Updates Finally!!!

My amaryllis are in bloom and I have been waiting a week to photograph them but the rain won't let me. In fact, I'm afraid the blooms will start to fade long before I have a sunny opportunity to capture them. Bummer.

In other news, I have decided to enlarge the crape myrtle flower bed in the front yard with the azalea bushes that I wrote about in this post. I even purchased two bridal wreath spireas to add to it. I just love their cascading look and think the texture and color will compliment my bed nicely. Mine are very young, but here's a picture of a mature one:

Also, the hummingbird feeders are out. I've purchased a new, wooden bird feeder, even bought a large bag of bird seed, but I still need to get it hung. Baby steps.

But perhaps the best news of all is that my veggie garden is in! In fact, it was installed a few weeks ago, I just haven't gotten around to writing about it. Yet. It has benefitted greatly from the rain and the kids and I are looking forward to watching it grow.

Sadly, no bird nests that we've noticed around the yard. Even the bluebirds that have nested in one of my backyard birdhouses for years have gone MIA. {Sigh} Maybe next year.

What's going on in your neck of the woods?

My Favorite Things

Blooming daffodils means its officially spring and this chick couldn't be happier!!!

 

Encore Azaleas

A few months ago I was gifted five small Encore Azalea bushes from a colleague who were not going to use them. Total score! They're since been sitting on my driveway as I'm debating where to plant them.

My first thought was to create a new flowerbed in the backyard, just outside my kitchen's bay window. However that would use up a lot of the flat, usable space which Stinky uses to play ball.

My next thought (and probably what will happen) was to expand the front island that houses the kids' Crape Myrtle trees. There is a stunted Encore Azalea there already that needs to be spaced a little further from the trees' roots so that it can prosper. That would make six, which would enable me to create a nice little azalea ring around the island with three in front and three in back.

It's much too cold now to work on any of this so it will be a few weeks before my plan is set in motion. Still, makes for an exciting, albeit hard-working spring.

Veggie Garden Finally

Two weekends ago, I finally got my summer veggie garden installed. This year, I planted in one of the beds closest to the fence that was used for compost. There are four tomato plants and two bell pepper plants. Believe me, this will be more than enough for my family, the neighbors and co-workers!

In the other bed next to the fence, you will notice my blueberry bushes. They are loaded this year. I can't wait to enjoy them with the kids. That reminds me, time to get the rubber snakes out to deter the birds!

 

Planting season is my most wonderful time of the year. The weather is beautiful, spending time outside relaxes me and I truly enjoy seeing / tasting / smelling/ touching God's handiwork through my labor.

 

Happy Gardening!

 



Spring Has Sprung

I spy with my little eye, some color and texture as pretty as pie.

Yellow and White Daffodils

 

Plum Blossoms

 

Bearded Iris

More Daffodils

I think this is some type of privet about to bloom. [Shame on me]

 

One of my favorite vignettes in my backyard.

Up close you can see the maple tree is surrounded by amaryllis and lavender irises.

Amsonia

T-Roy catching some rays in front of a bed or roses.

The mailbox area is starting to come to life with hardy gladiolus an a lone amaryllis in bloom. The yellow shrubs in the back are euonymus.

 

 
A scrap-wood wall hanging I made for the patio.

 

Tell me what's bloomin' in your yard.

I Am In Love!

Yes, I am in love! I am in love with Magnolia soulangeana!

This beautiful tree has many common names, eg. Chinese magnolia, saucer magnolia, tulip tree, none of which adequately describe its majestic beauty. Still, a rose by any other name...

I adore the pink hues bursting forth from the buds in early spring, giving way to showers of elegant pink and white petals. Its display is never long enough though. Still, whenever I come across one of these garden treasures, I am reminded that spring is on her way after a [very] long slumber.

 

 

I am planning on adding a saucer magnolia (how I was first taught to identify it) in my backyard this spring. In fact, I am removing a hillside flowerbed just to accommodate it. It will be a better fit and the flowers will be transplanted in other areas.

 

This tree has its share of problems including fungal diseases and pests, however, in my experience beauty always requires hard work.

Screw It!! I'm Gardening!

I haven't had much to blog about lately because its been too cold to go outside to do anything useful. That is, until I came across this funny meme the other day. Using it as my inspiration, I decided to update the area around my front bird bath with a few snapdragon and dianthus plants.

It will be weeks before they fill in and start producing lush blooms. Still, I feel like I've knocked one thing off my garden list in spite of the weather. And it beats looking at a brown patch from my office window.

Carry on fellow gardeners. 14 days till spring.

Beyond Ready for Spring

Last weekend in SE Alabama, we were temporarily blessed with 70+ degree weather. It was incredible playing in the backyard in short sleeves after weeks of frigid temperatures. The only problem was the view which looked like this:

 

 

Weeds, compost in various stages of decay, dormant perennials, dead annuals, and way too much brown. Ugh! Even sadder, the arbor for which I had great plans didn't survive.

 

I never did get around to cleaning my garden tools, which is my least favorite task, but I did make note of all the changes I'd like to make in Spring. Maybe I'll spend this cold weekend sharpening and oiling those pesky, but necessary tools.

This is the start of a beautiful relationship...

Ode To Spring

Spring, how I long for thee.
Your warm embrace
Caressing my face
Brings out the joy in me.