Before the Frost: Saucer Magnolias at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum

Magnolia x soulangeana 'Sundew'

'Tis the season of Magnolias, and thankfully the weather in Raleigh, N.C. has been mild enough for us to have a gorgeous bloom show without the frost nipping the buds before they open. And the best place to see Magnolias in the state is arguably the J.C. Raulston Arboretum.

Magnolia x loebneri 'Merrill'

Unfortunately, living in the south of Raleigh makes it difficult to make it up to the J.C. Raulston Arboretum as often as I'd like. Open House at Juniper Level Botanic Garden has taken up my free time on the weekends recently, so I jumped at the opportunity to wander around, if only briefly, when I had to run up to N.C. State University this evening.

Check out more photos here!

Just in time too.... Raleigh is due for three days of arctic weather!

Most everything you see here is a Magnolia

Day of the February Thunderstorm

The weather has been so unusual this week. Last week was a snow and ice storm that shut Raleigh down for a few days. Now this week we have almost 70 degree days and a thunderstorm, complete with thunder and lightning. But, that is North Carolina for you. We have just learned to roll with it. I will say this is the first February thunderstorm I can remember.

Anyway, keeping my eyes open, there were a lot of things taking the cue from the warm weather. Check out the photos (and links!) below for details.

Links for more information about plants and animals in the slideshow:

Cricket Frog- Herps of N.C. profile, EOL profile
Herps of N.C.- List of Frogs and Toads of N.C.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology- Hawks Listing that includes calls
Narcissus ssp.- anatomy, Brent and Becky's Bulbs, cool "Close-up View" project, cultivation fact sheet from Purdue University
Blueberries- cultivation fact sheet from N.C. State, nutrition fact sheet from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, N.C. Blueberry Council
Ericaceae- Oxydendrum arboretum profile, dense botanical description from eFloras,

Whirlwind Day of Horticulture-y Happenings

It was quite a day of horticulture!

I spent the morning at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum; riding with Tim and catching up on his trip to Colorado, mulching and pruning with the Tuesday Rovers and chatting with Elizabeth Overcash, the children's program coordinator, about programs.

Then, back to the apartment to chat with Kathleen Moore about working on the North Carolina Master Gardener's Manual and developing mini labs to teach future Master Gardeners the material in a fun way, while making the program's manageable for the extension agents delivering the lessons.

Finally, I chatted with Tom Clark, from the Polly Hill Arboretum, about what they had going on at the arboretum and what he was think about for my upcoming collections management internship with them. After an hour and a half of asking poor Tom a notebook page front and back of photos, I feel like I know Polly Hill much better and I am even more excited about what my future holds there.

Check out the photo smorgasbord. It's just a sampling of observations.

Finding Sparks of Hope in the Monotony, or: Finishing One Site of the Invasive Species Survey

In light of my meeting with N.C. State's Landscape and Construction Services today to talk about the invasive species workday and project, I headed out to finish the survey I'd started before the winter weather hit. I knew what I was in for, given what I'd seen during my first visit, but thankfully the weather was smiling down on me and alleviated some of what I was surely going to see.

The final verdict was grim, with an estimated 80-90 percent of the area covered in invasive species, but it was a successful qualitative survey nonetheless. The meeting with the LCS went well too, and things are off to a great start.

Final invasive species list includes:

Ligustrum sinense, Chinese privet
Ligustrum japonicum, Japanese privet
Lonicera japonica, Japanese honeysuckle
Pyrus calleryana, Callery Pear
Elaeagnus pungens, Russian-olive
Elaeagnus angustifolia, Silverthorn
Microstegium viminieum, Japanese stiltgrass
Hedera helix, English ivy
Ilex cornuta, Chinese holly
Melia azedarach, Chinaberry

Challenge Accepted

Well, this year has already challenged, and changed, a lot of my future plans. That is not to say that I am giving up by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, quite the contrary. (Martha's Vineyard, here I come!)

The challenge has prompted me to go forward with a different sense of gusto, and part of that is to challenge myself is to keep some kind of horticultural blog of the wonderful things I get to see each day in the field (wherever that might be!). The field could be the Method Road Greenhouses, my own room, any location during a walk, a garden or the wilderness. It is all connected, serendipitously, in some way, so I'll try to take a few moments to relish in this with one of my loves: photography.

For the first day's view, check out the photo slideshow below!