Studiology

March Color

I am happy with my daffodils which are a mix from various sources. Many have lost their name (if they ever had one), especially the ones in my own garden versus those on the grounds of the old plant farm. How they arrived here are a mystery to me, I know there was a workshop for a spring dish garden and that accounts for a few odd singles, but certainly not the hodge podge I am looking at today. Be that as it may, I am still happy with the strays, daffodils are extraordinary and mostly yellow. 

Curious about my March color palette, I cut stems of perennials and shrubs that were in flower and sorted them to photograph. To my surprise it was mostly pink and I'm not sure if that is the natural color for March (helleborus, crocus, primula?) or my bias, but it had me looking at my yellow daffodils and thinking that a few pink might be nice. 

Now pink is not a natural color for daffodils and I have seen many that I would say are pink, but tangerine might be a better descriptor. One that I prefer is Daffodil 'Petit Four', a double that was the brought to the plant farm many, many years ago by our grower who shared it as her special favorite. Since the plant farm has been closed for 16 years, it's been interesting to see which daffodils have lived through the challenges of overgrowth, complete lack of care, and time. As I have driven by the site I noticed a daffodil that had naturalized in its original spot so of course I had to stop and take a look. Shockingly it was 'Petit Four' which has spread into many clumps, which tells me that it might be seeding about, the true sign of naturalization. Some flowers are single and there were varying degrees of peach to yellow in the petals. The shocking part is that most double flowering plants are sterile, so I certainly was in awe. 

Since Daffodil 'Petit Four' was registered in 1961, it is an old pink hybrid and possibly inferior to newer pinks. No matter it has been dug and replanted in my home garden. Certainly not what I had in mind for completing my pink color palette but another nod to a warrior in the face of challenges.  Others that have grown with vigor (despite the challenges) at the old plant farm site are 'Ice Follies', 'Jetfire', 'Tete a Tete', and 'Lemon Glow'.  I can recommend these as the toughest of the tough.

Killdeer

As February left I heard the calls of the killdeer as they arrive to plot out a territory and nest. These vocal birds are technically shore birds, although they are found far inland, breeding from Alaska to Newfoundland and south. Their call is a high pitched killdee(r), the reason for their common name. Scientifically known as Charadrius vociferus, which means "Talkative Plover", there are 62 species of plovers, split by lowland and upland. The killdeer is closely related to the American woodcock and the numerous sandpipers, wonderful birds to watch as they poke for food with their thin bills and long legs.

The killdeer is particularly entertaining as they feign a broken wing whenever an intruder comes too near the nest. This instinctive act is designed to draw attention to the hurt bird, assuming you have come to hunt and this compromised bird might make the perfect meal. The act will sometimes go a step further and pretend to sit on a nest that isn't there, all to lure you away from the actual spartan nest and eggs. As ground nesters they are under constant danger, and I have always wondered how they survive. Some of their survival actually depends on their lack of nesting material, literally just a few twigs to keep the eggs from rolling, and eggs that are speckled to match surrounding rocks. 

The job of raising the young is shared by both parents and a couple may raise 2 clutches a year. Each clutch will contain 3 to 6 eggs, and like other ground nesters, the eggs will not begin to develop until they feel the warmth of the parent killdeer, subsequently hatching at the same time which takes 24 to 28 days. The eggs are sizable which is typical for precocial birds, which translates to "ripened beforehand", the young hatch with their eyes open, ready to run.  Newly hatched killdeer are equivalent to a two week old altricial baby bird, those we may be more familiar with that hatch with eyes shut and no feathers. Altricial bird eggs are smaller and the nests are in trees and shrubs to help avoid capture.

Newly hatched killdeer are capable of standing and are ready to leave the nest immediately. Although they will wobble a bit on their long legs, they are marvels in design. The average territory per killdeer is one acre and they clearly benefit from man-made habitats, raising their young in ballfields, unpaved roads, and rooftops. In the days of my nursery we had them nest in 1 gallon potted plants!

Virginia is at the verge of the killdeers winter distribution which means they can be found here year-round. Many of the winter residents will move further north as summer populations return. I usually hear the males in early February as they reclaim a territory. Beneficial as their primary diet consists of weevils, grasshoppers, beetles, ticks, mosquitos, flies, and other noxious insects. Threats of habitat loss, predation, and loss of insects to feed their young are challenges and the killdeer is in decline but currently holding its own.

I love hearing them in the fields and keep my distance so they are not forced to undertake the ritual act of pity.

Delightful Exhaustion

Work has begun, the pruning, mulching, weeding, and a bit of preening started today. It seems overwhelming on day one, and will still feel that way a week into spring. My personal gardens remain untouched, as I wait for temperatures to rise and dormant insects to become active. In the work gardens it's about enormous pruning tasks, climbing ladders, cleaning helleborus foliage, and smiling as bud tips emerge. The physical work is exhausting but satisfying. I'm so grateful for seasons with winters long enough to yearn for a return to work and cold enough to force most weeds to go dormant, out of sight and out of mind. With temperatures climbing this week, the gardener is beside himself. Peepers will be singing soon and the spring bulb show will continue. I'm a happy girl! 

Enjoy these photographs of the snowdrops and winter aconite in my own garden. They have spread into lovely drifts.