I spend more time at tasks, but accomplish less; moving slower these years. We have had a very! wet winter and spring; the garden shows it, too. The weeds got way ahead of me and seem to be looking back, laughing and teasing at my attempts to get it all in control.
In May the Dogwood Trees dropped their petal-like bracts everywhere including the front porch and steps.
And guess who was back in the bird feeder outside the window.
In the E-Beds the daylilies were filling out. The pine bark mulch in the paths was replaced with gravel. One of these years I will use the compost that was made in that ugly garbage can, and get it out of the pictures.
What had looked like this:
Now looked like this after Star of Bethlehem took over.
Family members became excited when they thought they saw yellow peony buds.
But, of course they turned white.
Dame's Rocket (and spring bulbs) came and went. It looks so much like garden phlox (Phlox paniculata), but it isn't. Rocket blooms earlier and has only 4 petals to Phlox's 5.
And, what had looked like this last autumn:
Now looked like this even after taking out a huge amount of spring bulbs which were shared with neighbors and other friends.
To Be Continued
14 comments:
Your beds are nice and lush! I love the Dame's Rocket, too! My volunteers were just here and there this year..not a big mass display like yours! I love white peonies, I find them to be more fragrant than the pinks..enjoy them!
Lynn
Hi Barbee~~ I'm not really a morning person either so I go through this little argument every (summer) morning. Sleep. Get up. Sleep....
Now that I've got a programmable coffee maker, not only do the garden and birds and cool sunshine woo me but the smell of coffee too. I'm weak.
Your garden is beautiful. And isn't it incredible what a few months can do?
Even though you think you're slowing down and things are piling up, it would seem that you are doing something right because your garden is lovely. Enjoy it.
I'm kind of an owl too but with the summer heat I try to rise early. It's the only time of the day that I can work in the garden without dying from the heat. That means that you have to go to bed a bit earlier but it's worth it. There's nothing like early mornings in the garden..
lynn, Thank you! If you are wanting more Rocket, I hope you let the volunteers go to seed. It is difficult to bear the plants until they do drop seed, because they are so coarse and weedy looking, but Goldfinches like the seed and I like new and more plants, so I restrain from pulling most of them. Just mentioning the white peonies makes me "smell them" right now. Funny how my mind does tricks like that. I spent as much time as possible near them and breathed deeply... mmmmmm.
Grace, Ughhhhh, mornings are awful! I'm glad you have the nice coffee maker, that should make it easier for you. I get me out of bed by promising me a cup of coffee - my one and only of the day. It's just the instant kind most of the time, but I am satisfied with that. I am weak, too. We sound like we have a good bit in common and can understand one another. Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed seeing the garden photos, and Yes! it is amazing what time will do in the garden. I suspect most people do not realize that 'time' is a dominate factor in gardening, and how important it is.
farmlady, Thank you for the kind, and encouraging words. I have been trying to shift my internal clock around some just for that reason. I am trying to get up just before light while it is still cool. (I am super sensitive to heat.) Then, because my body requires more than eight hours sleep, I am going to bed while it is still light. Reminds me of that nursery rhyme about "going to bed by day, when I very much would like to play..."
Always fun to see the before and after pics - a testament to what good planning can do. The rocket is a flower that I wasn't familiar with - stunning!
I love how you've place the adirondack chair at the end of the path thru the lilies. So inviting - who could resist not pausing there to enjoy the beauty?
Goodness, what growth! I'm an owl too, an owl that wants to be a lark:)
JGH, The rocket is very weedy looking after flowering. I almost have to sit on my hands not to pull it before it drops seed. The position of the chair is a planned place for me to collapse while weeding those beds. Local son is letting me use it, it is really his. Thank you.
Carla, Sorry to hear that you have the same problem. Springs usually bring rains that cause everything to jump up. One year there were no April showers and it gave me the creeps, because it was not normal. It was the intro to a summertime drought. So far this year we are not seeing those conditions.
Sigh! That is such a lovely, satisfying post. Like eating a generous 4-course meal.
Your garden is looking great, Barbee.
Oh and you do know that you never really appreciate mornings until you've lived in the tropics, dont you? ;)
So nice to read your post again.I look most everyday. It looks like you have lots of peonies. Do you bring flowers in the house...or just enjoy them outside? You and I are slowing down,but still enjoy getting our hands dirty. My hubby and I sit and work, sit and work.Our chair goes with us to each gardening task, it seems.
I love the before and after pictures, too! Catches me up on what is happening in your yard!
Sunita, thank you so much for your positive feedback - much appreciated. I think I will never have that opportunity, but I can daydream about it. I probably couldn't survive in the tropics. Each year I am more aware of my roots being in the misty, moisty British Isles.
Balisha, Thank you! I don't bring flowers in very often, but we surely enjoy them outdoors. I'm learning to use stools more. One day, it turned me over backwards, beings it was on a slight slope. All I could do was laugh. My next door neighbor is my inspiration. He is at least ten years older than I, and he says that is the way he works: work awhile, then rest awhile, etc. -- sounds like you and your husband. So, that is what I am doing this year, too.
Well, Hello!, local daughter, What a pleasant surprise to hear from you. Thank you.
Things are looking great there! All that rain helped water things well there!
The before and after pictures are awesome! I love before and after shots!!! I don't think you can ever get all the bulbs out! One little piece grows bigger(-:
We have been getting some much needed rain here this week. Its as dry as a desert here and that is scary because of the fires that we had last summer. I hope it continues!
Such a beautiful garden Barbee! I picture myself walking down that path, coffee in hand to sit in the chair. I am definetly a morning person! Love to walk the yard early..so much peace is found there.
Cindee, Thank you, yes, we have had enough rain this spring. I usually forget to take the 'before' pics, then when I stand back and look at how something is changed then I think we should have done the before and after photos... it never fails. I agree with you about those bulbs, I don't think we will ever get them all out either. I wish I could send you some of our rain. We have had a little too much. I hope your rain stays around for awhile.
Meadowview Thymes, Thank you! Awww, now when I go out mornings with coffee in hand I will be thinking of you. Of course, when my 6 a.m. cup is ready it is... let's see would that be 4 a.m. at your house? You will still be snoozing, I hope, but you might already be up and out in the garden. I envy you morning people!
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