2018 Winter Walk-Off Wrap Up

     Although, this year's Winter Walk-Off may not have been the largest, I very pleased with the diversity of the posts. My informal survey says that winter was not terribly extreme, and that it was cold where it should be, and mild where it normally is. The only exception would be my own world, where we finally had more welcome spring-like temperatures just this week. Until this point, March has been February 2.0. Below are this year's entries. Click on the links for a bit of armchair travelling.   

#1 - Sarah in Maine
     Sarah has walked with me before, and as in previous walks, she shows us the beauty that is Maine in winter. She and her son walked along the coast in Wolfe's Neck Park in Freeport, Maine. I am no fan of cold weather, but Sarah and her family enjoy it, and know how to make the most of it. Her photos almost make me change my mind.

#2 - Peter in Tacoma, Washington
     Peter is another regular walk-off walker. He knows how much I enjoy looking at interesting architecture, and his city of Tacoma is rich in diverse styles. This year he showed a wide range of residential architecture, but there is also a bit of horticulture - some good, some not so good.

#3 - Marilyn in Columbus, Georgia
     In another post full of architecture, my friend Marilyn takes us to Columbus, Georgia, where you can tell the winter has been kinder. Tulips and dogwoods were blooming, people were eating al fresco, peddling party bikes, and a kayaker was in the river.

#4 - Beth in Madison, Wisconsin
     Beth is another regular walker, and this year she took her walk-off around Lake Waubesa in Madison. Although some of the lake was thawing enough to show open water, other areas were still frozen allowing ice fishing to continue. I have a fear of falling through ice and getting trapped underneath in frigid water, so I will leave ice fishing to others.

#5 - Janet in South Carolina
     What would my Winter Walk-Off be without Janet, the Queen of Seaford? She has walked every year I have had this meme. This year she and her walking partners, two-legged and four, once again walked around the quiet roads of her Upcountry neighborhood, where spring was knocking at the door.

#6 - David in Las Cruces, New Mexico

      Now for something completely different - plant and architecture-wise. David in New Mexico shows us around the neighborhood where he will soon be living, and the local landscaping plant palette is very different from what I see here. Though many of the plants were somewhat familiar to me, others had to be googled. 

#7 - Loree in Paris, France
     If there was a prize for most far away post, Loree would win it for her walk in Paris. She usually walks in Portland, but I am very glad she chose Paris this year; it was the only international entry. Though she threw in a few well known landmarks, most of her photos are little snippets of gardens, art, and architecture, plus a well deserved glass of wine.   

#8 - Georgia in Washington Square Park, New York
     For Georgia's walk this year, she chose Washington Square Park. She was on a mission to spot birdlife, in particular a pair of red-tailed hawks, which she did indeed spy. She also saw a to-me-surprising number of other bird species. Knowing that some of the earth's other species can put up with homo sapiens makes me hopeful.

     By assigning each entry a number based on when I received it, and by utilizing the cold unbiased proficiency of a random number generator, Peter the Outlaw Gardener was selected as this year's winner. In his honor, a $50 donation has been made to the Washington Nature Conservancy Thank you to everyone who participated this year, and thank you to those who walked vicariously.

2017 Winter Walk-Off Wrap-Up

     For this year's Winter Walk-Off I had 9 hardy souls brave raw cold winds, blinding snow, treacherous ice, and hungry wolves. In reality only one post had snow, though several were soggy and wet; there were no wolves, but several dogs walked; and there were also snakes, chickens, and several other birds.

#1 - Janet in South Carolina
Janet has walked with me each year of my Walk-Off, which I really appreciate. She is also only one of two entrants this year who I have actually met in person. Her walk took place around her Upcountry South Carolina neighborhood, where winter's grip was loose this year, and spring was making its presence known through early blooms, singing frogs, and snakes looking for frogs. In tow was her husband and dogs.



#2 - Cynthia in Florida
Cynthia's walk was in her Florida Panhandle neighborhood, which looks a lot like April here in my part of Virginia. The Southern Indica azaleas were in full bloom, as were camellias, both growing under Spanish moss-draped live oaks. It was not all pretty pictures though. There was a tired American flag that needs to be disposed of properly, and some bad pruning going on.




#3 - Sarah in Maine, and England
This post brought us a comparison of winter walks in Maine and England. Sarah's family has a tradition of a beach walk each New Year's. It looked quite cold, and was the only post to include any snow, but they had fun, as did the dog. Being someone who hates winter, I'd normally say that only one post with the white stuff is a good thing, but with all of the global weather weirdness I am apt to think otherwise. She follows her Maine walk by strolling through University Parks near Oxford, England; crocus and snowdrops blooming at her feet.



#4 - Hoover Boo in California
Hoover Boo and her dogs have participated in my Walk-Off for several years, and landscapes responding to drought are a big part of her previous posts. However, this year there has had plenty of rain in her world, perhaps too much. Despite the extra water, it seems that gardeners and landscapers are making more sensible plant choices for dry-climate areas. Hoover Boo leads us to a new landscape where many drought tolerant plants have been used, as has a whole lot of stone.



#5 - Peter in Tacoma, Washington
I always look forward to Peter's walks. I think he appreciates architecture as much as I do. This year he starts by showing us an old Elks Lodge, which if all goes well, will be restored and converted into a hotel. Peter's photos make we wonder why his city was able to hang on to so many of it old buildings, while my city thought it necessary to raze so many.



#6 - Loree in Portland, Oregon
This was another architecture-heavy post, but I am fine with that. Largely through Loree's posts, as well as those of other Portland area bloggers, I really would like to visit this city. On her walk she takes us downtown where several building styles can be seen, some I like more than others. However, this is the Danger Garden, so there are many plants as well.



#7 - Philip in Vancouver, Washington
Although Philip's post didn't show any snow or ice, the winter there was very rough, and especially wet. However, on a walk near his home, spring was showing a few colorful signs that it was near. Philip headed towards Vancouver Lake Park, which looked as if the lake was occupying new real estate. Philip is the other entrant I have met in person. Hopefully I will be able to meet more of my fellow bloggers at some point.



#8 - Michelle in Chippenham, England
As a bit of an anglophile, I was happy to receive another entry from England. Michelle's walk took place after a severe storm named Doris had hit the country. With all the changes in global weather, I think we should stop giving storms nice names like Doris. Anyway, Michelle shows us that spring is well on its way in Chippenham, with many things in bloom.



#9 - Beth in Wisconsin
In past years when Beth has walked near her Wisconsin home, the landscape was white with winter. This year it just looks very wet and soggy. She walked at a nearby park that appears to me to have been left beautifully natural. Among the brown trees and tan meadows are little pops of green, and lots of red coming from the red twig dogwoods.



Thank you everyone who participated, and to all who took the time to join vicariously!

Now on to the rich swag. With help from a clinically efficient random number generator, this year's winners have been selected. Sarah will receive a $25 gift certificate to Brent and Becky's Bulbs, and Michelle will receive an assortment of botanically themed cards that my wife creates. I will soon be contacting the winners for mailing addresses.

(The photos in this post were taken last Sunday on our way home from my parent's on Virginia's Eastern Shore. In the small seaside towns of Wachapreague and Oyster, crab pots readied near the docks are a certain sign that spring is here. The ferris wheel, however, will have to wait one more season.)

2016 Winter Walk-Off Wrap Up

     I am so late with this Winter Walk-Off Wrap-Up post that you likely thought I had forgotten about it. Well I haven't; real life sometimes gets in the way of virtual life. This year I had 14 participants, and several who walked in spirit, the needs of their own real lives superseding the virtual. Without further excuses, here are this year's Walk-Offs, in the order that they were received.  

#1 - Shirley in San Antonio 
Shirley and her sister-in-law walked a three mile loop in downtown San Antonio, a city I have always wanted to visit, mainly for the River Walk. This is a great way to appreciate and celebrate the gift of water in a climate where is can sometimes be scarce. Shirley included many things in this post that I like; Olmec heads, bald cypress, bikes, cormorants, crapemyrtles, and old houses.

#2 - David in Virginia Beach
I was so glad to get an entry from someone nearby, especially from David; I have admired his photography for sometime now. David's walk took place at the Elizabeth River Nature and Canoe Trail. For an area that owes its whole existence to the intersection of water and land, it is nice to see more of us are appreciating these spaces in their more natural state.

#3 - Beth in Wisconsin 
In another water heavy post, Beth takes us on a walk by Lake Waubesa, where winter had loosened its grip much earlier than normal. In anticipation of the thaw, fisherman were preparing to haul their ice shacks from the still frozen lake, all the while you can almost hear the crack, drip, and flow of ice turning into water.

#4 - Janet in South Carolina
Janet has participated in every one of my Winter Walk-Offs, which I really appreciate. This year her husband and their dog Skyler walked with Janet as the South Carolina Upcountry was waking from winter. Along they way there was a mystery hole to be discovered, and a symphony to enjoy.

#5 - Hoover Boo in Southern California
Water, or rather the lack of water, also plays an important part of Hoover Boo's walk. This was also the case for her 2015 Walk-Off, and despite the predictions for El Nino, drought will likely be something California gardeners and non-gardeners alike will continue dealing with for some time to come. Her post unfortunately includes many dead trees, but there are also wild pops of color coming from drought-defying bougainvilleas.

#6 - Sarah in Maine
Sarah has participated in several of my Winter Walk-Offs, and they often take place on skis, but not this year. It is hard to imagine a winter in Maine without much snow. Sarah and an old friend of hers stroll through the beautiful Bowdoin College campus, through the quaint town of Brunswick, and then over a swinging bridge designed by John A. Roebling's Sons Co., of Brooklyn Bridge fame.

#7 - Phillip in Vancouver, Washington
Phillip just moved to the Pacific Northwest from Alabama. I am certain this was a big change for him personally, but possibly even more so as a gardener. For Phillip's walk he traveled through his new neighborhood, where there is a diversity of conifers, other evergreens, and many flowering plants. In fact, this is one of the most bloom-filled entries for this year's Walk-Off.

#8 - Peter in Tacoma, Washington
The skies were dreary and gray as Peter took his Winter Walk-Off in downtown Tacoma near the Glass Museum and Union Station, both of which were closed. However, there were a few places open where he could show some of the glassware that his region is famous for. The pieces stood in colorful contrast to what was happening in the skies above.

#9 - Marilyn in Manteo, North Carolina
Back on this side of the continent, and just south of me, Marilyn took her morning walk through the village of Manteo on North Carolina's Roanoke Island. She captures some of the village's charm, and some of its wildlife, including our second cormorant sighting. Marilyn travels the country volunteering at different National Wildlife Refuges for 4-5 months at a time, and then moves on to a new one. Her stint in North Carolina is coming to a close, and I look forward to her new adventures this summer in Maine.

#10 - Loree in Portland, Oregon
Loree took her walk along Portland's South Waterfront, a former brownfield site, which is now home to many new and modern residential high rises. Her walk also took her back in time to a former life when she was the Marketing Director for one of the development's architectural firms. As a garden blogger, I am glad she now gets to spend her time gardening, photographing gardens, and writing about gardens. Of course she includes a few plants, as well as our third cormorant sighting.

#11 - Ray in Alexandria, Virginia
Directly across the Potomac from Washington is the older city of Alexandria, Virginia. Ray has taken us through its historic streets before, but that is okay, as this remains one of my favorite places in the whole state. This year he saw interesting and historic architecture, and continues with what became an overriding theme - water. In this case too much of it at times.

#12 - Jennifer in Brampton, Ontario
I am sad we only had one international Walk-Off this year, but was glad that it was Jennifer's. She walked us through the fascinating history of her town, which was once home to a large and thriving complex of greenhouses that supplied the country with cut and potted flowers, and in the process employed many people. In fact, the place was formerly known as "The Flower Town of Canada". Today the complex lies fallow, and the once warm greenhouses now grow only weeds.

#13 - Georgia in Arlington, Virginia
In previous Walk-Offs, Georgia took us to London and New York. I think she now does most of her walking in Arlington, which is also across the river from Washington, and next door to Alexandria. When Georgia took her walk, winter was on the way out, and the local landscape was coming alive with redbuds, magnolias, daffodils, hellebores, and forsythia.

#14 - Sweetbay in North Carolina
Water was again the central theme in the last entry of this year's Winter Walk-Off. Sweetbay is fortunate to have a wild creek running near her home. She ventured there in the hopes of spotting wood ducks and wild turkeys. She did see evidence of the turkeys by their many tracks, but did not spot any. However, she scored a nice view of what she terms "the most beautiful waterfowl on the face of the earth", and was able to get several photos of wood ducks.

Before we get to the rich swag portion of our program, I need to mention that my normal method of allowing a thoroughly disinterested teenager to draw names for prizes had to be modified this year, as the thoroughly disinterested teenager has already left for work (his job is crucial for a happy urban populace - quick Chinese food delivery). So I had to resort to an even more thoroughly disinterested entity, a random number generator.

The first number generated was 13, making Georgia the winner of a collection of treasures I have pulled from the shores of the Atlantic.

The second number generated was 2, making David the winner of a surprise prize. I will say it is heavy and looks like it may have fallen out of the rear end of an elephant, but looks can be deceiving.

Congratulations David and Georgia, and a big thank you to all of this year's participants. I hope everyone had as much fun as I did.

(The photos used in this post are just some random shots pulled from my camera roll over the last few weeks, some of them will be fleshed out into blog posts, at some point.)

2015 Winter Walk-Off Wrap-Up

     So finally it is spring. I know in some more northerly places that just means a new mark on the calendar, and real change in the landscape may be weeks away, but around here there is every indication that the seasons are changing. Yesterday I took a much needed bike ride, and my route took me downtown to the harbor and back home again. Along the way strollers were being pushed, couples were holding hands, joggers were jogging, sailboats were sailing, and blooms were blooming. It was therapeutic to be outside, and it was great to see that so many others were enjoying the day as well.

     This year's Winter Walk-Off was not the best attended, but I was grateful for each entry nonetheless. It was also the least international, with every Walk-Off taking place within the States, making it the first all-American Walk-Off (USA!, USA!, USA,!). This year's patriotic tally was 11, and here they are in the order in which they were received.

#1 - Tina in Tennessee
Tina and her husband, Mr. Fix-it, have built themselves a home in rural Tennessee, and she has her priorities straight. She began to garden there before the house was built. Like many of us in the eastern U.S., Tennessee has had its share of snow this year. One nice thing about snow is that it lets you see all kinds of animal tracks you wouldn't see otherwise, and these are what Tina and her husband discovered on their walk.

#2 - Beth in Wisconsin Florida
Last year, Beth took her Walk-Off in the frozen wilds of Wisconsin. This year she spent part of the winter along the Gulf Coast of Florida, where the flora and fauna are quite different, and considerably more active than what she normally sees at this time of year. I am glad she played along; it was the only near-tropical entry, and there were many days I wish I could have joined her in person.

#3 - Sarah in Maine
It has become tradition for Sarah to take her Winter Walk-Off on skis, but that is not a special occasion for her; she skis a lot in snowy Maine. Sarah also brought her dog along (I love dogs), and of course her camera, with which she captured some of winter's beauty.

#4 - Peter in Tacoma, Washington 
Peter's entry was the first of several from the Pacific northwest, where that part of the country has enjoyed a relatively mild winter and a much earlier spring than we have had in the east. There are many spring blooms to be seen in Peter's post, as well as architecture (I am a fan of both).

 

#5 - Hoover Boo in California
Some gardeners waste time complaining about the weather, often without considering what others somewhere else may have to endure. I know I am guilty. Although I've lately been thinking about California, specifically its dreadful water crisis, which is likely to get even worse. Hoover Boo shows how some are taking the lead by replacing water intensive landscape plants with more water-wise (and fire-wise) native plants.

#6 - Alison at Lake Tapps, Washington
Lake Tapps was once a working lake used to generate hydroelectric power, but it is now retired and is a lovely place to fish, boat, swim, or to take a Winter Walk-Off. The lake has been temporarily drained for some maintenance work, which provides for some of Alison's interesting photos, but she also shows photos of what it looks like when full.

#7 - Annie in New Hampshire
It is still cold in New Hampshire, and Annie did not feel like walking outside, so she took her walk inside Phillips Exeter Academy’s library, the largest secondary school library in the world. The building is very modern with its materials being celebrated in the architecture. Despite living where she does, you can tell Annie is still very much a Virginian, as Mr. Jefferson occupied her thoughts while walking.

#8 - Laura in Vancouver, Washington
Laura and her sweet baby dog Barnaby head to the local dog park in her entry, and I do love dogs and trips to the dog park. A word of warning; if you go with Laura and Barnaby, brace yourself if Barnaby tries to sit in your lap.

#9 - Loree in Portland, Oregon
Portland seems like an incredibly hip place to live with a very active gardening scene, and I am so sorry I couldn't make it to last year's Fling to see for myself. Loree's Walk-Off took place in her neighborhood, and it was filled with lots of interesting residential architecture. Of course, if you follow Loree's blog, you know her post was also filled with lots of plants. What can't they grow in Portland?

#10 - Janet in South Carolina
Janet has joined my Winter Walk-Off every year that I have had one, and she is also the only participant I have met in person (I hope I can meet the rest of you, somewhere, somehow, sometime). Janet also takes her dogs along (have I mention how much I like dogs?), and like some of us humans, her dogs are slowing down a bit, but that just makes it easier to enjoy the sights at a more leisurely pace.

#11 - Ray in Alexandria, Virginia
The final entry was submitted by Ray. He took his Walk-Off around Old Town Alexandria, which is just across the Potomac from Washington, D.C. It is one of Virginia's most charming cities, just ask George Washington. A word of warning: Ray's post shows some scenes of arboreal neglect that some gardeners may find difficult to view.

I want to sincerely thank all of this year's participants for walking with me, and those of you may have only walked in spirit, thank you also.

Now onto the prize portion of today's broadcast where the swag will rain down on two lucky walkers. Regular participants may recall that the reliable method for picking winners is to have a thoroughly disinterested teenager pick the names out of a hat, but a clean Martini glass was closer than a hat, so that's what was used.

The fist name drawn was Tina of Tennessee (In the Garden) and she has won a 4 million year old fossil (give or take a few millenia) of Chesapecten jeffersonius, a large scallop that is also the state fossil of Virginia.

The second name drawn was Janet of South Carolina (The Queen of Seaford) and she has either won a framed photo print, or a small frame, depending on what she thinks of the photo.

Thanks again everyone!

(All of the photos in this post were taken during my bike ride yesterday.)

Lesson Not Learned

     Forgive me Father for I have sinned. 2015 was supposed to be the year that I would start planting more natives in my own garden, and now I must make a painful confession. On my first trip to a nursery this year I came home with 6 new plants, and not a single one is native. If it is any consolation, three of them are not hardy in our winters and will live out their lives in containers, never posing an invasive threat. I'll try to be a better man, until then what should my penance be?

Bromeliad neoregelia

I'm not sure if this an Aloe or a Haworthia, but for $2.49 I can live with uncertainty.

Aloe x 'Pink Blush'

Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Ruby Glow'

Sedum 'Cherry Tart'

     I bought a Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream') only because it was 40% off, and I also had a $10 coupon. I have no idea where it will go, and it too may end up in a container until I decide. The photos were "borrowed" from Eshragi Nursery where the maple was grown before being shipped to Virginia.

     Except for the maple, all of these plants are currently living on the kitchen window sill until I think it will be safe for them to go outside.

     Though it's probably not what she had in mind, I've included this in Beth's Lessons Learned meme at Plant Postings. 

...and speaking of memes, don't forget my own Winter Walk-Off 2015. There is still plenty of time to enter. 

Winter Walk-Off 2015

     Happy, happy, joy, joy! Winter will be over, at least officially, in just one month. Here at A Tidewater Gardener we celebrate the occasion with a Winter Walk-Off meme, and this year will mark five years. For those of you who aren't familiar with my little challenge, this is a way to encourage all bloggers to rise from the couch, cast off that musty Afghan, grab a camera, and get out of the house to show the rest of us what their part of the planet looks like.

As always, the rules are simple, the rules are flexible:

On your own two feet, leave the house, and share what can be seen within walking (or biking) distance of your home (if you want to drive to your walk destination that's OK too). Your post does not have to be about gardening or a travelogue (though I do like both), unless you want it to be. Maybe instead you will find some unusual patterns, interesting shadows, signs of spring, a favorite restaurant or shop, questionable landscaping, or local eyesores. Whatever, just keep your eyes and mind open, be creative, and have fun, but don't show anything from your own garden.

Post your own Winter Walk-Off on your blog, and link it back to this post. Also, please leave me a link and comment here when your post is up. If you have recently written something similar, you are welcome to recycle.

I will keep the challenge open until midnight on March 19th, the last day of winter (or summer for those of you below the equator, who are welcome to join in).

Everyone who participates will have a chance to win one of two prizes, and a totally disinterested teenager will randomly draw the winning names. One lucky participant will win something very special (at least it's special to me), a fossil of Chesapecten jeffersonius, which is over 4 million years old. This is the state fossil of Virginia, honoring both the Chesapeake Bay and Thomas Jefferson. The not-as-lucky winner will receive a small framed print of some subject of my choosing, and if the winner doesn't like the image, then I hope they like the frame. I will contact each winner, and mail the prizes after the Walk-Off is over. 

I hope these guidelines are simple enough for you to consider joining in, because the more, the merrier.

*****

     Now on to my own Winter Walk-Off, which is actually my second this year. My first took place this past Saturday in Willoughby Spit, a little beachfront community precariously built on a large sandbar here in Norfolk. However, the wind was bitter cold, and between that, and my two unruly dogs, it was not the best photo expedition. Regardless, I was prepared to share those photos with you, when low and behold, we got a snow day on Tuesday. So I took advantage of the better photo ops, and bundled up for a walk down to the river. Along the way I was distracted by the bark on this crapemyrtle (probably Lagerstroemia x  'Natchez').

     I saw two things on my walk I have never seen here before: snowboards on a local car's roof rack, and the Lafayette River nearly frozen from one side to the other.

     My favorite kayak launch was concealed by a treacherously thick coat of ice and snow, but as much as I look forward to my next trip, it was not quite paddling-friendly weather.

    Rounding the corner, I followed the shoreline of Knitting Mill Creek. The foolhardy might be tempted to cross the ice; this body of water was frozen from one side to the other. Some are frightened by bears, others by heights. Me, I am afraid of falling through ice.

     There are several live oaks (Quercus virginiana) planted along the shore. With light reflecting up from the snow at their feet, the normally dark interiors of their crowns had a bit of a glow.

     During a misguided period, the city discouraged live oak plantings (thankfully no longer), and for a time London planes (Platanus × acerifolia) were planted along the water. I like two things about these trees: their bark, and their shadows cast on Tuesday's snow.

     There has been much talk in the gardening blogosphere about learning to appreciate what each season has to offer. With this in mind, I do hope you will make the best of your given circumstances, and join in my Winter Walk-Off this year. As for me, and as much as these wintry scenes might be lovely, I'm beyond ready for warmer weather.