I guess this has become an annual posting. I’m a gardener. Blogs just aren’t my thing. It has been an epic winter here. No broken records (except in skier numbers to JHMR) but the snow shielding my house is … excessive. Usually this time of year I am seeing crocus at the ski area along the heated walkways. Not this year! There is no less than 4’ of snow in my yard. Condensed snow. Needless to say, no reason to hold our breath for an on time spring. BUT you still never know. It’s supposed to hit 50 degrees next week.. if that temp held, we would be right on schedule. On the upside, hopefully we can keep sprinkler systems off for longer this year. I am enjoying the end of winter and will be happy to see the first bulb shoots emerge. The photo is from March 12.. Enjoy the spring skiing!
Sorry for the hiatus
If you're not a professional 'blogger', I find it hard to keep up with these things. Sorry for the break! We are coming back strong, preparing for the 2018 season. Spring is in the air, birds chirping, snow melting, little rivulets running down the side of the road. Some clients with south facing gardens against walls are already seeing a few inches of new growth! Before we know it, we will be awash in green. Hold tight. Getting there..!
Spring has sprung
We went from inches of snow on April 30 to a week filled with 60/70 degree temps, popping bulbs, and emerging perennials. What a wonderful start to May after a tempestuous April. We aren't quite off to the races yet, as May and June can still be temperamental. But how nice to have a week of sun and warmth!
Hold strong little bulbs...
Sun, rain, snow.. such is spring. Despite the massive winter we had, things are right on schedule, if not on the earlier side. The upside of global warming if there is one - we have spring blooms in spring. 10 years ago it was spring blooms in early summer. Sit tight and wait for the explosion of spring color. It is on its' way!!!
Keeping the winter bright
Winters in Wyoming can be - let me rephrase that - are rather long, especially for us gardeners. What better way to stay engaged than floral design classes? Design classes, no matter what the medium, are always beneficial to any designer. In this case I was lucky enough to take a few classes in bustling NYC. Flowers in the winter seem especially sweet when gray rules the skies and brighter natural color can be hard to find. (Although, WY is one of the best places for winter color with the red twig dogwoods and golden willows). Floral design - yay or nay??
Christmas Deco
And so we begin a new chapter...? As much as it's nice to have a few months off, with all the decorations everywhere, it is tempting to want to do some myself! With a little foraging, it's easy to find snippets of greenery, pine cones, dead branches with moss to use for your arrangement. I couldn't bring myself to pop this one with Christmas red - and part of me wants to remove the ornaments and leave it as a rearranged forest in a box. Always a work in progress and so many options... Thank you West Lives On Gallery for letting me bring some winter delight to your window boxes!
Holding strong!!! (semi...)
These were taken a week ago, pre teen degrees... wondering what they are looking like now!! Squirrelly fall this year with early snow days and more than freezing temps... Alas, until spring..
Pumpkins!
Some like mums, asters, cabbage & kale. Others (me) love the newly wide variety of pumpkins we now have to choose from! Enhancing an entryway.
And suddenly it's fall
We have a lot to combat here in western Wyoming. From frost every month so far this year, to buffalo & elk treating our gardens like their personal buffets, to whipping wind and scorching suns. This time of year we see our gardens wane from the sometimes very frosty nights and the nibbling wildlife. Alas, the uneaten seed heads and colorful turning foliage of plants such as daylilies and geranium keep the gardens a delight. We will hold out for another month (or few weeks at least) before cutting the plants down and putting these gardens to bed for the winter! Enjoy what we have left!
The quiet of August?
Not when you live in a vacation spot like Jackson Hole. The traffic intensifies and the trails continue their bustle. Alas, if you are lucky enough to have a home here, you can retreat to its quiet and enjoy the long summer days within whatever outdoor space you have created. The flowers are blooming, the bees are buzzing. A little pinch here and deadhead there will keep your pots at maximum bloom. Some perennials such as salvia and coreopsis will also last longer with regular deadheading. Enjoy these days of summer, they don't last long!
