AH, SPRING is arriving! by Candylei

3/12

Spring is here; no doubt about it. I thought I would transplant some variegated boxwoods that I got before Christmas that have been decorating our porch. I located the shovel and in the garden it went "tink... tink...tink" The ground is still frozen even though it was so very nice today.

I have a good number of peonies to plant, too. They were ringing up 50% off so I purchased a number. If you ever want a lumber store clerk to notice you just buy the same item in bulk. (When I say notice I mean good customer service, at least eye contact once.) They not only notice but they begin to suspect something is wrong with you...like we can't read the outdoor thermometer.

A note about mulch. Don't put it on yet if your ground is still frozen. It will prolong winter by working as an insulator and keep your ground frozen longer.


2/25

A fresh falling of snow and lots of it. They say that snow is the poor man's fertilizer. We'll take it then for the garden's sake. It keeps you from being idle as well. You shovel out the driveway the first part of the day...stop eat lunch...and then continue to shovel out what you previously shoveled out AGAIN. Shovel is the word of the day.


I found the cutest Dog Pet Supply Store. Westies will love it. It is in the historical part of town and you can't miss it if you drive by. A large, painted-red-fire-hydrant gets your attention right away. The colors are bright yellow, blue and white on the storefront compared to the red brick of the others. Above this all is their sign of a dog rolling on it's back. People are so curious you just have to go inside because the outside is contagious and you want more of it. What treasures lie hidden inside? Great marketing!

Roses Posies and Westies, Candylei

We've been under layers of snow and ice, but we are not dampened on planning the new gardens. (I do feel so bad for the 30,000 plus who were out of electricity here in Maryland and Virginia when the temp was in the teens which it still is.) I give up counting the times I have slipped and fell walking around outside. We live on rolling hills. There isn't any "flat" ground here. It rolls one way or another.

I heard on the radio that if you didn't remove the ice off the top of your vehicle the police would give you an $80. fine. 81, the freeway all the truckers are forever racing on, was closed for 2 days because of ice.

So, you stay inside and look at the gardening catalogs that have been nicely delivered to your door. I am so falling in love with roses all over again. I never fell out of love, but to look at the pictures and read the descriptions. The old-fashioned roses that are so crinkled and fragrant! They may only bloom once, but it so spectacular. You run your own perfumery for a few weeks at a time. This is living on love. Everyone is drawn to it, just like the perfume counters at fine department stores....lifting one rose to their nose after another to find the best of the best fragrances.

I like the english david austin roses, too. They are more delicate and smaller in stature, but carry some great fragrances, as well. They are continuous bloomers. I have 12 of one variety, graham thomas, and it is the softest apricot yellow. Mix this with a purple cranesbill or smokey fuschia and it is stunning. No need to go to England, we're bringing England to our house and so can you.

Westie puppies and dogs are dancing around in roses in my new paintings now. How could the two be separated when I love them both equally. I can't navigate around in our dormant, icy rose garden so I will paint myself one. One that is alive with colors and more beautiful than my own.

Roses and orchids were my gifts for Valentines.

Tahiti and Birds and Westies

Someone in our family gets to go to Tahiti next month. I've always wanted to go since I don't know when. I mean Hawaii is gorgeous, but Tahiti has a magical pull to it...polynesians speaking FRENCH and the color of the ocean water.

The price tag. First you trip at the airline fare and then you fall flat at Hotel Bora Bora's price.

It's not me, but then I will do something else exotic. I will buy some white peacocks. The price tag so little. To think of having white peacocks in an white perennial garden with cream roses dropping petal confetti, lilies nodding, lilacs waving their fragrance to you... The scent of roses, dewy lily of the valley, sweet-sweet peonies, heavy gardenias, mock oranges, and tuberoses all competing for your attention. All of this surrounded by a hedge of yew. Now that is exotic!

We've covered what is exotic at home, but do you know what ethereal is? It would be 3 white Westie dogs racing about in the
white garden.

Westies We Love You

My young son is turning into a Westie Dog Spokesman and just recently a Westie Rescue Person. Even if the Westie does not need rescuing. My preschooler thinks they all need rescuing and that they all belong to us.

It started while we were driving in a development and a Westie was on a walk with it's owner. My son lights up and tells me to stop and get the westie.

I try to explain that this westie is not ours.

No, no, he thinks they are all ours. Stop! Stop! Get it! Stop!

So his heart is very Westie oriented! No Westie will go unwanted by him.

I promise to get photos up soon.

Buy and Plan now for your Garden - Candylei

Okay it's 7 degrees out now and icy! Not everyone is thinking about gardening. Just walking outside to your car safely is more on people's minds. Which is terrific for us gardeners as all the summer corms, bulbs, rhizomes, roots, are starting to come in CHEAP. Especially at the lumber stores like Home Depot and Lowes.

I got some crocosmia Lucifer bulbs, yesterday, for next to nothing, and if you don't know what they look like...well they are gorgeous. Go to the google search engine and under images type crocosmia Lucifer and you will be spellbound, too.

All the goodies are coming in now. HINT! Keep them in a cool, dark, dry area, until the ground thaws out. In March when people start thinking about something to plant these, near wholesale price goods, will have been long gone from the stores.

I am also going to start adding some links to gardens in England that will MAKE YOU want to garden. You will be hooked, for sure. Anyone going to the Chelsea Flower Show this year?

Florence Valter Postcards -- Candylei

I am a collector as of yesterday!

I have two of Florence Valter's Westie postcards that date from the 30's. Two is the beginning of a collection. One is used, stamped in Surrey England, dated Sept. 11, 1931. The sender's name was Doris and she is away and writes telling of going to the Hippodrome picture, Monte Carlo.

The writer shows concern when she writes she hopes "Fay" is doing alright and behaving herself like a lady. I smile. There are other women who hope their children are behaving themselves! I begin to realize that "Fay" most likely is her Westie Terrier and of, course, she would hope that her caregiver hasn't any hardships.

No cell phones then, nor answering machines, to call home and leave a message for your Westie on. Why is it we like to read other people's correspondence? Look how many blogs there are and we dance through them like as if we are walking into their livingroom momentarily and then walk out again.