Show Us Your Gardens - A Photo Thread -February 2015

9 years ago

Happy Snow Days New England Gardeners!

Welcome to the New England Gardening "Show Us Your Gardens" Photo Thread.

This is a place to post photos, and to discuss, what is in your New England garden. This is the thread for February 2015. All New England garden photos are welcome. Since it is officially Winter, lets see some winterscape photos. Prizes awarded for the best snowman photo! However, all New England landscape photos are welcome. If the photo was taken in New England, in the month of February, feel free to post it here.

Here is the link for last years thread - February 2014

For previous months:
January 2015

For previous years threads, please see the directory in the Galleries.

Featured Answer

corunum z6 CT

9 years ago

My 'Philosophy Garden' hasn't had many guests lately. In December, I sprayed everything with an organic deer repellent, and so far, no deer tracks in the garden. With luck, I may actually see hydrangea blooms this year. The first day that bench is clear, I'm there.
Jane

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Comments (32)

prairiemoon2 z6b MA
9 years ago
Glad you had success at keeping away the Deer, Jane. I would like to say it won't be long before you will be able to be sitting on that bench, since it's already Feb 4th, but…the last few years, seems like we're into April before we have gardening weather. Maybe this year will be different?

Looks like we are going to have a LOT of opportunity to take some photos of snow. lol I didn't even get outside to take a photo after the last two. The snow is too deep in the back and so pretty, I don't want to disturb it. So from the window, I enjoyed the Ilex 'Sky Pencil' with all the little nooks and crannies for snow. And I can see a job waiting for us in the spring, to clean the siding of the garage. [g]

edit: I think the photo was too large, so I'm just taking it off.

This post was edited by prairiemoon2 on Thu, Feb 5, 15 at 16:04
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prairiemoon2 z6b MA
9 years ago
Why did that photo turn out so large? I posted it the way I always do.
Steve Massachusetts
9 years ago
It's probably just the way the compression works on GW. They want to compress the picture so that it fits in the message window. But since you took the picture in Portrait mode (taller than wide), it was already narrow enough and thus GW didn't reduce it in size.

Steve
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
9 years ago
Oh, thanks Steve, I'll try to post with a smaller compressed photo next time. Sorry about that.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
9 years ago
Midday when today's weather front moved through here, it was quite visible overhead, with the SE being all gray and the NW being all blue.
{{gwi:2143776}}From February , 2015

Yellow birch is one of my favorite trees, and the slightly shiny curly bark is really beautiful in winter.
{{gwi:2143777}}From February , 2015

The moon rising over the trees (but I don't know what caused the second smaller lit area on the lower right side.)
{{gwi:2143778}}From February , 2015
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
nhbabs: It makes weather forecasting seem real when you can see a front move through by watching clouds overhead.

All I can think of for your blip on the moon is that Jupiter is in opposition now (Feb. 6) and appears bright, rising in the east at sunset. Maybe you caught the moon and Jupiter with their tracks overlapping?

An Edge-On Close Encounter with Jupiter

Claire
bill_ri_z6b
9 years ago
NHBabs, what kind of camera and lens did you use? Some digital camera sensors form these white orbs or spheres when there is a lot of contrast in a small area, such as the moon against the dark sky. It may also be a reflection within the lens barrel. I don't think you captured Jupiter near the moon, because it wouldn't be that bright, and would be a more distinct dot.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
9 years ago
Bill, nice to "see" you. I am using a Nikon Coolpix P600, which is a point and shoot, but I wasn't using much if any of the zoom capacity. I am fairly sure that you are correct that the extra light is an artifact of the camera, so it's interesting to have some explanation for the bonus light. It didn't show up on the LCD screen when I took the photo.
bill_ri_z6b
9 years ago
Babs, it's good to be back. I've had quite an ordeal since around July, had surgery in October and may need more, so that's why I've not posted much since last summer. Anyway, the fact that the extra orb didn't show up on the LCD screen pretty much proves that it's just an artifact of the sensor, or possibly when the camera is creating the JPG. I don't believe that your camera has RAW capability, but if it did you could see if the orb shows up in the RAW image as well. Fortunately, most of the time, these things only appear under fairly unusual lighting situations, so not a big issue.

Meanwhile, this unusually cold weather, for such a long time with temperatures day and night below freezing (and more even COLDER predicted for next week!) makes me think I'll probably lose my camellias and crape myrtle, and possibly the gardenia and more. A shame because my largest camellia is at least 6 feet high and 6 feet wide, and has 300+ buds waiting to open in April! I have a little protection over the gardenia, but this winter is not good.

{{gwi:5901}}
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
9 years ago
Bill, I hope that your health improves and that the camelia and crape myrtles survive the winter. If you have enough snow, they may regrow quickly from roots even if the top growth has damage. Since they survived last winter, there is probably hope, though.

Your zone pushing inspired me to try Gelsemium sempervirens Margarita which has so far survived but not bloomed. It may get moved to a large pot on an enclosed porch at some point of its existence since I may have been overly optimistic as far as its ability to bloom here.
bill_ri_z6b
9 years ago
Babs, thanks for your good wishes. So far I'm doing OK.

I don't think the Gelsemium would survive in a pot outdoors in your area, but you could put it in an unheated garage or something. If you have a south-facing wall or fence, that might be helpful in getting it to bloom for you and still have it planted in the ground. How long have you had it in the ground, and how tall is it? Mine had to get some age before it bloomed, maybe three years and five feet long/high. After that it took off like crazy and is now covered in blooms each spring.

{{gwi:5901}}
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sorry about your medical issues, Bill. I hope everything will be resolved in time for the arrival of Spring.

No spring in sight here. This is the view from a side window since my favorite windows are wet and blurry.

Claire - posting under the username of claireplymouth
bill_ri_z6b
9 years ago
Thanks Claire. I'm doing OK for now.

As of right now, I have to wonder if spring will ever arrive! White everywhere, drifted or piled high, and still more falling now. There's nowhere else to pile it. And the cold? And even colder this coming weekend. I'm afraid I'm going to lose a lot of plants this year.
PRO
MJ McCabe-Garden Design
9 years ago

Mounds and mounds of snow and they are predicting more??? Even thought this has been a snow- ladened winter I am truly grateful for the wonderful insulation it has provided to our shrubs and perennials-- without the benefit of this snow, the coming deep cold predicted this weekend would certainly do a lot of damage to plants--- Layers of snow to 4 and 5' high are really protecting my shrubs-- may be May before it all melts but I am encouraged to see my hydrangeas and roses enshrouded and encased in snow-- hopefully the perfect buffer and prelude to flowers this summer
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
9 years ago
With the contrast in yesterday's relatively warm temperatures and last night's below zero temperatures, the frost this morning pulled me out early with my camera.

Magnolia buds made just a bit fuzzier
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
nhbabs: That's a lovely showcase of the delicate frosty side of winter. It almost makes you forget the brutal snow and ice and cold side.

Claire
bill_ri_z6b
9 years ago
Babs, they are nice photos. But I still wonder if there's a New England shoveling forum.<G>

Or maybe a Coping forum?
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'm coping by shoveling, pretending I'm in control of the situation.

Here I've taken a break to let the shovels cool off.

I know this isn't much snow for some of the northern New Englanders, but it's almost unheard of here on the SE MA coast.

And the ornamental grasses have taken on a whole new appearance.

Maybe I didn't need to install all of those bluestone paths..... but now they're there I want to use them, snow or not.

Claire
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You're right on top of everything, as usual Claire. :-) I can't believe your deck is clear too. Good job.

Babs, that photo of your Magnolia buds is so pretty.

McCabe, I like your fence and gate. Interesting in the snow.

I took some photos of some of our snow. I wonder how much we will have by the end of the winter.
carol6ma_7ari
9 years ago
webcam in a NE coastal gardenHey there, Claire, Bill, pixie-lou and all you other snowed-in NE neighbors--

It's great to see photos of everybody else's white pyramids. I won't send a still photo; instead, here's a link to the webcam we installed near our RI garden. Looks bleak in midwinter, but once Spring (what's that?) arrives, it will green up. I hope.

The webcam view: looking SE from our deck, across the fenced veg. garden and brackish coastal pond, past some summer cottages, to see in the distance Westport Point, Cuttyhunk Island, and Martha's Vineyard.

We miss the place in winter! So that's why we had the webcam installed. It's on 24/7 and at night there's an infrared light making some of it visible. Please feel free to check out our webcam view anytime. --and I'm gonna hafta start wearing nicer gardening apparel once it's time to plant again, down there.
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
9 years ago
Hi Carol, really interesting that you installed a webcam. Great idea. You have such a great view there. You have a high fence, do you get deer there? Is that your veggie garden? I am saving your link to my bookmarks so I can go back and see what it looks like in the spring. Thanks for posting that. When will you be moving back for the summer?
carol6ma_7ari
9 years ago
Yes, we get deer. We see their footprints. The veg. garden is fenced in to 7 ft. high. So far I haven't seen any when I'm looking through the webcam, just a feral cat stomping by through the snow.

We usually start driving down on March weekends but this year I think we'll wait till the snow melts. If ever. It'll be a late start for the garden. Big clean-up to do because I left all the perennial stalks on. (These are in the various border beds around the deck and along the road and can't be seen from the webcam.) First thing to go will be the buddleia branches, cutting them down to 3 ft. high, which means we'll lose the waving branches closest to the camera. Next work will be changing the right front fence line (blocks lawn view, and veg. garden is too big),, cutting it back on a diagonal about 6-8 ft.

Have you spotted the Gay Head Lighthouse yet? The beam shines right above the righthandmost bush on the shore, to the right of the tall tree. If the light is good (clear unfoggy air), one sees the white-red-white sequence.

I'm glad you found my link. I hope I hear from a few more NE gardeners, especially with advice as to how to make it look better. I might have to start a separate thread, to do that. But for now, prairiemoon, thanks, I'm happy you checked out my garden view.

Carol
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'm happy I did too, Carol, you have a nice property there and I will enjoy keeping up with it. Such a unique opportunity to share updates with a fellow New England gardener. :-) I would post a separate thread for ideas about your garden, maybe after the snow has melted. lol

No, haven't spotted the lighthouse yet. This must have been an interesting webcam during the windy storms we had.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
Carol - that looks like a great view, but the problem I have is that the webcam is "requesting permission to store information on your computer" up to 10 KB, and it won't accept my denial. This may be innocuous but I always get suspicious when this happens, so I can't really view your webcam.

This morning I saw the sun come up and it made the snow pink.

The beach was colored too.

And then I went out and shoveled some more.

Claire
carol6ma_7ari
9 years ago
Claire, gorgeous photos! As for "request permission", this is the 1st I've heard of such a request, and about 2 dozen people have clicked on the link and viewed the view. Maybe it needs to store data because it's a streaming video? Always on. Or it's your particular provider, or your particular computer.

Next time you're at the public library, maybe you can use a public computer to access the site.

I too looked at the sunrise today, shimmering off the water. Then I too did some more shoveling.

Prairiemoon, the Gay Head Lighthouse is on the ocean horizon at the right. Try looking on a clear evening when the land and sky dim.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
Carol - This has to do with the Adobe Flash Player settings re local storage.
http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/help06.html
I often get this on videos and usually I can deny the storage and still see the video. I'm not sure how I got this, probably something to do with a choice I made during the initial setup of the Adobe Flash Player. I'm sure most sites just want to optimized their function but the potential for mischief is there so I don't want to allow the storage.

Claire
homegrowninthe603
9 years ago
Oh so beautiful, Claire. What views!

Nothing so striking here, but a few shots around the yard:

Sun trying to break through the cloud cover

Pieris barely above the snow now

Pine providing a little evergreen color

Birdhouse looking more like a mask

Susan
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
Nice pics, Susan. We need that sun to BREAK THROUGH the cloud cover and get to work melting this mess. Those pieris are going to be lovely when they finally can flower.

Claire
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
A Christmas cactus (Shlumbergera 'Christmas Fantasy') unexpectedly decided to open one bud. It's in the side kitchen window looking out at a whole lot of snow. Maybe it's really a Lent cactus, but it's a lovely time to flower.

Claire
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
I'm trying to say goodby to February 2015 but it refuses to leave (March has to be better, doesn't it?).

This is the view from my kitchen window today - Miscanthus 'Gracillimus' is still standing proud above the snow mounds that have buried a lot of valiant shrubs. The mounds are in between the paths I've been shoveling so I can access the bird feeders and birdbaths, and the car and the mailbox.... The little canyons are beginning to look like permanent features.

Please pardon the spots on the windows - it will be several months before I wash them. Right now I hope the next storm will wipe them off.

Claire
corunum z6 CT
9 years ago
Can't see my gardens and it's snowing again. So I appreciate all the indoor blossoms - nice color on the cactus, Claire.
Drove back into the driveway this morning and thought, "All my new bulbs are under there" - under this snow pile, like everyone's fall planted bulbs.

So the only sensible thing to do was to go shopping online for spring bulbs. I had such a good time at Brent and Becky's and at Brushwood Nursery. If I can't see the gardens yet, at least I can plan for when I can. Bought non-vining clematis to plant in my rhododendron border and shorter growing clematis that purportedly bloom in semi-shade and shade. We'll see. And all bulbs that hummingbirds favor like crocosmia, which will be new to my gardens. Thank you, nhbabs, for the vendor recommendations.