Things are Looking Up...

Actually, it is ME who is looking UP at things!

'Tis peak bloom time in my garden these few weeks...just like for everyone else ;-) But instead of my usual head-on shots, I thought it'd be fun to experiment with different angles. So...up, down, sideways I looked through the lens. On my knees, crouching, and even thought of climbing on the roof...lol. And focusing mainly on the plants, I hadn't realized how amazingly blue the sky was...until now!


Shasta Daisies, swaying in the breeze, made this hard to capture clearly.

You would laugh seeing me here...on my back, head in the dirt! as these 'Profusion Cherry' zinnias are only 8" high. Dog walkers passing were probably saying 'WTHeck..!" But I didn't care!

Morning Glories in one of the pots I showed earlier.

I was just trying to get a macro shot of the MG...didn't notice the wasp until after...look at the cool center glowing!

Meadow Rue...this stalk is over 9 feet!

Loosestrife...I haven't had problems with this plant being invasive in my garden...yet.

From the sunflower family, an annual 'Melampodium' growing between clumps of Neputa (catmint). Tons of bees here but they left me alone.

Oriental lilies with 'Mary's Gold' daylily.

This beautiful foliage is the reason I love my tri-colored beech.

Many hours and hundreds of photos...narrowed down to just a dozen...phew!

Next, I'm thinking it would be cool to get an overall view of the garden...maybe I will get up on the roof. Well, maybe tomorrow...I still have a kink in my neck!

Hello, Beautiful Peonies!

Happy 1st of June, everyone! Now it feels like summer!

Remember the daffodil border back in April? It is now the peonies border. The first photo was taken last week and the other two, just this morning. The cool temps and (not so heavy) rain we've had really prolonged the blooms. You know that floppy, messy look peonies tend to get when they start blooming..? My secret weapon....peony hoops! They come in different heights and, as you can see, they really help keep the stems upright. I also try to pinch out side buds to keep them from being top heavy. Notice there is only one white among all the pinks. I need to add another on the end, I think. I find the white to be most fragrant, too. The shortest is the deep magenta.

In another week, these actually will look pretty messy but, right now, they sure are beautiful! 

And the best part, deer actually leave them alone!

I wanted to show these "Gladiator" aliums. They obviously bloom much later than the smaller varieties. When I went to pry the blooms apart, it was impossible! They are so tightly fused together...Oh hey, I didn't even notice little Bandit there..lol! And that lavender rhody in the background.... Here she is! At least 10 ft. tall and 15 yrs....she gets prettier with age.

This cute little flower (an inch in size) really grabs your attention. It's a geum named "Mrs. Bradshaw". I also grow it in yellow.

Yellow baptisia...a cultivar called "Carolina Moonlight". I ordered this through Better Homes and Gardens 4 years ago and it has clumped up very nicely.

Some late blooming bulbs. First is wood hyacinths. Next is camassia...this white one blooms much later than the blue camassia and is taller and sturdier too. It reminds me very much of a tropical bloom called tuber rose. No fragrance, though.

I would guess this pink flower to be in the dianthus family...she has been in full bloom for over a month!

Bloom time is usually short (2 wks) for bearded irises but there are many on the market now considered to re-bloom...I'll have to wait to see if these are as they are new to the garden. I love the bold contrasting colors and they are fragrant too!

Oriental poppies...isn't this pretty in salmon? Funny that darker pink bloom is from the same plant...

A view of one corner of the garden to the other. Roses are blooming great but I need to spray again as the beetles have done a number of the foliage.

The best part of being a "temp" is the time I can request off. Now I can really get to work in the garden. Anyone care to help me dig a pond?....PLEASE???

Catching Up...Part 2

I was in frenzy mode yesterday dividing daylilies and spent so much time looking up their color, height and bloom time (so they could be transplanted properly), that I did not get my annuals for pots...I guess there's still plenty of time. Also too much time spent taking pictures, which I deleted more than kept!  Okay, let's continue the tour of what's blooming.

Zepherine Drouhin...one of the very few climbing roses WITHOUT thorns. And she smells wonderful, too! Go ahead, close your eyes and take a whiff..isn't she sweet?!

Every garden needs a little white...not only to help blend strong color combinations but white blooms are what's visible to the eye in a night garden. I love this bright spirea and Snowball viburnum.

The very first bloom on my Knockout shrub rose.

The buds on this rhododendron really appears RED but in full bloom, she tends to look more hot pink.

Tinkerbell Lilac: Such big fragrance for this dwarf variety.

I added this spiderwort last summer because of their wonderful chartreuse foliage. The added bonus are these deep blue flowers...cool fuzzy centers huh?

False Indigo Baptisia: not as full or showy as in past years...I have a feeling they are getting choked out by the Joe Pye weed, which are ALL over the place.

Saved for last is my Best in Bloom Today...these gorgeous herbaceous peonies. The first to open are these single petaled variety. The centers remind me of bright yellow egg yolks.

This deep pinky purple is the second to bloom down the border. Whites and double pinks are still in buds. Some years they bloom 2-3 weeks, others 10 days, depending on weather.

Unfortunate for the peonies, a wet forecast for the next few days but I'll be somewhat glad for the break. Maybe I'll get some household chores in.  I said MAYBE...

Catching Up...Part 1

It's happy dance time here in my garden...so many beautiful plants in bloom! I've been taking daily photos but have not had time to download and blog. Some of these lovelies are done blooming, like the beautiful pink and white tree peonies. But, boy, they sure were drop dead gorgeous for about a week! Many hours spent weeding, but, as you know, that is a never-ending chore. Especially at my new (read: old-like!) pace. Gone are the days of crouching for an hour or two and NOT feeling every muscle scream when you try to stand up! But I can't complain about the weather. It has been mostly great this past week with a heat-wave here and there and even some much needed showers...hey, maybe it was my dancing!!

So as the afternoon light fades, you will find me HERE, resting my achy muscles.
At least for a full 5 minutes! Okay, time's up. Gotta get back to those weeds....