February

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#CCFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03c506e1egerbq.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#339900" FACE="Arial" ><B>My Garden in 2003</B></FONT><B> </B><B> </B><B> </B><B> </B><B> </B><B>|    </B><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Garden in 2003"><U><B>My Garden in 2003</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January"><U>January</U></A>   |   February   |   <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March"><U>March</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April"><U>April</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May"><U>May</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June"><U>June</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#339900" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Here I am, it's the start of a new month, and not much has really changed.  We've had a light frost the past few nights, which (fortunately) haven't hurt the plants.  I think the pictures I've taken are better - maybe I'm getting the knack of this digital camera?</div> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#99CC00" TEXT="#080000"> <div> February</div> <div> <IMG SRC="065c0000.jpg" border=0 width="192" height="256" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="067c0900.jpg" border=0 width="192" height="144" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="069c0000.jpg" border=0 width="192" height="256" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="06bc0000.jpg" border=0 width="192" height="256" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> This is the Princess Elizabeth rose.  The first shot was taken about 3 days before the open bloom, and is the same flower.  I've got two more buds.  As a rose bush, I thought I should trim it back - when I moved in 8 years ago, it was huge, and I've cut out some of the older "wood", but I really like the massive, tall bush, so I've stopped serious trimming.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="06d96710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="07196710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="0a396710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The first anemone of the season, and it's blue.  Also known as Greek wind flowers, they come in red, white and fuchsia, and after they bloom, the pod has white, fuzzy seeds that probably don't sprout. Nearby were masses of bluebells which started blooming in mid month.</div> <div>  <IMG SRC="0a596710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="07396710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  <IMG SRC="07596c80.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="07796c80.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> However, in the flower box by the front door, the pink hyacinth bloomed first.  As the last week of January progressed, more and more plants shot up stalks and these highly scented blooms were on display.  The Dutch iris also began to bloom about President's weekend - white and blue.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="07996710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="09796c80.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  <IMG SRC="07b96710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="09996710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> By the first weekend, there were some blue hyacinths, and a first lonely crocus. About 10 days later, there was this wonderful poesy of lilac crocuses.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="07d96c80.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="07f96710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </div> <div> <IMG SRC="08196710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="08396710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="09b96710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="09d96c80.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Daffodils have been blooming for about 10 days.  A solitary one out front, and a small collection out back, by the moss bear and a red toy from the boy next door.  Then, a week later, the jonquils started blooming.  What is wonderful about these two varieties is that they are scented!</div> <div> <IMG SRC="08596710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="08796710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> I finally got around to trimming the grapevine, and was good about chopping up all the old feelers and putting them in the green waste the same day.  As you can see, the holly still has red berries, which keep the bird population happy, and me in volunteers everywhere!</div> <div> <IMG SRC="08996710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="08b96710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> While the paperwhites have finished blooming in the bulb garden alongside the driveway, they have begun blooming in the white garden, along with snowbells.  In addition, the white primrose has been flourishing, as you can see below.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="08d96710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="08f96c80.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Beside the front door, the jade plant continues to be in bloom.  As long as we don't get a hard frost, this treasure just keeps thriving.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="09196c80.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="09396710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="09596c80.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Out back, there's some color - orange!  Those are some of the tangerines still hanging on the dwarf tree I transplanted from Castro Valley into a container on the left.  The flowers are gazania (I think that's how it's spelled) which are perennials - I have them in a flower box out front, under the dining room window.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="09f96710.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="0a196c80.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> With my midmonth update, I've added a top-down view into the jungle that is the artichoke plants.  I was hoping to see the beginnings of the first flower (dinner) but not yet.  The lemon tree is getting very heavy - time for lemonade!</div> </td> </tr></table></body>