Does Absence "Really" Make the Heart Grow Fonder?

Wow, I have really been absent from blogging but hopefully somebody missed me.  Nothing like 98 degree heat and humidity in early June to run one indoors to blog.  I could barely get a few pics of my daylilys this evening..camera lens kept fogging up!  I had to drag out the water hose yesterday and water the new transplants and annuals in pots.  No rain in sight..this is a weird weather year so far. 

First blooms for this delicate clematis:

This little white rose isn't even knee high but man can it kick!  It was LOADED.  No idea what the name is..found it on a street corner hanging over where I could snip a cutting..hee hee.

Gooseneck loosestrife.  Don't gasp..I know this one can be invasive but where it is I think it'll be fine.  It had proven to be a difficult spot for much else to grow.  I love the curved form and tough as nails habit.

Daylily I bought from Rabbit's Daylily Patch near Florence.  If it was a named one then I have forgotten!

Another "Rabbit's" find planted last year.

Ms. Annabelle Hydrangea is showing out too.  Been planted about 3 years going on 4.  Stunning no?

I'll have more to share when daylilys peak and I can get some long shots of the garden .  Pretty much a sea of green right now.  As long as it does not turn brown from all this heat I'll be happy.

Eye Candy

No foreplay this time...just jump on in!

Orange rose= Westerland

Paris and Nicole (the resident flamingoes) bid you farewell till next visit!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

If I could liquefy Monday through Friday and inject it into Saturday and Sunday then the weekend would seem SOOOO long!   However when I have a very fun Saturday it just zooms.  Barb and I went Saturday to Nashville to a perennial plant sale and back through Franklin for the Bloom-n-Garden Expo.  I was up at 4:30 am and back home by 5:30 pm, by that time I was flippin' tired delirious!  All I had strength to do is wander about the garden, hopefully to spy out a place to plant my treasures when I recover.

The Perennial Plant Society of Nashville really go all out.  Here is the mascot with some random guy she pulled into the picture.  I should have cropped him out (smile).   

They take this sale seriously.  It wasn't scheduled until 9 am but people were lining up at 8:00.  Apparently they knew something we didn't so after much coaxing Barb convinced me it was worth standing in line for an hour against my loud protesting.  I thought what the heck so I had someone take our pic.  The line behind us is LONG!

Once it was opening time it was "Katie bar the door!"  People were racing all directions toward their favorite plants.  It was all neat and orderly with things alphabetized by botanical name.  I am grateful to know that hemerocallis= daylily...I would have lost out if I had been standing at the D's!  I didn't get any pics inside (I would have been stampeded).  Imagine 10,000 13 year olds at a Justin Bieber concert and you'll be close to imagining the scene.  Barb scarfed up some peonies (she's a sucker for those) and I got some phlox, tiarella, rosemary and daylilys.  I knew my ninja skills would be handy someday.

This is the scene at the Bloom-n-Garden Expo.  A big old county fair looking place in a stock barn.  Much more laid back.  They had lots of this & that.  I mainly got cute ideas for garden decor.  Barb lugged out a Japanese maple--green edged with red.  I'll quit blabbing a minute and show you the pics I took.

Check the frog....

Love the espalier....

This gets my vote for cutest booth...a mini potting shed with all kinds of cool garden junque d' art!

Could someone give me a "piggyback ride home?"

Gardening Tazmanian Devil Style

We have our 70s-80s back as of Saturday! I have been all over my garden kicking up dirt and weeds as I went.  I make a goal every spring to do at least one garden chore per day so I can keep on top of things.  So...when God let off the pause button I was ready to rip!  Storms are forecasted for tomorrow and as long as they are not severe I will welcome some showers-- I'm not ready to drag out the hose yet!

Glad these tulips returned, I needed a jolt of orange.

This "obelisk" brought to you by my wonderful brother-in-law Richard. He is an awesome woodworker and brother. (I apologize for being so bratty when you and Barb were dating!) I have been drooling for one of these for years but they are so expensive. I painted it red and planted an orange climbing rose beneath it.

Mom's funky birdbath I inherited.  I didn't want the bother of changing out annuals every year so I opted for green/white hosta in this shady area.  Good call?

I never get tired of photographing my bleeding heart (obviously)  I did manage to create a little vignette with my thrift store angel (thanks Barb), climbing euonymous and native sedum in my iron kettle.

My body told me to cool it for a while so I just sat on my stone walkway and enjoyed the view.  Thank you Lord for all of your beautiful creation and entrusting a slice to me!

  

Rebirth, Renewal and Rejuvenation

These early spring days have been so welcome after the winter we've had.  Last Sunday the "family" went out for a drive in my (new to me) Geo Tracker.  I always wanted one!  We explored the back roads of the county while enjoying 85 degree weather...no I didn't stutter.  Very warm for March.  I have been smacked back into reality today though it is rainy/stormy/50s outside my window.

I know this rain we're having will continue to make things leap up even more.  I continue to be amazed at how fast things are coming on up and out! I changed the tablescape on our main entry porch a few weeks ago but just now have had time to post the pic. 

Bleeding hearts.  I love these flowers and if you didn't know it, they are easy to propagate from cuttings.  I broke a few accidentally last year so I stuck them in a plastic shoebox with moist potting soil and they rooted in a couple of weeks.  That "plant" was planted in the fall and is now thriving in my woodland garden and has a few blooms on it's tiny branches now.

The spring house facade.  The climbing euonymous had reached the roof peak so I decided to train it over the doorway for the "cottage-y" look I love.  It is so pretty with the chartreuse new growth in spring.   

Long shot of the garden featuring pink charm daffodils and goldmound spirea for contrast.  Gee, I need to turn my birdbath top right-side-up don't I?

The pond is finally cleared of leaves and debris.  Soon the cannas will fill the blank spots.  We also found 2 "residents" besides my 2 goldfish.  Glen was cleaning out some leaves by hand and dragged out 2 very large frogs!  I always joked that I had a frog named Charlie down there because I would hear a splash everytime I walked down the hill.  I guess Charlie has a bride.  What should I name her?

View from the opposite end of the garden.  I was shocked to find that some of my old fashioned white iris had tall bud stalks and fat buds.  Wow, I'm ready to see them again.  So has spring "sprung" where you live yet?

Spring Roll Call!

White Lenten Rose?....."here"

Pink Lenten Rose?... "here"

Sedum?... "here"

Archangel Lamium?..."here"

Crocus?... "here"

Bleeding Heart?... "here"

Daffodil?... "here"

Well, it looks like the early arrivals are here at last.  Let's hear it for the Class of 2011! 

May the Force Be With You... (and Me!)

I thought I'd share my "forced" forsythia branches with you.  Nothing like fooling mother nature a little bit!  She sure has had fun with me this winter..ha.  We are enjoying temps in the 60s this week so the real thing will appear in a couple of weeks.  Till then...may the force be with YOU.