Posts tagged Hamamelis intermedia ‘Magic Fire’

It’s the most wonderful time of the year

June 19, 2013 · Filed under bulbs, trees · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Although the song is talking about christmas, for me, it is spring.  Although anytime I get to visit my garden now becomes the most wonderful time of year.  But here was spring in my garden (a bit late), I was soooo very excited. Just a quick look at what was happening all around me.

All three of my witch hazels were still in flower,

Hamamelis ‘Arnold’s Promise’

This one I took the moment I arrived, just starting to get dark.

Jelena

Magic Fire

Another problem with trying to post two months later, I can’t remember if this is Jelena or Magic Fire, I am inclined to think the latter.

Crocus Roseus, although looking a bit more lilac here.

And perhaps, if I lie to myself, a few more tommies then last year.

A friend gave me a number of helleborus seedlings three years ago. This spring a couple of them started flowering for the first time,

this was the first one to open,

and in bud another.

Scilla tubergeniana is bulking up nicely,

love the ice blue flowers.

This is the first year that I got to see Bulbocodium vernum flower,

often referred to as a spring Colchicum.

There was lots more in bloom, but I have to leave you wanting more, lol….

lyrics by Andy Williams

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A Birds Eye View 2012

May 25, 2012 · Filed under design · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Are you all addicted to seeing me in high places? Do you like the idea of me on my roof, bracing myself against the wind? Come on, want the truth here.

The third most popular post ever, (about my garden) is this one. My first is this, makes sense, people want to get ideas for Christmas, who better to come to then a florist. This one, I was a bit surprised about, I think it is just starting to get popular, however I have had mine for a couple of years, and just love it. But number three, lucky number three. This is the one where I climb up on the roof, and risk life and limb to show you (and me) a bird’s eye view of the garden. Of course, the best time to do so is in early spring. I have a lot of big, old trees around the house and garden, when the leaves are out they really screen it. But now, you can see every detail.  For me, it is a great way to plan out my garden, does something look wrong or out-of-place or scale from the roof. I am always surprised how small the garden areas look from the roof, when I am in them they seem enormous. Take the Kitchen garden for example. Looks tiny doesn’t it. The space actually measures 20 feet x 20 feet, that is actually larger than our whole backyard when we lived in our first house.

I had really hoped by now, (this is the 6th spring for us in Kilbourne Grove), there would be more accomplished.  I guess it is not too bad, after all we have never lived in the house full-time, only weekends for the first 4 years and then the last two, in Barbados. How much can you really accomplish, not actually living there, all the weeding and lawn cutting to take care of, never mind life and relaxation, (after all it is the weekend). My father kept cautioning me, (every spring), don’t make so many gardens that you can’t maintain them all, and I had no intention of listening to him, lol. However, a job transfer accomplished what parental advise never could. There has been no time to design anything new, although certainly in my mind’s eye I have.

So this is where it stands this spring, our 6th,

Front Garden

Not many changes in the front garden, although I did add a Cornus ‘Golden Shadows’ to the top right hand corner. This Cornus becomes a tiered beauty of chartreuse and green variegated leaves, and should add a lovely light look against the dark green of the cedar hedge. You can hardly see the Daybreak and Magic Fire here, they will have to get a lot larger to be seen from the roof at this time of year.

Front Garden

Can you see the dark dirt spot, just under the maple leaves, that is where Golden Shadows is planted? I can’t see it either, the darn program cut off the end of my photo and I can’t figure out how to change it, trust me, it is there!

Lime Walk

Lime Walk April 2010

Lime Walk

Lime Walk 2012

The muscari in the Lime Walk  are even thicker this year, although they are just about finished, what a difference an early spring makes. . On the right, the path will lead into the Yew Garden, on the left, I still need to move the plants to create a path to the croquet Lawn. I love seeing these two photos together, just when I feel like my hedges are not growing, here is some hard evidence that they are.

The Serviceberry Allee

The Serviceberry Allee 2010

The Serviceberry Allee

This is the hardest one to see, hidden at the back of the garden, and a huge maple branch in the way.

The Serviceberry Allee at the top of the photo, leads into the Kitchen Garden.  I finally added the last two serviceberry to the Allee, for a total of 11.  Now, it is finished, except for the growing part, tee hee.

The Flora Glade and The Kitchen Garden

Here you can see the Flora Glade and Kitchen Garden.

Flora Glade 2010

Flora Glade 2011

Flora Glade 2012

Except for the plants (hopefully) getting larger nothing was changed here. Although I am in the process of moving the path, filled it in on the left hand side, and slowly changing it on the right. Moved the perennials last fall, and in the process of moving the bulbs after they flower. Hopefully I will be able to finish it in the fall. The stone paths and the pedestals certainly make a difference in the way it looks just 2 years ago. If you want to read about me (Ian) building the pedestals, you can here.

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A Birds Eye View 2011

May 19, 2011 · Filed under design · Tagged , , , , ,

This has to be one of my most popular posts. I am not sure why, did everyone like the idea of me risking life and limb,to climb up on my roof? I know why I like it, I get such a great view of my garden, and I am hoping, in a few years, when the hedges start to thicken,you will not be able to see from one room into the other (except in strategic places). This will be the only way to see the whole garden at one time.  It is nice to be able to look back over the years and (hopefully) see lots of changes. Last year, I took the photos in early April, so not a lot was in flower at that point. This year I had to wait until early May, I don’t think Ian would be happy about me climbing on the roof without him there to supervise. So you can see the garden is much further along.

In the front, the ‘Magic Fire’ witch hazel is placed against the cedar backdrop.  The scilla at the bottom of the photo surround the ‘Daybreak’ magnolia.

The muscari in the Lime Walk  are thickening up. On the right, the path will lead into the Yew Garden, on the left, I need to move the plants to create a path to the croquet Lawn.

The Serviceberry Allee at the top of the photo, leads into the Kitchen Garden.

Here you can see the Flora Glade and Kitchen Garden in closer detail.

Maybe one day I will learn how to post photos side by side, so you (and I)can see the difference from one year to the other.

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Witchy Poo!

April 25, 2011 · Filed under shrubs, trees · Tagged , , ,

I am greedy, greedy for spring!  It is my favourite time of the year, nothing (in my mind) compares to it. And so I am always looking for plants, trees, bulbs etc. that are early. Now early does not always mean the same thing to everyone. To all you lovely UK bloggers, early is January. I would love to have something flower in January, but there is no chance of that in Owen Sound. When I lived in Toronto or in Kingston,  I would sometimes have snowdrops flowering in February, but at Kilbourne Grove the snow is deep. It often doesn’t melt until the end of March. So the bulbs and perennials (hello Helleborus) stay buried until then, but the witch hazels don’t care about the snow. They are above snow level, and just give it a wave.

I started last year with Hamamelis ‘Arnold Promise’.

Now he is two, and has put on a lot of growth.

I think that his flowers are larger than last year. They look gorgeous, shining against the snow.

 I enjoyed him so much, that I decided to add another. Hamamelis ‘Magic Fire’ or ‘Feuerzauber’  is a lovely red/orange, brilliant against the cedar backdrop.

I gave her (funny how she is female ) a underskirt of crocus tommasinianus, purple to set off her fiery locks.

Now the question is, can I stop at two?

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