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Monday 21 May 2018

Fothergilla Obsession

It has been a while ... I have "picked" at trying to get my garden up and running for the season but it has been haphazard at best .. between the freaky weather and my physical condition, to say it has been a bit difficult is a bit of an understatement .. but ? here I am yet again !

I'm mainly posting about my obsession for fothergilla gardenii dwarf variety ..
Those Spring flowers just grab me every time .. thus the many pictures of this remarkable little three season shrub (and yes .. I always want more of them once bitten !



Even in "bad" lighting  this little shrub has a load of appeal to me.

There are other plants waking up finally .. but I have so much work to accomplish yet before decent pictures will be posting.

On a happy note we have all the wildlife in our back garden that we had before the patio work.
Mr. Chips, our chipmunk, has managed to dig a hole smack in the middle of foot traffic .. what can we do ? We had been so worried the construction would drive him completely away.
Sophie, our cat, even kept watching the deck doors for him .. he comes to eat sunflower seeds there.
The robin family has at least three babies in their nest now .. two little beaks showing.

I guess I have to admit to another obsession of Dre's Dagger fern
I bought this beauty from Gardens Plus and it has become my favorite .. thanks Dawn !
The texture against other plants fascinates me .. it is smaller than most and so easy to manage.
It is very friendly ? with other plants .. always a little touchy feely ? LOL ..

Well .. today is the 21st of May , our official long Victoria Day weekend .. also the official "get gardening" day for most Canadians ... so I, and Garden PA, will be out there doing our best to whip the gardens into shape.

My sad note is that I fear the majority of my Japanese maples have been severely damaged by this unbelievable winter .. I have an "expert" coming to tell me whether I can save any of them or if they are toast .. it is amazing how attached you can become with these little beauties.. I just have to bite the bullet and move on ..

11 comments:

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

I love your dagger fern. I will have to look for one now. Thanks for that.(-:
I am sorry about the maples. Do they not like the freezing? We had a Japanese maple die here and I have no idea why. It was fine last year and then this Spring it was dead. Lucky thing we have Lowes and can got get a new one for a cheap deal.(-: I remember when those big Japanese maples cost hundreds of dollars.
I am glad your chipmunk is doing well too(-: We caught a few of them when I was a kid to keep as pets. They were so fun. Like a hamster or a mouse only much cuter(-:
I hope you are enjoying the garden springing up!(-:'
Happy Victoria Day!!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I too get attached to the plants in my garden especially trees because they are usually around the longest. This dreadful winter set everything back a few steps. Even the Baptisias were stunted. Now that takes something. Then again we are stuck here through May without any measurable rain. So disheartening. We just do what we can. I love your little fothergilla.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Cindee girl !
Ha Ha .. yes I love to instigate another purchase for YOU girl ! :-)
I'll find out more about my maples when the guy comes to let me know if they are truly gone to maple heaven or if severe pruning might instigate new growth .. it is a punch to the garden gut though .. thank you for knowing how it feels.
You are so lucky to have cheaper prices than we do .. we pay through the nose ? haha
We found out "Mr." is really a "Mrs." with kids LOL .. they are too sweet to believe .. we love them even with the hole situation.
Yesterday I was working like mad in the garden so today I feel like one of the walking dead .. just need time to recuperate .. hope it isn't too hot and dry where you are and that you are enjoying your garden too !

Hello Lisa girl :-) Thank you
You know the same thing happen to my baptisia .. it isn't as vigorous as it usually is .. this past winter was AWFUL to the garden .. let alone us ? LOL
Yes .. I have a thing for the fothergilla ... even Garden PA mentioned how much he liked the flowers .. it is a wonderful shrub and I want more of course ? LOL
Hope you are doing well way over there girl !

Alistair said...

I do like your dwarf fothergilla, I have never grown them I always got the impression they were on the tender side. Your fern does look good alongside the Brunnera Jack Frost. I bet you are pleased to have that Winter behind you.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Alistair : )
These are my favorite shrubs right now and for a few years actually .. and I can't get enough of them .. may order another one in the Fall. They have done very well through our winters, especially this past one which has been WICKED to so many of my plants and trees.
YES .. thank heavens that is behind us .. hope the next one won't be as bad.

RobinL said...

You just had to show off that fothergilla! My sunshiny garden has no place for one, especially with my mini shade area just packed to the gills. Sorry you aren’t feeling well. Makes it hard to garden, doesn’t it? My best to you!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Robin girl , thanks for stopping by and thank yo for the best wishes, I can really use them !... I was out today trying my level best (even with the help of Garden PA) to get things in order .. I fell like I am 100 years old ? LOL
Yes it is hard to admit but I am having a really hard time getting things done .. having said that I am trying to switch to more shrubs and easier care perennials .. still the garden demands so much of us .. we must be crazy right ?

Carrie said...

oh my goodness, I adore your plants. The first one I thought was big flower heads and then I realised that, yes you have said 'dwarf' and the photo of the whole plant has in love! I need ferns in my life; we have an area for some but we've been too busy or I've been too ill and we haven't got around to it but yours is a stunner, I will have to see if you can get it here.
So glad Mr Chips is OK and being his cheeky little self, how adorable, I couldn't be mad with him, haha. And what success the Robin family has had. Oh they know a good place to bring up there babies - with you as a godmother, haha xx

I will write very soon
Your girl C x

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello my girl Carrie :-)
Thank you ! .. yes I am mad for some plants .. have to have doubles of my favorite ones (if possible) just to be on the safe side .. I have lost a lot this year and I won't go on again about my poor Japanese maples .. the 4 robin fledglings left home a few days ago .. Garden PA got a quick video of the last one to leave .. mom and dad robin were excellent parents.
Mrs. Chips and her two young ones are all over the place .. we are about to have some stormy weather so I think I will just creep back to bed and hide under the covers .. haha.

Pat said...

Very cool shrub ! Great capture of your babies, it's funny when the birds use paper items for their nest. Forecast here,cloudy for next 7 days like it's been for the past 5 days. Want to get out and work but it rains every night so it's still wet. Oh, one more surgery and more involved, well I hope only one more... so lovely ha. Have to check out "Garden PA" , sorry just not on the ball lately. Glad to see you post !

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Pats girl .. thank you for dropping by ( I am emailing !) ..
That robin family was amazing .. they were such great parents and got those 4 little lives through the whole process so well ! I wanted to get one last photo of them crowded into that nest while they were so BIG ! it was hilarious to see .. how they didn't fall out was a miracle .. haha
So sorry that you have to got through another surgery .. I really hope this is the last you have to get through .. but you are one strong chick my dear .. you will grit your teeth and surge through it all !