The official name for our ‘estate’ is Froghaven, back when we wanted frogs to visit. We now have at least five adult males IN our front yard pond, all puffing themselves up and fighting each other, while swimming (frog stroke of course) around and between the planters. They are bigger than I thought, and we’re not sure why we never saw them out there before, though we’ve certainly heard them just like now, loudly and right under our noses. We searched for them a few times. They are about 4inches or possibly more from nose to outstretched legs, which is how they are to float and swim. With more than one present previously-we’ve heard at least three before-its hard to imagine how they weren’t obvious! We’ve only seen the newbies, which are miniature 1 1/2 inches versions of the adults.
Other critters that are back are the Mallard ducks, who have started to land in the yard as well as the pond. They first showed up IN the yard on the 10th of March, which is about 8-10 days early. They will come and go until about mid May. The lizard, a mid-size juvie, was sunning himself on the deck and had to get coaxed out of the way.
Almost everything sprouting signs of life, leafing out and giving us the glorious privacy we cherish in the yard. We are working on the barer spots with evergreen shrubs. Hopefully our summer will come early like our spring. Its been on the cool side the last few years. All the Lillie’s are popping up, especially the chocolate lily which is very prolific with dozens or hundreds of bulblets, though they don’t spread far. So I’ve transplanted them lots of places. The three year old trillium bulbs are now coming up. I have three larger pots of seedlings from two years ago, and if a lot of those germinate, I may be done with having to actively propagate it. I’ve taken one of the the inside early each year, in February, which according to one article of research should allow early maturation and maybe take a year or two off the seven-years-to-flowering schedule.
ellensgarden.us 