february SCENE IN OUR GARDEN

No such thing as bad weather...

2012-02-11T07:03:00.000-08:00

Out a car window earlier this week...Impossible to capture the REAL beauty of it...

Sunshine is delicious,

rain is refreshing,

wind braces us up,

snow is exhilarating;

there is really no such thing as bad weather,

only different kinds of good weather.

John Ruskin

I couldn't help "lifting" these lines from FlowerLady today!

(Sometimes I need to remind myself--or CONVINCE myself.)

She had rain. We had snow last night.

Not so much. Just enough to cover things well.

February Eve

2012-01-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

Sunny and mild. Odd.

It's hard to know how to decorate.

If you look closely below, you can see a spring bulb "hatching" under the stork!

HERE it is!

Such a delight to be out and about this February Eve.

Views from the Front Porch

2012-01-21T05:40:00.000-08:00

I cut back only a few perennials in the fall.

Winter wouldn't be as beautiful without them!

The Inside Scoop

2012-01-10T06:24:00.000-08:00

a curiously healthy poinsettia purchased by my husband at Aldi's

and watered twice since purchased w-a-y before Christmas...

...a forlorn and forgotten Christmas cactus

and not a bit bigger than when it came home with me

a year ago (maybe TWO years ago)...

...a fine plant that also thrives on neglect.

That's the inside scoop.

(You're probably wondering why I have a "gardening" blog.)

And outside it's going to get up to 50 degrees today!

In JANUARY!

I feel like I ought to be planting some spring vegetables.

I'm so confused. I wonder how the critters feel?

Outside our Christmas Cabin

2011-12-16T08:23:00.000-08:00

This sign hangs over the entrance to our backyard Christmas Cabin...

Looks like we have a little touch up to do on the Christmas tree that

hangs beside the doorway.

Santa stands beside the front "porch".

For a look inside, click HERE to go to another blog of mine...

Snow

2011-11-29T13:44:00.001-08:00

After WAY too much rain....snow.

Wet snow.

Snow with no sign of stopping.

I hate to complain.

So I won't.

(But I'd like to.)

Nature's Pallette--Rich and Wonderful

2011-11-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure it gets any more beautiful than this!

Just luxurious in its red...

...and in the back, close to our sun porch, this bush sports blue berries.

I'm not sure I noticed the berries before...Wonder what kind of bush it is?

Oh, the gorgeous display just outside our windows!

November's palette - rich and wonderful...

Here and There

2011-11-04T14:37:00.000-07:00

Here....

(Mulching leaves in the back yard)

...there

(Christmas Open House at a Neuhouser Nursery)

November Chores and More

2011-11-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

The frost was on the "pumpkins" this morning...

not as bad as Sunday morning though.

Saturday evening we had some help. Ten young men

for whom we were providing dinner grabbed items in our yard

and brought them to this general area.

My husband will sort and stack and eventually cover it all with a tarp.

The men saved us many, many steps!

This sedum plays watchdog over the pile

while the mums just keep on beautifying our flower beds,

undaunted by the frost.

I couldn't resist this last picture. The sight was too incredible to me...

I think I'm correct in calling the bush a viburnum.

Kids' Play

2011-10-30T03:06:00.000-07:00

October - Parting Shots

2011-10-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

Only God Can Make a Tree

2011-10-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, this proud tree took a strong blow as it was trimmed

to accommodate power lines that never materialized.

Seasons have come and gone.

Undaunted, the tree weathers them.

Dignified and determined.

Today the sky turned a deep and undeniable blue

as if to draw attention to the remaining color

of this grand friend.

I think that I shall never see

a poem as lovely as a tree.

(I believe someone has already claimed those two lines.)

more october

2011-10-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

The tree in foreground is almost bare--its leaves on ground in prior post...Very few walnuts this year. What's up with that?

Newly composed vignette on front porch

My husband wired this lamp yesterday -- one of a pair purchased at a garage sale.

It's Begun!

2011-10-10T16:27:00.001-07:00

In Autumn
by Winifred C. Marshall

They're coming down in showers,
The leaves all gold and red;
They're covering the little flowers,
And tucking them in bed.
They've spread a fairy carpet
All up and down the street;
And when we skip along to school,
They rustle 'neath our feet.

Late Bloomers

2011-10-07T16:41:00.000-07:00

These recent garage sale purchases

join the late bloomers in our yard.

I couldn't resist taking the pictures.

I believe all the mums - and a few more than I've pictured here -
came from one plant.

(They do well here.)

They're rather straggly this year.

I need to learn how and when to trim them

to achieve a more rounded appearance.

Meanwhile, I'm just enjoying the multitude of these beautiful
Late Blooming Flowers!

Keeping it Real in October

2011-10-05T14:41:00.000-07:00

Between rain and poison ivy, I haven't been active

in our flower beds the past few weeks.

So here they are--some of them at least--
in their "real" and rather natural condition.

I'm not sure I've ever shown this windchime.

It hangs in an evergreen tree next to the side entrance of our front porch.

It's sound is soft and light. Cheerful.

I FINALLY got the two huechera plants and the white mum planted yesterday.

It meant uprooting and dividing a rather large hosta...

which meant finding a place for the two divisions.

It is what it is.

There are weeds to pull and poison ivy to kill.

The weather is near perfect.

It is a joy to be out and about
and keeping it real in October.

Fall Festival at Victory Noll

2011-10-03T14:58:00.000-07:00

Native grasses

filled the fields that lay east of the buildings on the Victory Noll Campus.

(Huntington, IN)

We enjoyed the wagon ride that carried us through the beauty of these grounds.

The number and variety of trees was amazing!

The tree below may have been one of my favorites...

We enjoyed walking many paths.

I couldn't resist taking photographs of the potted

plants and flowerbeds that stood at one of the entrances.

It REALLY was a near perfect Sunday afternoon!

Maybe Next Year???

2011-09-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

Tall & elegant,

vivid and velvety

What?

And where have they been all my life?

Singly,

or in juxtaposition with other blooms...

a real attraction!

I saw these at our County Extension garden.

I need to do a little more research to see if they're

a possibility in our beds.

I'm not crazy about the foliage--

but OH! Those flowers!

I ♥ Autumn!

2011-09-23T04:48:00.000-07:00

"I love fall! Fall is exciting.
It's apples and cider.
It's an airborne spider.
It's pumpkins in bins.
It's burrs on dog's chins.
It's wind blowing leaves.
It's chilly red knees.
It's nuts on the ground.
It's a crisp dry sound.
It's green leaves turning
And the smell of them burning.
It's clouds in the sky.
It's fall. That's why...
I love fall."
- Author Unknown

As soon as it dries up a bit, I have a few new

potted plants to place in our

already-crowded flower beds....

September Miscellany

2011-09-15T05:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took advantage of the cooler weather to work

in this small area beside our house.

I divided a hosta from another spot

and put in smack in the center (behind the black ball) here.

Then we uprooted a smaller sedum and put it to the left of the ball

to balance the larger one already growing beside the tree.

While looking over other parts of the yard,

I saw various spots of white.

I like the way it "punctuates" the garden-scape...

I decided to purchase a white mum and will look for a good place to plant it
for additional autumn "punctuation"!

I was assured it was a "hardy" one (even though the label didn't say so).

I'm always a little doubtful.

Guess I'll know next season...

THIS particular mum (above) has certainly proven to be hardy!
I've divided it many, many times and it prospers whereEVER it is placed!

I also came home with these two Heuchera (Southern Comfort).

I don't have this particular variety - and for $1.49@ decided to purchase them.

I'll look for a place to put them later today...

I really don't have room for ANYthing else!

Oh, my!

2011-09-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

It just doesn't get

any more beautiful

than this!

Aster or DISaster?

2011-09-13T06:35:00.000-07:00

In spite of my weak camera/photography skills,

can anyone tell me if I have an aster here?

(Or is it a disaster?)
You can click and click again on any picture to enlarge it...

I planted an aster either last season or the one before in this general area.

I thought I put a marker at the spot but have hunted for it all summer.

Suddenly (almost as sudden as the mammoth dandelions that have appeared lately)

this plant showed up!

What do you think? Does anyone know?

Is it or isn't it?

Should I pull it or keep it?

If you can't lick 'em....

2011-09-12T03:09:00.000-07:00

...JOIN 'em!

Recent rains have encouraged the proliferation

of some VERY large dandelions around here!

Unfortunately, I'm dealing with some severe shoulder pain

and haven't been able to keep ahead of them...
Has this ever happened to you?
(What's YOUR excuse????)
Fortunately, the same rain that encourages weeds
also produces some wonderful plants and flowers...

The Year of the Sedum

2011-09-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

I kind of forget how many there are until they start to bloom.

Autumn Joy Sedum...

in various stages of coloring.

Next spring, I need to divide most of them.

Meanwhile, they live up to their name--

Autumn Joy.

Labor Day 2011

2011-09-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

I had some artificial flowers strategically placed,

hoping it would warm up enough

to enjoy our grilled burgers outside..

but 61 degrees was as high as it got!

We decided to eat inside, but later in the

afternoon we wandered into the backyard

for some croquet...

and a brisk corn hole competition!

Me? Mostly I watched from the green chair (below)

covered with a cozy afghan!

It felt SO good!
(And the coffee TASTED pretty good, too!)

Small Chores

2011-09-02T03:01:00.000-07:00

Trimming the dried hosta stems is a joy with this little jobber!

I just love its size and color!

The chore was smiled on by the glow

of setting sun shining on the old tree trunk.

The effect in reality was much brighter than this!

Regrets? I've Had a Few

2011-08-31T03:09:00.000-07:00

I regret that I didn't take the minutes to walk a block up the road

to look at this front yard sooner.

Drove past frequently...but didn't take time to walk up with my camera this year.

Now it is defined more by what "had been" than what actually is.

On the way there, I stopped to admire these--

casually growing near the road around a utility pole.
What scrumptious colors!

I returned home to my OWN front yard

and noted a few maintenance chores awaiting me.

Maybe today before tomorrow's predicted heat?

A Farewell to August

2011-08-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

The flowers on these hosta are a very light lavender color.

Their color doesn't show up so well in the photos.

This plant (I once knew what it was) is FILLED with buds!

Right now its flowers are few and far between...

The sedum and mum DWARF the blue bowling ball!

This mum may be one of the few I have that will bloom properly.

The others are awfully "leggy"...

These columbine seed pods stand with dignity--beautiful in their own right.

"August rushes by like desert rainfall,
A flood of frenzied upheaval,
Expected,
But still catching me unprepared.
Like a matchflame
Bursting on the scene,
Heat and haze of crimson sunsets.
Like a dream
Of moon and dark barely recalled,
A moment,
Shadows caught in a blink.
Like a quick kiss;
One wishes for more
But it suddenly turns to leave,
Dragging summer away."
- Elizabeth Maua Taylor

Glass, Spheres and Circles in our Yard

2011-08-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

Glass Sphere

Grape Vine Circle

Green Glass

Blue Sphere

Hosta and More

2011-08-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

Not until downloading this picture did I notice the weed growing in the hosta!

And a ladder. And what appears to be an antenna "growing" along with the weed!

Nonetheless, these are some of my favorite hosta blooms.

Sky

2011-08-19T09:10:00.000-07:00

I took this picture through a car window as I drove this country road this morning. It didn't capture the strange formations appearing to beam down from the clouds. In real life, they appeared gray. Here they show up white. It was strange. As it is, the picture actually turned out quite beautifully. I need to take more time looking up instead of around and down...

In the Pink

2011-08-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

The sedum blooms in front of our house are already turning pink!
I compared them with my pictures from last year.
They weren't this pink on the 27th in 2010, so we're ahead of last year!

*"In the pink" is an idiom meaning "in perfect condition, especially of health".)

Above, several clumps of Surprise Lilies are in the pink among the sedum and hosta green,

while black-eyed Susan hold their own throughout the bed.

A few hardy mums have started to bloom.
I trimmed them back around the 4th of July, but here they are. Already blooming!

It's easy to be deceived into thinking autumn

given the cool evenings we're currently enjoying.

It may be the last year for this particular bird.

He's been vigilant at his post for more years than I realize!
My husband has repaired him to stand one more season,
but there's a limit to his endurance.

Surprised! (Again)

2011-08-08T07:19:00.000-07:00

Surprise Lily, Magic Lily, Naked Lady
Latin: Lycoris squamigera

Every year they live up to one of their names - "Surprise Lilies"!

Late last week I was sure this one was the only one.

Fast forward to this morning.

They're EVERYwhere...

...and in EVERY stage of bloom!

How I'm loving it!

Fun in the Sun

2011-08-05T03:29:00.000-07:00

After a bit of work refashioning a sprawling bush,

our activities turned toward play

and exploration.

Grandchildren have a way of bringing out the best of

one's backyard on a lovely summer day.

Fun in the Shade

2011-07-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

While playing croquet in the back yard this afternoon,

I noticed these flowers growing in a ditch.

I dug them up by the root and transplanted them.

Will they come back next year?

I was REALLY happy to notice the single Echinacea (below)

growing in one of our beds.

I THOUGHT I had some last year,

but couldn't remember where!

I also thought we had gotten ride of the moles.

Apparently not.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Wonderland by Night

2011-07-29T02:30:00.000-07:00

The fire-fly hunt was the prelude to the light show

that developed as darkness settled in last night.

Happy to see that ALL the solar lights were working!

Scene in a New Light

2011-07-27T05:08:00.000-07:00

Our supermarket occasionally runs a "special" - buy 10 for $10/Get the 11th free.

These lights were included. Yesterday I purchased six of them

and five other grocery items.

I have an appointment that will take me past the store this morning.

I think I'll buy 11 more! $.90@ is a great deal...

and they looked SO good when the sun went down last night!

How do you "light" the night at YOUR house?

After the Shearing

2011-07-26T06:09:00.000-07:00

Before

After

After a little bit of research, this morning I went out and trimmed the Lamb's Ear (see yesterday's post.) while it was still cool. I only left one flowering stalk. There were quite a few moldy leaves in the undergrowth. I removed them. The plants look so much fuller now. I thought the drainage was pretty good where these are growing, but I may brainstorm about a new location and see what I come up with...

If you have Lamb's Ear, where is it growing?

Do you use it as a border plant or a "stand-alone"?

(One site I goggled said it's a good border plant...)

The Care of Feeding of Lamb's (Ear)

2011-07-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, this ^ is the BETTER looking

patch of my Lamb's Ear!

OK. I admit it. I have paid little attention

to it over the past three or four years since planting it.

Now I see that I should have been encouraging

outward growth by deadheading the flower spikes shortly after they begin to wilt.

Also by trimming the outermost leaves I will encourage the foliage

of each lamb's ear to thicken.

Lamb's Ear is a drought-resistant plant,
doesn't like a lot of watering,

and was once considered a weed!

Speaking of weeds...

Is THIS a weed or should I encourage it?

It grows close to the ground between our stepping stones.

After the Wind

2011-07-23T09:17:00.001-07:00

We went outside to view and straighten up the wind-effects

from yesterday and last night.

It didn't take me long to notice

that no matter WHERE they were

THEY looked good

and things AROUND them

looked better, too!

I think

there is

a life lesson here!

I probably should have posted this whole thing

HERE instead of here!
It's more of a "Life Lesson" kind of place.

In Spite of the Heat

2011-07-21T04:45:00.000-07:00

I turned around after placing the sprinkler this morning
(thanking God for our well)

and saw the sun playing on our flowers!

What beauty!

In spite of the heat!

Miracles Still Happen!

2011-07-19T06:39:00.000-07:00

I won all the above...the door prize at the Van Wert Garden Walk last Saturday.

Was I ever surprised to receive the call yesterday morning!

I took the Harvester part of the prize with me

when I went to help a friend weed her

WONderful vegetable garden early this morning.

(You can see the morning sunbeams.)

It's SO hot and dry. It's a MIRACLE the garden is producing

as well as it is.

Upon completion, Donna gave me some onions and zucchini.

I hope very soon this Harvester bag will overflow

with good things for her and Lynn.

I once heard a song which said,

"You have to plow the fields for miracles to happen".

They have CERTAINLY plowed their field!

The Grand Finale?

2011-07-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

In spite of 93 degree temperatures yesterday, we enjoyed the

Van Wert (Ohio) Master Gardeners' Garden Walk immensely.

As usual, my camera gravitated toward garden whimsy--

documenting and adding ideas to my ever-busy brain!

Color, signs, and seating areas always attract my attention.

I really liked this chandelier hanging in this beautiful gazebo.

Can you read the scripted under its eaves below?

(You can click on the picture to enlarge it.)

Whether rustic....

colorful...

formal...

or whimsical...

it caught my eye!

I was especially excited to meet a garden blogger (of excellence and renown),

Kylee. See her Little Acre HERE if you haven't already met her.

We've done some serious Garden Walking the past couple of weeks!

This one may be the 2011 Grand Finale for us.

It's probably time to turn our attention to our own.

Home to our Own

2011-07-13T15:47:00.000-07:00

We couldn't wait to see the condition of our yard & flower beds

after being away for a few days.

It's dry here...but our perennials are troopers!

The colors are cheerful. We're happy to be home

and are eager to incorporate a few things we saw
while strolling the streets of Buffalo.

This gentleman invited us to see his back yard on "Little" Summer Street (Buffalo).

He asked if we'd like some moonflowers and dug up several for us to bring home with us.

I've planted and watered them. If they perk up,

I'll be sure to photograph them!

13,000 Words about Buffalo Gardens

2011-07-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

If one picture is worth 1,000 words,

this has added up to 13,000 words

with many, many left to be spoken!

Gardens R Us, Part 2

2011-07-11T05:15:00.000-07:00

After uploading THESE two (and seeing I have many

more pictures of charming homes),

I think I'll save them for one separate post...

The rest of these are signts that caught my eye in front yards

as we walked old and interesting Allentown streets in Buffalo, New York.

More beauty than I imagined!

Gardens R Us, Part 1

2011-07-10T04:40:00.000-07:00

Some unusual sights that greeted us along the wooded trails

on the backyard hillside...

The rest of the yard was beautiful, too--

but these trails were enchanting!

There were little surprises at every turn!

...and a couple of the fairies we found along the path...

This was my favorite of seven gardens in the

Norwalk, OH garden walk yesterday.

For some peeks into the other 6 gardens, go to my other blog here...

Today we travel toward Buffalo for "Gardens R Us" Part 2!

Our Favorite Nursery

2011-07-05T04:04:00.000-07:00

After early morning weeding in our OWN flower beds,

(where DO all the weeds come from and

HOW do they grow so quickly?)

we spent time later at our favorite nursery - Neuhousers.

My favorite flowers were these appropriately named "Peppermint" hydrangeas.

Above, a beautiful statuary that captured my heart...

and below, a couple of the enchanting pathways and vignettes

that always charm me.

The shade and shadows were soothing

on the perfect 4th of July afternoon.

Saturday Subjects

2011-07-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

Russian sage...

lavender...

hosta and sedum alongside the back patio...

and some reluctant lilies.

Woe is Me

2011-06-27T07:06:00.000-07:00

After a rather serious case of poison ivy

following my weeding frenzy Friday morning,

I'm sticking to yard art this morning.

I'll figure out what to do about the poison ivy
that has popped up in our flower beds another day.

Any suggestions?

Meanwhile, I hide from my public.

My face is not a pretty one!

Too Hot to Handle

2011-06-22T05:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, in spite of the heat and humidity, I deadheaded the rose bushes.

Looks like more of the same weather for today.

It's going to be "too hot to handle" the tools, I think...

On a quick morning survey of The Beds, I notice the lilies are about to break open...

the clematis are breath-takingly beautiful...

the hosta are flowering...

and so are the weeds growing under other hosta plants!

I just don't have the heart to uproot them now

when their blue & yellow flowers look so cheerful.

The wooden cardinal remains steadfast at his lookout post
no matter WHAT the weather.

"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it."
-- Russell Baker

Before It Happens...

2011-06-18T04:14:00.000-07:00

Somehow, when spring comes each year, I've forgotten how large my perennials grow!

I clearly need to revisit this photo of the front & side of our front porch NEXT spring

when I can divide and transplant some of these plants!

Today they dwarf the stepping stones leading from our front sidewalk

to the side yard...

This same photo also reveals a very bold weed! How could I have missed THAT?

And there in the background is the old rose bush

that has blossomed so proudly this year...

This plant's name escaped me a few years ago
and hasn't returned yet.

(I DO remember selecting it and planting it though...)

I had NO idea it would grow so large!

Do YOU have any tips for anticipating and adjusting for plant growth

before it happens?

A Senior Moment???

2011-06-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

For the rest of this post, you'll have to go HERE.

The title was "Brrrrrr! It's Cold (Almost).

I composed it and mistakenly placed it on the wrong blog

and was too lazy to move it!

Must have been a "senior moment".
I hate it when that happens!
It was a really good post.

Three Blooms in a Bed

2011-06-13T06:27:00.000-07:00

Spiderwort in full bloom...

lovely violas...

and even the hosta are getting in on the show!

These are three of the blooming beauties

in the corner of one of our flower beds

on this sunny and cool morning.

A Come As You Are Party

2011-06-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

"You should get a picture of your 'flower'," he said as he came in from his car.

So I did. Weeds and all.

It's a kind of "Come As You Are" party.

Remember those?

Red, White and Blue

2011-06-09T14:34:00.000-07:00

Like so many others that I'm seeing,

our white roses have outdone themselves the past few days!

I'm not sure what this blue flower is....I don't think I missed its full bloom.

Maybe more to come?
Update: Bachelor's Button/Cornflower it is!
Thanks, Wanda AND Nan.

...and another look at our Epson salt, miracle roses.

(Actually, I'll never know whether it was the salt

or just the favorable weather.)

A Productive Monday

2011-06-06T15:56:00.000-07:00

Early this morning, I took advantage of the "cool" and weeded in this flower bed.

I rearranged some tiles and metal tubes to line this path that crosses the bed.

This evening, my husband replaced the boards on this rusty stand.

I'll have fun placing it SOMEwhere in the yard tomorrow!

Feverfew (above)

and one of my husband's favorites below in front of the old watering can.

(I'll think of its name -- probably in the middle of the night!

I think it has "tooth" in its name.)

Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'

I have no idea where I got the idea
there might be "tooth" in the name!

What a Difference a Day Makes!

2011-06-05T16:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday there were only buds...

Today the sun is so bright that my pictures didn't turn out

as well as I had hoped...

There were many OTHER things blooming

as we strolled around our yard this afternoon.

I almost pulled the ground cover(?) growing between the stepping stones

in front of our house. This afternoon, they are blooming.

Maybe it really IS ground cover and not aggressive weeds!
I wonder if my friend on Sherlock Street knows?????

I can't get enough pictures of clematis.

They photograph so easily and are so beautiful.

Almost/Not Quite

2011-06-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

Above, the view through the lattice "wall" of our small back patio...

Almost, but not quite...

This is the rose bush around which I worked Epson salt

into the soil.

The white bushes surrounding our backyard cabin are FULL of buds.

Before long they will be dancing with blooms.

I have trouble capturing their beauty with my cell phone camera.

June Arrives--Full of Beauty

2011-06-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

I've lost the identification tag on THIS one (above).

I'd forgotten that it flowers!
Lamium it is! (Sherlock Street to the rescue - again.)

These little robins must have been fresh out of the nest.

They didn't know enough to be afraid!

The irises are putting on quite a show!

Seems that everywhere their flowers are stunningly beautiful.

A young clematis & a more mature astilbe play their roles in our flower beds.

Iris

2011-05-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

Last year I brought some assorted iris bulbs home with me

from my brother who lives in North Carolina.

They have finally bloomed.

I especially like the yellow ones.

The heavy rains and hail we experienced over the past couple of days

have not been kind to them -- or to our boxwood bushes either!

We could use some sunshine and dry-out days to perk everything back up.
Mostly, I'm just thankful to be safe
and not have the troubles and loss that so many in our
United States are experiencing...

Extension Garden II

2011-05-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

We checked out the Extension Garden briefly this afternoon...

making the rounds before the storm.

Many new blooms!
Click on the picture to enlarge and see the flowers
up close and personal!
It really IS a wonderful place to visit.
(See those pinks on the top row? They are columbine!
I've never seen any like them.)

Saturday Scenes

2011-05-21T04:48:00.000-07:00

Occasionally we see LIVE ones....

Our l-o-n-g side flower bed.

A purple columbine flowers shyly beside the house,

and we return inside, hearts full, coffee cups empty,
and with some dirt under our fingernails.
Serious weeding will have to wait until
the ground dries out a bit!
By the way, I "found" the Spiderwort
that I originally went out to find
(having been reminded by the post of Sweetbay,
a North Carolina blogger).
No blossoms on ours yet.

Home Sweet Home

2011-05-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

It's been too cold to tour all the flower beds today,

but stepping out to greet a friend on our front porch

I noticed this--the first of our columbine to bloom.

At the corner of our front steps, this statement greets all who arrive or leave...

A Fine Tip and a Finishing Touch

2011-05-15T05:05:00.000-07:00

One of our rosebushes stands behind the white, seatless chair..

"This is what I was told by a brilliant gardener and then seconded by another: When 'dead heading' roses throughout the season, go down the stem counting the clusters of leaves. Normally they are in threes (who knew?) when you reach a group of ~~four~~ (5) leaves, snip just above them. Supposedly the technique guarantees lush flowers for months." So says Tish Jett here. (I suppose most of you already knew that. I didn't.)
.

The chairs have been moved to the newly created "tree-bed".

I'm going to enjoy this spot!

The "finishing touch"

It Was a Very Good Day

2011-05-14T05:29:00.000-07:00

Last evening, I watched as my husband unloaded two trailer loads of mulch around our newly formed tree-bed. He borrowed the trailer from a friend and our neighbor Jim's pick-up. I sat with Jim's wife, Shirley, on their front porch and watched.

Below is the ONLY tulip that bloomed in our yard this year
(and at that, quite late)!

The lily-of-the-valley just began blooming yesterday.

They make the fairly large St. Francis appear small!

Maybe it's the camera angle...

A few feet further toward the front of the lot,
this tree blooms in all its splendor.

It seems to me that each year it appears a little differently.

I SHOULD organize & compare my photos.

Earlier in the day (while Blogger was out-of-order),
I sat on our back porch and read.

This was the sight from my chair...

It was a VERY good day to enjoy the outdoors!
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Sherlock Solves Mystery!

2011-05-11T02:28:00.000-07:00

~Gardener on Sherlock Street asked me,
Could your mystery plant be the one shown on Margaret's site: http://awaytogarden.com/what-weed-is-it-putting-names-to-pesky-plants?

At first, I thought the leaves on my plant were more pointed than the one on Margaret's site.
But after checking out images of garlic mustard on the internet, I was quite sure that's what it is!
After smelling it, I KNOW that's what it is!
Gardener on Sherlock Street certainly lives up to her name! Thanks, my friend!

Garlic mustard is an herbaceous, biennial forb that is an aggressive invader of wooded areas throughout the eastern and middle United States. First-year plants are basal rosettes with green, heart-shaped, 1-6 in. (2.5-15.2 cm) long leaves. Second-year plants produce a 1-4 ft. (0.3-1.2 m) tall flowering stalk with small, white flowers in the early spring. Plants can be easily recognized by a garlic odor that is present when any part of the plant is crushed and by the strongly toothed, triangular leaves. A high shade tolerance allows this plant to invade high-quality, mature woodlands, where it can form dense stands. These stands not only shade out native understory flora but also produce allelopathic compounds that inhibit seed germination of other species. Garlic mustard is native to Europe and was first introduced into New England during the 1800s for medicinal and culinary purposes. (http://www.invasive.org/browse/subinfo.cfm?sub=3005)

Before the Rain

2011-05-10T06:59:00.000-07:00

The Fern Bed has really thrived with all of this spring's rain.

One of the "Three Sisters" (as we call our three viburnum bushes) is about ready to bloom.

Lost. The identifying marker for this low-to-the-ground perennial, so beautiful right now...

Yesterday, my husband/groundskeeper
mowed the lawn with a new mower blade.

This is already the 4th mowing this spring!

I dug out some dandelions and pruned a rose bush.

For the first time, I sprinkled about 1/2 cup of Epsom salts

around the roots of the rose bush.

The gentle rain early this morning

made us glad we'd done the yard work yesterday!

Well, Not OUR Garden...

2011-05-09T05:36:00.000-07:00

We spent part of Mother's Day checking out the Extension Gardens not so far from our home.

It was exciting to see the expanded and new flower beds!

The Master Gardeners who maintain this beautiful spot have already been hard at work!

I've gotta get me some of this! Siberian Bugloss.
The fine, blue flowers absolutely charm me.

The fragrance of the viburnum was SO sweet...

the poppies vibrant in color...

the trees dressed in their finest!

Spurts and Sprouts

2011-05-06T03:01:00.000-07:00

Most of the winter pile of lawn furniture and yard art has been distributed.

For more on THAT subject, see Yard Furnished by Thrift.
Otherwise, it's mostly "Spurts and Sprouts" here in the flowerbed department.

I took a break from inside chores to check the progress

of the buds and blossoms yesterday afternoon.

The tree (above) is just about to break out in a glorious display.

This ground cover is beginning to show its yellow finery...

while the creeping phlox are starting to respond to the rare snatches of
sunlight that punctuate our rainy days.

This transplanted grape hyacinth seems to be adjusting to its new home.

Thanks to a friend, I now have four or five mounds of color

gracing one of my flower beds.

Two bleeding hearts so far. Alone. Together.

Hey! It's not to late to "name that plant"!

Is it a weed? Is it a keeper?

Should it stay or should it go?

Can YOU Help Me?

2011-05-05T05:45:00.000-07:00

OK. Here's the dilemma...Every year I pull out some legitimate flowers, thinking them to be weeds. No matter how I mark them, seems the markers disappear over the winter. SO....can anyone tell me if the above plant is a weed or a flower??? It is about 18" tall (seems a little "mature" for a real flower...)

Just above the middle of this cluster is the first bud to unfold...

I am VERY impatient to see the entire cluster in bloom.

I don't know what I anticipate more--the sight or the scent!
Every year, lilacs surprise me all over again
by their beauty.

Before & After in the Back Yard

2011-05-04T05:14:00.000-07:00

Before

After

Yesterday we expanded the rose bed. Already we're pleased with the result. The roses grew over the yard and interfered with pain-free mowing, etc. This way, we think the roses will be highlighted and not lost in the smallness of the previously-sized flower bed. It also blends nicely with the flower bed in front of our backyard cabin...

FROST ADVISORY for tonight! What's up with THAT?

This Morning's Workout

2011-05-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

Moved rocks to expand this bed. Husband will help this afternoon.

Removed some invasive plants.

Three piles worth of winter debris.

Semi-cleared...

One of three newly purchased perennials...

The second...

The third one.

I should remember what this is, but I don't.

A young clematis about to bloom.

We're not done yet!

Multiplying by Dividing

2011-05-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

I divided some perennials this morning,

loaded them in my trusty, lady-sized wheelbarrow,

and drove to a friend's house.

After selecting one of her bare spots, we pulled a few weeds,

eye-balled the spot and placed the plants atop the ground before digging.

We finished just in time for the shower

that will give these plants a good start in their new "home".

Now she's in the market for something to set on the stump!

Heralds of Spring

2011-04-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

Spring seems to be taking SO long to bloom here!
Our yard and flower beds are still too wet to work in...

but on my short walk to the Post Office this morning,

I saw these sights.

I'd REALLY like to tidy up the robin's nest!

Her presence has evidently discouraged any new posts on the bulletin board!

Could This Be Spring?

2011-04-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

Finally! Time to trim back winter's deadness! I had such good help!

Nothing much is blooming yet except the wild violets...

The children enjoyed the sunshine...chalk pictures on the driveway.

Farewell to Dreams

2011-04-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

I'm putting away winter magazines.
It's hard for me to say "good-bye" to this beautiful scene.

I don't have enough windows to house such a collection of houseplants,

but I can always dream!

All I'd need is a good book or two or a stack of gardening magazines...

Alas! It's time to say "farewell to dreams" and get out the garden tools!

Prepping for Spring

2011-04-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

This afternoon my husband turned over this entire area --
by hand (well, spade).

Last autumn, he piled leaves on top of newspaper and kept it wet.

It turned over fairly easily.
(You can see a few pieces of newspaper that didn't decompose.)

Our plan is to break up these clods a little better, smooth out the area,

and then cover with mulch.

We'll set a couple of Adirondack chairs here

along with a few other items of interest...maybe our fire pit?

Forecast is for warm weather soon. Just not yet. First some wind and rain.

Dwarfed and Timid

2011-04-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

Dwarfed and timid, these were the only flowers showing up in our flower beds this morning.

I don't blame them! It is downright COLD out there!

It's very hard to be patient.

Sunrise

2011-04-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

I looked out our window toward the WEST this morning before church.

Seeing this scene, I went to the front porch to be closer to the beauty.

My small cellphone camera did its best to capture the red of the trees

as they blushed in the light of the sunrise.

It was SO beautiful. It took my breath away.

Real or Best April Fools Prank in the Garden World

2011-04-01T12:49:00.000-07:00

What do YOU think? Can it be? I'd be SO excited if this is true!
Melissa is so Down To Earth!
Is she also a prankster of major proportion???

I can't wait to hear more.

Click on the title of her blog above to find out what it's all about.

shades of purple

2011-03-23T06:01:00.000-07:00

Outside. Dillsboro NC

Lavender & purple.

Meanwhile, inside....

Transition

2011-03-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

By walking on the stepping stones, I could avoid the squishy ground and get to the little porch of our cabin to remove the limb that fell when the winds blew last week...

On the way past the flower bed, I could see the new growth of the hardy mums. I can't wait for things to dry out enough to begin cleaning out the winter debris. Till then, it will all provide protection for the tender sprouts.

A Good Day to Stay Inside

2011-02-25T05:38:00.000-08:00

The view looking out the same window as my last post!

The wind must have been from a different direction...

I've not seen snow on our screens like this all winter.

More than we Need...

2011-02-20T14:30:00.000-08:00

"There seems to be so much more winter than we need this year." ~ Kathleen Norris

Until Spring...

2011-02-17T03:26:00.000-08:00

Seeing so many blooms on some of the garden blogs I visit make me very, VERY excited about spring. However, I think we have a bit of winter to experience here yet. Some of the snow IS melting these days, and the wind is blowing - hopefully evaporating some of the potential flood waters.

I found these paintings of irises in a thrift store yesterday. I will have to settle for them for awhile, I guess.

Until spring...

Blizzard of 2011

2011-02-02T06:13:00.000-08:00

Inside...looking out last night...blizzard warnings in effect...very little traffic on our normally-busy road...

The scene off our front porch this morning.

Great friends, father & son, with heavy-duty equipment
made quick work of the snow that fell during the night.

Meanwhile, more falling.

Where There's Shadow, There MUST Be Sun!

2011-01-31T06:10:00.000-08:00

It seems we haven't had enough blue sky in January!

But this LAST day of the month began with blue sky and sunshine.

I'll shed no tears for January tomorrow.

Wonderland by Night II

2011-01-28T04:28:00.000-08:00

These scenes greeted me as I stepped out our front door this morning.

Crisp air;

Skiff of snow.

A Winter Addition to your Gardening Library

2011-01-24T11:04:00.000-08:00

A vintage (1957) 231 page gardening book in its dustcover

filled with beautiful paintings by Else Bostelmann

illustrating both flower and vegetable gardens from all over the world.

Additional photos, illustrations and extensive written descriptions

make this book an interesting diversion

on days that look like THIS!

Scene on the way to the grocery store today.

I am selling the book for $2 plus postage.

Inquire in your comment if you're interested.

(I believe it would be a welcome addition to ANY gardener's library.)
Do YOU have a favorite vintage gardening book???

Red in the Morning

2011-01-17T14:03:00.000-08:00

It was quite impossible to capture the red of this morning with the cell phone I held in my hands. The sight was breathtaking. True to the rhyme, we are to have freezing rain and sleet this evening and during the night...

Red sky at morning, sailor take warning;

Red sky at night, sailor's delight.

...scene through our tall, backyard pine tree

So Much Beauty--So Little Time

2011-01-09T14:38:00.000-08:00

The rush I was in to get to church this morning kept me from capturing much of the beauty of the snow and patterns of frost that surrounded me on every hand. By the time church was over, most of it had melted. I hope many of you had the thrill of a similar view today.

Our Bells in Winter

2011-01-08T07:58:00.000-08:00

A bell's not a bell 'til you ring it;

A song's not a song 'til you sing it;.

Love in your heart wasn't put there to stay.

Love isn't love 'til you give it away.

Inside and Outside

2011-01-03T06:17:00.000-08:00

Outside, the frost was on the bowling ball - and the berries this morning!

I thought it interesting that the hosta & sedum collaborated to make a sort of wreath...visible now that the rain has washed away the snow temporarily.

Now to get down to inside "BUSINESS"...

Is anyone interested in any of these books? (You probably know you can click on the pictures to enlarge them and see the titles better...)

In my intentions to declutter in 2011, I am regretfully ready to

pass these on.

Make me an offer for the whole lot of them (I'm VERY motivated), or specify your choice at $3 each (plus postage). There are a few classics here. I have simply run out of room.

Christmas Blooms and Blossoms

2010-12-31T09:36:00.000-08:00

It's hard to beat a bright red poinsettia for Christmas beauty, in my opinion. This was just a small one. They seemed to be plentiful this year and reasonably priced, too!

I got a NEW Christmas cactus for myself this year. I think I watered the one I received last year too frequently, so I'm trying again.

This hydrangea was a gift. I sure hope I can keep it alive through the winter. I don't have one in our yard/garden and would love to plant this one in the spring.

I See the Moon...

2010-12-20T03:45:00.000-08:00

War talk by men who have been in a war is always interesting; whereas moon talk by a poet who has not been in the moon is likely to be dull. (Mark Twain)

Slowly, silently, now the moon
Walks the night in her silver shoon...(Walter De La Mare)

The sky was awesome last night!
It was as though the moon was "practicing" for tonight's eclipse...

My "camera" is my cell phone.
I'm not complaining. Just making a statement.

A Generous Garden Gift!

2010-12-16T12:10:00.000-08:00

...painted on slate

I'm SO thrilled to have received this special gift yesterday from a special friend. It is DOUBLY appreciated because it was painted by her mother!

As soon as the outdoor temperature rises enough to suit me, I'll take a tour of Gatescroft and find the perfect spot for it. Meanwhile, I have it propped up in a prominent indoor spot where I can sit and smile at it...

Wonderland by Day

2010-12-10T05:12:00.000-08:00

This is why I don't cut my perennials back in the fall...

Wonderland by Night

2010-12-08T15:01:00.000-08:00

Paths and Walkways

2010-10-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

The day was SO fine. My husband suggested a drive. Auburn, IN was the destination. We walked the sidewalks in one of our favorite neighborhoods there. Today I noticed the walkways and paths. These were a few of them...

Another day, my camera may be drawn to all the wrought iron work...or maybe the unique way house numbers are posted. Today it was paths (and this one open gate set back in the yard.) I was SO tempted to see what was in the back yard! Click on the picture to enlarge it. Isn't it charming?!

february SCENE IN OUR GARDEN

No such thing as bad weather...

February Eve

Views from the Front Porch

The Inside Scoop

Outside our Christmas Cabin

Snow

Nature's Pallette--Rich and Wonderful

Here and There

November Chores and More

Kids' Play

October - Parting Shots

Only God Can Make a Tree

more october

It's Begun!

Late Bloomers

Keeping it Real in October

Fall Festival at Victory Noll

Maybe Next Year???

I ♥ Autumn!

September Miscellany

Oh, my!

Aster or DISaster?

If you can't lick 'em....

The Year of the Sedum

Labor Day 2011

Small Chores

Regrets? I've Had a Few

A Farewell to August

Glass, Spheres and Circles in our Yard

Hosta and More

Sky

In the Pink

Surprised! (Again)

Surprise Lily, Magic Lily, Naked LadyLatin: Lycoris squamigera

Fun in the Sun

Fun in the Shade

Wonderland by Night

Scene in a New Light

After the Shearing

The Care of Feeding of Lamb's (Ear)

After the Wind

In Spite of the Heat

Miracles Still Happen!

The Grand Finale?

Home to our Own

13,000 Words about Buffalo Gardens

Gardens R Us, Part 2

Gardens R Us, Part 1

Our Favorite Nursery

Saturday Subjects

Woe is Me

Too Hot to Handle

Before It Happens...

A Senior Moment???

Three Blooms in a Bed

A Come As You Are Party

Red, White and Blue

A Productive Monday

What a Difference a Day Makes!

Almost/Not Quite

June Arrives--Full of Beauty

Iris

Extension Garden II

Saturday Scenes

Home Sweet Home

A Fine Tip and a Finishing Touch

It Was a Very Good Day

Sherlock Solves Mystery!

Before the Rain

Well, Not OUR Garden...

Spurts and Sprouts

Can YOU Help Me?

Before & After in the Back Yard

This Morning's Workout

Multiplying by Dividing

Heralds of Spring

Could This Be Spring?

Farewell to Dreams

Prepping for Spring

Surprise Lily, Magic Lily, Naked Lady
Latin: Lycoris squamigera