Tulips In My Garden

 I love tulips and always pay attention to their height and flowering time indicated on the packaging and try to select varieties that will delight from mid-April to early June based on flowering time. 

 

Bright colors, graceful form and ease of cultivation have made tulips one of the most beloved garden flowers. I don’t remember, but one spring, fringed and double tulips appeared in my garden, planted so that each flower could be examined separately. My main goal in growing tulips is to decorate the garden. 

Tulips are fairly unpretentious plants and can tolerate any garden soil and location. I always follow the feeding and select a place for the plants. After flowering, the dying foliage of tulips is covered by hostas, dicentra, phlox and conifers growing nearby, which grow back just in time for the yellowing of the tulip foliage. 

I do not dig up tulip bulbs every year. You can leave them in one place for 2-3 years. If you do not plan to dig up tulips for several years, do not forget to mark their planting sites so as not to damage them later. 

If you have tulips growing in your garden, tell me about your experience growing them.

My Little Willow Was Broken

 In winter, under a cap of snow, the willow was beautiful. The sun's rays broke through its branches. But the snow and strong gusty wind turned out to be too strong for such a small willow. 

 

In the spring, when the snow melted, the willow presented a sad sight. Its not thick trunk turned out to be broken. Parts of the bark and wood stuck out in all directions. I was so sorry for my beauty. 

What could I do? I I could not go to the garden and asked my neighbor to cut down its wounded trunk and coat the cut with garden pitch. It turned out that new branches had already begun to grow from the remaining part of the trunk.

 

I hope that at the end of the warm season the willow will transform and will look fluffy and green. Of course, it will not immediately become a beauty, but over time I hope my willow will be like this.

Ants

 Finally I arrived in the garden. The weather was great, warm. I decided to check the greenhouse. Unfortunately, ants settled there last year. Last autumn I poured a lot of pieces of marigolds and dug up the ground so that the pieces of the plant were deeper. They say that ants do not like the smell of marigolds and go to another place.

 

I don’t know what will happen this year, but I want the ants not to crawl on the plants, although they do not spoil them.

So I decided to read about ants, their habits and habitats.
The life of ants is interesting and unusual. Intelligent ants know exactly where everything is, remember landmarks and beacons. In complex labyrinths, they easily find a treat and deliver it to the nest along the shortest paths. The scout ants, having found prey, return to the nest, tell the worker ants where to look and rush off for new trophies. The workers go after what they have found and easily find it without a guide. These workers, harmless in themselves, become the main culprits of the spread of aphids on plants.

 

I want to try sprinkling cinnamon in the greenhouse so that the ants move to another place. I am NOT sure that this is a good solution.

 

And how do you keep ants away from your plants or your house?

P.S. these photos are from the internet

What is interesting about crocus?

 Crocus is one of the very first flowers that bloom in our garden in the spring. These flowers are the first harbingers that it is time to wake up from hibernation and work on the garden. 

The great German philosopher, poet and naturalist Goethe called crocuses spring flowers of joy. Probably because after a harsh winter they are the first harbingers of the awakening of nature. 

 

 

Since ancient times, crocuses have been grown in Assyria, India and Egypt. The ancient Greeks considered crocus a symbol of happiness, the flower of the goddess of the morning dawn Aurora. 

Now crocuses are cultivated as a spicy, dye, medicinal and ornamental plant. Crocus is most widely used because of its valuable product (stigma), which is used in cooking as a seasoning for dishes. The stigma contains the coloring agents croquin and saffron, as well as essential oil with a pleasant smell and taste. 

 

Saffron was known not only as a fragrant agent, as a dye for fabric, as an exquisite seasoning used in royal kitchens, but also as a precious medicine. Descriptions of the medicinal properties of saffron are in Chinese medical books dating back to 2600 BC and in Egyptian texts dating back to 1500 BC. 

 

There are many types of crocuses in nature, among which are yellow, bright blue with purple stripes, and pinkish. The British believe that admiring crocuses sets a romantic mood, instills a desire for travel and noble deeds. 

 

It is recommended to admire the spring purple crocuses more often. This species is especially popular in Great Britain - the Royal Horticultural Society respects it very much not only for the beauty of its forms, but also for its enviable vitality.

Spring Is Coming

The air is already warm. Last week the temperature was +15. I haven't been to the garden yet because of my sore leg, but I was shown photos, and I was inspired by the long-awaited changes.

The soil has not yet warmed up, but in some places the grass is already starting to turn green and the first spring flowers, crocuses and snowdrops are appearing. There is snow on the northern side of the garden. Spring is still cool and windy.

 

Here (below) is what the lawn in front of the summer cottage looked like at the end of March.But the snow quickly melted at the beginning of April.

Every spring you want to see these brave flowers appearing right from under the snow.

It is amazing that the bees woke up so early in the spring and are already collecting nectar from crocuses.

I have already prepared disposable cups for flower and vegetable seedlings at home. A little soil for seedlings was left over from last year and I also received some by order. I hope it will be enough for 30 disposable cups. 

It is difficult to predict the weather in May, when the plants should be actively growing. There are many perennial flowers in the flowerbeds that bloom early in April and in May: tulips, crocuses, daffodils, muscari. I think they will perfectly decorate the modest nature of spring.

Despite the fact that no one has lived in the cottage since October, there is always a lot of work in the house. Hang fresh curtains, air out the carpets, wipe the dust in the rooms, clean the kitchen, etc.

I would like my leg to quickly reach the state when I can walk and climb the stairs. For me, this is very important now.

All the best to everyone. 

Houseplants

 

I can't go to the garden yet, and spring is slow to arrive. There is still snow in some places in the garden, as our garden neighbors  told me. Hyacinths are blooming at home. I ordered hyacinth bulbs and decided to decorate them a little with candles. There is a wonderful aroma in the living room.
 

 

Clivia is blooming in my bedroom. It constantly blooms at the beginning of spring. Begonia is blooming in its company. This small pot of begonia was given to me as a gift. I don't know how long it will bloom and whether it will bloom again.

 

 

These plants make me happy. I go a little with the help of walkers, try to stand on a sore leg and keep balance. I want to get better faster.

Take care!

Hello, Friends

 Hello, friends. Here I am at the computer, I decided to write so that you don't think that I've completely disappeared. 

I only move around at home, my broken leg is healing, I hope so :) That's why there are no recent photos and there are none in sight. Maybe I'll find something in the archive. 

I eat healthy food and take pills. I don't have much of an appetite, sometimes I want defrosted berries from the garden. 

The surgery on my leg was done under insurance, "OMS" (compulsory medical insurance), so I didn't pay anything. Well, I'm trying to recover, I do exercises for my leg. 

I wish you health and, if possible, not to fall :) I hope that by spring I will be able to walk better. By the way, spring is already on the doorstep. I can see its signs from the window.

 

 

It's Already February

 It's already February! How I wish spring would come faster, for the snow to melt and fresh spring grass to appear. Of course, the leaves on the trees will appear much later, when the soil warms up. Then the birds will fly in, delight us with their chirping, and start looking for dry sticks and grass for their nests. 

While in February, my garden is visited by birds that winter with us.

 

Our winter is long and I'm already tired of its cold, of winter clothes and shoes. Recently there was a snowstorm with a strong wind. In the afternoon, when I decided to take a walk, the sun came out. I turned my face to the sun and felt the warmth of its rays.

Houseplants also feel the approach of spring. My orchid was the first to start blooming. Planting in a tub, calla bulbs are also sprouting actively.

My relative took a photo of his winter ice fishing. You can see that he set up 4 fishing rods and is waiting to catch fish. Below in the photo the caught fish "smelt" is already in my kitchen. I fried it.

Such a snowy, sunny February, no longer frosty. I'm waiting for spring!

All the best!

After The Snowstorm

I was talking about my winter walk in early January. There was little snow, some paths were icy.  There was a snowstorm recently, and masses of snow fell on the city and its suburbs.They say it was above normal. Everything around was transformed.  

Finally, there was a sunny day and I decided to take photos in the park. The sun was low, as it should be in January. But daylight has already increased by 30 minutes, great! This allows to walk longer.

The color of the sun's rays seems orange, and the snow also takes on an orange shade. This does not happen in the summer. And of course, the sun does not warm, the snow does not melt. 

I liked the excerpt from the story of an unknown author about winter:

"January. The first month of the year is the coldest period of winter. The morning begins with frost. Fresh snow on the ice. The sun rises, and the snow crystals sparkle dazzlingly in the piercing rays. And glitter is everywhere: as if the hills and snow-covered plain is littered not with snow, but with mica. The January sun sometimes gilds the tops of the pines, casts blue shadows on the white snow".

In the park on the paths, there is already a ski track. Many lovers of skiing spend time in the fresh air. 

I am a little sad, because now I can not join them - my leg hurts. But I can walk around the park without hurrying. I spent a winter January day in the park very well.

A few days later, the temperature went up, the snow changed to rain. Large drops knocked on the window. The blue sky turned gray, the snow became dense. This is how the weather changes dramatically this winter. 

I hope sunny days will return.

 

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 Today is my birthday. I remember all the good things that happened during my long life. And this is not a little: I traveled, learned a lot of new things, worked, studied languages, and of course I was happy and sad. There were so many events, both good and difficult. Life is multifaceted.

Today I have a delicious cake with 8 candles on it. I will blow them all out and make a wish.

I am very grateful to all my blogger friends for being with me for many years. Your comments to my posts bring me joy, and I learn a lot of interesting things in your blogs.

 

All the best to you!

A Winter Walk

I invite you for a walk on a nice winter day. The frost was slight, there was no wind, the sky was clear and blue, the sun was shining but not warm. I dressed warmly, a jacket and winter boots, gloves on my hands. When I took pictures, I had to take them off, for a short time.

 

There was little snow, it was trampled on the paths by lovers of winter walks, mainly with dogs.

The low sun was a joy after the long and dark December days. Then the sun did not show itself for a long time. On the stems of the tall grass there remained last year's ears, they poured out their seeds and were left to dry in the frost.

The sun rose higher - it was the middle of the day, and the photos look graphic. The long shadows became a little shorter, everything was quiet and calm around.

I headed home, the sun was getting lower again, and the path became slippery. I had to walk carefully, because I could fall, which is absolutely impossible.
Thank you for being with me on a walk on a winter day. All the best to you.