Is Spring of 2013 FINALLY, FINALLY springing? (PART FOUR of FIVE) ASK THE VINES!

Happy May Day, dear reader, and, as you might recall, I've blogged about this "special holiday" of May Day here on Blogger in bygone years, including a post which you may refer to by clicking here. 

And, with my opening salutation, I offer you a few "scenes" (posted above) from my garden on this first day of what Guinevere (from Camelot) called a "merry merry month." 

There were a number of "scenes" on this bright May Day and the ones above show a bud from my Paeonia suffruiticosa (Tree Peony), which is about to give birth, my sweet Cam enjoying a spring snack, and two mourning doves soaking up the sun whilst nibbling from a feeder near my Actinida kolomikta and Actimida (Kiwi Vines), two vines that are scheduled to be featured in today's post: part four of my series (which I introduced this past Friday on Blogger) where the things I grow are assisting me in answering the question: Is Spring of 2013 FINALLY, FINLLY springing?

"If it's Tuesday, it must be tumblr . . . " Week No. 36 (But First The Birds Survive Hurricane Sandy)

Today, October the Thirtieth, or rather the eve of today, is what is known as Corn Night or Mischief Night, and according to Holiday Insights, “Mischief Night appears to have roots in England back to the nineteenth century.” It occurs the night before Halloween and typical acts on this day include, “soaping windows, egging houses [as well as] cars, tossing a few rotten tomatoes, toilet papering house trees et ceteras, (and) knocking on doors, then running away.

I never really understood honoring mischief, but even if I did, New York City, where I live, has already endured enough “mischief” through the perils of Hurricane Sandy, which slammed us (and our surrounding areas) yesterday, which is why I did not post here on Blogger, which is normally what I do on Mondays.

Sandy wreaked havoc, which has resulted in (among other catastrophes) power outages, including damage to a back-up generator at a prestigious New York City hospital, causing them to have to relocate all their patients by ambulance to other hospitals!

Since you asked . . .

A gardener named Kevin Loud posed a question to a Linkedin Discussion Group for garden writers, and that question was this: "Now that it's October what changes are happening -- and how are you getting your gardens ready for the cooler weather?"

From what I understand, Mr. Loud lives in New York in the Long Island area, and because I live in New York City, he and I share the same growing zones, so, presumably, we would get our gardens ready for "cooler weather" at the same time. 

However, a major difference between his garden and mine is that his is in the ground on his property and mine is in containers (80+) which I have on a roof extension. Therefore, my prep for winter is very different than his, and it is something I've discussed in great detail in a variety of venues, including here on blogger, within an entry you may refer to by clicking here.

I don't begin my garden winterizing in October, in fact, in bygone years, I've done it in late November, December, and even in early January, depending on the severity of the weather. I am in no hurry to put what I grow to bed for the winter — especially since they suffered such trauma in my recent garden upheaval, which you may refer to by clicking here, as well as here, and here.

But the other question Mr. Loud posed had to do with how the gardens of his fellow members in Linkedin Discussion Group were faring, and today's post is my "answer" to him; hence the following aerial images were taken by Juan V (this past Tuesday, October the second), and marked by yours truly to point out specific events which are occurring in my garden at this time.

The image above shows a partial view of the west "wall" of my garden, and the oval shape (to the left of the image) is surrounding my Rubus calycinoides (Ornamental Raspberry), a vine that I once referred to as a "diva," because her presence is so extraordinary! At the present time, her leaves have not yet begun to change into their autumn color wardrobe, but, in years gone by, she has looked this way (see images below) in the fall.

The larger circle that I've added to Juan's image indicates how my  Continus Coggygria (Smoke Bush), looks at this time. Some of its leaves are slowly beginning to turn color, but, like yours truly, my Continus Coggygria, seems hesitant to rush the season.

The First Day of Fall in 2012: It is the "BEST of TIMES" (AND) it is the "WORST of TIMES . . . "

September 2011

Second Tuesday in September 2012

Third Thursday in September 2012

Today, September 22nd 2012, is "offically" the first day of autumn; and I'm spending it in the throes of the upheaval in my rooftop garden (located in NYC) an upheaval that has interrupted my life, as well as the lives of the 80+ things which I grow here, and the lives of the occasional bee, loner cardinal (who I've now named Cam), and Cam's entourage of House finches, Mourning doves and House sparrows.

The disruption has thrown my Blogger posting schedule off a bit; and I apologize if you visited me here on days I've agreed to post only to find nothing new; but, as you read along, I'm sure you will realize why this occurred, for, as you know, under most circumstances I keep a schedule I've committed to!

Be that as it may, you my recall that in my last entry here on Blogger, which was Friday, September the Fourteenth, I posted an entry where I discussed a few of the things which I had lost in my garden due to their dying or their need to be relocated.

ONE YEAR LATER! Whatever happened to my name tag project?

Salve! Mihi nomen est__________

OR

For those of you who pay attention to detail, you may recognize the first image at the top of today's blog entry, as it was one I used at the top of an entry which I posted here on Blogger one year ago today, when I first introduced what has come to be known as The Name Tag Project, and, if you want to refer to that particular post, please click here.

The second image is of one of my "visiting" house finches sitting a top of the name tag I made for my Rubus calycinoides (Ornamental Raspberry). This bird was not only reminding me to fill her feeder; but she seemed to know I've had so many false starts getting my name tag project underway, and was offering to tweet about it for me once I complete it! So, with an offer such as hers, I am returning to my name tag project to post this update regarding it on the "year's anniversary" of my having announced it.

Before I continue with the specifics of The Name Tag Project as it relates to giving voice to the things which live in a garden, let me digress by sharing with you a few (short-short) back stories on my feelings regarding names.

In cyber-space, I'm known as The Last Leaf Gardener, and if you want to read how I came upon that name, please click here.

However, in "real" life, my name is Patricia Youngquist. I'm not thrilled with the name Patricia these days because too many people have it. Youngquist is OK , as it's a Swedish name, which comes from a plant that can survive under any condition. (Although I've put this "fact" to the test far too many times and have often wished the translation was ability to have a more cushy life.)

As for growing up, my surname being at the end of the alphabet was somewhat of a hazard because I was (and am still) legally blind and could not see the blackboard when teachers seated their classrooms in alphabetical order. In those days I was called "Patti," Patti with a "ti;" and not Patty with a "ty" like Peppermint Patty and Patty Duke, who were "icons" in my childhood. At that point I went through my "Pat" phase, but I still was unsure how it felt, so I would (cringe, cringe) sign my name "Pat (ti optional)."

Mother's Day 2012

I have done volunteer work nearly every Sunday since 2003 (or has it been since 2002) at an assisted living center, a fact I've mentioned a few times here on TLLG (including a post which you may refer to by clicking here), and since today is Mother's Day, all the residents of The Home wished me a Happy Mother's Day today, knowing I am not a mother of any children, although sometimes growing up I felt like a mother to my own mother, as you may recall in one of my past  blog entries here on TLLG — which you may refer to by clicking here. 

On my way home, I ran into a young woman who asked me, "Are you a mother?" 

"They sang him a ballad, and fed him on salad . . . "

Temperatures in New York City (where I live), have been pushing sixty degrees or more for the past several days, which is is quite unusual for this time of year in our area. However, today is December the Fifth, and in sixteen days it will officially be winter; hence, a good reason to include Mutts, one of my favorite comic strips, in today's blog entry with his "prophecy" regarding the inevitable "W" word which is inevitable.

Friday Follow Up: The Ophipogon planiscapus Returns with a Reminder

Ta da! It's me again, one of the Ophipogon planiscapus AKA Black Mondo Grass triplets that grows in Patricia Youngquist's (AKA The Last  Leaf Gardener) urban garden in New York City.

I sm someone you may remember from this past Wednesday's blog post on TLLG where, for the most part, I was the spokes-plant for that blog entry, and if you would like to refer to it, you may do so by clicking here.

In any event, the reason I "opened" today's blog post entry, by saying "Ta da!," is that I am thrilled to have been asked again — and so soon at that — to author a post! I love being a spokes-plant, however Youngquist has warned me that readers like brief posts, so I'll do as she says, and not as she, herself always does.

"Time is fun when you are having flies."

Happy First Saturday of November, dear reader, from the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where I live, and where extra preparations are still under way for the New York City Marathon, an annual world-famous event which takes place the first Sunday of November. It is an exciting time for many; however, it is a bittersweet time for Lucifer, my rhinestone frog, who is the little creature featured in the image posted above todays blog entry.

"If it's Tuesday, it must be . . ." tumblr. Week Four:

What do these three photographs have in common?

Hurricane Irene. New York's Santa Ana?

My blog entry for today is being published much later in the day than usual; and for that, I sincerely apologize — especially because I do not appreciate it when I take the time to go to a blog where a scheduled posting has been promised —  only to find older entries and not the "promised"  post of the given day, one which I had been (in most cases) looking forward to reading. I find a blogger not posting during a committed schedule — unless vacation or hiatus plans have been announced — to be somewhat disrespectful of any readers or followers; and therefore, I do not want to make delayed postings a habit.

Some might say I am being somewhat narcissistic, because the world is not pausing, waiting for my new posting so that they can read my blog; nor is it pausing to learn of my follow-ups to any prior blog entries. I just believe it is courteous to keep your word (which, for me, in this case is sticking to a posting schedule that I laid out in January of 2011, which you may refer to by clicking here) to your valued readerships and followers, a community I truly am grateful to have. So without further ado, here's my post for today, August 27th, 2011.

Lessons Learned in the Garden on Mother's Day (Mother may know best.)

It is Mother's Day, and my seeing my Paeonia suffriticosa (Tree Peony) enjoying its friends is cause for a pleasure to be shared — probably like a pleasure mothers have in taking photographs of their children and sharing them proudly with anyone and everyone who is kind enough to view them — as you are, dear reader, in viewing my chronology of this season's Paeonia suffriticosa and other things that are flourishing in my urban terrace garden. 

My Paeonia suffriticosa is truly enjoying her friends, as evidenced in the photograph posted above, which shows a view of the most southwest corner of my terrace garden. It appears to me that my Paeonia suffriticosa is bending down, to give my Fancy Leaf Coral Bells aka Heuchera 'Marmalade' a kiss; a kiss much like the kiss I gave my sister soon after she was born, and a gesture that inspired my mother to take the photograph posted below of yours truly with my younger sister —

— a woman I've blogged about in a previous post and where the same photograph is posted.

Reminder: 30 (Thirty) days hath November

Tonight is the last Saturday in October. October, the tenth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, every year ends on the same day of the week as the month of February. 

This fact has no bearing on this particular posting except that while endings are inevitable, they don't have to be rushed. 

Tonight's eve of Octobers end is also called Corn Night, and with the promise of tomorrow's celebration of Halloween, reminds me, that although with next week's clock (November 7th) change back to standard time, the days will not be getting longer: they are in danger of becoming increasingly shorter. 

Rather a pumpkin is smashed to smithereens on this mischievous Corn Night, or lovingly taken down on Halloween tomorrow, or within the next few days to come, we will have to be vigilant to hang on to all traces of living each of Autumn's moments - or any moments in time for that matter.

Rubus calycinoides, A Diva

The Rubus calycinoides (Ornamental Raspberry or Crinkled Creeper) is a strikingly beautiful and elegant plant with cascading evergreen, which produces a mass of richly textured greens. 

Some garden experts advise to plant it in masses to form a dense ground-cover. I prefer to show off its beauty by having it as a 'single' and planting it in an attractive clay pot. Folks even use it as a lawn substitute, but I like its 'diva' quality so I let it stand alone.

It is often confused with what could be its twin, Rubus pentalobus. The branches of both plants look lovely in cut flower arrangements. I do not own a Rubus pentalobus, but it has such a fun name to say ROO-bus- pen-tah-low-bus that I couldn't resist including a reference to it in this post. ROO-bus-pen-tah-low-bus. 

This almost sounds like supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. And, indeed, these plants seem quite precocious, as you might guess from these two photos of my Rubus calycinoids. Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay, Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay . . .