Quote of the Week

All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth.
I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar.
Helen Hayes







Thursday, April 15, 2010

It's the beginning of Lust in the Garden - Magnolia's

We have been busy.  Today I (Amy) decided to walk around with my camera at one point while running around, this is just the beginning of a long beautiful season of bloom, foliage and dirt. What more could a girl ask for?
Almost everything is bare root these days and there is lots to choose from. Blueberries, strawberries, rhubarb, trees, fruit trees, shrubs, did I mention trees?  The list goes on and on. For myself, I have purchased so far, 1 Reliance Peach, 1 Amelanchier  arborea 'Robin Hill' and a 'Crimson Frost Birch' Betula pendula, all at bare root prices! Bonus is I am putting them in now and they will have a good start on the season with leaves emerging in their new home, my house! How difficult is it when you are inundated every day with visions of foliage, bark and structure that you crave? It's not easy being green!
Then there are the magnolia's, which one? Some one suggested today that she wouldn't mind a magnolia for Mother's Day, not a bad idea. Here are shots I took today for your viewing pleasure, believe me it's mine. This is just the first of bare roots at Baltimore Valley to connect you to your home and family. One customer told me today that his 3 year old daughter was just thrilled last summer when he pulled a carrot out of the ground in their vegetable garden. She was ecstatic and could hardly contain herself 'I didn't know carrots came from dirt!' Now there is a girl after my own heart. That joy of dirt and what grows in it is good for the soul. Here is a photo of John working, toiling away with trees, that is all he is doing these days, spading trees, digging trees, moving trees and he has some great ones. These are sugar maples that he has spaded or dug, now they have been safely potted, balled and burlapped then brought to the store and he is pruning them. It does not end. April is a busy month for John and Dawn they are both wearing many hats, but the end result is beautiful and makes my job easy.







This shot was taken 5th row in and looking down a row of bare root trees. There are some great trees here, some of a good size. Make sure when planting you don't plant too deep, you stake, add Myke, compost and mulch. Everything will be just fine, provide water when thirsty and you will never be sorry for siting and planting a tree.
In this row are sugar maples,way down are some birch, serviceberry and oh one of my favourites.........








An Acer pensylvanicum caught my eye, this is a beautiful understory tree 20 - 30' tall, a show stopper really.  It prefers a dappled shade to shady site, grows to a width of 18 - 25' but it is the bark that takes the cake and I love cake! The young wood emerges red and in the young bark you have this pronounced stripe of a grey white with a deep maroon red and underlying green, yummy! It's gorgeous, have a look and see what I mean.


Now the fun starts with the Magnolia's. You just can't help but have fun with Magnolia's, they are so seductive and a very sexy flower to photograph. No wonder those guys in New York were doing this oh so long ago. They are totally captivating if nothing else. We have many more varieties than shown here, this is just a sampling of what's to come in the days ahead.


Meet Betty, that's her in these first two photo's. Betty looks like she is stepping out on the town with nothing but class, she puts her best foot forward here, wouldn't you say?















This is Daybreak as a bud and opening flower, the range of colour and texture in the petals make think of a beautiful East Indian silk garment. I know I'm nuts, but that's fine by me.




                                                                      
Here is the Stellata Magnolia 'Royal Star', I love the absolute charm of this flower.

Here is another Stellata Magnolia 'Leonard Messei', this has the potential to make you weak at the knees, just be careful going down girls.
Now I will finish off with Susan, what a girl she must be to have this named after her, this is for all the lucky Susan's out there!
If I could get a evening dress that looks as good as that bud - look out!! When she opens though, the colour has transformed to a wonderful pink.

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