Friday reasons to smile

The week began with rain and ended with rain.

The day lilies started blooming this week.

The blooms on Miss Oak Leaf Hydrangea are beginning to turn blush pink.

Next Year brings me endless joy and many reasons to smile.

I have a huge to do list for the weekend:  decorating for Flag Day tomorrow, stitching on Harry Tyler's Lion, shopping for AppleJack for Father's Day, pulling some of the 10,000 weeds growing in Next Year, watching the Morning Doves feeding their babies, a trip to the Farmer's Market.  Whew!  I think I am tired already.  Maybe I'll just stitch--the mailman delivered a pkg from Virginia Beach today!

Thriving on Neglect

Jackmanii Clematis

The events of the past few weeks have kept me from tending the garden, Next Year.  Am thankful Next Year is a hardy garden and survives and thrives on neglect.

Oak Leaf hydrangea--these are blooming all over town and they are glorious.  

I bought these last year at the end of the season on the half price sale table.  Man on man, if I had known they were going to be this spectacular I would have purchased more.

The first of the day lilies--they survived a very long cold winter.

Yarrow--so pretty to dry and use in arrangements

Thyme--such delicate blue flowers.  Hmm, is that a weed I see?

Will we have home grown tomatoes for fourth of July?

Thank you Next Year for thriving on neglect--you bring joy to this neglectful gardeners heart.

For the history books

A heartfelt thank you for the sweet and kind words of encouragement for my surgery.  Stitchers, quilters, hookers, bloggers are just the best!

With a grateful heart--the surgery went well. Am so thankful to have this behind me.

Nurse AppleJack has been wonderful!  Oh, the garden bench--an early birthday gift from none other than AppleJack.

Because of my extreme nearsightedness, I have been placed in the highest risk category for more eye challenges.  There are more procedures in the near future.

As I go down the primrose path of life, I am thankful to have a husband who loves me and  friends who find the time to offer sweet words of encouragement.

Thank you Next Year for the beautiful blooms and giving me a reason to work toward recovery.

What's Blooming?

It was a long cold winter.  I promised myself when spring and warm sunny days came, I would spend time in Next Year, the garden.

The bearded iris is the state flower of Tennessee.  It is very hardy.  It can withstand the cold freezing temps and the hottest of days.  Almost all the iris in Next Year has been gifted to me--some from Mother's garden, some from Uncle Karl's garden others from Andrea's garden.  The iris was looking challenged and there were a few days when I thought it was a goner.

The Tennessee bearded iris are very disease and pest resistant and they are sometimes called the poor man's orchid.  

I have been looking for a plant/flower for the rock pathway, these primrose just may be the one.  They are also hardy (and invasive).  Don't let their delicate looks fool you--they are tough little boogers.

AppleJack says Next Year is my therapy.  Pulling weeds is good exercise and a great way to work off stress.  Ahh, the rewards!

Dogwood Winter

Grandmother Bessie would call the drop in temps and cold winds "Dogwood Winter."

The dogwoods are glorious this year.  Drive in any direction and the dogwoods are blooming.  

I planted these flowers last fall.  During our cold winter they turned brown and looked dead.  A few warm days and bright sunlight have brought them back to life.

Miss Nellie Moser clematis will soon be blooming

along with her companion friend, The Fairy rose.

The peonies will be blooming

Daylilies will be blooming and the bird bath will need a good bath.

Miss Knock Out Rose

and Miss Red Japanese Maple are in competition for "she whose foliage most looks like red velvet cake."

Time in the garden--just what I need to cure those winter blues and ailments.

Time for the Daylilies

The daylilies are beginning to bloom.

After dividing, transplanting and fertilizing, I was unsure about the results.

Mother Nature has been kind and generous this growing season.

The gentle rain and abundant sunshine have made for ideal growing conditions.

The astilbe are also thriving

The Flowers of Next Year (the garden)

Rain Lily (Zephyranthes)

Two of her most endearing qualities:  her happy flower and low maintenance

Stella de Oro Daylily
Another low maintenance plant, and a faithful repeat bloomer

Plumbago ground cover.
This is my first try with this plant, we'll see how it survives the summer heat

Spider Daylily (a shared plant from a friends garden)

A plant full of promise--

Miss Oak Leaf Hydrangea--you make me feel like gardener

Ideal growing conditions--rain, cool nights and days filled with sunshine.  (Yes, the weeds also love these growing conditions)

The Spring Tonic

Remember the Beverly Hillbillies?  Remember Granny Clampett believed in spring tonics?  I gave Next Year (the garden) a spring tonic and I am becoming a believer!  This is Jackmanii clematis, dozens of blooms and dozens more on the way.

Miss Oak Leaf Hydrangea is also enjoying her spring tonic (fertilizer).  She also has dozens of blooms.  The birds and bees are singing her praises.

And the yarrow, an abundance of flower heads to pick for drying and enjoying later in the season.  The daylilies are just beginning to bloom.

The kiss of the sun for pardon

The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than any place else on earth

Dorothy Frances Gurney

Flowers for Mother

The Knock Out roses bloomed just in time for Mother's Day.

Peonies are just beginning to bloom.

The iris have been glorious!

The heavenly scent of lavender

Our trusty, rusty old red wagon filled with plants waiting to be planted.

Mrs Morning Dove sitting on her nest diligently

 and patiently waiting for her chicks to hatch.