One More Trip Through the Learning Garden

Happy Memorial Day weekend to all. For your viewing pleasure I wanted to share a few of the photos I took in the Learning Garden yesterday (Thursday). I have very few Thursdays left....time is really zooming by before the move to South Carolina.

Wish the center of the bloom was a bit more in focus...this is Magnolia grandifolia 'Brakens Brown Beauty'.



It was hot and very sunny on Thursday and this Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosa , seemed to glow.



Mr. Bumblebee was busy in the Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca.



The Verbena bonariensis stands out against the Daisy.



And a plant that is pretty cool...Acanthus mollis is blooming right now.








words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Visit to a Special Garden

I know I have been lax in my posting on this blog and reading postings of other blogs. Time is not entirely my own right now. It is a busy time with moving, showing the house, a few trips, and general upkeep of said house. I will be putting together a few posts on the Master Gardener study trip. You may remember I posted a few entries about last year's trip.

Right after we got back from the trip, I received an invitation to see a plant in bloom from my friend Jim. His garden is primarily a shade garden and any visit to his garden makes for multiple 'Kodak moments'. The entry to the side and back gardens is framed with an arbor that held the most beautiful specimen of a Schizophragma hydrangeoides 'Moonlight'. As you can see just past the arbor is a huge Daphne odora 'Aureo-marginata', in mid-winter the fragrance is intoxicating.

This is not a climbing hydrangea but a Schizophragma hydrangeiodes. The darker veined leaves are beautiful, but the white sterile blooms around the tiny flowers are almost glowing.




As we walked around the corner of the arbor and into the backyard you could see the bloom I was invited to see. A Spigelia marilandica, a beautiful and really under-used native plant.

A common name is Indian Pink,think this is one I will keep in mind for SC as it is a shade loving plant.

Jim has lots of ferns in his garden ---here are a couple
Maidenhair fern, don't you love the dark stems?


An Arborvitae fern, a Selaginella braunii. Really nice groundcover.


A Tassel Fern, Polystichum polyblepharum


And a good example of how oak trees cross-pollinate. This oak is unknown. A branch was sent off to get identified and they were unable to make a certain identification. Makes me feel better when the experts can't always ID a species.


Future tree postings will be coming, I received two wonderful tree books for Mother's Day and have been inspired. Add to further inspiration, one of our study trip's stops was the Commonwealth's Public Garden which had a nice arboretum. See you soon!!








words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Rocky Raccoon

(Lennon/McCartney)

Now somewhere in the black mountain hills of Dakota

There lived a young boy named Rocky Raccoon

And one day his woman ran off with another guy

Hit young Rocky in the eye Rocky didn't like that

He said I'm gonna get that boy

So one day he walked into town

Booked himself a room in the local saloon

Rocky Raccoon checked into his room

Only to find Gideon's bible

Rocky had come equipped with a gun

To shoot off the legs of his rival

His rival it seems had broken his dreams

By stealing the girl of his fancy

Her name was Magil and she called herself Lil

But everyone knew her as Nancy

Now she and her man who called himself Dan

Were in the next room at the hoe down

Rocky burst in and grinning a grin

He said Danny boy this is a showdown

But Daniel was hot, he drew first and shot

And Rocky collapsed in the corner, ah

D'da d'da d'da da da da

D'da d'da d'da da da da

D'da d'da d'da da d'da d'da d'da d'da

Do do do do do do

D'do d'do d'do do do do

D'do d'do d'do do do do

D'do d'do d'do do do d'do d'do d'do d'do

Do do do do do do

Now the doctor came in stinking of gin

And proceeded to lie on the table

He said Rocky you met your match

And Rocky said, doc it's only a scratch

And I'll be better I'll be better doc as soon as I am able

And now Rocky Raccoon he fell back in his room

Only to find Gideon's bible

Gideon checked out and he left it no doubt

To help with good Rocky's revival, ah

Oh yeah, yeah

D'do d'do d'do do do do

D'do d'do d'do do do do

D'do d'do d'do do do d'do d'do d'do d'do

Do do do do do do

D'do d'do d'do do do do, come on, Rocky boy

D'do d'do d'do do do do, come on, Rocky boy

D'do d'do d'do do do d'do d'do d'do d'do

The story of Rocky there

What's wrong with these pictures? Raccoons are nocturnal animals...this guy should be sleeping. Hope he stays on his side of the creek.


words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

When You Look Really Closely......

You will know why you don't have any parsley---

The gentle fragrance of the Peony can be enjoyed



You will see the hydrangea become blue



One can hope the birds will leave a few Elderberries for me to enjoy



The Dwarf Iris is starting to bloom as the Amsonia fades



The Red Cordyline that you thought was toast, isn't--



Weigela florida 'French Lace' is putting on a show



The fragrance on the breeze is coming from the evil honeysuckle



You wonder how the little white rose bush can be doing so well with that big hole right next to it.............who lives there???

Jane continues to bloom --she is a trooper.

Japanese Asters, Kalimeris pinnatifida are starting to bloom and will continue until first frost.

Pink Grootendorst Rosa rugosa has the sweetest little blooms

But most importantly, if you sit very still, maybe no one will see you.



words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Wildlife In The Creek

Some of you know that when I sit at the little desk in the kitchen I have a view of the creek. There is always something going on in the creek this time of year. Little fish, bigger fish, Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Osprey and a host of other characters are all in action. Last night I had the best view of a very reclusive creature. A HUGE Snapping Turtle!



Charlie and I ran out to get a better look, me without my camera. Upon his insistence I hustled back in to get the camera...thinking 'by the time I get back that turtle will be under the mud'.
Tide was low and on its way out so unless this turtle decided to hide in the mud we were going to have a great view of its trek down the creek.



See him look at me??? Whoaaa

I kept snapping pictures as he (she?) slowly worked its way through the remaining water. Here he is really struggling to make headway.



Once it was clear we were there, he started pulling his head in and dove into the muddy bottom. He waited until we went in and then under the cover of the mud, continued to work his way along.


Guess I should say its shell was close to 2 feet long, though I have no photo that contains a point of reference.


I have updated my tab 'About the Queen'.
words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.