My Spring Garden

Spring is my favorite season.  I love the way that the world comes to life with pops of color.  You can tell by all the color in my garden in spring.  

This was a volunteer in my garden.  Last year I got some Lily of the Valley from Grandma Connie and I planted it sporadically under the crape myrtle.  They bloomed, but had some damage thanks to Morgan.  (I planted them in her “path” as Kenny says, so what did I expect?)  Well, this appeared among them.  Surprise.

I had no idea what they were, but thanks to my dear friend Dawn, I can now call them by their name…Columbine!  They are really a neat plant.  The leafs, the tall blooming flower.  I hope they come back again next year.

The first buds of my hydrangea.  I have been waiting for 3 years for one of my hydrangea to bloom.  I need to take a picture of the blooms.  They are amazing.

  

Spirea.  They have no scent, but I had to take the picture.  I only have 1 of this variety.  I want more and I don’t know the name!  I have tried to propagate it by sticking a brick on a limb to see if it will root out.  No luck yet.  I might try to take a cutting later this year…

Peony.  Need I say more.  Can you smell it?  They are enchanting.  They are my favorite.

Summer blooms coming up:  Coneflower, Black-eyed susan, Sedum, Day lillies, hydrangea, crape myrtle, joe pye weed

On my wish list: 

• More hydrangea.  Lots more.  Mopheads, lacecaps, and event oakleaf!
• Butterfly bush
• Tall Phlox (pink)
• Delphinum
• Liriope (solid green with purple flower)

Flowers in the Fall

I am loving my garden right now. I have some great color going on. Not the oranges, reds, or yellows that you would expect me to be talking about at this time of year, but PURPLEY-PINK.

Absolutely gorgeous.

It was in this post that I first referred to these plants. I was wrong by calling them a hardy geranium. They are really Japanese Anemones, and what a winner of a plant. They started out small, and in two year's time they have really spread.

I think I can split them this fall or next, to spread the color throughout the garden. They are really a welcome plant this time of year.

Fall Color Anticipation

Fruits of our labor. Fresh, warmed by the sun, home-grown tomatoes. Yum. What a nice treat to enjoy with dinner.


I am awaiting fall color from this plant. I'll have to look up the exact name, but this is some sort of hardy geranium. I was not sure about it, but was told it would have great fall color. Last year was the first year I had put them in. They were AWESOME flowers. At a time when there is not much flowering going on, when the garden's summer colors simmer out, this plant puts on its show. I am awaiting with anticipation some more color! See those buds? It's FILLED with them.

Stepping back, you can see they have a great mounded shape. I planted them behind some peonies...I'll probably move them after they bloom. The peonies are taller, so you really have to peer around those peonies to see what's going on with these geraniums.

Check out this combination! This was an unplanned combination that turned out well. I love the way the yellow from the Black Eyed Susans mix with the purple-ish color of the Sedum 'Autumn Joy'. It works well with each plant's bloom time, too. The BES bloom while the Sedum's green buds come out. Then, just as the BES yellow begins the fade, the Sedum begin their show!

And, while I am purusing through my gardens, what are my little helpers getting into? Anything and everything they can.

Refreshed yet?

Gardenias

If you've ever been around a Gardenia, you know their enchanting scent.

It's a strong scent, yet fresh and welcoming. I have about 12 lining my front porch. Yes 12. And they are all in bloom. This is my first year they ALL decided to put on a show.

Sniff strongly and you might enjoy their sweet smell. One can not ignore it.

My eternal garden "helper".

I love this image. It my current favorite.

Spring gardening AND Mother's Day 2008, Version 2

Last weekend was a super busy weekend. Not only did we go Strawberry picking, but I got a chance to play in the garden. After picking the berries, I planted about 19 plants! Yes, 19! They are all summer blooming, so the fruits of my labor will be enjoyed throughout the summer.

Can you believe this is my garden? I am in awe. We planted this patch when I was pregant with Nathan. It is turning out so well. The grey small plantings are lamb's ear from our dear friend, Connie's garden. The flowers are various peonies. They are nothing but pure enjoyment for the eyes and nose. They are so fragrant. I only wish they bloomed year round! The tree in the back is a pink Japanese Dogwood. They bloom later than the normal American Dogwood, but they are worth the wait.

The plants that I planted will bloom in the summer, so this garden will have year round interest now. The show starts in the spring with the Azaleas, to the peonies, to the Astillbe, the Stella D'Oro day lillies, the Black Eyed Susans, and the grasses will show all year long (not shown in this picture). I am very proud of this patch (can you tell?)

Closeup of the pink dogwood.

Here is a picture of my lovelies in front of the garden. Corinne is wearing the ladybug dress that I referenced a few posts back. It came out great. It was a pre-shirred fabric that was sold by the yard. In most cases, all you have to do is zip up a seam, hem the bottom, and the item is done. However, in this case the fabric had a strip of ladybugs at the bottom that I didn't want to loose in the hem. Instead, I took up the fabric right underneath the pre-shirred fabric. I added the red strip at the waist and I added ties to the top for straps. I think it came out very cute, and Corinne enjoys wearing it.

The same day we went to the patch, and planted 19 plants throughout the yard, Corinne and I made a cake to take to Mother's Day #2. We were inspired by a kids cookbook given to her as a gift. I think the cake came out very much like the picture in the book. It was a lemon cake, and it was GREAT!

Spring is in the air!

Don't you just love playing outside on warm spring days? We had some time today to enjoy the weather and all the wonderful things that start to happen in the spring.

Every year for the past two years, I have taken Corinne to the garden center to pick out her "garden". It's really a pot or two of annuals, but we call it her garden. We got to do that today. But this year, she changed it up on me a bit.

See those vegetables? Yes, those things that grow in the ground that you can eat? We added some tomato plants and some pepper plants this year. It will be interesting to see her enjoy the fruits of her labor.

I got to enjoy some buds that are awaiting to show their display and those that are in full bloom...

So did this little guy.

It's been a day of ladybugs....

More to come on that last image. The dress got its final fitting today. It's awaiting my return to the sewing machine for the finishing touches and the fashion show!