Mass of Color

I love large clumps of one flower. The ox-eyed daisies started blooming a couple of days ago and are looking great right now. The trouble with them is that they won't look so great when they're done blooming. I had decided to rip them out and move them this year when they are done but now that they are blooming I can't imagine not having them here for their early blooms. I guess I just need to find a better way to screen the patch when they're done.

These iris are still giving me lots of joy. I will be moving the larger clump along the side of the house sometime in July but where ever they end up it will be as a large group. I love this passalong variety becase they multiply so quickly.

This group of pink foxglove should look great in a week or two. The ones County Girl has from this patch are already blooming. I have dozens of seedlings all over that I will use to create another large clump someplace. I'm waiting to plant the phlox in the background until the heat breaks since it seems happy where it is.

I love lupines! This grouping is not exciting me however. There were lots of seedlings this year and I have moved some into this area and several into the nightmare bed in hopes of having a spectacular display next year.

Irises and Rhododendrons

Things are blooming here about a week earlier than last year.

These were given to me by a coworker. I have them planted in several different places. These get the most sun and bloom first.


These are really a dark purple. I've tried every setting on my camera to no avail. They were donated to a plant sale last year by members of my garden club and I was happy to buy them. I didn't know what color they would be and I am quite happy now that I know.


These were given to me by Kerri last year. I got them in very late and didn't expect them to bloom this year so I am thrilled that at least one is! My camera washed the color out of this picture too. They are really a delightful purple.


My daughter literally ripped these rhododendrons out of her garden and brought them to me. This year they are finally putting on quite a show!

One Bed Done

The weather continues to be amazing here! The small bed behind the garage is done. The little windflowers here are already finished and the grape hyacinths are just starting to bloom. Both of the clematis that I planted last year looked dead a couple of weeks ago but are now sending out new growth like crazy. The iris that Kerri gave me last year are doing well. I did lose one of the Silver Beacon lamium but the other two are doing well and hopefully will spread. The Asiatic lilies that I bought on clearance are coming up and it will be interesting to see what color they are. The three little yellow mums that I put in at the end of the bed are alive but not looking great. Bargain Outlets has a little birdbath that I've had my eye on so I hope to pick that up on Monday. Maybe I can think of something more attractive than an old milk jug to dip water into it. Then all I'll need is to pick up a fuschia and put up the screen room and I'll have a pretty place to spend my evenings.

Heirloom Blooms

We always had peonies in the back yard while we were growing up. After they were done blooming Mom would mow right over them and every year they'd come back. Two years ago she was no longer interested in keeping the one remaining bush and let me dig it out. I divided it into three and last year got just one bloom. I'm thrilled that all three have bloomed this year.

This one is near the back door where I walk by several times daily.

This one is not as happy looking but still blooming.

The third one only has one bloom so far. The foxglove in front just started blooming yesterday. The foxglove I found growing at the edge of the woods and moved to the garden.

BJ and Angie decided they wanted to rip out everything the previous owner had planted along their front porch and start from scratch. So of course I helped myself. I was quite surprised by this bloom yesterday.

The columbine that Country Girl gave me last year is still full of blooms.

I'm loving this little patch of salvia, tickseed and dianthus right now.

Delphinium started from seed last year.

A huge patch of daisies. Another gift from Country Girl.

Blanket flower started from seed last year. I moved this to the new bed at the back of the house and now every bloom is facing towards the house.

St. John's wort shrub. I just bought this last weekend. It's supposed to get 5' tall and wide, covered with this little flowers.

Also blooming:
Iris
Bleeding heart
Pincushion flower
Fushia
Stella D'oro lilies
Lupine
other day lilies
chives

Tanks to Carol for hosting the Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!

Slow But Sure

We had round two of company last weekend. Ron's father and step-mother came for a visit. I should have been washing windows or baking but I was finishing up the new bed the morning of the day they arrived. It has been a slow project and is still in progress but I thought it would be fun to show you the before and after......

This is what the greenhouse looked like five years ago... It was a one time chicken coupe converted to a greenhouse in need of a lot of work!

When we first bought the place we had a lot of work to do (we still do for that matter but not like then.) Anyway, we knew the structure had potential and wanted to save it so we put a new roof on the first summer we were here and then let it sit. We figured the rest could wait. The next year, Ron scraped it, painted it and replaced the windows. The windows were rotted so he took the old ones from the the house and put them in the greenhouse. He had to build a frame for the windows so they would fit. I was quite impressed as this was one of his first "do it yourself" projects. I think he surprised himself as well!


This is what it looks like today with the new roof, windows and the bed we just put in. It doesn't match the vision I have in my mind yet but I am pleased to have the idea a reality.

The pictures didn't come out great but you may be able to see what's in there. Most are "passalong plants" but I did add a few new ones. My big purchase was the three blue delphiniums in the back left corner. I really hope they do well in this location, I love tall plants with shorter ones in front. I also planted three pink dahlias, some yellow daylilys, black eyed susans, a yellow iris, a painted daisy, hot pink thrift and marine bells in the front. I got "a tall white plant that is pretty" from the garden club plant exchange. I have no idea what it will look like or it's name but it's there in the back.

The iris' on the right side were there so I left them as is for now. I wanted something in the back so it wasn't just window and put in the line of fever few. Now that they are in there, I wish I had planted them in a clump but I will see how things look as the get more established. Apple gave me some scarlet sage she started from seed. They seem to be doing fine. You can't really see them but they are in front of the fever few. She also have me two datura. One doesn't look like it will make it but the other might. I hope that takes off; it will be the eye catcher of that part of the garden! She also gave me some foxglove. Two are from last year and two from this year so I am hoping for blooms this year from at least one. I had a few things that were in front of the windows that I just moved into the bed but I can't remember what they were, one has been nibbled on so I will have to wait and see. There is a columbine in the front, some sundrops and more marine bells. This is the fist year I have used the marine bells and I'm looking forward to seeing how they spread.


Now we just need to tackle the inside. I am also thinking of a stone entrance by the door....