Bug Obsession

When I was doing research on a macro lense, the websites warned that they can create a bug obsession, and I admit it, I am now bug obsessed. When I am shooting flowers, my heart races in delight when I see a bug on them. They are darn hard to photograph, you can be convinced you have a terrific portrait, only to find when you see it on the computer that it is fuzzy, or the bug moved just as you were clicking the shutter. So, here is my latest little beauty.

Helebores - Seed Pods Starting Now

Here is what happens as Helebores mature in late spring. We usually cut off the bottom leaves that have been flattened on the ground and are the first leaves you see after the snow melts. As the blooms mature, new leaves emerge in the centre of the plant. The leaves are very tough and strong, and very dessicated compared to most other plants.

Here is a bloom showing the formed seed pod. Hellebores self seed easily, and although slow growing, we now have lots of seedlings, and they have started to bloom and give some colour variation to our collection. I love Helebores, but I know, this is enough pics of them for now!!

A Few May Flowers

A sprig of pink lamium. Even though a mint, this variety is fairly well behaved in the garden, with lovely silver green leaves.
This is a dwarf Iris growing out front in the ditch. The colours of purple are so coordinated and muted just a little. Beautiful.
This is a small plant called Pasque Flower, hardy to zone 3. It is slow growing, but has increased to a small clump about 10" across. Each year more blooms have shown up. The leaves are a little fronds of furry lace, a lovely soft grey green.

Garden Prowess, What are these plants?

Anwers: (backwards) toorboold, yrrebredle, esormirp

Helebores

I absolutely love helebores. They are one of the first spring flowers, and their colours are so subtle and fit together so naturally. The flowers are exquisite, but they face downwards so you really need some great photos to really appreciate their beauty.

We have been the most successful with white ones, they freely propogate, and we always have seedlings coming up, great for gifts for gardening friends. The colours of the pink and dark rose are spectaculor, but seem to be more tempermental to grow. Martha Stewart had a wonderful segment on helebores from a US garden guru, they were exquisite, I will try to post a link for this place. Greg keeps trying to add to the collection.

Chronicling the Garden Year in 2009

I have decided that we need to take pictures over time to see the changes in the garden. Photostich is a terrific tool in the Canon suite, so I am starting with our April shots, now that the snow is almost (yes we still have some) gone. The top is the view of the vegetable garden, looks pretty darn stark right now.
This is the area we call the back 40. It is where all the garden junk piles collect. This winter trees were felled in this area, and hopefullythe back 40 can now have more light. Felled trees create an abundance of debris, and the "bioburner" has to be put into action, creating useful charcoal.

Caster Bean

Every year we grow a caster bean or two. It is one of our favourite plants because the leaves are so gloriously enormous, and the flower is so prickly and such a deep rusted burgundy colour. This year the castor bean was near the porch, and was the tallest ever, however but alas, there was no flower.