White Rose Monday, Jun 16 2014 

gardening and Modern Photos , , acairfearann 21:35

I have to figure out how to take rose cuttings. This is one of our oldest roses, buried for years at the head of the drive; it must have been planted after the highway was shifted, so after 1935, but probably not too much later. It is tolerant of shade, incredibly winter hardy, more so than the other old roses which died nearly to the ground*. It is also free of pests (though that might be because there are no other roses near it), mildly fragrant, about five feet tall, and once blooming. In my opinion, it is pretty much what a white rose ought to look like. It has no suggestion of rugosa heritage, the best I can tell it is the true alba semi-plena: the white rose of York.

010

 

*Sadly, this means that they won’t flower this year since unlike the modern roses, they apparently bloom on last year’s growth.

 

A walk Friday, Jun 6 2014 

Esperanza and gardening and Landscapes and Modern Photos and Trees , , acairfearann 20:11

I have been badly remiss these last few weeks with this blog, other paying priorities in the way.

In any case, to make up for it, here is a short walk around what one might think of as the inner circle of the property:

123

129

130

132

135

139

141

144

146

149

157

 

155

160

163

167

173

174

 

Last light of May Thursday, May 29 2014 

Esperanza and Landscapes and Modern Photos , acairfearann 20:25

Another view of the lawn a few days ago…the temptation to start playing with modern art installations is clearly strong! That chair, by the way, is probably getting on for a century in age….

IMG_3084

 

Summer’s Promise Tuesday, May 27 2014 

Esperanza and Landscapes acairfearann 18:12

IMG_3083

 

Lest We Forget Monday, May 26 2014 

Esperanza and Modern Photos , acairfearann 22:19

IMG_5243

 

Purple Iris Friday, May 16 2014 

gardening and Modern Photos , , acairfearann 22:19

A difficult color to work with as it can look too dark and funereal, additionally, the plants are short, no more than 8 inches, so they can look a little odd in the wrong spot; but the structural effects of the leaves are fun! The purple, silver, green with sharp edges has a definite impact in the right spot…now if we could Just Find that spot!

IMG_3006

 

Dwarf Japanese horsechestnut Tuesday, May 13 2014 

gardening and Modern Photos , acairfearann 21:33

Possibly. That is.  We have two very slow growing horse chestnut of Chinese/Japanese ancestry. Never precisely identified! Very elegant cream/gold flowers, spectacular pink buds in the spring, about 15 feet by 15 feet at close to forty plus years old. A few years ago I managed to get a nut from one to actually sprout, hopefully it will grow.  At the moment it is still at the stage of having just one massive terminal bud each year, which makes one nervous.

Here is the flower bud from one of the original ones a few days ago, that flower will eventually be 6 inches tall:

IMG_2962

 

 

Happy Accidents Saturday, May 10 2014 

gardening and Modern Photos , , acairfearann 22:03

We were most surprised the other year by these tulips…they were supposed to be pink! But they certainly do work.

IMG_2954

 

The date of spring Saturday, May 3 2014 

gardening and Modern Photos , acairfearann 21:48

Two years ago these species tulips were up in March, last year in mid-April, this year they just opened today.  Go figure.

IMG_7452

 

Photo of the Day Wednesday, Apr 23 2014 

gardening and Modern Photos , , acairfearann 08:55

Iris in the flagpole garden last year.  I hope I don’t bother it with my reorganization this year.  I shouldn’t, the iris (blue) and the Oriental poppies (true red) are in the center, I’m fiddling with both long edges of the arc.

IMG_0769

 

 

 

 

« Previous Page — Next Page »