spent at least 14 weeks in this refrigerator. I would check on them once a week, adding any water as necessary. I decided this year to only pot in water and stones. I have used potting soil in the past, but found it to be a bit messy, and not as easy to determine if the roots are growing.

After the 14 weeks, I started to place a few at a time into a darkened, cool back room. I staggered this movement so I could have blooms to enjoy over a period of time. After a few weeks in the chilly room, I uncovered the windows to allow additional light. Then when I noted that the top growth was at 2 to 3 inches, I moved the bulbs out into a room in my house to enjoy.

This is the chilly room. It is a bit dark, and I also have a thermometer to make sure the room stays around 60 degrees, which is ideal for the bulbs.

You can see the staggered growth here, each one of these containers was brought out with a few weeks time in between.

So to force success, start with cooperative bulbs and be patient. I found that patience was the key to success as I did not always give the bulbs the time they needed in the chilly temperatures. The other key to success is to plan ahead! I marked my calendar now for a reminder to pot up the bulbs early in October.
Forcing success takes patience, planning and cooperation, just as in the garden so be it in life.

51 DAYS UNTIL SPRING!!!!

Gardening with Mace

I have many gardening tools ready to use, yet my most valuable tool has become this small canister of mace.   The need to feel safe in one’s own garden was beyond my comprehension.  I could not understand why this was happening. Why did I have to watch my back while gardening?

This is my blog, and it is a gardening blog, however I must address an issue that has impacted my own life. 

                                January is National Stalking Awareness month.

  I waited to post this information during an appropriate time, and because January is National Stalking Awareness month, this is the appropriate time with January fast approaching. My experience with this insidious crime has been very personal.  And yes it is a crime; it is a crime in all 50 states.  California was the first state to have anti-stalking laws in 1990, and all other states followed suit.   Stalking is perhaps one of very few crimes in that we can have a more proactive approach.  We can impact the behaviors of the stalker, before they escalate and  can cause irreversible harm.  Stalking in Ohio is defined : “No person by engaging in a pattern of conduct shall knowingly cause another to believe that the offender will cause physical harm to the other person or cause mental distress to the other person.”  Ohio Revised Code 2903.211 Menacing by Stalking- 1996                                            

While a single incident or action may appear to be harmless and not against the law, it is the cumulative effect and the continuous nature of the behaviors that are so cruel. Stalking has been called the building block crime.

Perhaps receiving flowers from a supposed ‘secret’ admirer may be puzzling; it is the repeated placement of roses on property, including the hood of your car, which becomes unsettling.  Beyond troublesome, is when you tell the person who is leaving the roses to stop, and they do not.    Walking on someone’s property may appear harmless, yet when it is repeated and done at times that are unusual, such as very early in the morning or during the night time hours, then it is scary.   Notes and cards with very inappropriate messages that are placed about the property, even in a mailbox and in the garage of the victim is very disturbing. Spying on the victim, looking in windows, and engaging in voyeur type behaviors are criminal. Stalkers will harm or kill pets. The motivation for this heartless action is at times for revenge, but is also done in order to manipulate the victim, by using it as an opportunity to comfort the victim. The same motivation of manipulation is used for stealing items, such as keys and then suddenly ‘finding’ the lost item for the victim. I never wanted to refer to myself as a victim, but I was just that.

The constant and inappropriate attention is unnerving.   Stalking behaviors would shake anyone.  The part that is so disturbing is the persistence of the stalker. I know that even directly telling the stalker to stop what they are doing and to stay off your property, only brings about increased activity.   Any attention from the victim, even, and it seems most especially, negative attention, is rewarding to the stalker.  This makes it very difficult to stop a stalker, as they are always thinking and planning what they can do next.   I was faced with a stalker that fantasized a relationship, and this type of stalking is very persistent.   It is beyond comprehension what could possibly go through the mind of a stalker.  They do not have rational thinking. They have no remorse and no conscience.

I needed the intervention of law enforcement after attempting to stop the behavior with no avail.   I ended up filing for a civil  stalking protection order from the court.  The sad part is I filed on August 6^th, and was granted the order on November 13^th, a full 3 months after I filed. 

All I can say is that stalking robs the victim of the pleasures of everyday life.  You end up altering your own life so much in attempts to avoid the stalker, that you become isolated.

My own situation, while very frightening and causing substantial distress, did not end up with the horrible acts that conclude some stalking episodes.  It is known that the vast majority of women who are murdered in this country were stalked before they were killed.  This is where law enforcement needs to be more proactive.  We also need to strengthen many of our laws.  Here in Ohio, there was a case  in  a nearby town, that ended up in the murder of a teacher.  She had been stalked for years by someone with whom she had no relationship with, and even though he was convicted of menacing by stalking, he was out of prison quickly, and returned to once again engage in his stalking behaviors. He had killed her dog, and was even able to purchase a gun.  

Stalking is dangerous, and needs to be treated as the crime that it is.  If something doesn’t appear appropriate, or doesn’t feel right, it is not.  Trust your gut.  Let others know what is happening and do contact the police with every incident, no matter how small it may seem to others.  It is left to the victim to collect evidence, so keep every physical piece of evidence, take pictures of damage, or even of the stalker on your property, keep any voice mail or e mail.   When I realized that I needed to be keeping evidence, I was able to collect 36 notes and cards that were left on my property over an 18 month period.  Prior to this I did throw everything away in the garbage can because it was just so upsetting.  I was also able to  get a picture of the stalker on my property at 6:30 in the morning, looking up at my windows. This trespassing was captured on my time lapsed garden camera.   This was after he had already been told twice to stay off my property.  It just didn’t matter. The picture along with the cards and notes and the willingness of others to testify were enough to obtain a protection order.  I had the testimony of his former employer who had fired this person due to the creep making obscene phone calls from that business line.  Also another neighbor witnessed this person going into my garage and trying to open my doors when I was not at home. He had also engaged in harassing and voyeur activities with this other neighbor.  Both people were willing to testify.   This may not always be the case, as it occurred to me that some people just aren’t as willing to get involved.  It really is left up to the victim.  Having an attorney is also invaluable, and it is a shame that one has to hire an attorney when they are the victim of a crime. The courts  in Ohio do provide victim advocates in cases such as mine, yet even the advocate advised me to retain a lawyer.

 The statistics are startling.  3.4 million Americans have been stalked, according to a study completed in 2009,  with 1 in every 12 women experiencing this nightmare at some point in their lives.   Most stalking victims are women and most stalkers are men, however not always.  Less than half of stalking is committed by people who had a former relationship with the victim.  This form of stalking is very dangerous and often involves violent crimes.  The vast majority of victims do know the stalker, be it a coworker, neighbor, or even someone who waits on you in a store.  The average duration of stalking is two years, and unfortunately half of all stalking victims never report the crime. I fully understand that reluctance to report, because I know that I did not want a motivation of revenge added to the fixation.    A full third of acquaintance stalkers, which is what I was faced with, do end up attacking the victim.   Stalking is dangerous.  

There are resources out there if you are having any trouble with someone you believe may be engaging in stalking behaviors.  Remember, stalking behaviors are chronic, and it can happen to anyone.   It is extremely difficult and  even dangerous to try to stop this on your own. Stalkers tend to be serial in nature. Most have engaged in stalking before. There is absolutely nothing that the victim does to attract such a person. It is all in the stalker’s mind.

A very informative book that I found was   written by Mike Proctor,  How to Stop a Stalker., and it is  available on Amazon.   There is also information from the National Center for the Victims of Crime.  NCVC.     www.ncvc.org.    Another good website for information  is “End Stalking in America”   www.esia.net.  
  I now need to work on getting my life back. 

                                                             STALKING                                                        

                                                          It is NOT a joke

                                                        It is NOT romantic

                                                          It is  NOT  OK

Be Safe.

Out of the Darkness

The longer nights are so dreary, but Winter Solstice has arrived and now the daylight hours will slowly increase.  It is a time to be joyful.  Spring is just 87 days away, when the night and day will be equal.  The  forced bulbs are slowly coming out of the darkness.  They will have been in the refrigerator for 14 weeks, then I will slowly introduce them to the light.  I hope to have more success this year, as I was more patient and gave them the darkness that they require. 

I was fortunate to have a large dorm size refrigerator to devote to just the bulbs.  The roots have started to develop.  I check them once a week, and add water as necessary, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bulbs. The temperature remains at just above freezing.  The next stage will be to place them in a spare bedroom.  The windows will be covered and the room kept cool.  This way I can slowly increase the light and temperature. 

I remembered the amaryliss bulbs this year.  First I soaked the roots in warm water and then I planted them.  One is growing now, so perhaps I will have blooms by spring.  Either way it was just a fun experiment and a good reason to play in the dirt.

As the bulbs are coming out of the darkness, I feel that I am also coming out of the darkness.  Winter is a good time for planning and reflection.  A time to count blessings.  I have been doing a lot of reflection lately, as I slowly come out of the darkness. 

A bouquet of paperwhites.  They don’t need the darkness or cold, but perhaps we do in order to grow just as the daffodils and hyacinth need the darkness to grow. 

                                        Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

Time to Slow Down

I haven’t been on my own blog much lately.  What a shame that life is just so busy, that I don’t have the time to slow down.   This terrible storm has grounded me so to speak.  However, I am most fortunate, not even losing any power, although couldn’t get to work as they had no power in the town that I work.  My thoughts are with those that have been impacted by this October storm.

Potting up day came and went.  It is now a pleasant memory.    I had ordered many daffodils and hyacinths of which most went into the ground for a spring spectacular.             I do like to force bulbs, so I was all set up. 

                                                      This is how I get started.

The jars are all ready.  I force in water using a variety of materials, such as small rocks, glass pebbles, and marbles.  I have used potting soil, but have always found the water forcing to be just more fun, and quite frankly not as messy.  These will go into a refrigerator for about 12-14 weeks.  I will then take them out to enjoy winter blooms.

The bulbs I received were all very healthy, and I do expect great results. 

These are the hyacinth bulbs, very nice ones.  I ordered Woodstock, a very pretty deep purple color and Fondant, an enchanting pink hyacinth.   I planted each color in a large grouping opposite each other in the bed. 

Aren’t they lovely bulbs?  Seems some people have a sensitivity to the bulbs.  I have never experienced that , but do wear gloves most of the time when handling the hyacinth bulbs.

The daffodil bulbs were likewise very healthy, with most being double nosed.  The daffodils I ordered were Greengarden, Katie Heath, Mint Julep, Pistachio, Punchline, Tropical Sunset, and Rainbow of Colors.  For fun, I also ordered Cantabricus, which is the hoop shaped daffodil.   Guess If I am collecting daffodils, then I need to include it in my garden.

I mostly planted in swaths that I placed in swirls in the bed.   Can’t wait to see what it will look like.  It was like creating a work of art, not unlike a painting, yet I will not be able to view it until spring.  Patience is a virtue, and a rewarding one at that.

The lily bulbs also arrived and I quickly planted them.   The spots were all marked during the summer so it was easy work. 

Lillies planted were —Forever Susan, Lionheart, both asiatic.   Also planted Lankon along with bonus bulbs, a surprise mix of asiatics. 

The daylilies are now done, although there are a few late scapes that popped up, so they will be cut and brought inside. Perhaps they will bloom if I give them time to slow down.

A few blooms remain in the garden as things wind down. Toad Lily and Green Jewel Coneflower are still pretty and the mums have been glowing.  

Now don’t forget to turn those clocks back this coming up weekend.  That will give us all an extra hour to slow down. 

Can’t Let Summer Go.

The changes in the garden are evident.  Summer is passing by.  The local weatherman stated that September 1st was the beginning of meterological fall, what does that mean?    I believe that we have the right to have it be summer until September 22nd the day of autumnal equinox.  So I will not let summer go just yet!  So fast is autumn approaching, while the last of the daylilies are just hanging on.  This beauty is Visual Pleasure.  It started to bloom mid July and just finished up a few days ago. 

I couldn’t have daylilies without the great late bloomers.   Such wonderful season extenders, although a bit of sadness is associated with them as when they bloom the gardener knows the end of summer is very near.   It seems the color palette is more narrow with the late blooms, as it is perhaps with the most early bloomers.    Yellow and oranges are certainly common, but we do have burst of other color to enjoy. The grass and trees are a lush green thanks to the  recent heavy rains that managed to skirt this area all summer.  I just wonder what the dry summer will mean for fall foliage colors.

One very nice late blooming daylily is Psalter & Harp, an orange one, but a very vivid color.

Another late bloomer is From My Lips. 

The Holo Deck is bravely blooming.  This is a rebloom scape on a wonderful daylily. It still has several buds and will most likely be in bloom after the end of summer.

Other fall blooming flowers are beginning to awaken.  The sedum is beginning to blush with color and adds a nice touch to the late summer garden. The sedum is Autumn Joy, a very common one.    Which reminds me I need to get to the garden center and look for other sedums that aren’t so common. 

Asters add color, although this summer it was a real challenge to keep them watered.  I did lose several due to the drought.  The plant just dried up before it had a chance to bloom. 

 

A few of the Zebra Mallows are blooming.  It is a bright flower, but does tend to reseed where ever it pleases!

The mornings are much cooler, while the lake water remains warm.  The resulting fog that lifts off the lake each morning has a beauty all its own.

While a rose or two will bloom to remind me that it is still summer, let’s  get out in the garden and enjoy the last few days of summer.

In Memory of Whiskey, my garden helper.

It was a very sad day, on July 20th, Whiskey my garden helper, passed away. 

He was twice rescued, and I was determined to give him a good life.  Whiskey was sick, and had medical issues.  I took him to the vet on a regular basis, as he needed frequent meds, etc.    I was told that he would not live a normal long cat life, and it was suggested that I just have him put to sleep.  I couldn’t do it, and made a commitment to give him what he needed to be comfortable, and he certainly was.

Whiskey enjoyed playing on the patio, and exploring the lake and gardens.  He never wandered far away, staying close to the house. 

Whiskey lived for about three more years past the time that it was suggested that he be put down.   I try to be positive about my experience with him.  I know that he enjoyed his extended time and lived every moment to the fullest.   He was never in want of food, water, comfort, or entertainment. 

Whiskey got along well with other cats, and he especially enjoyed being around people, in spite of his early experience.    I spent the last day with him, on the deck brushing him, not knowing that was his last day.  I found him that next morning curled up in his bed, no longer alive.  He didn’t suffer, but I knew something was up, as he had stopped eating his food the day before.  His last trip to the vet, just three weeks ago, was uneventful, other  than noting that he had lost a pound.  Not a good thing for a small cat.  I just didn’t know his time would be so short.   He was a good cat, very sweet, and never caused any trouble.

He just enjoyed everything in the gardens.  It was a nice change for him.  He loved the lake and often went out on the paddle boat, something the other cats have never done.  Perhaps he wanted to go for a ride? 

He did a good job of catching mice and moles.  He was a great hunter!   He was about ten years old and did live longer than what was expected.  Whisk is buried in the front gardens, and I do miss seeing his sweet face and hearing his quiet meow. 

 I can tell that Babe misses him.  They had spent the last winter in the garage with heated mats and each other for company. 

I will miss him for sure.   Good bye sweet Whiskey.