Ants and Peonies?

What is it about ants and peony buds?

It is believed that peony buds emit a sweet sap that the ants like, it is also believed the the ants help the buds open. You don’t need ants for your peonies to bloom, and peonies will not attract ants to your gardens.

Are you peonies teeming with ants?

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Spring Flowers

The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size.

~Gertrude S. Wister

Forsythia hedge at Stan Hywet in Akron, OH (4.17.09)

Yellow tulip in front flowerbed (4.18.09)

Star Magnolia at Stan Hywet in Akron, OH (4.17.09)

Narcissus in front flowerbed (4.18.09)

There’s just something so special about things that bloom this time of year. I think it’s because they’re the first colorful things after the long white winters here in Ohio. If I had to pick a favorite spring flower I think it would be the tulip, there’s just something about them that’s so cheery. I really love that they come in all colors, shapes and sizes!

What’s your favorite spring flower?

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Nature’s Fingerprint

During the gardening season I took tons of photos because I knew in the dead of winter when everything was covered by a blanket of snow, I would enjoy looking through all my beautiful garden photos.

Since this is what I’m seeing out my window at the moment, I’ve been spending some time every day looking through all of my photos from the summer. I came across this gem the other day. The intricacy of nature is amazing, something I have noticed even more as I garden.

I noticed the pollen pattern on this zucchini blossom while I was pollinated one day. It’s like it has it’s own fingerprint. Amazing.

This is a little curly that the squash/pumpkins vines put out to grab onto stuff.

The center of an echinacea bloom, how vibrant!

An Asian Lilly loaded with pollen.

A double hollyhock blossom getting ready to burst into bloom

What intricacies do you notice in nature?

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Primroses in the Garden

One of the first flowers I bought and planted in the gardens here at Chiot’s Run were primroses. That was 7 years ago this coming spring. Most of them stopped coming back after a few years, but I have one that has never failed me. It is the one of the first flowers to bloom each spring and it reblooms in the fall so it’s also one of the last flowers blooming in the gardens. I always love to see the little pink buds forming.

In the spring they bloom with a flush of blooms, so many that you can’t even see the leaves of the plant.

In the fall they bloom again and the blooms often hang on until after the first snowfall.


Do you have primroses in your gardens? Or a plant that has never failed you?

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More Blooms in the Garden

While out working this past week I spotted a few more things that are still blooming in the garden. My larkspur seeded down and are blooming again and there are also a few blooms on my sage.


Soon enough these will all be covered by a carpet of snow. I can’t wait, but I’m enjoying these while they last!

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