This Week in My Garden

Tags

bloom, blooming, flower, garden, iris, perennials, Star of Bethlehem

Our purple irises are stunning right now!

Young Wifey’s Purple Irises

Young Wifey’s Purple Iris

What a contrast from the soft white small Stars of Bethlehem.

Young Wifey’s Star of Bethlehem

What is blooming in your garden?

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A Time for Renewals

Tags

azalea, gardening, iris, landscaping, purple flag, yellow flag

Vows & Life
This weekend, Hubster and I were privileged to be in the bridal party of Hubster’s paternal grandfather’s vow renewal. After 35 years, they still danced down the aisle and showed their love for one another in front of family and close friends. It was a beautiful day…

Hubster & Young Wifey

During spring and summer, I am constantly reminded of new life as new blooms appear. Some purple irises (purple flags) I planted a few years ago, finally started to bloom this year. It was a pleasant surprise to see one welcome us home.

Purple Iris

My yellow irises (yellow flags) we planted 4 years ago in memory of Hubster’s maternal grandfather were blooming as well.

Yellow Iris

My gardens are in need of some weeding, but it’s been very busy. Only three weeks of school left, then I can give it some much-needed TLC.

What did you do this weekend?

Weekend Work = Gorgeous Garden

Tags

bulbs, chicks and hens, crocus, crocuses, daffodils, gardening, iris, perennial gardening, Spring, spring bulbs, Tête-à-Tête daffodils

Today was vernal equinox, the day and night are the same length… Spring started today at 1:32p.m. (I think…). Flowers are blooming, peepers are out and it’s the second gorgeous weekend in March. It’s the first weekend we’ve been able to get out into the garden and do some work. What better way to welcome the Spring?

After pulling a few early weeds and removing dead leaves and dried brush, my gardens were beginning to come back to life. In my front perennial garden, the small clusters of purple, golden-yellow, and pale yellow crocuses playfully beckoned me to stay and enjoy, their open smiles showing their orange tongues. I need to cut back the weed barrier a little more to make more room for them as they continue naturalize.

Crocus Cluster

My island garden and my side garden didn’t show me much color or new growth, I’ll have to be sure to add earlier color next year. Hubster was busy raking the sticks up from the yard, he returned the falling rocks to the rock wall and dug around the rock border to my perennial gardens. I need to re-mulch the gardens this year, but that task is left for another gorgeous Spring day.

I’m extremely anxious to see my new Spring bulbs fill my shade garden this year. The first of my tête-à-tête daffodils are blooming! They are only a finger high and so beautiful. Many green peaks are showing great promise for this Spring.

Tete-a-tete Daffodils

I trimmed up my urn planters, the midnight Salvia, boxwood and ivy all made it through the winter and show new growth. First year I successfully winterized these planters!

My gardening today gave me a fruitful collection of plants to spread to other new gardens. Look at all the iris seeds, iris rhizomes, and chicks and hens I get to plant. The dreams and plans I have for this planting season…

A great day!.. except when my curious border collie got bit by a garter snake who was protecting my garden. She didn’t like that too much, she is fine, just a little startled. I think she’ll think twice before entering my garden again.

Seeds to Sow

Rhizone Roots

Chicks and Hens

Sunscreen, Salsa, Side Dishes, Surprises

Tags

bleeding heart, caprese, coral bells, ferns, iris, lilies, roses, salsa, side dish, virginia creeper

Update:

Hubster and I have been really busy the past two weeks. He’s so wonderful at working on my honey-do list. Now it’s our summer vacation, time for us to really get a lot done.

We attended a wedding of a good friend, two weekends ago (and didn’t get anything accomplished at home that weekend). We’ve been trying to open our pool, but a missing piece of the pump had deterred us a bit. I finished painting my wicker set, yet have still have not found the perfect cushions. There has been several graduation parties and barbecues.

Hubster and I All Spruced Up (at my parents’ house)

Sewing has been an issue this year. My baby (and by that I mean my 9 month old cat who acts like a baby) will not let me sew, he has to be in my lap or in my arms each time I attempt this task (and my sewing projects have been piling up…). I tried putting him in another room and shutting the door, but he goes into a stressed state and cries and throws himself at the door until I respond. I can’t even update my blog without him wanting to be involved.

Rory Sleeping on the Laptop

However, in March I was able to crochet a baby blanket for a friend who was due (I wish I had a pic, but I wasn’t blogging yet) and she used this blanket for her son’s baptism two weekends ago. Her mother, who also crochets, was confused because she didn’t remember making the blanket.

So it’s that time of year when my house smells like sunscreen, roses, lilies (next week or so…), and yummy food (I’m trying out a salsa recipe right now). So here are a few bits and pieces to share.

Caprese
People always ask me for this recipe, most people can figure it out by eating it, but here it is.

Ingredients: tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, fresh ground sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil

Directions: Slice tomatoes and mozzarella, alternate slices on a tray. Cut fresh basil leaves and sprinkle over tomatoes & mozzarella, drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top and grind a small amount of sea salt and black pepper. Garnish middle of a tray with a sprig of basil. Serve and enjoy!

My Basil Plant

Bloom Time

I planted several small plants in the main garden. I paired Burgundy Glow Ajuga with Big Twister Rush (an ornamental glass Hubster think looks like weeds). I wanted to continue the purple, white and green theme of the staple plants throughout my garden (besides the pops of seasonal color that splash through my garden).

Burgundy Glow Ajuga w/Strands of Twister Rush

Yellow Rose

Pink Rosebud

My roses are in full bloom, even the small ones I just planted in

Asiatic Lily Bud

Spring and the lilies are about to boom with color.

My Chicks and Hens are splitting more, I see more chicks shooting off of the hens. I inherited this plants from my mother-in-law’s co-worker, they were just teeny tiny last year and they filled out so fast. I can’t wait for them to fill out so I can share some of mine with my mom and friends.

Surprise Iris!

Day Lily Buds

 

My third surprise iris appeared and bloomed last week, this time a white one. What other little wonders are ahead?..

Surprise White Iris

Attack of the Caterpillars

We had carpenter bees boring into our eaves and Hubster tried spraying them and their holes. However they returned again and he spray them again, so far they seem to be at bay.

In the mean time my garden has become a restaurant to a myriad of caterpillars dining on my plants like gourmet fare. I first tried an all-natural recipe where I actually blend up the caterpillars (in an old blender in which we do not make drinks) with vinegar, tabasco and pepper and other stinky things and then pour back on the problem. Ugh! It smelled horrible for a while and it didn’t work, If facts it seem like there were more bugs showing up around my garden. I then resorted to using a chemical insecticide to save my beloved garden. Maybe next round I’ll find another all-natural insecticide that works a little better.

Shade Garden Bliss

Virginia Creeper on Oak

Lady Fern

My shade garden has begun to fill out. I’ve counted and all my ferns and hostas are appearing. I purchased a birdbath (on clearance) that matches my planters on the patio and porch and it replaced the eroding pillar (which got moved close to my cement garden benches).  Friends of ours have a nice chunk of land nearby and a beautiful mature shade landscape. They have offered for us to stop by and dig up some of the plants. I look forward to taking a nice piece of their Japanese fern. My mother-in-law is also waiting for my garden to mature so she can have a few pieces of mine…

Oh! My Bleeding Heart started to bloom for the first time since I transplanted from my friends garden.

Bleeding Heart Blooms

Young Tatting Fern

Hubster and I spent Saturday relaxing in our hammock (his early Father’s Day present) and dreaming up our future. We’ve put so much work into our home, I’d really like to make this our forever house, not just our starter house (With our future plans and dreams, maybe that’ll happen. Our own little nirvana.

Bird Bath & Shade Garden

Plum Pudding Coral Bells

Check back tomorrow for my salsa recipe!!! 

XOXO,
Young Wifey

Summer Projects Started

Tags

alliums, hanging basket, iris, planter, roses, wicker set

I love Memorial day weekend. Amidst the barbecues, baseball games, yard sales and parties, it’s a weekend that I always seem to be productive. Maybe it’s that almost summer feeling, the perfect air and sun or the start of something new. This year’s four-day weekend really got the ball rolling.

Early Friday morning Hubster, who was running errands, came home to get me. He saw a four piece wicker set at a yard sale and asked them to hold it until he got the trailer. Last month, I had seen a four piece wicker set at a yard sale for $30 and wanted to get it despite the damage to the settee and the ugly cushions. Hubster ensured me it would be there after we had stopped at a few other yard sales, but it wasn’t. This time he had done well. We picked up the slightly worn out white wicker set and brought it home. (Other yard-sale finds include a trailer for Hubster’s lawn mower for $40, a brand-new dual receiver baby monitor for $5, a lightly used pack and play for $15, a plastic safety fence for 25¢, and a snow-blower for $60) I wiped it down and spray painted it brown. Spray painting wicker is almost impossible, you have to spray it from every single angle to get every nook and cranny covered. After going through 12 cans, I ran out of spray paint. The settee and one chair is complete, the other chair is almost done and I have to completely re-haul the table. The top is worn out and I have a plan. I want to paint the table the same brown, the middle of the table top needs to be cut out and replaced. I would like to find a nice antique map to découpage for the middle and then cover with it plexiglass. The set may not be finished for a while due to several hold ups… 1) I’m looking for the right colors on an antique map, 2) The store all seem to be out of the right color of spray paint, and 3) I cannot find the right color (all granny floral, yuck!) and shape (either for settee or for chair, none for both)  seat cushions and may need to make my own.
 I have 10 matching planters, 8 urns and 2 large pots, which needed to be filled for my patio and porch. I also have three hanging baskets on my porch. Last year I filed them with annuals but this year I wanted something more permanent. I planted 6 of the planters with small Mountain Gem Boxwood and Ivy trailing down the sides and the remaining 4 were filled with May Night Salvia. My hanging  baskets, I lined the coco fiber planter liners with plastic grocery bags to retain some of the moisture and replanted them with some cascading annuals. Next year I plan to filled them with perennials, maybe periwinkle…

I then decided to add some color to my shade garden (which I just planted a few months ago from roots) while waiting for it to fill out. I added 6 Plum Pudding Coral Bells between the oaks. I had  planted 3 Tatting ferns, 12 Lady Ferns, 24 Hostas, 20 Foxgloves, 12 Red Coral Bells from Spring Hill Nursery, a Bleeding Heart from my friend’s garden and 5 more Hostas from another friends garden.

I had planted three new lilacs I had got on Arbor Day, but Hubster said some strange weed-eating creature ate 2 of the 3. I guess next time, I’ll have to block them off from Hubster and his power tools.
Other recent plantings included 8 Hedge Roses on one side of our property, 24 (alternating red, pink and yellow), splitting my Purple Coral Bells (last year I split the three I had into 12 total plants and this year, I just pulled one more aside to fill a bald spot), a plethora of re-blooming Daylilies, and 24 new Hardy Gladiola Bulbs, and I replaced 4 Azaleas the died over the winter. I do have a few new potted plants that in excited to work into my gardens. I found a purple Iris growing amidst my , one I had never planted and have seen grow before this year. I also found a small Iris plant sprouting from the rock border of my shade garden, which I transplanted to my from garden, hoping next year it’ll bloom. I’m enjoying the mystery until then.
I also pulled aside some plants for my parents to take back to their garden; two different types of Sedum, some Winter-creeper, and some other small plant with purple flowers that I grow just outside the rock border of my front garden. Remember: A gardener’s best friend is another gardener.