15 April 2011

Promises of Spring

Spring is back! And with it the promise of warmth, renewal and new growth. The problem is that it also comes with a lot of waiting. Around here there's not much to look at besides sprouts, buds, and a few very early blooms (like crocuses), and the tantalizing warmth alternates with teeth-chattering cold. So in the spirit of inspiration and looking forward I thought I'd post a few photos from last year's garden. Enjoy (and click to enlarge)! 

Nothing says sunshine like dahlias: 

 

Canna, just before blooming: 

  

One of my favourite roses, 'The Fairy." Mini flowers (and tons of them) on a regular-sized plant: 

 

Note the tiny visitor on this sunflower: 

 

My first onion braid (and my first homegrown onions)!: 

 

No, this photo is not sideways: the hollyhock grew this way once it reached the top of its support: 

   

Of all the tomato plants I had in the garden last year this one was probably the most prolific. It's also the only one I didn't deliberately plant--it just sprouted on its own by the roses and I left it alone. Go figure:

  

Climbing rose, 'The Viking'  

Rose of Sharon:  

Hollyhock, 'Creme de Cassis':

   

'Heavenly Blue' Morning Glories totally live up to their name: 

   

Not Heavenly Blue but equally pretty (and self seeding!):

 

One of my tomatillo plant with "balloons" (the fruit grows inside them): 

  

I know I post a lot of photos of raindrop-studded Lady's Mantle leaves, but I just think they're so beautiful. Here the leaves are shaded by the fringe of hosta flowers:

 

'Limelight" Hydrangea and hosta flowers" 

  

Hosta flowers are underrated, imo; they look beautiful and smell lovely too:

  

Some of the poppies from the seeds my mom collected from her own garden: 

 

Look closely in the foreground to see the web and the spider in the centre: 

 

One of the few things whose arrival I'm not looking forward to-- the crazy-big slugs that seem to live around here (and at about 4 inches long that's one of the smaller ones I've seen): 

 

Couldn't resist sharing these photos (he and the orchid both like sitting next to the window, and I'm sure he can't wait until it's warm enough to open them again): 

Photos by Whimsy Bower

[Edited to update title, and for formatting and clarity. Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com]

05 April 2011

Winter's Twilight

Glancing out my window I happened to notice the buds on the tree in my yard (I'm embarrassed to admit I don't know what kind of tree it is--the leaves are maple-like but the buds seem to belong to something else and it doesn't drop keys/helicopters...) Against the darkening dusk sky the image seemed to embody the end of winter and the arrival of spring, something I think we've all been anxiously awaiting. (Click to enlarge.) 

Photo by Whimsy Bower