Finally First Frost/Duke Gardens

Finally on December 01 we get a frost. Did not even expect it, both of us watched the weather last night. Meg had to scrape her windshield too.

I'm sitting here waiting for Chapel Hill inspections to tell me they have not lost my building permit application I submitted 3 weeks ago(normally 2 weeks is long to get a permit). Just heard from inspections I did not file for a zoning compliance permit hence the reason my building permit has not been processed.

I've got a 14 x 30 deck to tear down and replace and a 14 x 20 screen porch to build on it in the most lovely gardens. The good news is I'll be able to see all of her hellebores as they bloom and she'll be giving me some babies. The bad news is it is now winter and the days are short and if I'm lucky I can work a week out of every two weeks outside.


Our last zucchini plant covered in frost glowing in the morning light. I pulled the last two tiny zucchini this past Saturday. Done for I'm sure. We are expected to get 28 degrees on the weekend.


Leaves frozen to my windshield.


Glazed and all swirly the roof to my little car.


OK so now let me take you back to Sara P Duke Gardens. Here is the latest garden, not open yet so I'm not sure what it is. I posted this for Dave as I'm sure he would like the architectural details in the construction of this. It appears as if they have built this using 1 inch square pegs instead of nails.

This fence surrounds the entire garden and because of the slope the fence allows one a wonderful view of the gardens largest pond. I liked the way the fence steps down the hillside.

If you look closely at the photo above you will see that all the lumber is custom cut cedar(cedar sells for a lot here in the eastern US). This fence is likely 400 to 500 foot long in all. Actually in all of the gardens 55 acres and 5 miles of paths it is the only fence inside the gardens.

Peeking over the fence here is the main feature. They did a great job of blending this into the garden, I'm sure at great expense.

Above and below is the water lily exhibit, bad timing for the photos. I just wanted to show them to you. They have weddings here a lot. The day we visited they were having a small memorial service and burying ashes in the terrace gardens and a wedding inside the main building.





Here are just two of the bridges in the gardens. The bridge above was tucked away in a part of the gardens I'd never explored. The bridge below had a circular sitting area which I though was pretty cool. One of these days I'll do a post on just the bridges of Duke Gardens.





Here are two of the Encore Azaleas I found blooming in the garden last week.
Above is Autumn Twist and below might be Autumn Sangria. Both were huge masses about 4-5 foot tall. I still have a hard time with seeing azaleas blooming in the fall it just does not seem right.


A word about the Belize trip I was supposed to be going on tomorrow, postponed until the third week in January. I'm going with a photography buddy, meg is staying home with the dogs and cats.

Still Blooming in Paradise

Today I looked out the window and saw the Sparkle berries shinning in the sun. So I grabbed my camera and went outside, ended up pretty inspired and gathered a fair collection of photos from here in Paradise.

This is a tiny piece of the Sparkleberry. I took this with my seldom used 400mm "toy" lens handheld. The leaves of the bush are nearly gone, we are patiently awaiting the birds to feast on these. Last years show(birds feasting) was something right outside of our screened in porch.


One of Meg's nasturtiums, they are looking much better than they did in the summer.


Snapdragons were here all summer, this little bit of blooms seems better than any blooms they did earlier this year.


OK, help me here this huge 7 foot tall saliva still is blooming. It stinks the leaves are somewhat heart shaped and some have turned burgundy. Any idea what this is? It'll have to be relocated as the plant and our walkway do not get along.


Yes we still have two zucchini and one male bloom as shown below. Ate two last weekend and there were yummy. The mild frosts here have not got it yet.




Yes my first ever camellia bloom grown right here in Paradise. This is Camellia japonica "Debutante". Indeed an early C. japonica and I'm very tickled with this beauty!


Another nasturtium, this is a climbing nasturtium a complete disaster this summer the bamboo grass covered it up. Pulled the grass out and it loved the fall.!


One of the expensive hellebores I bought this spring, Red Lady it looks great! You'll be seeing this plants first blooms early next year, I hope.



I think this is small hellebore I picked up from some ladies at the local farmers market this past spring for $5. I found it under the leaves today I'd thought it was a loss, looks happy to me.