From Solstice to Sultry

June 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment

I think there’s just something about a cascade of clematis which makes me think summer.  Add in 80+ degree days and you have the perfect combination for sitting on the “We” bench and sipping pink lemonade, watching bees and butterflies do their thing. We have two varieties of clematis (both purple beauties) climbing the wall and then cascading down in our upper garden. They’ve really taken hold this year.

The rose bush we planted two summers ago, is also putting forth it’s little delicate blooms.  These aren’t the bold hybrid roses, everyone expects.  This is one which doesn’t require any extra fuss in the winter, and just does the simple blooms that nature originally intended.  It’s in front of the clematis, so it is a delicate counterpoint.  Here are all the pics, remember to click the thumbnail to get a bigger version:

Rosy
Clematis
Clematis Close-up


Posted by Jane Hansen | Filed Under Labyrinth Journal 

Purple Path to Wisdom

May 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment

It turns out that last weekend we had some visitors from Wisdom Ways. It seems we made their labyrinth tour this year. Someone called and asked if we were open, and said they were coming with some other people. Well, a couple hours later, a dozen devoted labyrinth walkers wound their way to the Eye. They were just in time to discover the new purple theme of the blooms.

Purple columbine are starting to bloom, and join the many mounds of violets which border the path in our upper garden. I brought the camera out this morning, so here’s a picture of each, plus the secret and sensual interior of a tulip.

Violets everywhere!
First Columbine Blooms
Inner Beauty


Read more

Posted by Jane Hansen | Filed Under Labyrinth Journal 

Tulips Galore and More!

April 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Wow, it’s getting tough to keep up with all the blooms bursting everywhere.  Here’s a new set of images of those tulips in full bloom, all along the edge of the labyrinth path.  Plus, we have a few crocus blooms in the shady part . . . and what are those funny maroon-tipped shoots coming up in their midst?  Bleeding hearts coming soon to a labyrinth near you.

Crocus - Bleeding Heart
Tulip Pair
Tulip-lined Labyrinth

Tulip Gang

Posted by Jane Hansen | Filed Under Labyrinth Journal 

Labyrinth Open for Walking + Tulips!

April 21, 2008 | 2 Comments

The labyrinth is now officially open for the season.  All the bricks which were leaning every which way are now in their proper rows, and we’ve got more blooms.  Crocus in the upper part of the garden, plus, Tada! Tulips are blooming, with more on the way.  Daffodils are budding.  It’s going to look glorious this weekend!

One Bud and One giant Crocus
Bunch of crocus along the walkway
Gorgeous half-open Tulip



Posted by Jane Hansen | Filed Under Labyrinth Journal 

Crocus Line

April 15, 2008 | Leave a Comment

We’ve gone from one to many little crocus flowers. Here they are, all lined up next to the labyrinth path, and the wind is showing them how to dance. I got a picture of the whole line as well as a couple of closeups. Click on the images in the gallery below for full pics.

Windblown Crocus
An upright Group of Crocus
Checkout the happy trio


Posted by Jane Hansen | Filed Under Labyrinth Journal 

Bloomin’ Crocus

April 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Crocus Bloom April 9 2008Fickle Flower

I thought I was clever to catch the crocus before it bloomed.
I took my picture and posted it at noon.
But if I had only waited an hour or two,
I would have caught this happy view
drinking the sun to show off its bloom.

It’s the first flower of the season. Happy Spring!

Happy Poetry Month!

Posted by Jane | Filed Under Labyrinth Journal 

What’s popping up at the Labyrinth

April 9, 2008 | 1 Comment

Labyrinth in Early AprilThe labyrinth is clear for walking, if you don’t mind that some bricks are slightly askew. We’ll get those reset in the next couple weeks or so. As you can see from this image, the garden is pretty barren. We’re still doing cleanup, but what you don’t see are all the perennials just below the surface. We’re waiting on hostas, bleeding hearts, and Lilly of the Valley. Some of the perennials are starting to shoot up, though. There are daylillies galore on the sunny side of the garden. It even looks like they’ve spread a bit, some we will have to move, because they are at the labyrinth’s edge.

But the bit we’re really excited about are those tiny show-offs, the crocus. We put those in a year ago last fall, but nothing came of them last spring other than shoots. Crocus Buds Early AprilSo I had low expectations. But I guess they decided to settle in, because we’re already getting a couple of buds.

I’m thrilled, because these guys are supposed to naturalize, and we’ll keep getting more each year. There are only a couple of tiny buds so far (about 1″ or so), but for those of us aching for blooms (and not the hothouse variety), they are huge. I expect we’ll see some blooming in the next week or so, and hopefully, they’ll be joined by many, many more.

We also see the beginnings of Daffodils coming up, but I didn’t get a picture, it’s just a few tufts of green, and I want to wait until there’s something more substantial.

Wildflower Tulip ShootsWe’ve got tulips starting to break ground as well. Here’s a shot of some wildflower tulips starting to shoot up. These are not like the tall-stemmed hybrids most people think of when talking tulips. These guys stay pretty close to the ground, and the blooms don’t stay closed. They’ll open up in the sun. I’m looking forward to getting pictures of these when they come out. They are incredibly lovely. I’m also pleased to see how well they are multiplying. The labyrinth is mostly a perennial garden, and last year was our first time trying out any bulbs. I’d heard stories of how difficult they could be, and how they are often more annuals than perennials, but we got lucky. The walls around the garden tend to stabilize things and create a bit of a micro-climate.

Minnesota HollyIn Minneapolis, we are a Zone 4, but this hardy Zone 5 Holly has weathered three winters so far. We got this at Tangletown Gardens, and it included both the male and female in one pot for planting, so there are berries. At the time, they recommended a treatment for the leaves to help it weather the winter, but I never picked it up.  It weathered the last two seasons just fine.  But this last winter was much more of the traditional Minnesota sub-zero variety, so we lost some leaves, and had to prune back a few branches so the plant could focus on new growth. But despite this, the holly looks in pretty good shape.  We’ll plan ahead next fall and pamper it a bit more with the leaf treatment and extra mulching.

Well, that’s it for now.  I’ll post again when we have blooms.

Posted by Jane | Filed Under Labyrinth Journal 

Labyrinth Thawing Slowly

April 4, 2008 | 2 Comments

When you walk down Lyndale Avenue, it seems like the snow is all gone and we’re just waiting for the plants to wake up that it’s spring. But snow and ice continue to linger in the shady half of the labyrinth garden, but that didn’t stop me from going out and getting a couple of pictures… Read more

Posted by Jane | Filed Under Labyrinth Journal 

Labyrinth Snowed Under

December 3, 2007 | Leave a Comment

The labyrinth is currently buried by the big snowfall we had the first weekend in December.  We haven’t had time to clear a path yet, so if you want to walk it, you need to be a true northerner with a good pair of boots!

Posted by Jane Hansen | Filed Under Labyrinth Journal