Spring is Just Around The Corner, 'Jane' Said So

We have had such a mild winter this year.  Some of my daffodils are blooming a month earlier than they have for the past couple years.  I know it is getting close to Spring because my Magnolia x 'Jane' is starting to open.  'Jane' is one of the Little Girl Series of Magnolias.  She is a hybrid cross between M. liliiflora' Nigra' and M. stellate 'Rosea'.  These 'girls' tend to bloom later in the spring, missing that late frost that causes damage to the delicate petals.

She isn't open fully, just a tease of color.  Love this tree. She will be a show stopper in a few weeks...and in years to come, wow!!

For those of us in the South who love lilacs but don't have a lot of luck with them, here is a nice color substitute.  Sadly it is not very fragrant.  Daphne genkwa is a sweet little shrub that blooms before its leaves come out.  Right now mine is full of light lavender tubular blooms.  This time of year I welcome all color!!

A little more color this time of year is the Pulmonaria, this one is P. 'Raspberry Splash' with its foliage sporting white polka dots.

and here is P. 'Diana Clare' whose leaves are silver with a green edge.  Will have to share the foliage later in the season.  Right now it is pretty ratty, but the blooms are great.  Pulmonarias bloom pink and age to a lovely dark purple blue.

A new plant in the lower part of the garden is a variegated Pieris.  This one is P. japonica 'Passion Frost'.  I bought three, one looks a little stressed.  Hoping these colorful beauties will do well and grow to their 4-5 feet tall mature size.  Pink blooms and variegated foliage....perfect!!  Another month or so and these pink buds will be open.

Like a new parent or a new puppy owner who is camera happy, I can't stop taking pictures of the Edgeworthia chrysantha.  She is in full bloom now and ever so fragrant.  If you live in zones 7b- 10 and don't have one of these babies, time is wasting!  Get one now!!!

Wanted to give you a wrap-up of the Great Backyard Bird Count-- had a lot of bird activity!!  My count was almost 180 birds in 45 minutes.   I got some feedback on the high count of the Brown-headed Nuthatch.  The seed mix in this feeder was popular with all sorts of birds.  At some points during my count I had 5 Nuthatches at one time on this feeder.

See the Nuthatch below?  Busy little guys.  They take a seed and fly off to eat it and return to get another.

Will be making the rounds to all the blogs I like to read, only have 113 posting in my Google reader right now.

©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Protection, Birds and Fun

Little Carolina Chickadee, a regular visitor

This coming weekend is the Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb. 17- 20.   The website has great information about how to go about doing the count.  They even have lists of birds that are common in your area.  I don't have feeders up in the summer for any birds other than hummingbirds.  In the winter I put up suet cakes and have seed feeders.









 Seems like last winter I saw more woodpeckers.  Maybe it is just me being busy with other things.

Male Red-bellied Woodpecker

On the suet feeders we have the Chickadees and Tufted Titmouse, a few Nuthatches, some House Finches, some Goldfinches, and this little guy.

Pine Warbler?

See the yellow?  What a cutie.

Speaking of cute---
Couldn't help taking a picture of this VW Beetle while we were in town.  Perfect for the gardener! 

When we moved here we noticed there were a lot of donkeys.  Seemed like every field had at least one donkey.   The field near our house has four. 

When we mentioned something about all the donkeys, one of the neighbors said they were for protection.  WHAT?  Apparently they are used to protect livestock from predators.  Amazing, check out this info sheet from Missouri Dept. of Conservation.  We do have coyotes, fox, and some wild pigs.  These donkeys are protecting some Babydoll Sheep, goats, and lots of chickens.   I like seeing them hanging out in the front field, with our favorite view as a backdrop.
Don't forget to watch your backyard feathered friends !!!!

©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.