I Love Nature

It's been a particularly nasty Spring for most of us this year. Cooler temps lots of rain and limited sunshine.

I've found that the flowers and trees are blossoming in an array of spectacular colours this year. My azalea has come out fully and is such a gorgeous colour of mauve and pink. It's hard to capture it's perfection and the true colour, but I wanted to share on this beautiful sunny morning.

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HStoner · 61-69, M

I never had any luck getting azaleas to grow. I thought I was too far north. I guess I was wrong about that.

sensualbeauty1 · FVIP

@HStoner: Right soil conditions and the proper lighting and voila they grow beautifully here.

HStoner · 61-69, M

I suspect that is one of many things you get that I don't.

sensualbeauty1 · FVIP

@HStoner: I think we're zone 4 here so I have to be careful. Unfortunately I lost one of my roses from Winter kill. It was a fabulous colour and a beautiful rose.

HStoner · 61-69, M

@sensualbeauty1: I have had good luck with roses. Of course, we've had a couple of mild winters in a row.

sensualbeauty1 · FVIP

@HStoner: I usually do as well and this particular one was Winter hardy and it wasn't a harsh Winter at all. Oh well I bought a replacement. 😊

HStoner · 61-69, M

@sensualbeauty1: Unfortunately, there are always casualties. We usually get a Japanese beetle infestation during the Summer.

sensualbeauty1 · FVIP

@HStoner: That doesn't sound so good. The emerald ash borer beetle has decimated most of the ash trees in the area. So many species of bugs coming from the Asian countries and destroying species of trees and plants.

HStoner · 61-69, M

@sensualbeauty1: The ash borer has wrecked havoc here. I have a number of dead ash, which fall eventually. The chainsaw has been getting a workout.

sensualbeauty1 · FVIP

@HStoner: Terribly sad thing that is but they've found a possible cure for the living trees by letting some
type of larvae into the ash tree to destroy the ash borer beetle. It's the only natural predator known to that species of bug.

HStoner · 61-69, M

@sensualbeauty1: The USDA and ODNR are doing something, but I've seen no evidence that it has been effective.

sensualbeauty1 · FVIP

@HStoner: I'll let you know what's happened here and if it's actually made any headway.

HStoner · 61-69, M

@sensualbeauty1: Thanks. However, given the prevailing attitude here, if the Canadians find something that works, we'll not only ignore it but also insist that you're being unfair.

sensualbeauty1 · FVIP

@HStoner: Oh that's how it works, OK. 😆