Columbine Flower

An old Farmer once told me that you know when the garden is happy, it will send gifts. He said that suddenly a flower will appear that was never there before. And that if you take care of the gift by tending it, dividing it and caring for its soil, more gifts will come.

We have the gift of a purple Columbine Flower this year. Amidst the Iris and spreading Ivy, this lovely and delicate flower has appeared. We are wonderously excited and grateful. Our next step is to show our gratitude by removing the naughty speading Ivy and give this new plant a bit of growing room and weedless soil for its feet. If tended to properly, this plant will divide into two within a few sort years. How beautiful it iwll be to see several in a mass of bloom.

Regards,

Betty

The First Peas

Can you see the little green leaves poking out of the ground?

Those are the very first peas. The hope is that the peas will grow up, they will climb the dried brush for support. It has worked beautifully in the past.

Regards,

Betty

Japanese Iris

The Japanese Iris have bloomed, If you look closely you will see that a regular Iris has snuck into one of the photos. It does provide opportunity for compariosn,doesn't it?

Do you see it? It's in the second photo hiding in the background.

I thought to mention that we did grow these from seed a few years back. They do look quite healthy and make a pretty presence in our flower bed.

Regards,

Betty

Peonies

The garden is a place filled with life

and you can see that life grow 

and change like no where else.

Here is a picture of a peony bud,

still covered in tightly bound leaves.

So small and tightly wound, it's amazing what surprise

awaits from those tiny leaves.

 Then the ants come. From nowhere they suddenly appear

with a job to do. I still dont know why the Peony needs ants

in order to create their blooms.

The buds grow as the ants work.

And suddenly the ants finish and leave the flower

to finish blossoming on its own..

It opens into a magnificant, strongly sweetly perfumed massive ball of soft while petals.

Peonies don't last long so we take care to appreciate them, 

and take a sweet whiff every moment we can.

One blissfully large bloom so far, we await the masses.

Regards,

Betty

Tilled Soil

This is a new veggie garden, its very first year.

You can see the little clumps of grass that keep peeking through to replant themselves. 

We mark our rows by walking barefoot in the soil.

we are fairly lawless here of garden rules.

We work barefoot, aproned and hopeful for a bountiful year.

You can see the transplanted Daylilies surrounding our new plot.

We thought it would be beautiful to surround the garden with a large floral border. 

Looking rather skimpy this year provides us with a good beginning.

Next year should prove lovely indeed.

Who could resist photographing the very first seedling chosen to reside in our new plot.

Regards,

Betty

Out in the yard....

These grassy looking clumps are actually Japanese Iris. They grow in a ring formation and with each passing year are found stronger and bolder. Their flowers will be delicate though, similar to butterflies hovering above their grassy base. Soon they will form buds and blossom. 

We were gifted with strawberry plants that have now filled a generous section of the herb bed. Rich with blossoms, we expect an abundant crop of fruit, our first.

We have a Hosta bed that surrounds the base of a tree, lined with rocks for an edging. Hostas are wonderful for shade and create a pretty textured leafy display all season.

Thats my bit of yard tour for today. I pray you have lovely weather for gardening.

Regards,

Betty

Cuttings from the Post Office

In this rural area, the post office is the hub of the village. Sometimes when you get the mail, you may find a plate of warm brownies from someone's kitchen, or rows of plant cuttings to share. I don't know the name of the Ivy.

Each cutting sat on the post office counter in a small plastic cup of water. We took two with a thank you and brought them home. They got a good potting up in new soil, plunked into the new soil feet first, of course and added to the collection of plants above the kitchen sink.
Here they are freshly potted up in spare containers.

  By the way, the homespun half apron is perfect for potting up, it takes well to muddy soil and hand wiping.

Warm Regards,
Betty