April Beauty Abounds

Just prior to Sunset on April 12, 2010 I took the opportunity to capture some pictures of the beauty that surrounds my home here in Middle Georgia. This Japanese Maple always looks great.

Unfortunately I only acquired five of these Pieris plants. They are dwarf plants. One thing I have learned in gardening is that a planting of shrubs needs to be large enough to command interest. Or as some would say, you need a drift of plants to draw attention to the planting.

Many years ago I obtained a "Climbing Hydrangea" to place on the Northside of my home. This one is growing up a brick chimney. It has blooms several times in the past three years. You will also note the pollen on the leaves. It has about ten collections of flower buds.

Here is a close up of a Lace Cap Hydrangea. It also will be in full bloom. I appreciate these Hydrangeas for their delicate beauty.

I would enourage you to go out in your gardens today, even if for a brief period to avoid the pollen, to enjoy the results of your labors. Enjoy the Beauty.

Dogwood Blossoms

When we purchased our Home in January 1992 we did not realize that we had so many native Dogwood trees on the property. We continue to enjoy these lovely blooms every April. I cannot recall a Spring when they were not blooming the First Weekend of April.

While the Azaleas are about ten days behind this year the Dogwoods are right on schedule. The birds also enjoy the berries on the Dogwoods every Fall.

Beauty Abounds in Middle Georgia.

Lenten Rose Planting and Care

During the past years I have given many Lenten Rose Plants away, without really giving much thought as to providing Planting and Care Instruction. Today I will attempt to provide information on what has allowed me to enjoy these plants.

First of all I select a planting site that is very much like an area where Camellias thrive. Lenten Roses like the same type shade.

When I plant them I prepare a mix of 1/3 fine pine bark much, 1/3 sand and 1/3 garden soil. The soil where I live is more clay than any type of loam mixture. I put about one gallon of this mixture into a hole and then place the lenten rose plant in the mixture. Of course I am a firm believer of mulch which can be pine straw or leaves from the trees that abound in my Gardens.

Depending on the weather I make sure that they have adquate water, but that is not usually a problem here in Middle Georgia. About two or three times a Summer season I will feed the ferns and the lenten roses in the shade gardens behind the house with a hose end sprayer using any of the available plant foods sold for foliage feeding.

I appreciate lenten roses because the local deer population do not consume them.

Helleborus orientalis

Lenten Rose

It is the time of the year when the Lenten Rose Blooms can be enjoyed. Today it was warm enough here in Middle Georgia to allow some pictures to be taken. The flower tends to remain closed up when it is cold.

The first picture taken with my hand in view allows you to compare the size of the bloom. The blooms come in many colors. Unless you pay a very high price you get the color that the plant decides to be. These plants produce seeds which grow over a period of about three years before they bloom. The offspring are not true to color of the parent plant.

If you desire a certain color you must purchase a plant that has experienced a bloom cycle, thus the higher cost.

The pictures shown here include the color range that is currently in bloom in the Gardens here in West Bibb County Georgia.

Should you desire additional information please conduct an internet search. These are an easy to grow plant.

Winter Beauty

This evening just before sun set I decided to capture some photographs of the beauty that surrounds my home here in Middle Georgia. This Camellia blossom just posed for me to take this picture. I have learned that taking pictures of flowers in the evening just before sunset allows great detail.
This pansy is in a planter near the front entrance which also includes fatsia. You can appreciate the natural side lighting present in this picture.

Of course this is my most favorite plant for this Season. The temperature was high enough today to allow the lovely fragrance of this Daphne Odera to permeate the surrounding area. They are coming into bloom later this year. I suspect that is because of the recent cooler weather when compared to last Winter. The fragrance should also improve as more flowers bloom.

This rich red Camellia also wanted to be photographed. You can view each of these images in a larger format by simpling clicking on them.

This is a view of my home. You can see the side lighting here as the sun is preparing to set. The time of the day that works well when taking photographs in the gardens.

Winter Time Gardening

Almost every gardening book you read advised you to study your gardens and plantings in the Winter time so that you can observe the structure of your plants more clearly. Certainly great advice.

Additionally, everyone who has ever held a trowel knows that now is the time to order and plan for the upcoming growing and blooming season.

Today, I will focus on the "Joy of Gardening." In fact that is the title of a program that I will be giving later today at the Dublin, Georgia Garden Club. I have fond memories of pass along plants that I have received from Gardening Friends here in Georgia, my adopted home since 1971.

The program today will focus on "Helleborus," also known as "Lenten Rose." I do not recall how I was first introduced to this lovely plant, but I was told that Deer did not eat it so I immediately obtained several plants because I was tired of the Deer even consuming the roses I was trying to grow.


Here you see a portion of the 20 plants I will share with the Garden Club in Dublin, Georgia this afternoon.


This is a view of the Lenten Rose planting in the Back Gardens where I live in West Bibb County Georgia. Lenten Roses thrive in the same type soil that Camellias appreciate. They are a shade plant but in the Winter time they perform well in full Sun. They also are very easy to maintain.

Here is a close-up of a plant that is preparing to bloom. This has been a slow Winter for the blooms to spring forth. Last Winter, I recall that I had one in Bloom on Christmas Eve 2008. You can see a few tight bloom buds in this picture.


So that you can appreciate the size of this lovely flower which will bloom through late March or even early April I have included this picture. This is the first bloom of the Winter 2009/2010 Blooming Season.

Please be advised that you can view these images in a larger format by simpling clicking on the picture. All of these pictures were taken on Tuesday Morning, January 12, 2010.

So, in addition to planning your 2010 Gardens, take some time to obtain cuttings and pot some new baby plants to share with your Friends. We all know that it is possible to obtain great satisfaction when we share the flowers and shrubs that we grow.

This, Dear Gardening Friends is part of the "Joy of Gardening." Thank You!!

Christmas 2009

Natural Foliage

I have noted that several organizations in Middle Georgia focused on using Natural Plant Material in the decor for Christmas 2009. Even the Grand Home of the South, Macon Georgia's Hay House focused on using Natural Plant Material.

The arrangement shown above is in the entrance of the Neel Reid designed home on College Street in Macon, Georgia. This is also the Headquarters of the Macon Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc.

Except for the three gold objects in this arrangement this design on the top of the Hutch in the Breakfast Room at the Garden Club Headquarters in Macon also uses Natural Plant Material.

Have a Blessed Christmas Season!!!