Each Little World

March madness

I was out in the garden Friday checking on emerging snowdrops and Hellebores.

Galanthus 'Magnet'

Helleborus 'New York Night'. The leaves on most of the Hellebores were flat on the ground around the flower buds. I cut them off and set them aside, thinking I'd toss them over the plants if the weather took a turn for the worse.

Saturday morning I woke up to very different garden; the turn for the worse had arrived. I sat around, just checking every couple of hours to see how much more snow had fallen. We were at 6" when I got up at 6:30 am. It was up to 8" by 8 am and 10" at 10 am — the time that the day-long textile workshop I signed up for in January was beginning

Luckily they offered a Zoom component for those of us stuck at home due to the weather. I've only done Zoom lectures or chats with friends. This experience was an eye opener in terms of what students and many employees have been dealing with since the start of the pandemic. Not easy trying to do serious work on Zoom.

The windows on the north and south sides of the house had melting snow on them, suggesting how whirling the wind was. Both snow photos were taken through the windows which suggests why they are not my best ever images.

I visually measure snow depth using the wooden bridge over the dry stream (below). This time I went outside with a yardstick to get the 10" measure.

I've lived in snow states my whole life, so this weather wasn't all that surprising. My personal weather theory is that at the end of the winter season — just when you are frantic for spring — you will get the snow that you missed at the beginning of the season. Unhappy to be proven right again.

Petite perfection

Last summer we visited a new garden high above the shore of Lake Mendota. It was filled with striking rock work but that's another post. Amidst a lot of drama I was struck by this small contemplative planting.

It's outside the windows of the lower level of the house with the opposite side a step up to ground level. The easy and common solution would have been to just let the lawn slope gently to the windows.

This gives anyone inside an eye level treat while the outside is an unexpected garden in an unexpected location. A tiny feature in a wonderful large garden

A Week of Flowers: Day 2

Does spring get any better than the moment the Hellebores start to bloom? These are among my favorites for their unusual color.

H. torquata

H. 'Jade Tiger'

H. 'New York NIght'

To see what flowers other gardeners are sharing, visit Cathy at Words and Herbs who's hosting this meme.

A Week of Flowers: Day 1

This combination of plants provides one of my favorite moments in the spring garden. The group includes Epimedium 'Crime Scene' with Primula kisoana and the emerging foliage of Cimicifuga racemosa 'Hillside Black Beauty' (now know as Actea simplex, Atropurpurea group).

Thinking spring is the perfect antidote to the very Novermber-ish weather we're having. To see what's sparking other gardener's memories, visit Cathy at Words and Herbs who's hosting this meme.

IVOM: The perfect vase

Some vases are perfect because they are just right for short-stemmed blooms.

If you're lucky, they're equally good for long-stemmed beauties. 

But the very best vases look perfect even when they don't have any flowers. 

I love the glass vases by Richard Jones of Studio Paran in Madison. Given that I have three more of his vases in different shapes, sizes and colors, you could probably say I am addicted.

Jones is closing his studio and has been slowly selling his stock; first online and now Saturday afternoons in person at his shop. 

I bought this one knowing it was unlike any of my other black and silver vases. Mark suggested I display them as a group without flowers. I was thrilled he said that as that is exactly what I was thinking of doing!

I added a pot of Cyclamen to turn it into a Christmas display. Though I admit the flower color looked much more red in the shop than in my living room. Still, I am happy with my new purchase and love the group as a holiday display. 

IVOM: Bouquets in black and white

I cut the seedheads off of my Belcamda chinensis knowing they have a reputation as rampant self-seeders. Given that it's planted next to the gravel-filled upper pond, I could just imagine my frustration if the seeds landed there. Thus I've been enjoying this small bouquet of shiny black buttons indoors, instead of worrying about them free out of doors. 

Our recent warm weather pushed my Thanksgiving rose — Helleborus niger — into spectacular bloom. Here it is last Monday, Nov. 7th.

_{Last Thursday we finished our winter prep on the last warm day. Overnight the temperature dropped from the low 70°s to the 30°s. That was followed by wind, rain and snow showers. When the temperature finally hit 32° early this afternoon I went out and cut a few Hellebore stems.}

_{The flowers were lightly brushed with snow with iced and downward curving stems. It didn't take them long to perk right back up however. You've gotta love a plant that can deal with serious weather.} 

Is this really August?

I've been working non-stop in the garden because the weather has been beautiful. Hot, but not enough to note the actual temperatures in my garden journal. What I am tracking is the rain. Sunday afternoon we had measurable rain for the third time in four days.

Amazingly, our rain total for August — as of yesterday — is a glorious 5.31". I can relax and be pretty confident that all the plants I am adding, moving and dividing will survive. I hate to even mention this wonderful weather knowing what so many of you are experiencing elsewhere. But, in truth, I'm looking forward to another week happily spent outdoors.

August abundance

In Wisconsin we wait every year for August. We've spent weeks and weeks driving past farm fields watching and calculating. And now it's here: The moment when local corn and tomatoes arrive at the farmers' markets. And not just arrive; we are awash in the food we dream about all year.

We've had corn on the cob, off the cob, as the main dish or a savory side. The same with tomatoes: grape or cherry, beefsteak, heritage, organic. We enjoy them every way and every day that we can. They are the glory of life in the Upper Midwest.

Fresh tomato sauce for pasta is a long-time favorite. Seed and chop tomatoes, add minced shallots, diced Kalamata olives, a splash of balsamic vinegar and one of olive oil. Pile on assorted herbs, but especially lots of basil. 

You can heat this melange a bit or serve it at room temperature as soon as you've finished slicing and dicing. I've put it over long spaghetti, but my favorite way is with farfalle — bow tie pasta. Grate a little fresh Parmesan cheese over it and voila! Dinner is served.

An almost perfect weekend

I bought this great market basket (note the wooden wheels) in the 1970s when the legendary Dane County Farmers Market began. I lived close enough to the market to walk to it, but far enough that I needed some kind of carryall. It's critical for August produce that weighs more than I can easily carry. These days there are so many excellent farm markets all over town that I haven't been downtown to the big market in years. 

You can see what I mean: cantaloupe and 9 ears of corn were the first things I bought. They went on the bottom and I built on that solid base. The bag holds pastries from Madison Sourdough. The thought of those treats gets me up early on Saturday morning.

Yesterday I got to the market when it opened knowing how hot and humid the weather was already. Last night at 7 p.m. the temperature was still 89°F. (31.66°C.) Weather Bug said it felt like 99°F. (37.22°C.) and I wouldn't argue with that. But I can't really complain given the extreme heat so many others are experiencing. 

Rain was forecast to begin overnight. Lately it seems like we are often in a gap in storm systems and get little or no rain. Not this time. When I went out around 8 a.m., my rain gauge measured 1.94" (4.92 cm.). We're supposed to get a little more rain today and possibly tomorrow. I was stunned at that number and thrilled. 

The temps look cooler for the coming week. So I will be able to weed in prep for our last garden tour on Thursday, even if it's too wet to plant the things that have been waiting for the temps to drop.

The kids are alright

Welcome garden bloggers

to the Madison, Wisconsin

Fling!