Sunday, October 25, 2015
Planted a few shrubs today.
Today I planted the Camellia sasanqua 'Moonfshadow' to the right of the front door, in a protected corner of the house. Update Aug 18: This one is gone, never did very well.
I also planted the two Carolina allspice Calycanthus Aphrodite on the lower level overlooking the lower gardens. One was planted near the hot tub, and the other by the path leading down to the lower gardens. Reportedly, deer avoid these...we'll see! Update Aug 18: Doing well. 4-5' tall. Need pruning to train to a desireable shape. Flowers on end of branches so encourage branching?
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Today I planted the bulbs ordered from Brant and Becky's in Gloucester.
Five Tulip 'Bright Parrot'went to the right of the front entrance (facing). The catalog says: "Bright Parrot - ...and bright it is! a true 55 mph flower that will draw eyes from great distances; with the substance and thickness of the petals, this one should put on a show for a long time! 16"-18"; mid-late spring".
Five Hyacinthus orientalis 'Chicago' went to the left, where I hope their scent may be enjoyed by visitors. The copy says "Chicago - a lovely new one with shimmering blue florets; an awesome color for an awesome city, which ought to create magical garden combos; 6"-10"'.
On the drive, about halfway from the mailbox to the fork in the drive on the right Ida Lee and I had noticed a region with few daffodils last year. I referred to the photo we had taken and planted three groups of five in the blank area just southeast of the dogwood tree in front of the azaleas. Closest to the fork were Narcissus 'Trepolo', the more expensive of the trio of plantings, one of which had a second bulb growing alongside the larger. one of the most colorful of the sunburst type split coronas we have seen; it's a real eye-popper! Late mid spring; 14"-18".
In the middle went Narcissus 'Sir Winston Churchill' large single bulbs. Of this, Brent and Becky remark: ' 3-5
silver dollar sized creamy white flowers with orange flecks; a sport of
N. 'Geranium', it has the same great fragrance and perennial habits;
15"-17"; late-mid spring.'
Closest to the mailbox I put Narcissus 'Delnashaugh'--all of these had a second bulb but one. Of this one, Brent and Becky say 'white, very large, overlapping, rounded petals that surround a tight cluster of apricot pink inner segments, making a statement in the garden and on the show bench; 16"-18"; late spring;.
Five Tulip 'Bright Parrot'went to the right of the front entrance (facing). The catalog says: "Bright Parrot - ...and bright it is! a true 55 mph flower that will draw eyes from great distances; with the substance and thickness of the petals, this one should put on a show for a long time! 16"-18"; mid-late spring".
 |
| Tulip Bright Parrot |
Five Hyacinthus orientalis 'Chicago' went to the left, where I hope their scent may be enjoyed by visitors. The copy says "Chicago - a lovely new one with shimmering blue florets; an awesome color for an awesome city, which ought to create magical garden combos; 6"-10"'.
 |
| H. Chicago |
On the drive, about halfway from the mailbox to the fork in the drive on the right Ida Lee and I had noticed a region with few daffodils last year. I referred to the photo we had taken and planted three groups of five in the blank area just southeast of the dogwood tree in front of the azaleas. Closest to the fork were Narcissus 'Trepolo', the more expensive of the trio of plantings, one of which had a second bulb growing alongside the larger. one of the most colorful of the sunburst type split coronas we have seen; it's a real eye-popper! Late mid spring; 14"-18".
 |
| N. Trepolo |
 |
| N. Sir Winston Churchill |
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| N. Delnashaugh |
Thursday, August 28, 2014
8/21/2014 Ida Lee arrived at the meeting from the hotel at a little before 1pm, as the last talks were concluding. We had lunch in the University cafeteria, a very loud room with buffet style serving where the plates were weighed and we were charged by the weight, a common practice in Brazil.
Just outside the cafeteria was a very strange tree, with large coconut size fruits with a nubbly skin hanging from the trunk. We were told by one person that they were tasty, a bit like mango, but by another that they were awful, known for jumping through car windows and breaking them with no notice. We didn't try one.
After a short wait and lots of goodbyes the observatory vehicles pulled up into the parking lot for a last time and the seven glitterati were off to the airport. There was really little traffic. The final approach was by the bay, brilliantly blue on this sunny day. Alongside us was a completely empty expressway apparently made to whisk soccer crowds to the airport, only used for buses but empty today.
At the airport, Duilia led us to the checkin lane where Tommy discovered that we were early enough to get a direct flight to Foz de Iguacu rather than the two legged flight we had booked, with a four hour layover in Curitiba (7th largest city in Brazil but an airport is an airport), That cheered us up so we hurried to the gate and boarded the flight, by now just about completely full.
I gave Ida Lee my window seat up front for her middle seat halfway back and settled in. My seat mate was with some friends who had just had their law exams after graduating from UCLA. Steve said they were making their way through Brazil, having just come from Brasilia where his sister, married to a Brazilian, had just had a second marriage for the benefit of the many Brazilian cousins. After a bit under two hours, the sun setting through the smoky haze, a network of huge rivers was apparent on the ground below and we began our descent.
The airport was small so it was no time before we were on our way to the Iguassu Resort where we were staying. A huge place, all very new-looking! The rooms were eight to a bungalow, ours in 1408 on the 2nd floor. It was beautiful and spacious.
8/28/2014 This am we're seeing a purple fronted euphonia and a turquoise honeycreeper pair in addition to a whizzing swallowtailed hummingbird tussling with a glittering throated hummingbird and a jacobin hummingbird over the feeders. And a Sayaca tanager pair. There are many red rumped Caciques too. Misty and cool 60F here in the rainforest this morning--Ida Lee crawled under the covers!
It has been my first experience living in a rainforest (though it is dry season so rain is uncommon, though we have it today). They get 100" per year here! These are very ancient mountains, leftovers from when South America took leave of Africa before the end of the dinosaurs. They are very hard granite, with very perpendicular peaks of gneiss interspersed.
The forest was mostly turned into farms over the past century. The owner of the lodge's great grandfather built a farm here in 1907. Nicholas started rebuilding the native habitat from the cowpastures ten years ago. He returned a drained area to wetland, and plants 80,000 trees per year. Now it isn't an old forest but it is definitely a forest. The birds are really interesting. One can hike several miles of trails, going up to a thousand meters in the foothills (not me!) or just pad around the lake, where there are hides set up for surreptitious viewing. One fellow saw a sloth in a hillcrest tree, and there are capybara along the pond. We saw a tayra, a SAmerican weasel, in one rocky streambed.
Today, Ida Lee and I are here with one other guest, Derek, from S. Africa. Tonight, we're joined by 11 others (7 Swedes). We'll depart tomorrow after lunch.
Just outside the cafeteria was a very strange tree, with large coconut size fruits with a nubbly skin hanging from the trunk. We were told by one person that they were tasty, a bit like mango, but by another that they were awful, known for jumping through car windows and breaking them with no notice. We didn't try one.
After a short wait and lots of goodbyes the observatory vehicles pulled up into the parking lot for a last time and the seven glitterati were off to the airport. There was really little traffic. The final approach was by the bay, brilliantly blue on this sunny day. Alongside us was a completely empty expressway apparently made to whisk soccer crowds to the airport, only used for buses but empty today.
At the airport, Duilia led us to the checkin lane where Tommy discovered that we were early enough to get a direct flight to Foz de Iguacu rather than the two legged flight we had booked, with a four hour layover in Curitiba (7th largest city in Brazil but an airport is an airport), That cheered us up so we hurried to the gate and boarded the flight, by now just about completely full.
I gave Ida Lee my window seat up front for her middle seat halfway back and settled in. My seat mate was with some friends who had just had their law exams after graduating from UCLA. Steve said they were making their way through Brazil, having just come from Brasilia where his sister, married to a Brazilian, had just had a second marriage for the benefit of the many Brazilian cousins. After a bit under two hours, the sun setting through the smoky haze, a network of huge rivers was apparent on the ground below and we began our descent.
The airport was small so it was no time before we were on our way to the Iguassu Resort where we were staying. A huge place, all very new-looking! The rooms were eight to a bungalow, ours in 1408 on the 2nd floor. It was beautiful and spacious.
8/28/2014 This am we're seeing a purple fronted euphonia and a turquoise honeycreeper pair in addition to a whizzing swallowtailed hummingbird tussling with a glittering throated hummingbird and a jacobin hummingbird over the feeders. And a Sayaca tanager pair. There are many red rumped Caciques too. Misty and cool 60F here in the rainforest this morning--Ida Lee crawled under the covers!
It has been my first experience living in a rainforest (though it is dry season so rain is uncommon, though we have it today). They get 100" per year here! These are very ancient mountains, leftovers from when South America took leave of Africa before the end of the dinosaurs. They are very hard granite, with very perpendicular peaks of gneiss interspersed.
The forest was mostly turned into farms over the past century. The owner of the lodge's great grandfather built a farm here in 1907. Nicholas started rebuilding the native habitat from the cowpastures ten years ago. He returned a drained area to wetland, and plants 80,000 trees per year. Now it isn't an old forest but it is definitely a forest. The birds are really interesting. One can hike several miles of trails, going up to a thousand meters in the foothills (not me!) or just pad around the lake, where there are hides set up for surreptitious viewing. One fellow saw a sloth in a hillcrest tree, and there are capybara along the pond. We saw a tayra, a SAmerican weasel, in one rocky streambed.
Today, Ida Lee and I are here with one other guest, Derek, from S. Africa. Tonight, we're joined by 11 others (7 Swedes). We'll depart tomorrow after lunch.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Planted the tulips
All varieties of parrot tulips were planted today, There were a few dozen Prof. Roentgen to the south of the front walk, and to the north five each of Bright Parrot (closer to the walk) and Madonna, north of that.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Daffodils planted
Planted the Altun Ha to right of heron sculpture, Tahiti behind it, and Full Throttle to left, with Martinette in front.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Fall Bulbs
I bought a selection of Daffodils and Tulips from nearby Brent and Becky's Bulbs in Gloucester. Their photos and descriptions:
Daffodils
Altun Ha - (Camelot x Daydream; sister seedling to the popular N. 'Avalon' which has developed some fusarium issues) A beautifully formed, healthy, soft yellow reverse bi-color; the cup gets whiter as it gets older; its smooth texture ought to make it a winner on the show bench; a great addition to the garden; mid-late spring; 14" - 16". Division 2 Large Cup
Full Throttle - show-wee! giant sporting a peachy-apricot trumpet: this should be a show-stopper in your perennial border! 14"-18"; mid-spring. Div 1 Trumpet
Tahiti - (4 Y-O) single flowered, multiple rows of very soft yellow, rounded, beautifully formed petals with bright red segments in the middle; strong stemmed, blast resistant perennializer and a great show flower; 14"-16"; late-midseason; zones 3-8. Div 4 Double
Martinette - (8 Y-O) recently moved to this division; a virtual bouquet on a stem, many bright yellow and orange flowers are lovely and wonderfully aromatic in a vase as it is in the 55 m.p.h. garden; 14"-16"; early-midseason. (12/14+cm) Div 8 Tazetta
Bright Parrot - ...and bright it is! a true 55 mph flower that will draw eyes from great distances; with the substance and thickness of the petals, this one should put on a show for a long time! 16"-18"; mid-late spring. Div 9 Parrot
Daffodils
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| Altun Ha |
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| Full Throttle |
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| Tahiti |
Tahiti - (4 Y-O) single flowered, multiple rows of very soft yellow, rounded, beautifully formed petals with bright red segments in the middle; strong stemmed, blast resistant perennializer and a great show flower; 14"-16"; late-midseason; zones 3-8. Div 4 Double
Martinette - (8 Y-O) recently moved to this division; a virtual bouquet on a stem, many bright yellow and orange flowers are lovely and wonderfully aromatic in a vase as it is in the 55 m.p.h. garden; 14"-16"; early-midseason. (12/14+cm) Div 8 Tazetta
Tulips
Bright Parrot - ...and bright it is! a true 55 mph flower that will draw eyes from great distances; with the substance and thickness of the petals, this one should put on a show for a long time! 16"-18"; mid-late spring. Div 9 Parrot
Madonna - green brush marks give a look of a 'viridiflora' type tulip but with the shape and substance of this division, this flower has the best of both types; a winner! 15"-18"; mid-late spring. Div 9 - Parrot
Professor Rontgen - rich blend of warm, happy orange tones draws much attention; strong stems; 17"-21"; mid-late spring. Div 9 - Parrot
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