The storm has passed. It’s warm and sunny. The ice and snow are gone; the ground is still quite wet, but the birds are back at the feeders, and I can see bulbs coming up, perennials showing just a hint of green, full buds on the Camellia japonica, and the beaten down pansies and violas making a comeback. I think a deer or two have been here as well; something is eating the liriope.
Today I took a walk through the woods behind the back garden and found a few things of interest. At the edge of the woods daylily and Shasta daisy greenery is starting to show. Brightly colored moss looks lush on an old tree stump and along the flowing creek at my property line.
The buds on the hellebores are about to open, and I discovered one last bud on the ‘Debutante’ Camellia sasanqua; all the rest were lost to our recent weather.
I have a garden trash heap out of sight at the back of the woods. I shouldn’t have been surprised to see a number of bulbs up and green there. I suspect they are bluebells that came out of the garden when I was replacing the soil when replanting an area. I don’t know if they will get enough sunlight, but I will keep an eye on them.
Don’t you love serendipity?
There are a number of large stones scattered along the creek bed, way too large for me to move. So I enjoy them for their beauty. This lichen encrusted grouping on the other side of the creek looks like it might well have been a single stone at some point.
How long ago and with what force could it have been split into four pieces?
A Walk in the Garden 
Oh, I loved this walk with you through your woods. Interesting things all along the way. I thought of the game “I Spy” as you pointed out the surprises awaiting us. Beautiful photographs. Thanks for the walk.
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I just wish you and Bob could have been here…to celebrate his birthday.
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In gardening serendipity is often overlooked, but can bring many pleasures.
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Thanks, Susie. The weather is changing and it’s wonderful. (I do understand that it’s still January, but….).
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I feel it too John, like we’re just going to breeze right into spring.
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Here’s hoping more than one camellia bud made it through the storm!
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Thanks, J. B. The Camellia japonica is full of blooms and appears to have survived quite well. Time will tell.
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Spent the weekend in Charlotte, NC and saw lots of blooming hellebores, even a few first hyacinths, and the very first white blossoms on some (outside) trees at the Botanical Gardens. Spring is definitely on its way.
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You, fortunately, missed this morning’s fog…a real doozie. There have been spots of early daffodils.
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Yes… I love what Lady Serendipity throws at us!! 😉
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Thanks, AJ. Sometimes it pays to keep an eye open to things you don’t expect to see.
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