Looking up through the Kousa Dogwood
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Going out in glory Sunday, Jun 21 2015
Modern Photos photography 20:01
Summer Solstice
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White Rose Tuesday, Jun 16 2015
gardening and Modern Photos gardening, roses 20:32
I am waiting to see if the named white rose ‘alba maxima’ planted this year is the same, if so I will be quite happy.
In any case, what I believe to be ‘alba maxima’ blooming. This seems to be the survivor of all survivors, lurking in the underbrush until just enough sunlight was given to it when the hedgerow across the way was cut down about 8 years ago. It had to have been planted at the driveway’s entrance, a good two generations ago, and then shaded out, forgotten entirely. It is back now, and blooms faithfully. A tall lanky bush with lovely (if brief flowers) and beautiful rose hips.
What are You doing? Monday, Jun 8 2015
Modern Photos photography 19:48
Turkeys in the pasture!
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Passion Flower Friday, Jun 5 2015
gardening and Modern Photos container plants, passionflower 21:17
It took a few years, but it bloomed a few times last summer and this year it looks like it will bloom all summer. It is quite happy in a pot and is happiest when it is not forced into dormancy. Instead it overwinters in a sunny corner of the basement as it wouldn’t survive the winter here. It is not, however, a plant that you want to let loose if you live farther south, at least not without thinking about it. Now to get the new red one growing.
But you have to admit, it is rather over the top in its structure!!
Passiflora caerulea
Green Maple Tuesday, Jun 2 2015
gardening and Landscapes and Modern Photos gardening, japanese maples, photography 22:23
I know, Japanese Maples are supposed to be red. But, some of our seedlings are green, and a lovely green it is. Besides they go flame orange in the fall. And yes, the trunk is green.
Now if only I could a)find and b)get to grow a cut leaf seedling. I had one, that one in a million (quite literally, anyone need a Japanese Maple seedling?), but it died.
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Experimenting Again Monday, Jun 1 2015
gardening and Modern Photos gardening, iris, photography 13:44
Fiddling with file sizes here, is this acceptable to my one or two loyal readers?
Further comparison:
Large
Small
Black Locust Sunday, May 31 2015
gardening and Modern Photos black locust, gardening, photography 20:24
One of my favorite trees (aren’t they all?) is the Black Locust. Almost Gothic in the winter, Hudson Valley School in the summer; this tree can become massive. It also is a source for rot proof (as in downed trees are still rock hard thirty years after they fell) lumber for posts. As a firewood, if it can be split, it burns hot and long. Today, modern mill equipment is tough enough to deal with cutting it for things more refined than posts. I know a person whose friend took some Black Locust, made planks out of it, and now has a kitchen floor that rivals concrete in hardness, but is a lovely soft green/black veined wood instead. Because its wood can be a lovely green with black veining. So much for the exotic tropical hardwoods.
Did I mention that it grows fast, is relatively disease free, and the blossoms are beloved of the honeybees?
Did I also mention that Connecticut, in its infinite wisdom for approaching the thing the wrong way, has decided that it is not native, being from the wrong side of the Hudson River and is invasive and (unlike such trees as the Norway Maple, whose timber/ecological value is Negative*) this is one plant they will actually try to ban the sale of? (Don’t get me started on the invasive plant list in Connecticut and its application).**
Anyway, since most people have more wisdom than that, Black Locusts are reasonably plentiful. We have several. Here they are in full flower:
The one on the left in the photo above is the third largest in the state.
*I like our big Norway Maples, because there is always intrinsic value in a mature tree. But they are trash for timber, are entirely untouched by native animals, and their growth pattern gives them a formidable edge over all other trees.
**Let’s not even mention the Japanese Barberry and Burning Bush, shall we?
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White and Gold Friday, May 29 2015
gardening and Modern Photos gardening, photography 12:08
Gold Iris
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Grapes Sunday, May 24 2015
gardening and Modern Photos gardening 21:17
White grapes…
And red grapes….
Interesting how the pigment is everywhere in the plant. It is also true of crab apples and apples. I don’t know about magnolias, I’ll have to pay more attention.
Acair Fearann 