This Bud's For You

It's a week after Halloween, and this is still sitting on my front step.



I'm such a procrastinator. One year when I lived in Edmonton, I actually left the Christmas tree up until March because I couldn't be arsed to take it down.

I've been procrastinating when it comes to garden tasks. Things that should be cut back, deadheaded, or whatever. I know you're all shocked and surprised.

A frost threatens, and I peer out through the window at my potted plants. I don't feel like hauling them all into the garage. I'll just buy new ones next year, I think.

I've been surrounding myself with pansies, because they last through the winter here with little care. I rescued these ones from the Clearance rack yesterday.



The one thing I am pretty pleased about it is my 'Governor Mouton' camellia. This is the third winter it'll have been in the ground, and both of the previous winters it has only had 3 blooms on it.

3.

I've seen the camellia 'twigs' that they sell at Lowe's with more blooms than that on them.

I almost didn't even bother looking at it yesterday. I didn't want to be disappointed again.

But it looks as though it's full of buds! Even though I could only get 3 big ones in a single picture.



Hey, does anyone else on here have a camellia with Yellow Mottle Virus?



I've read that this won't really affect the tree much except in terms of aesthetics, but I was just wondering. I thought maybe this had something to do with lack of blooms. I really wish I would have known to look for YMV when I was buying this thing. Same thing with rose black spot. I learned about that one AFTER I planted my hybrid tea. And that one's been a thorn in my side (heh) ever since.

Speaking of thorns in my side...





The fire ants have built a luxury hotel under my magnolia. They're putting in a pool as we speak. If you're walking through the yard and listen reeeeeally closely, you can hear the sound of hundreds of tiny slot machines...

Fire ants. Yellow Mottle Virus. Deadheading.


Balls!! I say balls to all of it!!




Cribbage and chardonnay on the rear verandah. Much more civilized. Best way to procrastinate, hands down.

Wilmington, North Carolina ~ Part Un

One of the things I've done over the last busy week was take some time to go on a date with my husband. We've been together for over 5 years, but I think dates are still important!


We took the whole Saturday to go down to Wilmington, which is about an hour south of us on the coast. Wilmington is a beautiful city, and has something for everyone. 18th Century houses, beautiful beaches, awesome restaurants...everything Jacksonville doesn't have.

You can't go just anywhere and have a horse dressed as a bunny pull your carriage on Easter weekend!




We saw so much and took so many beautiful pictures, this'll have to be a two parter. Hell, I took so many, it may turn out to be a three parter! O_O


Like I said in my last post, I've been trying to be more active, so we fit some fun excercise into the day. First stop was to play frisbee in the Hugh MaCrae Park. The park has such pretty landscaping, so of course I took some pictures! Thank god there are none of me sweating with the frisbee...

The camellias here are just about done blooming, but this one was still pretty.


I'm a sucker for a retaining wall...


The azaleas are starting to bloom out everywhere. In fact, Wilmington's annual Azalea Festival is being held this upcoming weekend. I really wanted to go, people open up their historical houses and gardens to the public for tours!

But my brother in law is coming to visit this weekend, he hasn't been here in years. I'm taking a garden bullet for you Steve!!

Maybe I can talk them into taking me down there anyway, and I can drop them off in the pub all afternoon while I go out touring....hmm... :)


Some of my favourite azaleas of the day:






There's no Newcastle Brown in there, Mr. A!



The dogwoods are also in full bloom. I'd love to have one of these. They're very short lived trees though, and prone to disease.



From the look of this tree, I'd say it's a cherry. Look at the trunkage on this thing!


This is only one small part of MaCrae Park. I just think it was so pretty :) Most of the park is just pines. There are giant Koi in that lake. Huge! I'm surprised one of them didn't flip out of the water dolphin-style and snag that kid!


Some turtles chillin' like villains on the only island in the pond. Maybe they're afraid of the Koi too.



Cool Japanese Maple. Which I had to get in front of, of course.


Ham alert.


Eastern Redbud, I presume?


Very weird duck. I've heard of Turducken before, but this is ridiculous.


Some more of his homies resting in between tourist feedings. They didn't even have the decency to look scared when I got close to take a picture.


Lovely place. Couldn't play frisbee for long though, it kills me! I have bruises all over my shins, and my fingernails got shredded. I'm not a girly-girl, but c'man! Enough was enough!


Mr. A and I went for a pint in the Grand Union Pub, and had some fish & chips. Yes! There is an abundance of delicious seafood here in the coast, but no one's really done an 'authentic' fish & chips. Grand Union's were AWESOME. Ok, not really authentic, we weren't eating them out of paper or anything. But so tasty!

Usually when you see a place advertised as a 'pub' down here, it's a murky establishment with one pool table and a fat hillbilly behind the bar serving Budweiser in a pint glass. I always back out of the 'pub' slowly...no sudden movements...


After lunch, what did Mr. A treat me to? A visit to the 'Airlie Botanical Gardens'.

Beautiful! Amazing! Astounding!

Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for the pictures :) No time to post them tonight. But be on the lookout tomorrow!

Today was the tepid appetizer. Tomorrow? The filet mignon!!

You Say It's Your Birthday?

Today is Mr. A's 48th birthday!

As it says under his picture in the handy little yellow box to the right, he's my partner in gardening crime. He and I both love working in the yard. He's always there to help me with a garden project. Sometimes happily, sometimes grudgingly :)

When I said I wanted windowboxes underneath our bedroom window, he built me some. If ever a category 5 hurricane passes through, our house may be gone, but these windowboxes will probably still be standing...



When I need something planted that's heavier than I can lift? He plants it for me. Like my camellia and my crape myrtle...they were my Valentine's Day presents last year.



Look at that casual posture! That's the sort of look that says, 'Just stand back babe...I got this covered.'

Mr. A has years of gardening and lawn care experience under his belt. Or should I say shorts?

Mr. A~Circa 1986


I love a man with a rake. And the beard he had in those days provided a home for many woodland creatures!

Now calm yourselves, ladies. No use screaming like he's The Beatles...back up...Mr. A's a married man! Uh oh....I think a woman just fainted near the back of the crowd. Can someone call a medic?

Hope I don't get in too much trouble when he reads this. Luckily I have a great present lined up! Every year, when I ask him what he wants, he always says, 'Just a hot dog.' :P



But it'll be better than that. Happy Birthday to my Favourite Gardener (and all around cool guy)!!



So, Faithful Readers, who helps you out in the garden? Your partner? Your kids? Would you rather garden alone? :)