spring is out there

Such a sweet sight to spy some buds patiently awaiting warmth.

Poppy explosion

I just can't get enough of these bold beauties. They are so preciously short-lived but I just love the intense color. What a delight to look out the window and see they have suddenly bloomed!

PS These actually bloomed the first week of June for me.

Growing, growing, growing!

Last year I vowed to do a series documenting the amazingly rapid growth of my favorite bleeding heart plant. By the time that occurred to me we were already at the small bush stage. Next year I want to try and start earlier and get the very first shoots poking up.

However, it has still been a fun series for me. I've been taking a photo of Friday for a few weeks and you can see what kind of explosive growth it undergoes.

May 2

May 9

May 16

May 23

May 31

Bleeding hearts prefer shade. They are perennials so they come up every year and, in my experience, get bigger each year. And they are so lovely with their delicate dangling blossoms. I would recommend planting one if you've got a shady nook to fill.

Glow sticks

I took these photos earlier in the spring before my lily of the valley plants had opened and bloomed. Don't the tips look like they are on fire? I love the glow of sunlight at the day's end.

garden love: poppies

Bright sassy fireballs that burn quickly. But oh-so-startling orange lovely while we've got them.

A funny for you. This is what the closed bloom looks like:

And this is what a newly-opened one looks like! The green shells cling to the petals and remind me of fuzzy caterpillars!

garden love: peonies

These bloomed much earlier in the year but I came across the photos when I was getting photos organized and realized I hadn't published these. And I just can't resist sharing their lush, many-petaled layers.

garden love: alliums

These particular alliums have taken over in my garden in a big way. I remember last year yanking and pulling and throwing all the greens in a big heap and a befuddled neighbor inquiring about my efforts, asking if I had a lot of weeds. No, I grunted, my arms all muddy, just plants I didn't plant.

This year I took a decidedly more peaceful approach and let the quarter of my garden that was overflowing with alliums just be. No ripping. A bit of bemoaning for the planned plants that were swamped amongst the allium patch but acceptance. And now I am rewarded for my lack of efforts with 25+ beautiful purple globes.

Perhaps the unplanned is just as beautiful as the oh-so-carefully plotted?

garden love: ferns again

These are a different type of fern. Ferns were probably my biggest joy in planting the shade garden up front. I have 4 different types there.

I love the way the new plant looks like a knot waiting to untangle.

garden love: ferns!

Oh how I love my delicate, graceful fronds unfurling to greet the sun!

Spring in my garden

I am almost sure this pink peeping out belongs to my beloved bleeding heart.

It's green! And it's pink on the tips. Nice touch.

pretty purple seed pods

The hyacinth bean vine transitions to autumn. It is an annual but very easy to grow. I would highly recommend it.

oh my lovely Hibiscus

I have two now: Lord Baltimore (red with green leaves) and Lady Baltimore (pink flowers with purple leaves). They are the last plant to come up in the spring and they take their time growing but grow they do! Here we are mid-July and they are in their glory with plate-sized flowers that peek their faces in the kitchen window – a welcome hello as I begin my day.

I am also fascinated with their spidery buds.

lovely lilies

Lilies are my very favorite flower. Accordingly, I have many of them planted in my yard. Although I think the Asiatic lilies look a bit ridiculous, a bundle of blooms perched atop a very tall stalk  like a floral jack-in-the-box, they are beautiful indeed!

succulents of summertime

Ok, I gushed about these last September. And I am still excited about them now. I have seen pots of them at farmer's markets and at local greenhouses. I finally splurged on my own container. Since it is healthy and growing, I think I am going to start one of these frames soon. Ooh la la! Gardening and crafting combined!

purple, pink, and lovely lime

Now that I have completely redone my front and back gardens and filled any available space in the side yard with plants and flowers, I have moved on to an attempt at some container gardening. Something has to scratch my greenhouse itch!

We visited a HomeGoods store when were in Ohio where I picked up the pot for a mere $15. The plants I chose followed the color scheme already established up fronts: reddish purples, pinks, and lime green. I am especially excited to see this hot pink grass get taller!

Note: The white tag is for the plant I know as "sweet potato vine."

garden growth out front

Two years have passed since I redid the front garden. In that time, things have flourished. My aunt once shared a rhyme with me about the pattern of garden growth: The first year it sleeps. The second year it creeps. The third year it leaps.

Here's to the third year!

Newly planted in 2010:

Filling out in 2012:

Newly planted in 2010 (look at those itty bitty baby plants!):

Filling out in 2012:

I've got one empty spot that I popped a new coral bell into. I also filled in pockets along the front with Impatiens, an annual that I have fond memories of planting alongside my mother as a child. She used to do an entire bed of them in the front of our house. I remember being so impressed with how they started out small and thin but would end up thick and lush by summer's end under her patient care. How much I appreciate the things she taught me about flowers and gardening and the way she let me "help" even when it might have been easier to plant without me!

morning glow

I went running bright and early on a recent Saturday morning. When I came back, the sun was up and shining beautifully on my garden. While I am most certainly not a morning person there is something magical about being outside when the day begins.

terrific tiles for a fresh front

 The new, custom house number tiles are installed (thanks, handy husband)! Tah-dah! It's like they are a preview of all the crazy bright colors you will find inside my house.

I heartily recommend the artists – J and R Designs – whom I found on etsy.com. You get a preview of your tile and the option to make changes (which I did, had to have my purple in there) before it is finalized. They were friendly and easy to work with and the tile arrived safe and sound.

Before:

After:

Just another note on how fabulous the "after" is – the black mailbox and light match the black railings. The little curl on the top of the light mirrors the curl on the railings. The numbers are also black with a slight curl detail as well (you can't see this because I hid it in the photo).

And if you're curious about the front yard garden project or the purple glass garden art that shows up in the photo hop on back to these previous posts!

breathe deep

 A spring bouquet for you, simply and loosely gathered in a jar. Lilacs, bleeding heart, and dogwood.