The Queen of Seaford

Howdy Partner...Merry Christmas to Ya

2009-12-23T21:36:00.001-05:00

My buddy Les asked the following question to the blogging world "What's on your tree?"
My tree is such a combination of ornaments from all the places we lived over the years.

We lived in Germany for about 7 years and the first time we were there was very early in our marriage. As newlyweds our mission was to find cool ornaments for our tree. I love Santa...so we got a lot of Santas over the years. If you look at this collage...the Santa with the white lace background is one that stays up year round. I used to tell the kids that Santa was always watching. That Santa has been mine since I was a kid myself.

Many of the German ornaments are wooden and handmade.

Some of these ornaments are delicate and have not always fared too well over the years. These are some of the more delicate ones.

Merry Christmas to all of you and your families. Hope yours is wonderful.

Tuesday's Trees- Magnolia grandiflora

2009-12-22T08:31:00.002-05:00

What can one said about a Magnolia? It is certainly a grand tree in the southern landscape….it is almost a requirement! The Magnolia is a native tree to the southern region of the eastern United States. The hardiness of this grand tree is 7- 10a. Some reports indicate there are newer cultivars that are hardy to zone 5. This tree is used in various ways in the landscape. It is an evergreen tree that gets quite large in its full mature state. Throughout the south is can be seen as a street tree, lining a grand boulevard, or as a specimen tree, in its full glory, or limbed up a bit it is a wonderful shade tree.

The leaves are large, leathery and most cultivars have the brown fuzz on the underside. The leaves are simple, smooth, pinnate, and quite large- 8- 12 inches long by 4- 8 inches wide. While it is an evergreen tree, these huge leaves do fall as new growth appears. Some consider this the downside of having a Magnolia—raking or cleaning up this big leaves.

The bark is most unusual…at certain stages it reminds me of an elephant's leg….smooth with very wrinkly knees. The Duke web page has a nice display of photos of the bark at various stages of growth. Some of the photos I have are from my Fort Monroe visit and these are very mature trees. According to my favorite source of information, Forestry Service Silvics Manual, these trees can live well over 100 years. They are moderately fast growing trees. Mature specimen reach heights of 125 feet tall and they have quite a spread. Their growth habit is pyramidal and little pruning is needed for this tree to have good strong growth. The growing conditions are varied, growing in sun to part shade. The soil conditions range from clay to loam to sand and it is salt and drought tolerant. There are many cultivars available, 'Little Gem' and 'Teddy Bear' are some of the smaller ones..reaching 30 feet in height at maturity. 'Brackens Brown Beauty' is a more compact tree, slightly smaller leaves. Height is larger than 'Little Gem' but smaller than the species tree.

Flower and fruit….what can one say about this beautiful, fragrant, large white flower? It is amazing. One would think I had a great photo of said bloom…ha! (Thought I did) I do have a photo of the most amazing Magnolia Macrophylla, one of the ancient plants. There is a lovely specimen in the Greensprings Garden in Alexandria Virginia.

The Magnolia bloom is quite remarkable, a showplace unto itself. The fruit pod is large and quite fuzzy. As the seeds ripen they emerge from the pod bright red. As the large leaves are a bit of a hassle in yard cleanup, so are the seed pods. As kids we called them hand grenades and liked to throw them…. I am sure we were most appreciated by neighbors.

My other sources for this tree posting include University of Florida with its wonderful 4 page information sheet and Floridata, a nice short info sheet. Be sure to check out these sites for more in depth information on this wonderful tree.

Our next Tuesday's Tree will be in January…I would be fooling myself to think I would get one done during the holidays. Which tree will it be?? Since it is winter, I feel a need to go to the evergreens. I have a couple in mind….nothing firm yet. Stay tuned!!

Where in the Heck Have You Been????

2009-12-19T17:37:00.001-05:00

I know I have been MIA for a little while. I have good excuses! Really!

Saturday the 12th we celebrated my mom's birthday. It was a milestone birthday and so we were in surprise mode. My sister flew in from Kansas and my brother and his wife flew in from Illinois. Our daughters drove in and as did two nephews and a fiancée. Boy was my mom surprised!!

There was silliness-

and Skyler wanted to get into the action-

And of course some wonderful gifts.....my sister did a signature quilt for her--- a true treasure! here is a link to her blog's posting of the quilt.

So the week before everyone came I was cleaning and putting up Christmas decorations. Busy busy.

After we put my sister back on the plane on Monday we headed down to South Carolina. It was time to pick cabinets, countertops, flooring, faucets and other plumbing items. On our way down the highway we got an offer to stay at a lakehouse...instead of a hotel! Sweet deal. It was really foggy when we got to Greenwood, but we did find the house. The next morning the fog was still hanging around.

Not a bad view even with the fog! The only drawback was we were without internet... what a strange feeling! (Tuesday's Trees will be back this week.)

We drove out to the house. Lots of progress has been made since we were there. The rain has slowed them down a little, but it was great to see it shaping up! You can see the water is high on the dock and there is a tree that floated downstream. The tree was gone the next day.

Great view from the lake.

The siding was getting put on and the windows are starting to be installed.

This big picture window is our dining room window, facing west. With all these trees I don't think the sun will be an issue.

The roof is coming along as well.

Sunrise was pretty impressive when it wasn't foggy. It was worth getting up at 5:30- 6:00 AM.

Will be back around to everyone's blogs and try to catch up a little. Time to get into the Christmas mode now!

An Appreciation of What is Growing In My Yard

2009-12-10T08:13:00.002-05:00

With my focus on trees and getting pictures of various specimen to use in my tree posts, I have taken a renewed appreciation of the trees in my yard. I have two small Japanese maples. Once they were planted together and neither did very well. I moved one to the front yard and left one in the back, they both liked the change. They are pass a long trees, not named cultivars. The tree in the backyard has just glowed this fall. I wonder, previous years of drought conditions left this tree bare in the fall, it was certainly stressed. This year we are well over our yearly average rainfall. Many trees have held on to their leaves, giving us glorious fall color.

The backyard Japanese maple is green in the summer---

here is morning light

here is afternoon light

and the front yard one is red----

Tuesday's Trees- Carpinus caroliniana

2009-12-08T14:20:00.000-05:00

-- Ironwood, American Hornbeam, Musclewood- this tree goes by many names.

My first introduction to this tree was at the Adkins Arboretum along the eastern shore of Maryland. The visit was part of our Master Gardener trip. The group I walked through the woods with had a few Tree Stewards in training and it seemed like we were in heaven.

Many of the Ironwood we came across were very young trees and making the ID with these young trees was primarily with the growth structure of the trunk. The leaves are so similar to beech and birch trees. The leaves are double serrated, oblong, ovate. They occur alternately from the twig. It is green during the growing season and in the fall it turns orange to red to yellow. Quite often the leaves hang on through the winter. Here is a link to Sweetbay's web posting with beautiful fall color.

It is a slow growing tree, reaching heights of 20- 30 feet with similar spread. Typically it is an understory tree and as such has an open canopy. If planted in more sun the canopy is denser. This native tree is hardy from zones 3- 9. Often seen as a multi-stemmed tree, the stems are crooked, smooth and light gray in color. The trunk has the appearance of a muscular limb…. One of the ways we were able to make our identification on a young tree was to feel the base of the trunk. It does feel like someone has a flexed muscle.

C. caroliniana is a monoecious tree with both male and female catkins in the spring. The fruit is a long nutlet and it a food source for birds. Large seed production occurs every 3- 5 years. The germination rate is low. The Silvics manual is an excellent reference guide for this tree.
Common names for many plants are often used for more than one plant variety. I first learned this tree to be an Ironwood, but there is another tree called Ironwood—Ostrya virginiana. Another tree in the birch family, also a crooked trunked tree…but this Ironwood has ridged bark, unlike the American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) that has a very smooth trunk.
Wonderful resources for the Carpinus caroliniana-
MOBOT- wonderful pictures
What Tree Is This site- nice quick reference
UNCONN- concise information
USDA data sheet- great links to other information
NCState- quick list of information, no photo
Virginia Tech fact sheet easy to print fact sheet to carry with you
Forestry Service a great reference

Next tree- Magnolia grandiflora
Sorry for the delay in getting this posted, life happens.

Reflections on a Year of Blogging

2009-12-07T00:07:00.001-05:00

It is hard to believe that an entire year has gone by since I started this blog. My initial intent was to share gardening information and observations. In my first posting I said I would post about once a week. Kind of funny now….who would have thought I had so much more to write about?

Acuba japonica 'Mr. Goldstrike'

Over this past year my knowledge has grown. I had to ask my sister how to get my blog going. She patiently answered my questions about adding html language on the sidebar, how to add photos, and a myriad of other things I now take for granted. One of the best things she recommended to me was to build a trial blog. This is a place I can upload all the words and add the pictures and play around with the placement on the page. Thanks K!!!

Physocarpus opulifolius 'Ninebark'

One desire was to share pictures of the Learning Garden, a place I have enjoyed working as a Master Gardener. My pictures will help build the library of information within the Cooperative Extension office and its webpage. Taking pictures and identifying the plants correctly increased my knowledge of what the plant was and where it is in the garden.

fun fungus on a stump

My Tuesday's Tree series is a learning experience for me as well as others who are kind enough to read my posts. As I travel around I see trees that interest me everywhere I look! I think I am becoming obsessed with trees!
With each picture I have improved a little bit. I have learned about photo editing and adjusting as well as how large or small to post a picture. From my fellow bloggers I have learned about programs to use to make my photos better.
I have made new friends in this blogosphere. Some folks I have met in person and some are still my electronic pen-pals.

a stink bug on a leaf

Euonymus americanus
Hearts A'Bustin

It has been fun but time consuming. As I move into my second year with this blog I want to maintain my focus—learning and growing. I may scale back on the time commitment as our move to South Carolina gets closer…..or I may bore you with more pictures of wild turkeys near our new house, time will tell. Stick around and see what 2010 brings!

Bloom and fruit on a pyracantha bush...strange weather this fall!

Once in a Very Blue Moon and Awards

2009-12-03T18:02:00.001-05:00

This shot reminds me of Nanci Griffith's song. One of my better 'moon shots'. Our full moon was last night, however we had big thunderstorms and lots of rain...so no moonview. This was the night before.

Many thanks to both Noelle and Colleen for giving me this award.
I do not want to be ingracious about receiving such a nice award. I write this blog for various reasons and am pleased that others enjoy reading it. I accept the award and offer it to all who read my blog as I can't choose to whom I should forward this. Many thanks ladies. It is most appreciated.

Tuesday's Tree- Cryptomeria japonica

2009-12-01T08:36:00.000-05:00

One of my neighbors has this huge tree in their front yard that is just beautiful. Before I knew much about trees I think someone told me it was a Bald Cypress. Not knowing any better, I went on thinking they were correct. I then learned about Bald Cypress and will post information on it later in the winter. So what is this tree two doors down? I knew what it wasn't!

I finally got around to walking over there with camera in hand and went about observing this tree. Some of my photos are not very clear as this is a tall tree and fruits were up high. It was confirmed, this lovely was a Cryptomeria.

This is not a native tree but very adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions. Hardiness zones range from 6- 9. It was interesting to read that in the colder climates this evergreen's foliage can turn brownish purple in the winter. The leaves are small, ¼ - ½ inch long and pointed. It is moderately tolerant of drought conditions and can grow in sun to part shade.

It can grow 25 feet tall in 10 years. The average height of a Cryptomeria japonica is 50- 60 feet tall though in its native Japan and China specimens have been known to grown up to 150 feet tall. Its spread is about 20- 30 feet.
It is monoecious, the female fruit it rounded and on the ends of the branches. Like I said, this is a little blurry.

The bark is a very distinctive feature. It is a reddish brown and it shreds in long strips, similar fashion as the Bald Cypress (this could be why it was IDed incorrectly) The bark is really nice in appearance.

Interesting facts about the Cryptomeria include that it is one of the few evergreens that will coppice. (Coppice is cutting at near ground level to rejuvenate new growth. It can be done for its bark, as in a cinnamon tree, or to control height)

The Cryptomeria is said to be the only species in its genus, though other writings had stated there may be a second, though it was not identified. It is a member of the ancient family Taxodiaceae that have been around since the dinosaur age. Others in its family include the Bald Cypress, Dawn Redwood, California Redwood, and the giant Sequoias. There are cultivars that can be purchased that are dwarf or compact.

USDA- minimal information, links to other sites.
UCONN- good bulleted information
Floridata- nice write up with good information
NCState- brief overview
MOBOT- brief overview

Next week's tree – Ironwood/ Musclewood

Tuesday's Trees- Chinese Pistache

2009-11-24T07:55:00.002-05:00

Pistacia chinensis is an outstanding tree that is being used more frequently as a 'street tree'. Considered a medium sized tree, average height is somewhere between 25 and 35 feet with a similar spread. It can reach a height of 60 feet, though that is not typical. It is a lovely vase shape tree with large evenly compounded pinnate leaves. The leaflets are approximately 2 to 4 inches in size.

Many of the web sites tell of the gorgeous fall color of red to orange. This puzzled me as our tree in the photographs is from the Learning Garden. My first awareness of our tree was last fall. I was taking pictures for use within the Cooperative Extension Office. The tree didn't have a metal sign and the wooden stake with the name was unreadable. After making the ID for the tree I was still puzzled. I had an article about tree fall color foliage ---Chinese Pistache was listed as a wonderfully bright red fall color. WHAT?? It took a lot more investigation to convince me that is was indeed a Chinese Pistache. I guess you could say I like double documentation. I did find a few references that include yellow as the fall color. It is beautiful in the garden.

Proper pruning is needed with this tree as the lower branches can droop. The upright vase shape also has V-shaped crotches that need to be managed for strong structural growth. Some reports with my reading say that some have thorns, ours does not. The bark is gray-brown and as it matures will flake off to show a salmon red to orange inner bark. Ours is still a young tree.

It is a dioecious tree and the flowers have gone unnoticed by me on our specimen. It can spread by seed that because of that there are a few conflicting documents about its invasiveness. Both documents are from Texas—two claiming it to be a wonderful tree for planting, Texas Superstars (quick overview) and Texas Tree Planting Guide- (advocating this tree for Texas )and against planting it, Austin Growgreen (advocating NOT planting this tree as it is invasive in Central Texas, spreads by seeds). If you live in Texas be sure to check with your Extension office to see what the status is for your county.
The zonal range for this tree is pretty wide. It is hardy from zones 6b- 9. While not a native to the US it has been used in urban areas with less than perfect growing conditions and done well.

University of Florida- great information on a 3 page document
University of Florida Extension- good information from Cooperative Extension
Tree New Mexico - public education and advocacy website for trees in New Mexico
University of Arkansas- Plant of the Week profile
North Carolina State- brief overview of the tree
Virginia Tech- one page reference sheet- my applets for the pictures didn't load, not sure if they will for you.

***please note that I continue to update fall foliage pictures

to past tree profiles, be sure to check back (spring photos will include

flowers and budding)**

~~~I respond to your comments on current posts and try

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Next week's tree is –Cryptomeria japonica
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ONE AND ALL

November's GGW Photo Entry 'The End of the Line'

2009-11-22T08:35:00.000-05:00

Many of you know of the contest over at Gardening Gone Wild. The theme this month is 'The End of the Line'. I have contemplated which photo would be my best entry. After narrowing the choices down from a bazillion to 6 then to 4 I asked a few family members. The prefered choice was the one I kept going back to --- a rotten tomato and a mushroom. Isn't compost/decay really the end of the line? I think so too.

Here is my entry for 'The End of the Line'

The runners up were- my backyard (pre-storm) on a foggy morning

A view to the end of the creek

And the last one, the Coleman Bridge. While it is a cool picture, my daughter points out it doesn't lead to the end of the line, just to Gloucester!

November in the Learning Garden

2009-11-20T07:59:00.001-05:00

Yesterday in the Learning Garden there was a lot of cleanup from the storm. Lots of leaves and limbs were down. After most of the raking was done for the day I walked around with my camera. Unfortunately I had some batteries that were on their last bit of power. Before the camera died I was able to get some nice pictures.

Here is the Camellia that Racquel spoke of. Turns out someone moved a sign and we thought it was Camellia japonica 'Mrs. Charles Cobb', which, if I thought about it I would have realized, too early for a japonica. It is an unnamed C. sasanqua at this point. As the bloom matures it turns pink. Both of these pictures are from the same shrub.

Another unknown pink Camellia that is in bloom now.

This ruffled double bloomed beauty is Camellia sasanqua 'Jean May'

A grouping of some White Oaks in our picnic area have a lovely array of lichen on them.

Amsonia hubrichtii

And for an autumn color portrait........

Have a great weekend everyone.

Tuesday's Trees- Sassafras albidum

2009-11-17T10:04:00.000-05:00

A native tree to most of the states, the Sassafras albidum is very recognizable. The kids always knew the tree by the three different leaf shapes. This tree has the oval leaf, a tri-lobed leaf and the one the kids recognized immediately, the mitten leaf.

Do you like root beer? The origins of this soda come from the root of this tree. You can smell the root beer flavor by crushing small twigs or roots. Additionally tea can be made from the root. Are you a fan of gumbo? This Cajun dish has an ingredient called filé. Filé comes from the dried, ground leaves of the sassafras tree. Cherokee, Choctaw and Chippewa have many uses for this tree, from tea to spices flavoring their foods. The Spanish explorers brought the tree back to Europe in the 1500's.

Though this tree has a wide range, zones 4- 9, the tree does better in sunnier locations. The Sassafras sprouts from roots and forms groves, crowding out other trees. There is an allopathic feature that keeps the grove clear of other plant material. It is a dioecious tree and the seed production begins on mature (10 years old) trees and it can live up to 150 years. The seeds mature in one year. Flowers appear in early spring and are quite showy.

This member of the Laurel family will grow to a height of 50 feet; it is a fast grower and has softwood. Deer like the twigs in the winter and the drupes/berries are a good food source for birds. The fall color is a glorious range of yellow to orange to reds. The inner bark is cinnamon in color and outer bark has kind of twisted deep ridges. The growth pattern is irregular, twisting a bit and the twigs form a 60 degree angle with main stem.

Floridata has some good history
MOBOT - some nice photos and good information
NC State- quick reference
Virginia Tech- another quick reference
Forestry Department, Silvics manual—in depth information, no photos
University of Florida - easy to read detailed information
USDA Plant Database- good list of additional web links
Ohio State – succinct information
Remember all photos can be clicked on to enlarge. I am continuing to update previous tree posts with photos of fall color.

Next week's tree- Chinese Pistache

How 'Bout These Babies? November GBBD

2009-11-15T17:51:00.003-05:00

Have you ever taken some photos that you just sit back and admire? Did I do this? While moving things back to where they belong after our storm I was surprised to see how many blooms had opened on my Thanksgiving/Christmas Cactus. I will have to do some more research to figure out which this one is. In the meanwhile..... I am sorry, I couldn't decide which to post so here are four of the shots.

As for my garden, while I feel like it is toast, there are still some blooms-- it is just sooooooooo soggy. My August Beauty Gardenia and the Adonis Blue Buddleia have been uprooted by the wind. Will have to see what I can do after the ground dries a bit more.

As for the rest of the garden, here is a sample of what is still blooming in spite of the storm.

Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) , Spiderwort (Tradescantia), Green ConeFlower (Rudbeckia laciniata)

Viburnum dilatatum 'Michael Dodge', Callicarpa americana Beautyberry, Forget-me-Not,Cynoglossum amabile
And last but not least--- the sun shining behind the Hydrangea paniculata.

Don't forget to go to Carol's webpage to see other Garden Bloggers' Blooms.

A Window to My World

2009-11-13T22:42:00.000-05:00

This is the window from which I most often look. If you notice there is a lot of water. We have been playing with what we are calling Nor'Ida. Take one serious nor'easter and add a healthy dose of the remains of a late season hurricane.....include over 10 inches of rain over three days and six tidal cycles. I was going to call this posting 'Where in the Hell is Pat Robertson?' He claimed to pray away hurricanes. Sorry, my sense of humor is shot. High tides got progressively higher with each cycle as the high winds would not allow the waters to recede during low tide. Les from A Tidewater Gardener mentioned flooding in his posting on Thursday.

Wednesday we had rain and there was some talk of some coastal flooding. Ok, we could deal with that. This photo is a very high tide, not uncommon with a nor'easter....higher than usual, not enough to make me crazy.

We spent Wednesday putting things up, away from possible flood water. Kitchen counters and tables were covered with items pulled from any low cabinet or shelf. The garage items were moved as well.

This is what happened two hours later at high tide. Again, not what I wanted to see, but oh well. Coastal flooding.

We got up very early on Thursday morning to find a lot of water in the yard.

Note the bird bath.

Six hours later would be our low tide. LOW tide it wasn't .

This was before high tide, I was looking out all my windows. Just how high would it come? We flooded with Hurricane Isabel, something I really did not want to experience again. Before we go any further, I know there are those who experienced much worse with many other hurricanes. Mine is not a severe case, it is my case. Our house got repaired and with each passing hurricane season we worried, looked out the window and watched the water. With retirement looming, we decided to build on a newly purchased lot, as those who read this blog know.

Thursday evening's water was to be worse that that morning's high tide. We paced and paced. You want to do something but there is nothing you can do to stop the water.

It came into the garage a bit, we had some minor losses. My nerves on the other hand.....

The high tide this morning was higher than yesterday morning, but lower than last night. Hooray! The offshore winds had diminished and the water was able to recede with low tide.

So all this being said, I haven't lost my marbles, but we do have a lot of cleanup to do. Will try to get around to other blogs in a few days.

For now I am going to bed and get some rest, knowing that the worst is over. And that is my 2 cents.

Happy Veterans Day

2009-11-11T14:15:00.002-05:00

Tuesday's Trees- Swamp Chestnut Oak or Swamp White Oak?

2009-11-10T17:30:00.001-05:00

From swamp chestnut oak swamp white oak Learning Garden

As I take my dogs for a walk up and down our street I look at the trees. I am always checking out the trees. Besides the pines, the tree family that occurs most frequently in my little world is the Oak family- Quercus. Many are the Willow Oak that I have already posted about. There are a couple White Oak, multiple Oaks in the Red Oak classification. I am still trying to distinguish between a Southern Red Oak and a Pin Oak. I must have a mental block on this one. The other Oak present is the Swamp Chestnut Oak, Quercus michauxii.

From swamp chestnut oak swamp white oak Learning Garden

There is also a Swamp Chestnut Oak in the Learning Garden. This is my example plant. One of the things that really stands out on the bark, it is very similar to the White Oak. It is pale gray with thick irregular ridges. As you look higher into the tree the bark appears in large flakes, lifting from the trunk.

From swamp chestnut oak swamp white oak Learning Garden

Another very noticeable feature is the dark green leaf on this tree is large, quite large, 4- 9 inches. It is oval getting wider at the tip, rough, with rounded teeth along the wavy edges. The fall color is a lovely bronze red that finally turns brown before falling. It is an alternate leaf pattern.

From swamp chestnut oak swamp white oak Learning Garden

The Swamp Chestnut Oak is hardy to zones 5-8. It grows to heights of 60- 80 feet with a spread of up to 70 feet. The trunk is straight and the branching form is oval to rounded and densely branched. As other oaks it is monoecious. Its acorns mature in one season which is a feature of the white oak classification. As it is a sweeter nut many animals have it as a food source.

From swamp chestnut oak swamp white oak Learning Garden

Another name for the Swamp Chestnut Oak is Basket Oak as the strong fibers of this tree are used in basket making. The lumber is hard and used in flooring and furniture making.

You may be wondering why I have included the Swamp White Oak in this posting. The Swamp White Oak, Quercus bicolor, has similar bark features to the Q. michauxii as well as large oval shaped leaves. This Swamp Oak has lobes instead of wavy ridges. There is one tree on my street that has all the other features of a Swamp Chestnut Oak but has lobes instead of wavy edges on the leaves. You may recall in a previous post that some oaks will cross hybridize. The Swamp Chestnut is one of these. White Oak is the one from the previous posting. I cannot be sure if this one tree is a Swamp White Oak or perhaps a deeper waved Swamp Chestnut Oak or a cross breed from the White Oaks and the Swamp Chestnut Oak in the area.

This is the tree in question's leaf- Swamp White Oak?? See the lobes?

From swamp chestnut oak swamp white oak Learning Garden

And the bark on the tree in question--

From swamp chestnut oak swamp white oak Learning Garden

Another large leafed Oaks is the Chinkapin Oak . I have read about native ranges and growing conditions so I am fairly certain it is not a Chinkapin.
Sites for Quercus michauxii include-
Virginia Tech Swamp Chestnut Oak short description, easy to read
Ohio Department of Natural Resources Swamp Chestnut Oak- good info with a comparison to White Swamp Oak
Floridata Swamp Chestnut Oak- lots of great information with more detail
Vanderbilt Swamp Chestnut Oak- comparison feature to compare to other oaks
University of Florida 4-H Swamp Chestnut Oak- another good site for brief description
Forestry Department Swamp Chestnut Oak- the scientific description and great detail. Native range shown.
NCState Swamp Chestnut Oak – brief info sheet

And sites for the Quercus bicolor-
University of Florida Forestry Dept. Swamp White Oak- Forestry Department write up about the tree
Virginia Tech White Swamp Oak= brief info sheet
Forestry Department White Swamp Oak- scientific description and lots of detail
Ohio Department of Natural Resources Swamp White Oak- easy to read description with photos
Vanderbilt Swamp White Oak – good photos
See if you can decide!

Last I want to share bark differences of three oaks--- a neighbor's trees all lined up in his garden show the differences between Swamp Chestnut Oak, Willow Oak and a Red (or Pin) Oak. Be sure to enlarge this photo to see the differences.

Next week's tree- Sassafras

Duck!

2009-11-07T09:05:00.002-05:00

For the last week or so we have had about 6 Mallards swimming up and down the creek. While these ducks are not unusual ducks, we haven't had many in recent years. A number of years ago there was some kind of virus that killed off a large bit of the population. Our creek opens to the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Poquoson River. Everyone I spoke with who lives down creek was mentioning the same thing, no ducks. I am happy to see them back again.

Here is what we used to experience.

Tuesday's Trees- Pecan, Carya illinoinensis

2009-11-03T08:53:00.005-05:00

When someone says Pecan, I think pie. I love Pecan pie, Derby Pie is pretty good too. (Think Pecan pie and add some chocolate and good Kentucky bourbon) The Pecan tree, Carya illinoinensis- another Hickory, is a North American native tree whose range originated in the lower Mississippi valley but has spread throughout the South. It is adaptable to zones 5b-9a. A bottomland tree, the Pecan grows in full sun and while there are some pests, they are not serious problems. Missouri Botanical Garden has some great photos and a super link to a list of the pests.

A mature tree grows to a height of up to 100+ feet with a spread up to 70 feet. Notice the grand shape to this mature tree in Hampton. I was lucky to find a great number of examples of pecan trees near my ballet studio. It was one of those occasions where I never knew they were there! It helped that they were in fruit when I started looking for them.

One week later-- its fall colors are starting to show.

The leaf is alternate, pinnately compound with anywhere from 9- 15 serrated leaflets. The fruit ripens in the fall –anytime from September to December. The tree is monoecious (one house) the male flowers are fuzzy catkins and the female flowers are small yellowish green. The nut is inside a thick hull that will crack open easily when ripe.

The light gray bark is smooth on a young tree becoming narrowly ridged. Fall color is that of other hickories, yellow.

Uses vary from food production for man, furniture, cabinets, veneers, to a great food source for wildlife. This is still a green nut.

Virginia Tech- brief summary

University of Florida- great detail, no photos

Vanderbilt- comparison tool with other Hickories

US Forestry Department- scientific detail, range map, no photo

Fall color --

From swamp chestnut oak swamp white oak Learning Garden

I have updated some of the fall colors on previous tree posts. Black Gum, Shagbark Hickory, Crape Myrtles, and Sourwood.

Just added the White Oak as well.

Next week – Swamp Chestnut Oak/ Swamp White Oak/

What Color is on Your Deck?

2009-11-01T12:14:00.000-05:00

As I look out the door to the deck I watch the raindrops on the creek. In between the door and the creek is the deck with those plants that will stay outside all winter (or until they are done producing).

The basil is still growing (and blooming), I will bring it in soon and dry some of the leaves.

In the same pot as the basil is Tri-colored Sage- this will be clipped throughout the winter for culinary delights.

Next to the herb bowl are a couple window boxes with lettuce --The 'Red Sails' is really coming along.

The Sedum is showing a change of color that matches the clay container it is in..

After I took the containers apart earlier this fall I put the Hedera helix 'Pink-n-Very Curly' in its own container and put it in a bit more sun. What a change! The leaves are really showing some of that pink color.

Still hungry? The cherry tomatoes are still growing and putting forth fruit.

Last but not least-- a miniature rose. I used to think I needed to bring this in for the winter, though I don't know why!! It has lived outside since 2003 and been very happy.

Farewell to October

2009-10-29T08:51:00.000-04:00

The end of October and there are still so many blooms in my garden... This Rugosa Rose has been blooming all season long.

Rosa Rugosa 'Pink Grootendorst'

Looking down the creek-- a view I will miss

Back to the blooms-
I love this picture... look how tight the swirl of petals is before it unfurls

A couple weeks ago there were some pictures of gardens 'from above'. It certainly gives a different perspective. Here is my front yard. If you look closely, I have drawn a line at the property line.

And part of the backyard.

Finally....the Hibiscus opened on Thursday....another great performer.

Tuesday's Trees- Winged Elm, Ulmus alata

2009-10-27T09:14:00.000-04:00

The first time I saw a Winged Elm we were on our property in South Carolina and there were lots of small saplings sprouting up. Again it was our landscaper who told me about this tree. I have come a long way in the course of a year. It seems taking one tree at a time is the way for me to learn about trees.

This fast growing native tree is adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions, zones 6- 9, part shade to part sun, drought tolerant, moderate salt tolerance, bottomland or terraces. The average height is about 45 feet with a similar spread. There have been some specimens reaching up to 100 feet tall. The growth pattern is that of an upright vase, spreading as it matures. The most distinctive feature of the Winged Elm is the corky wings that protrude along the stems. These wings vary from tree to tree.

The leaves are doubly serrated, elliptical, pinnate venation, and appear alternately along the stem. The margins between the nodes are small. The green leaves turn yellow in the fall, one website claims it to be showy color and another says it is dull. Eventually I will get a photo of the fall color and we can decide!

The flowers are not showy, appearing in the fall. It is a perfect flower, having both male and female reproductive structures. Seed germination is high and it has been known to invade open meadows.
Deer find the stems and leaves nutritious and succulent in the spring when other food is less available. Later in the season the leaves are less digestible.
Dutch Elm disease is a concern with this tree. Other pest issues are scale, mites and powdery mildew.
Turns out I do not have a clear picture of the bark or the full sized tree from our lot. For a good look at the bark check out Vanderbilt- (lots of photos, good one with the bark)

Fun facts- The Creek Indian call this tree the Wahoo. Because it resists splitting, it is used in making high quality hockey sticks. Other uses for this hard wood include furniture, flooring, boxes and crates.
More resources-
NC State -short description
Duke- comparison of this elm with Slippery Elm and American Elm
LBJ Wildflower Center- distribution and host plant info
US Forestry Department- in conjunction with University of Florida. Line drawings, good info
Virginia Tech-brief description
US Forestry Department Silvics Manual- scientific information, very detailed
next week's tree---Pecan

Great Fishing , a WOW and an Oh No!

2009-10-22T05:00:00.005-04:00

Sitting at my computer I can look out the door and see the water. On Monday this Great Blue Heron had the morning sun hitting him. It made him look as though he was glowing.

He didn't want me outside and started walking away.

He finally walked back over to the bulkhead to continue fishing.

A few more of these photos on my Flickr page.

Wednesday I went to Fort Monroe to take some photos for a future post. As I climbed the seawall I saw 5 dolphins jump out of the water. Of course the camera was not focused on the water at the time. If you look in the center there are about three fins that you can see. What a treat to watch the group of them swim along the shoreline.

When I got home I needed to take the dogs out and of course throw the ball for Skyler. Guess who's ball went into the creek? Time to get out the hose......

Tuesday's Trees- Water Oak, Quercus nigra

2009-10-20T09:01:00.003-04:00

This oak is commonly found in the bottomlands or swampy areas. It goes by other names, including possum oak and spotted oak. The Water Oak is monoecious – staminate flowers, catkins form on previous year's growth and the pistillate blooms on current season's growth. The acorn forms as a scab the first year and matures the second. It takes about 20 years for the tree to produce its fruit.

A mature tree can reach heights of 120+ feet and has a spread of about 50- 60 feet. It is a fast growing tree. The Water Oak is a shorted lived tree, 60- 80 compared to other oaks, 100-600+years.

It has been used in the timber industry as well as for firewood. Planted widely in the south for its shade. The acorns are eaten by squirrels and other wildlife. It is a native tree and it ranges from zones 6-10.
The leaves are spatulate to lanceolate and having 0- 5 lobes. When I first saw this tree and its unusual leaf I was in South Carolina on our property. I asked our landscaper what kind of tree it was. He said it was a Water Oak and that it has 'spoon shaped leaves'. Great way to remember that- thanks Wyatt! The bark is dark and smooth on younger trees and develops ridges as it ages. The fall leaf color is yellow and quite showy. Once our trees start turning I will add the fall photos to each posting. Be sure to check back to previous posts.

Here are some of the resources I used for this article.

Virginia Tech -short and simple description of the tree with leaf, acorn, bark, and twig photos

University of Florida Tree facts -good descriptions with more detail

Arbor Day- quick glance of facts

Forestry Service Federal- more scientific information

University of Florida 4-H –single page with photos and short bits of information on all characteristics of tree.

Fall color starting-

From swamp chestnut oak swamp white oak Learning Garden

Next week's tree-- Winged Elm

On the Road Again or Invasives along our Highways

2009-10-17T20:32:00.001-04:00

This past August I traveled up and down interstate 95 and interstate 85 from DC to South Carolina and points in between. I made two trips to DC to help one daughter move into her apartment. Early in month I drove to North Carolina to help the other daughter move into her place. Along the highways I saw all sorts of interesting foliage. Trying to make an ID while driving 65+mph isn’t easy. The trip to South Carolina I didn’t drive, so I took the opportunity to look out the windows to try and figure out what plants were along the highway.

I thought that one of the plants was Sumac, Rhus glabra. Seemed there was a lot of Sumac growing along the road. Some of the plants had a flower or berries at the top. I finally figured out that must be Devil’s Walking Stick, Aralia spinosa. Both of these shrubs/trees are native to the United States. Both also form thickets of growth. I was not sure that ALL that I was seeing was in fact one or the other. Again, going down the highway is not the most effective way to make a plant ID.

Fast forward to our trip this month back to South Carolina, another opportunity to look at trees and shrubs along the drive. As we left I thought I forgot the book I was reading. Looking around the car I found a book one of my fellow Master Gardeners gave me titled Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests. I flipped through the book as we drove along.

Lo and behold, the plant of which I was trying to make identification turned out to be Tree-of-Heaven, Ailanthus altissima, an invasive nonnative. The leave pattern is pinnately compound –very similar to both Sumac and Devil’s Walking Stick. One of the key identifiers was the autumn color. Sumac turns a beautiful bronze red color as does the Devil’s Walking Stick. The Tree-of-Heaven….pale yellow. I was amazed at the thick groves of this invasive.

Sumac

Devil’s Walking Stick

see how tall it gets?

Continuing down the highway with book in hand I realized another invasive plant that is also within the National Park…Golden Bamboo, Phyliostachys aurea. It was planted as an ornamental years ago and used for fishing poles, now, it is crowding out cemeteries and homesteads as well as in ditches along the highway.

As I looked through the book there were a few more of these thugs from the book along the highway. Kudzu, Pueraria montana --we all know what it looks like. It covers everything in its wake. Skeeter did a great posting on it about a month ago at In The Garden. My photo is from the Yorktown Battlefield. Our National Parks are being encroached upon by this and other invasives. What a nightmare these plants have become.

Last week Debbie at Garden Thyme with the Creative Gardener wrote a great piece on other invasives. I read her posting after I got back from my trip and had decided to write something myself. There are so many plants out there that should not have been planted and now they are spreading by rhizomes, by seeds from birds or animals, by seeds on the wind…it can make a person mad!

There are so many plants that have been planted by the various highway departments that were used for erosion control or ornamental displays at the interchanges. You and I know many of them; we use them in our gardens. Winged Burning Bush (Euonymus alata), Chinese Silvergrass(Miscanthus sinensis), Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) English Ivy (Hedera helix), and I could go on and on. I have listed some wonderful websites where you can go and find what is classified as an invasive in your area.

There are some Miscanthus and Nandina that have sterile seeded cultivars, be an informed gardener. Can you control the wind as it carries a seed? Will you make the birds promise not to eat and deposit the seeds away from where you can manage them?

Before you buy –do your homework! Know what you are buying. Look at natives or sterile varieties. If you have something that is ‘taking over’ perhaps it is next year’s newest member to the list of invasive plants.

National Arboretum web list about classification of invasives.
USDA website with a listing that links to photos and information on specific plants. As I couldn’t take lots of photos as we drove along the highway, please check out this site.
Golden Bamboo is covering our battlefield.

Garden Blogger Bloom Day October 2009 & Fun With Photos

2009-10-15T00:01:00.001-04:00

I have been playing with both Flickr and Picasa for my photo postings. Grace had asked me for help on posting larger photos... yes, oh the possibilities! Doing this collage for Garden Blogger Bloom Day I wanted the photo to be large enough to see the labels I put on each flower.
When I first started blogging my sister recommended I use a trial blog to explore photo and text layout. Thanks K.!! It is nice to be able to see what the posting will look like before you send it out over the internet. Just make sure you use the same template on both blogs and same font, etc.
ANYHOW---- while trial blogging the different sizes I thought it might be a good example of how different the two photo websites can be. I like them both, but you can see large is not the same for both.

Flickr large--

Picasa- large

Flickr medium---

Picasa medium--

There are lots of options out there for photo posting and it doesn't have to be hard. If I can do it......

So- Happy Bloom Day, be sure to venture over to Carol's at May Dreams Gardens
for more blooms!