Happy Vernal Equinox!



Happy Vernal Equinox, aka Spring!  

 Double pink Freesia:

Fun springtime surprise:  a piece of Hydrangea I stuck in the ground last fall rooted.  It's growing a new stem:
We've gotten 0.34" (just under 9 mm) of rain over the past two days, in the form of light showers, sprinkles, drizzle, and mist, for a rain year total of 20.10".

This morning the dew point was 55F and the temperature was 55F.  The air was so filled with moisture it had to let it go:


This Graptopetalum, under patio cover, seemed to gaze out at the soft rain somewhat wistfully and reach towards it:
Getting the Pittosporum stump out had to wait until the rain stopped, which it did Monday afternoon.  I had a few hours to dig at it.
It's loose, wiggle-able, but not yet out.  Close, though:
A Geum 'Totally Tangerine' flower appeared over the weekend.  Maybe 3rd year is the charm, and the Geum will produce more than a couple of flower stems this year.  Or maybe it won't.  But it's nice that its trying. 
That's what spring is all about.  

More rain is forecast for tonight and tomorrow.  The stump will have to wait until the storm passes.  
 

Comments

  1. I don't envy you digging out that stump. But it's looking close to happening. So pleased with your comment about Geum 'Totally Tangerine.' I thought my garden was the only place where it just doesn't want to do much. But when it does, they are such lovely little flowers.

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    1. Digging out stumps is physically very difficult. Hurts. It feels like penance, though, for planting the wrong plant, so I do it, feeling really bad because Pittosporum tenuifolum is a gorgeous shrub/small tree--but the drought plus nasty heat waves we now get stress it just too much.

      Your Geum performance comment amazes me because I assumed the problem here was zero winter chill, while your region gets what can be reasonably described as winter chill. A blogger in NorCal says 'Totally Tangerine' is an awesome bloomer for her. She gets winter temps in the 20's.

      So, mystery! I love a good mystery! The flowers are sweet, aren't they? Like apple blossoms, but orange.

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  2. Do you employ a crowbar (pry bar) in the removal of stumps? It makes the job easier and faster.
    Love your Hydrangea surprise. Though slightly out of focus, I can see two more stems about to become more visible.
    Geum success has been sporadic at best in my garden. I haven't given up yet, but it's frustrating.
    Chavli

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    1. I alternate shovel, pick and worn-out lopper to cut roots. A big pry bar would probably be very helpful--thank you that is a smart idea. My stump-removal days are likely to end with this one, however--though I always swear the current stump will be the last one!

      Geum success not great for you also???!?!!

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  3. I expect you picked up even more rain overnight. We got slightly over an inch between last night and this morning, bringing the seasonal total here to 19.82 inches. We've just had a break in the clouds (with sun!) but I understand the rain will be back this afternoon. And my first Dutch Iris bloomed yesterday! How perfect is that? I also have a tiny Geum blooming, my second or third attempt to grow a member of this genus. The cultivar is 'Koi' ;)

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    1. We were at 1.21" since midnight, putting us over 21". Sunned up here briefly as well--went out and checked the garden drains for clogs (none) and pulled some weeds. Now clouded over again and NWS radar shows more rain coming.

      How fun you got your first Iris on the Vernal Equinox--perfect indeed! I went and read AnniesAnnual's comments on Geum 'Koi': low water or else you'll just get foliage. Hmmmm...that's something to try this year. Last year they kept drooping in hot weather so I kept watering. Perhaps more established this year so more resilient in hot spells? Time will tell.

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  4. Happy Spring! now just need all the snow to melt. However, the birds are in mating mode so fun to listen and watch the courtships begin. Lovely photos of the iris and geum. Nothing like moisture and some cloud to give plants such intense colour.

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    1. Snow, oh boy. Well, soon to melt, no? Galanthus in the meantime?

      Here the male Hummingbirds do "U" shaped show-off flights for the ladies--who never seem impressed.

      The cloudy weather has given the flowers particularly saturated color--a special treat because constant sun fades everything--except perhaps Bougainvillea.

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  5. Oh, that's exciting about the Hydrangea and the Geums! Spring is crawling in to my part of the world this year...though slow, at least it's happening. Heard some spring peeper frogs today, so that was encouraging. :)

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    1. Spring won't be long now if the frogs are waking up. Frogs, that must be a lovely sound. Hopping around eating bad bugs! Means your local ecosystem has some health still. Frogs are all gone from here, it seems. :(

      The Hydrangea especially. When I saw the tiny bit of new growth I initially thought "What weed is that?" Recognizing it was a delight.

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  6. Replies
    1. Yes, orange flowers are often very bright--the Geum's soft orange is quite nice.

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