Acair Fearann

No not ‘pin’. Actually, this is our baby white oak. A carefully found (that took a bit of doing thanks to the high deer population) offspring of the big white oaks down below the Royal Oak pasture. When I dug it up several years ago, it was about six inches tall with a tap root deeper than the shovel. Careful excavation was required.

Today it is almost two feet tall (several years have passed) with multiple branches. Someday, it may rule the northwest lawn. Maybe in my nieces’ generation?

One of the reasons I selected it (aside from the repeat failure of commercial white oaks) was the spring color: rose pink. It should have lovely form as well, that will be told only by time.

You will observe the fence and the white flag (deer repellent)

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I haven’t found the ideal location visually for this one yet. The chionodoxa (bright blue) are spectacular against the river birch, the scilla (Siberian Squill) tend to be happiest in areas where the lawn greens up fairly early (so one has a saturated blue against the green). On the other hand, the Puschkinia are very happy, and multiplying, beneath the Paper birch; but the reflective, light tan leaf litter in the area reduces the impact of their flowers. Fussy of me!

Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica (Striped Squill), native to the Causcaus. Similar in timing, growth, and habit to the scilla and the chionodoxa, very tough, white flowers with a blue stripe, about four inches tall.

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We got the fallen pine tree, one of two fallen pine trees actually, shifted today, with the help of the red dragon. Hydraulics are wonderful helpers! Now to find a nice replacement spruce for the one that was squished by the old pine. Probably a Norway spruce, similar to the mature one a bit to the south. (Much smaller though!! Pity one can’t move 80 foot trees…)

The vegetable garden is being dug, slowly. The peas aren’t in yet, though, which seems a bit  late; but then the lilacs are only just starting to swell.

The crocus are almost done, with only a sparkling scatter of pure white crocus out in the meadow, (which is lovely emerald green, quite elegant).* The daffodils are beginning to bloom, all at once for some reason and relatively short. Don’t ask.

*Including one way, way out in the field about as far as one can go.  A very ambitious chipmunk no doubt, I feel bad about him forgetting his dinner location though…

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I know, in comparison to other places, we aren’t exactly dry. Still, a good day of spring rain is wonderful; one can watch the buds swell, the color come into the trees, the grass turn green. It was also a good day for slipping a few new roses into the ground. Among them: ‘Alba Maxima’ the Jacobite Rose (which is also known as the White Rose of York) and ‘Gallica Officinalis’ the Apothecary’s Rose (which is also known as the Red Rose of Lancaster). History lives in plants; I hope that these will get along better than the people did….perhaps I ought to plant a thistle and a leek?

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As requested, from last year (April 9th, 2014) when c. vernus were at the height of their bloom. By that date in early April the species crocus were largely past. This year, considering the snow still out there, who knows when they will flower; in comparison, the snow is currently at the lower fence line as seen in the photo. Spring, though, is fast. Even with that snow out there, it is possible that the c. vernus will be in bloom only a week or so later than last year. We shall see!

*There is some major foreshortening in this photo, each section of fence is between 12-18 feet, and the photo is taken from about 20 feet away from the fence.

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