Yikes, What's that Bright Light!

It has been so dark and miserable - see the photo from a couple of days ago - Hercules (the cat) and I could barely focus when the sun came out this a.m. I tried to get a couple of shots of the light sparkling off the tree branches, but it seems it was just too much for my camera as well.

This is just about the only time when the light is so harsh in my little back garden. As you can see from the shadows, I've got a wonderful patch of shade to play with. There are three large trees - an Eastern White Pine, an ancient Beech in my neighbour's yard that is wrapped in ivy and a poor old Ash tree that I fear will be nailed by the Emerald Ash Tree Borer, just as soon as they find it.

I have about a hundred different types of plants growing back here. When I designed the garden five years ago, I decided to choose plant material that had either flowers or leaves in combinations of white, yellow and blue - fortunately these are colours that are easy to find in plants that enjoy shade. Eventually I added more clematis in colours of purple and pink just because I love the way they look on the fence, and am always pleased to have more bloom to mix with all the lovely leafy shady plants.