It was a good thing I took pictures for Bloom Day yesterday when it was somewhat sunny and somewhat warm. By the time I got home today it was somewhat cold and it was starting to snow somewhat.
The Witch Hazels are a big improvement on my previous January Bloom Days. I didn't expect them until February, but I'll take them now no problem. I suspect their timing will vary with the weather conditions.
'Jelena' survived the -5 to bloom on just fine. I am impressed.
In January Bloom Days past all I ever had were Snowdrops. Snowdrops are great. I even saw one with an open flower a couple days ago. I just wasn't willing to go hunt it down. There are hundreds, if not thousands of Snowdrops coming up all over the wild cultivated gardens. They will bloom when the sun comes out and last well into the first of March.
My other 'Jelena' shrugged off -5 just fine too.
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane' is just getting started. Not a bad showing for the middle of January. This winter bloom will only get more impressive as these tiny baby shrubberies grow into full sized plants. The yellow flowered 'Arnold's Promise' is also out there in the garden waiting in the wings. It is listed as blooming later than the other two. I have winter covered.
The discard rack orchid has been putting on quite the display. Not bad for five bucks. That is more than I like to pay for discards, but the orchid looked totally healthy and it came with a nice ceramic pot. It has been well worth it.
There is always more Bloom Day when you visit Ms. Carol at Bloom Day headquarters.
Now back to the Twin Falls Pond at The Inn.
I tossed the old rubber liner back into the pond to test out whether or not I have eliminated the water collecting beneath the liner. If I am getting it all on top of the liner, what is below should eventually drain away. Time will tell.
Plan B at this point is just to put some heavy rocks in the bottom of the rebuilt pond if need be.
All the excess dirt was hauled away. The rocks are getting organized. I am almost ready to start putting it back together.
This would have been better as one piece of liner. I didn't think quite far enough ahead. I was intent on corralling a spring and forgot about the fall that was going to land in there. I can make it work though. There are tapes and glues to join the separate pieces of liner.
The huge boulder was hidden beneath the previous fall. I want to use it and have the water slide right over it. I'll need some waterfall foam too. That fills little gaps to force all the water to go on top of the rocks in the falls.
Fall #2 has to be completely rebuilt as well. I have to take it apart first. In the rebuild the pond will be getting a skimmer with filter, two filter falls and one overflow skimmer with a sump pump. Once all that is in and plumbed, the pretty can begin.
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4 comments:
Your Hamamelis 'Diane' is young but it is blooming -- I am so frustrated with my 'Diane' which holds its leaves all winter (all of them, the tree is fully clothed but brown) -- does yours still have its leaves? I have never seen more than tiny blooms, very sparse (like 10 on the whole tree) but what's there is completely hidden under the leaves. Yours is blooming on empty branches? My shrub is 8 years old -- is your experience that 'Diane' blooms well at a younger age? And on open branches?
Hi Laurrie. Four out of five of my Witch Hazel were planted only last March, less than a year ago. When bought and now this season they were loaded with flower buds and held only a few leaves. A much larger 'Diane' I planted in a client's garden has also bloomed profusely two years in a row. It has held more of its leaves though. Less this year than last.
Your witch hazels look marvelous. The ponds will be fine. A lot of work but worth it.
Happy GBBD. You are lucky to have some pretty blooms this January. It looks like progress is being made in the pond redo.
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