Variegated and other greens in the garden -

Although there is some color in the garden, hydrangeas, daylilies, butterfly bush, jasmine and roses, today I'm focusing on shades of green. With temperatures about to increase and the humidity rising, usual weather for the southeast at this time of year, I really enjoy having so much green around the house. A cooling, comforting array of so many shades and hues, green is Nature in all her glory.  

The term, "variegated" is applied to a flower or, more often, a leaf that has
 more than one color. Most often, it will be two-toned (bi-colored). This means
 the foliage is blotched, striped, or bordered with a lighter color than that on
 the rest of it (or vice versa). 

In full bloom now, wild ginger is not variegated, the white flowers

 make it look that way from a distance though. It makes a great

ground cover but needs to be kept in check or will take over the garden!

The fig tree is awesome. It's palm-shaped leaves are all one shade
 of green, but note I have pots of variegated ivy tucked underneath.
I know I have a habit of saying every year once the tree has fully leafed
 out and the branches are loaded with fruit, that this tree is quite spectacular.
 Last year we had the width pruned a little to keep it off the driveway.
Seems that it has made it even more healthy! It truly is huge, and quite
 beautiful. If a tree ever had a 'fan club' this one might be the winner
with more people commenting on it when passing by . . . . . . and then
 lining up late summer to pick luscious sweet figs by the bowl or
basketful.

How are your fig trees this year?  I know some of you started out 
small as did I with this one so many years ago. Hope you are getting
 figs by now.

Welcome back to the garden -

The usual suspects were waiting!

Our return and activity in the garden doesn't seem to bother them one bit.

Robins and rabbits!

They obviously get along well.

There are dozens of robins, adults and juveniles (spotted breasts) all over

 the lawn visiting the fig tree, filling their faces and tummies with the now

 ripening figs from the gigantic Celeste fig tree. 

Fruits knocked to the ground are being gobbled by a mama rabbit and

 her baby who has grown quite a bit in the time we were away.  

Today we rehung the bird feeders - as always the cardinals arrived first followed 

by the squirrels! The weather is unbearably hot, heat index reached 105F 

yesterday, thankfully a little cooler today.

The garden is parched and much is very sad looking despite my kindly

 neighbor's watering efforts. After a week loving the gardens of cooler

New England, I'm wondering what the heck I'm doing here in the south

trying to be a 'gardener' in summertime!  It's just not worth the effort once

the heat and humidity arrives.

 

Heading to the farmers market this morning for fresh eggs and veggies.

Must admit that I truly enjoyed not having to cook for over a week. . . . . 

having done so almost every day since the pandemic reared its ugly head!

Have a wonderful weekend friends.

What the.................?

  

Amazing what a heavy shower can bring!  Yesterday's evening visitor arrived

 when the much-welcomed rain stopped - and following Bob's refilling of the

 bird feeders which had remained empty during our three week absence.

Looking out the window - while awaiting the pasta boiling in the kitchen - I was

 thinking how pretty the rays of the setting sun were illuminating the potting shed.

Then I saw it - a big, hefty healthy looking raccoon, bright-eyed and bushy tailed,

 nibbling away at seed which Bob had scattered on the ground for the squirrels!

Sent a quick photo to my neighbor, his response was, "must be the one who's

 been digging in my garden whilst you were away."

It quickly made its way under the shed when it realized he/she was spotted, but came

 out again later and Bob scared it away. Hoping it's not living under there, 

raccoons in our area can carry rabies!

Our fig tree yesterday after the shower............and as you can see there's still not

 much going on here when it comes to falling leaves or even leaf color changing - all

 due to lack of rain or cool weather.

Roll on autumn, I'm ready for sweaters and coats!

The blues. . . . . . and the weather

Up early again this morning - not getting over jet lag too well this time but

 finding small pleasures in waking before the sun.

 Daylight seems to arrive much earlier, more so than usual it seems.

Five honking geese flew overhead as I picked up the newspaper from

the bottom of the driveway - baby birds are everywhere trying out their wings.

I changed out the floral welcome flag on the front porch and hung "Old Glory" 

to honor Memorial Day. Coffee at 6:00 am and, on checking the weather here

 via phone, it's already 72 and the expected high today is 95! 

At 10 am I have have a nail appointment and then I'll hurry back home

to make a quiche - need to use up eggs. I'm cat sitting Ms. Nala 

next door over the holiday weekend and will make a quick visit to

my daughter Kim on Sunday when she celebrates birthday fifty two -

where have all those years gone?

We fly to Northern Ireland Tuesday. Our first week shows rain, rain and

 more rain, high only 60 with chilly nights. 

Packing tomorrow. . . . . . needless to say warm clothes, cozy pj's, and 

a pair of waterproof booties are going with me.

Irish summers are not like North Carolina summers!!!

Early evening yesterday - hydrangea gazing was a feast for my eyes and

 I had to take some photos. 

You my recall I cut these front porch shrubs to the ground September 2017

 when the exterior of the house was re-sided and painted. Last summer, 

due to a very late spring frost, although they had grown back the buds were

 damaged and there were very few blooms. This year look what has happened 

in the past week while we were in England. . . . . an amazing display.

 I love these shrubs so much. 

Hanging baskets still empty - Boston ferns will have to wait until we return from this trip.

Besides the hydrangeas doing so well, the Celeste fig is now at peak

 display and I think looks beautiful thanks to the early spring pruning I did.

The stems of those lovely leaves are showing a riot of tiny figs.  

Toward late summer hopefully we'll be picking and eating, and of course 

the birds and squirrels will be gobbling up their share!

Enjoy the Memorial Day weekend wherever you may be celebrating,

and be sure to remember the true meaning of this holiday.

Wild beauty---------------------

Our large fig tree, and the bird bath beneath its now budding branches, is a haven

for so many garden visitors. Squirrels chase one another through the branches and

eat at the suet feeder (the seed feeder being squirrel-proof - they know it by now

 so rarely try!). A herd of white-tailed deer, despite their silent loveliness standing

 on the lawn at dusk and dawn, now come at night. They are unwelcome visitors

 at the feeders, and now are chewing on the bright green shield-shaped leaves

 of the bluebell clumps pushing up under the tree.  

Yesterday, under chilly, overcast skies, and prior to a nice light rain falling to

 water the garden, I took these photos of just a few of the many birds visiting.

All but a pair of Brown-headed cowbirds, and a pair of European starlings, are

birds which frequent the garden constantly - but I never tire of trying to get a

 perfect photo showing off their beautiful colors, feathers and expressions.

Female Northern flicker 

Male Eastern bluebird 

Male Brown-headed cowbird

Female Northern cardinal

Male Northern cardinal

Male or Female European starling 

Male House finch

Female American robin

Hope you enjoy 'my birds'.

Who's flying in your garden these days?

Are you waking to birdsong now that spring is here?