Garden Walkabout

Back home from the city to the farm.  I awoke to a cold, windy morning so I won't be doing much outside (there is really so much to do I don't know where to start).  I took one look at the fish pond, but I won't be climbing in it today.  I did finish the turkey and her poults topiary boxwoods.  But, while gawking, I saw that my old weeping Japanese maple in the foreground has, I think, died.  It had some new leaves come out on it this spring, but they have died.  I thought maybe a frost had gotten them, but nothing is returning.  It just up and died.  I can't believe it.

Noticed my clematis is starting to bloom on the patio garden fence.  Spring is moving right along without me.  I've tried to teach my husband that gardening doesn't wait for anyone, and now, I am going to have to remind myself of that.  But, it's going to have to wait till tomorrow.

TOPIARY

Well, I was feeling kind of smug this summer. I have numerous topiary birds around the farm, some potted and some in the ground. Turkeys, ducks, chickens and various exotic birds make me smile.

That is, until I saw THESE!

Oh no! Not fair! No plastic beaks and feet!

And water fountains? Ha!

Deserts and Bedouins?

Steam for the teacups?

Don't you just hate showoffs? By the way, the Montreal Gardens must have heard about me.

Bush Birds

This big guy is as big as a real turkey. Though he needs a good clipping you get the picture.

Here is a mother turkey and 2 little poults that I planted last summer in the ground. They seem happy there.

I just started trimming my bird bushes. They are so easy to grow and I can leave them out all winter. The bird in the back is sculpted from a Japanese boxwood. It is a different look. Most of the birds are made from Green Mountain Boxwood. The Green M. B. has smaller leaves and the plants are much denser. I would advise you to first experiment with the GMB. You can start with a 1 gal. bucket all the way up to 5 gal. Of course, the larger bushes will give you a specimen plant right away. First, look for a plant that has a single solid base or stem coming from the dirt. It can branch off into several (look at the second plant) just as long as the branches aren't all coming up from the dirt. This makes it look more like a foot. Then, visually divide your plant where you think the head and tail would be. This will take a few minutes of looking it over; holding it this way and that. Then get those shears out and play like you're Edward Scissorhands. I would like mine to be sloped more on their back as it makes them more birdlike. When spring and summer come around, just give them a 'haircut' and that's all they need. Hint~I planted quite a few smaller 1 and 2 gal. plants last year and will wait until they get bigger before I shape them. It's a good way to save money. The 1 gal. plants are about $6.99 and the 5 gal. are around $25.

Don't forget the upcoming giveaway! The instructions were posted a few posts back. I'll let you know exactly when, what and how in the coming days. The giveaway will be on my 100th post.