On April 1, 2023, we lost our Amur maple due to irreparable damage from a heavy snowstorm. I was sad. But there was no saving it. The tree was removed, and the stump was ground out.
Later that season a small red maple was planted to replace it. I was, admittedly, astonished at how small it was. But it has survived two winters and this morning we realized the cardinals now approve. (The robins must have set the way 😉)
We really enjoy watching the local cardinals. Right now we are seeing some cardinal love. Right before this pic I watched from my office as the male fed the female. We think, are hoping, all indications are, they have chosen the big pine for their home.
They are super skittish, so I have yet to capture their feeding ritual on a pic. I am practicing my stealth skills. Hopefully soon.
Last summer we had baby cardinals in our green space. It was so fun to watch Mom and Dad come and get their food, fly to feed the hatchlings, and then we’d hear chirping. Throughout the winter we have had a pair of cardinals who come to eat early in the day and then again late – about 5pm. Today they are here again. So beautiful! Such a treat! They are definitely well fed!
There is so much going on at once right now in the garden. The last cream daylily bloomed today.
“Twins” are abounding. (More about that and pics in days to come). I saw a very young (probably a baby) cardinal in our Linden tonight. Both white squirrels showed up this morning. (I only could catch one in the pic below, through the foggy window this morning.)
The last bloom of the two ‘Just Plum Happy’ daylilies in one area bloomed today. (Still more blooming in another area.) The ‘Patriot’ hostas have finished blooming. Some of the daylilies have started to set seed. (More about that in an upcoming blog, or two.) The Weigelia is reblooming.
But the best part of today was that it was my Mom’s birthday. I took the day off work and we spent the day together – coffee and pastry at Caribou, shopping, a movie, more shopping, and dinner. The movie we saw was Christopher Robin. We both absolutely loved it. It brought back so many memories. And the line we both loved most was “Because sometimes doing nothing leads to the best something.” That’s how a good garden day feels. Just enjoying “being” in the garden, and then you see this, and that, and putter around, and before you know it you are quite content.
Our Marque Moon daylilies showed their first bloom today. They are so full of buds, I suspect they will bloom into early fall now.
Last night we also noticed that a couple cardinals were going back and forth to one of the pine trees. Each time they flew into the tree, within about 10 seconds we would hear chirping. We are hoping that we have baby cardinals for the first time!
I decided today that I would love to begin sharing pictures from our garden, along with a short daily blog. My goal is to provide my favorite picture each day, and then share a highlight of our time in the garden.
A few years ago I decided to simplify our garden. “Only” daylilies, asian lilies, hosta, and sedum are added to our garden nowadays. We have other plants, like a beautiful hibiscus and two huge shamrock plants that are old timers, and they have cherished places as well. OK, and an occasional potted tomato plant. Yum!
Our garden is one of our favorite places. We watch the sunrise and sunset, listen to and watch an ever growing variety of birds, watch for two white squirrels that live nearby, and enjoy the beauty of what is growing and blooming.
Right now the daylilies are absolutely delightful. Today’s pic is one of my favorites – ‘South Seas’.
Enjoy!
Susan's Daily Garden 