2008 February « Hayefield

Purple Prose – Part 1

Text and photos ©Nancy J. Ondra

If chartreuse gets the distinction of “the new neutral,” then dare we describe purple foliage as the horticultural equivalent of the little black dress? Well, in my reality, work boots and a boonie hat are the perfect accessories for any outfit, so I’m on thin ice making fashion-related analogies. But I think I have a grasp of the theoretical concept of the LBD, as being perfect for almost any occasion because you can dress it up for drama or leave it unadorned for an effect of understated elegance. And if that’s right, then I’d say that those qualities definitely apply to purple foliage (like that of Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum ‘Rubrum’, above) as well.

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on February 17, 2008 at 5:55 pm Comments (9)
Tags: color, foliage, Hayefield, plant combinations, purple

Sunday Sunrise

Text and photos ©Nancy J. Ondra

Not much of a show, is it? The sky was absolutely stunning about 40 minutes before actual sunrise, but by the time I got back from my walk with Mom, it was too late to salvage any color. Yesterday’s sunrise was pretty amazing, though, so I’m glad I caught that one.

Just after three this morning, the motion sensor on my driveway started buzzing frantically, so I peeked outside and saw a group of shadowy figures making their way down the driveway toward my open front gate. I flicked on the porch light, threw open the front door, and stomped out on the porch. Eight deer froze, then scattered. I started with one about two months ago, then three a few weeks ago, and now eight. There’s currently a half-ton of hay sitting atop the actual gates right now, but I’m thinking I’d better shift it quick and re-hang them. I realize the deer could easily jump them if they chose to, however, and if they do, I’ll have to strategize further.

After spending the rest of the night (such as it was) awake, I think I’m ready for a nap. I can only wish that we had some sunshine, because sleeping in the sun sounds pretty nice right now. At the moment, both boys are kushed by their hay piles, looking quite snug despite the cold, damp air.

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Ruminations

on February 17, 2008 at 8:11 am Comments (4)

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – February 2008

Text and photographs ©Nancy J. Ondra

There’s not a whole lot to show for Bloom Day here in southeastern Pennsylvania. In the past month, we’ve had highs in the 60s, highs in the 20s, thunderstorms, ice, and gusty winds. Between noon on Tuesday and late afternoon on Wednesday, we ended up with almost 4 inches of liquid precipitation, in varying forms of sleet, snow, freezing rain, and non-freezing rain. Considering all that, it seems a true miracle that there’s anything blooming.

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Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

on February 15, 2008 at 5:27 am Comments (11)
Tags: Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, Hayefield

Sowing Begins

Text and photos ©Nancy J. Ondra

February is one of my least favorite months, but it does have one thing going for it: the start of seed-sowing season. The fun actually starts right after Christmas, with glorious hours immersed in the current crop of seed catalogs and seed-exchange lists, followed by a frenzy of making my own lists, fine-tuning choices, and placing the orders.

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Seeds!

on February 14, 2008 at 5:35 am Comments (9)
Tags: Hayefield, Seeds!, sowing seeds

Dark and Light – Part 3

I promise this is the last post on burgundy and gold – for a while, anyway. (You can find the previous posts in Part 1 and Part 2.) For this one, I’ve pulled a few perennial-based combos. Above is a late-summer view of one of my favorite pairings in what passes for shade in my tree-less garden: golden Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’) with the near-black foliage of ‘Ravenswing’ cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris). It’s pretty high-contrast for most of the growing season, but as fall approaches, the grass starts taking on pinkish tinges that softens the effect a bit.

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on February 12, 2008 at 5:47 am Comments (3)
Tags: color, golden foliage, Hayefield, leaves, perennials, plant combinations, purple foliage

Hayefield

A Pennsylvania Plant Geek's Garden

Purple Prose – Part 1

Sunday Sunrise

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – February 2008

Sowing Begins

Dark and Light – Part 3

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