Like Finding Homes for Puppies

My Hyacinths have grown buds and showing color, so it's time to give them away for others to enjoy the blooming process. I sent some home with visitors and here are some I was about to load in the car to take to church Sunday night.

All these are Pink Pearl, with companion Graptopetalum. I kept 3 pots.

White Pearl is not as far along. They are growing with Sedum acre in pots of 4. 

I'm already planning next year's hyacinths. Every year is different. I watch the Swedish and Danish blogs to see how they display their bulbs. They usually use a bit of sheet moss or even some regular moss like grows in shady places. Like here:

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That's an art metal armadillo by Bobby Varley, tiptoeing through the moss garden. 

All it takes for a moss garden is unenriched soil, shade, time and rare weeding and raking. 

Lichens, Moss and Trees

On Monday I showed you some of my stones with moss and lichens and algae. When I left the front yard, I followed the fences around to where some old utility poles are piled, some for thirty years or more.

This might be Shaggy Moss. I could go back with a

magnifying glass and my Golden Guide from 1967, or not.

Wonder why the companion pole has only a thin layer of crustose lichen?

Moss is forming on the ends.

Varying stages of decay and growth.

Where dust settles between decaying wood,

opportunists like chickweed and wild

geranium get a start.

This oak has had an insect infestation, drilled out by woodpeckers

and an interesting pattern of lichens.

Ancient fence posts, decaying and growing moss.

Notice the little spider web made by a funnel weaver.

(I have a little Golden Guide for spiders, too, 1968.

This line of live oaks grow along a former fence row.

I made pics of the bark patterns and mosses, for another post.

In the plowed ground of the firebreak, I saw numerous deer tracks.

Flowers and text are from the garden of Nell Jean blogged on Dotty Plants Journal in cool, windy Southwest Georgia.

Lichens, Moss and Stones, Part I

Before I show you the lichens and things I made pics today, let me introduce another stone, Stone the Gardener. Stone gardens somewhere just north of me a hundred or so miles, I think. He's a new member at Blotanical and has had a real problem getting a blog site that will show up in Blotanical's feeds. We're hoping the coming Blotanical changes will make him easier to find and pick and enjoy. You'll find him in the Alphabetical List under S. He says he shows up in New Blogs. I couldn't find that.

When I was reading my feeds this morning, somebody mentioned lichens. It set me off to go look for some outside.

Bits of lichen fall off trees onto the ground.

I feel compelled to pick up pieces of bark with lichens, limbs with great growths of lichens and ferns and other stray bits even when I don't have a use for them. 

Stones start with algae, then lichens and mosses.

Our limestone boulders erode away in interesting patterns.

The stone above is surrounded with Rose

Campion and Ghost Plant, whose tones complement.

The layers of this stone are one of my fav patterns.

Interesting weeds and seedlings surround my stones.

The narcissus above was a mistake. It came with a summer blooming bulb, foliage of the summer bulbs are noticeable around the stone.  I'm working on the idea of having summer bulbs and early spring bulbs in the same areas to bring two seasons of bloom.

Not only stones, but ancient fence posts have lichens.

I didn't find British Soldiers. I think they'll be along when the weather turns colder. 

Next post I'll show lichens, moss and trees: some live trees, some used for other purposes.

Can you imagine what this is, now developing a nice patina?

Flowers and text are from the garden of Nell Jean blogged on Dotty Plants Journal in warm, humid Southwest Georgia.