A Day Without Destruction!

Today I spent weeding again (oh, my poor knees-but they will get used to it. I hope.)  It was a hot one, in the 80's and I chased the shade around the yard, weeding as I went.  Ann was here after work this afternoon to help us which is greatly appreciated!  Carl hauled fill in from the mulch pile to the area the three stumps vacated last night and Joel cut up the three trees and stacked firewood before hauling pallets of wall stone out to the back eight.  We worked until 8:30 PM and then finally took a much-needed supper break. 

Looking over the majority of my blog postings, it looks as if nothing goes on around here but demolition work.  I took the camera outside this morning solely looking for things of beauty to photograph for a change.

 While not 'beautiful' per se, the plants in the greenhouse are finally starting to grow now that the days are a bit warmer and we have more sunshine.

 I have to get them outside during the day to harden off before planting begins.  Maybe I'm too cautious, but I usually do not plant any annuals out in the garden until after Memorial Day.  I dislike having to try to cover an entire garden in case of frost.

 Snow-in Summer (Cerastium tomentosum) blooming on the north quarry hill.   The silver foliage looks great all season even with occasional  light foot traffic. 

Not sure if the name is right, but the bright blue flowers shown here at barely one inch tall are Veronica Umbrosa 'Georgia Blue'. 

The plant was given to me by a good friend and though it is a creeping ground cover, so far it has been very well-mannered in the garden.  Any blue flower is a magnet for me!

Another plant I can't propagate quickly enough is Adiantum pedatum, commonly known as Maidenhair Fern.  The first time I saw one of these beauties was in my good friend Mary's garden on a rocky outcropping.   I fell in love with the black stems and the delicate fronds.  They look so fragile, but they are much sturdier than they seem. I was amazed to learn they grow in the wild in Wisconsin.   (This one was bought from a greenhouse, by the way.)  One afternoon after a kayaking trip up north, we were walking through a woods only to find ourselves in the midst of hundreds of Maidenhair ferns which were thriving near a decaying oak tree.  I wish I had brought a camera, it was a lovely sight.  Every so often I divide my 'mother plant' and place them in all of the shady beds here and there, they especially look wonderful next to rocks and hosta plants adding a touch of airy charm.

I purchased this Maidenhair fern 'Miss Sharples'

Another fern I am fond of is 'Tatting Fern' Athyrium filix-femina 'Frizelliae'.  This fern hasn't been as robust a grower for me as the maidenhair or the Japanese ferns, but it is still lovely.

Some of the iris are beginning to open, I do not know the name of this particular one, but the fragrance is reminiscent of grapes!

Here is a plant not always welcome in many people's gardens due to it's tendency to seed itself around, but not a problem here: Corydalis Lutea or the yellow bleeding heart.

These happy faces belong to a geranium that Joel brought home from a road construction site years ago.

And, last but not least, another unnamed columbine:

I wanted to get a picture of the inside, but had to stand on my head for the shot.

There,  I made it through an entire post without a picture of a horizontal tree which has to be some sort of a record for me!

Until tomorrow, Karen