Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Spring Revival

I had a lot to do returning from Calgary; still do. But I wanted to take photos of all the changes that spring brought to the blooming plants and fruit trees. They had shown so much damage from the dry and freezing weather during the winter that I thought the situation hopeless. I was quite devastated by what I saw then as a total loss.

My bougainvillea, called here camelinas (which I like better), looked like so much dead branches. After Don Samuel had removed the dead dried up shoots, little was left and was so close to the soil that I had grave doubts about their viability. Same for the llamarada and fruit trees. They all looked so forlorn.

But blooming plants, and fruit trees, have revived beyond all expectations.

As well, Tasha is transforming quite rapidly and looks so much healthier. It seemed more important to record these changes than attending to chores.

Without more ado, here are the results:

Spring revival 009

This camelina has two colours. An orangey hue that changes to pink.

The metal fence is so that plants survive doggy onslaught! By this I mean digging, chewing, tearing, etc. This way, I get to enjoy both.

 

I love this brilliant purple. Admired it so much in various places in Tequis that I simply had to have one.

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Don Samuel had previously installed wire fencing and surrounded it with stones. Queenie quickly found that she could easily paw away the stones and lift the fence to gain access to ‘sticks’, sometimes a bamboo support, at others the plant stem. Naturally, all four-legged enjoyed them to my desolation. This year, he did the opposite, piling stones inside the fence and anchoring the latter with rebar. Dog-proof. This way, I can enjoy both plants and dogs.

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The plum tree below looks promising. So does the peach tree but I failed to capture it in photo.

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The llamarada is clinging to the fence wall. It normally blooms later in the year, more towards the fall.

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I thought the pear tree dead as a doorknob. Fortunately Tesaje, a reader, informed me that certain plants run their growth cycle based on light rather than temperature or moisture. So I didn’t give up on either the pear tree or the lemon. Lemon? RIP. It will give me the space for a fig tree.

I was ready to give up on the pear tree but noticed a few leaves, first at the bottom, and later a few more up. There might still be hope! So the jury’s still out on this one.

This is a potted plant that has remained nameless. It also looked beyond hope in the winter. Living as I do in my RV, there was no room inside for this one and another, a fuchsia I think. A while ago, I cut all that appeared dead, which actually left only meagre stumps on both plants, and kept watering. A few leaves appeared and soon it was blooming again. I wish I knew its name.

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And now below are some photos of Tasha. By the time I got back from Calgary, her woolly pelt was halfway from below the ribs to the tail. The forward part was shiny and her ears were completely up! I resumed giving her 4 or 5 feedings a day with Omega 3 and 6 acids, plus vitamin E, and the result is dramatic. Shiny all over! Her photos will speak for themselves.

Spring revival 008

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Her head, which seemed out of proportion with her body, no longer appears abnormally large.

On the other hand, her paws have become quite large. I expect that she’ll most likely grow larger than I expected. She was so skeletal, it was hard to foresee. And she’s grown some muscle! And is quite vocal!

I hope that she grows into her ears. They do appear quite large. No matter, I love her just as she is.

 

6 comments:

Tesaje said...

The mystery plant with the pink flowers looks like a begonia to me. Too bad about the lemon. If there is any green inside the stems when you prune, the plant is still alive. Tasha is so cute!

Barb said...

Yes, I think it's a begonia, too. Little Tasha IS so cute! She's really growing and looking very healthy. I love her big ears, but I'll bet she grows into her feet and ears.

Stargazer said...

No hope for the lemon. Everything was dry and shrivelled up--stem, branches, roots. Next winter, I'll be protecting them. Don't know how yet, but I'll find a way!

Tesaje said...

Straw wrapped in burlap or a tarp after leaf fall can go a long ways in winter protection. Desiccation is often the big problem in winter kill. I'm surprised at the hardiness of the bougainvilla. I always thought it was so tropical. They are pretty.

Stargazer said...

Downtown Tequis are many bougainvillea of all hues. They often reach right over an 8 ft fence and spill over it, YEAR ROUND! I find them enchanting. Also, when you walk along the sidewalk,some mature plants are encased into small holes surrounded by stone or cement, yet they climb way over your head. I always wonder how they get moisture. Yet they bloom profusely. When I get a vehicle in a few months, I plan on stopping to get photos. Another pet project.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for the photos. The colors are beautiful. Wow! Tasha is not a baby anymore.
Virago

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