RAINY DAYS BOTH GOOD AND WET

WELL IT FEELS AS THOUGH WE ARE LIVING IN A TROPICAL RAINFOREST LATELY. HOT HUMID AND INTERMITTENT STORMS PASSING THROUGH. I MEAN WHY COMPLAIN ABOUT THE WEATHER, IT HAPPENS.
HARD RAINS WASH AWAY THE PETALS OF FLOWERS YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR, BRINGING THEM TO AN END WAY TOO FAST. THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR.
EVERYTHING IS JUST SO GREEN RIGHT NOW. VERY NICE. LUSH, IF YOU WILL. I LIKE TO LOOK OUT AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE. BEING OUT THERE IS SOMEWHAT UNCOMFORTABLE. I AM SURE THAT IF THIS KEEPS UP WITHOUT A GOOD DRYING OUT, THERE WILL BE ALL SORTS OF FUNGUS AND BUGS DEVELOPING HOMES WHERE YOU WOULD RATHER THEY DIDN'T.
MY TOMATOES ARE THRIVING THOUGH, I SWEAR THEY HAVE DOUBLED IN SIZE IN JUST A FEW DAYS. THE GREEN BEANS ARE ALSO BLOOMING LIKE CRAZY, SO THERE WILL BE SOME GOOD EATING SOON. BLUEBERRIES ARE ALMOST RIPE, CAN HARDLY WAIT. HURRY UP RASPBERRIES. STRAWBERRIES ARE STILL COMING BUT ITS HARD TO BEAT THE BIRDS AND SQUIRRELS TO THEM. A COUPLE SWEET PEPPERS ARE ALMOST READY. IT'S FUNNY HOW YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMING PRODUCE, AND ONCE IT GETS HERE, YOU CAN HARDLY KEEP UP WITH IT. I'M JUST SAYING, I KNOW THAT AS USUAL I WILL HAVE WAY MORE THAN I CAN EAT. THIS IS WHEN EVERYONE STARTS TO GET BASKETS FULL OF FRESH PICKED PRODUCE.... THE DOCTORS OFFICE ALWAYS SCHEDULES MY NEXT APPOINTMENT DURING HARVEST, THEY LOVE THE GOODIES I BRING.

FLOWERS BLOOMING IN JUNE

HELLO FELLOW GARDENERS EVERYWHERE. GARDENING IS ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE, AND I LOVE IT. WHEN ALL ELSE IN LIFE CAN BE SO HUM DRUM OR EVEN DEPRESSING AT TIMES, THERE GROWS YOUR GARDEN. A SMILE COMES SO EASY, WHEN I LOOK OUT MY WINDOW AND WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASM I RUSH OUTSIDE TO SEE WHAT I THOUGHT I SAW, YES.....NEW BLOOMS. I CAN NOT BEGIN TO EXPRESS THE JOY IN MY HEART.
I FIND IT SO EXCITING, THAT NEW BLOOM WAITING FOR ME. I MEAN IT MAY SOUND SILLY TO SOME, BUT I REALLY DO GET A RUSH OF NEW LIFE. NO MATTER HOW BLUE, OR HOW MUCH PAIN I FEEL, THERE'S A NEW SMILE FOR ME OUT THERE EACH DAY.
THE SIMPLE THINGS IN MY DAY, HOW EASY IT IS TO AMUSE ME, THAT GARDEN LIKE MY FURRY KIDS, BRING THAT DESPERATELY NEEDED JOY. I AM IN AWE OF MOTHER NATURE. HER ART BRINGS COLOR AND HAPPINESS. CAN ANYONE RESIST HER? I THINK NOT. IF YOU CAN NOT BE FILLED WITH SOME DEGREE OF JOY, THEN I AM SORRY FOR YOU.
I SUPPOSE I AM A 'LITTLE' WIERD ABOUT ALL THIS, BUT I CANN'T HELP IT. I AM SO GLAD GARDENING CAME INTO MY LIFE AT SUCH AN EARLY AGE. I REMEMBER SPENDING TIME WITH MY DAD OUT AT MY GRANDPA'S FARM, PICKING ALL SORTS OF GOODIES TO EAT FOR DINNER. THERE WERE TIMES DAD AND I WOULD PICK A WHOLE MESS OF STRING BEANS TO COOK UP IN A BIG POT, OFTEN THAT ALONE WAS OUR DINNER. I WOULD ALWAYS BUY FRESH CUT THICK BACON ON THE DAY OUR FIRST RIPE TOMATO WAS PICKED, MY MOUTH IS WATERING. BECAUSE THAT FIRST TOMATO WAS ALWAYS CELEBRATED WITH A BIG BLT. TO THIS DAY, I STILL CELEBRATE THAT FIRST TOMATO THE SAME WAY.
ANYWAY, I HAVE COME TODAY TO SHARE PICTURES OF MY GARDENS. MY POPPIES ARE BLOOMING.!! MY FIRST ROSE HAS BLOOMED AS WELL AS SOME WHITE ASTILBE AND MORE IRIS, THE PRIMULA IS STILL HOLDING IT'S OWN AND THE HOSTA'S ARE GETTING LARGE. ALSO A BEAUTIFUL WHITE DOUBLE CLEMATIS AND A WHITE PEONEY.
SPEAKING OF HOSTA, I COLLECT MANY DIFFERENT VARIETIES AS I RUN ACROSS THEM. I GROW THEM FOR THE LEAF VARIATION NOT THE FLOWER, WHICH I THINK IS USUALLY INSIGNIFICANT. NOT ALWAYS MIND YOU. THERE ORE SOME THAT I DO NOT CUT THE FLOWER STALKS FROM, BY THE WAY I CUT THE FLOWER STALKS BECAUSE THE LEAFS OF THE HOSTA STAY NICE LONGER WITHOUT ALLOWING THE FLOWERS TO GROW. BUT AS YOU WILL SEE LATER IN THE SEASON, SOME HOSTA FLOWERS ARE WORTH ALLOWING TO GROW. I WILL SHARE PICTURES OF THESE WHEN THE TIME COMES. THE ONES I KEEP ARE LARGE WHITE FLOWERS AND SOME OF THESE ARE ALSO FRAGRANT. BONUS!!!
SO ENJOY THESE LATEST PICTURES AND COME BACK OTEN TO SEE WHAT I HAVE ADDED. THANK YOU!

MY GARDEN GROWS

I JUST LOVE MY GARDENS. It is so great to feel and see spring has sprung from those long cold days. Nothing makes me happier than looking around my gardens to see what is coming back to life. I feel like I am coming back to life.

Please enjoy some of the beauty nature has bestowed upon us.

From the rhododendron that is partially in bloom, we can see that it will be absolutely spectacular in a week or so. It is a very old plant, my guess is close to 40-50 years, it stands near the house and about 15-20 feet tall. I will definitely add a pictre whn it gets in fll bloom. It really is a site to behold.

Out back unerr the large old oak trees, where the shade would scare off many, the dappled sunlight shines thru. If you search, thereare many beautiful things to grow in tis shade.

Try primula and sweet woodruff, and hostas of all sizes aand shapes and colors. The leaves of the hosta, at least for me, are the prime reason for adding them to the landscape. The various shades of green and yellow and whie blue, in every combination, can be real eye-poppers where sunlight is limited.

How aboutt-of-e-valey, another great shade plant, these are excellent along a pathway. As the visiter walking along the path, these litle sade tolerant beauties will send off a wonderful aroma. BONUS!

I also love the extras nature gives us.

OH, THAT MOTHER NATURE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING!!!!

AS USUAL, IT TAKES A WOMAN TO GET THINGS DONE, AND DONE RIGHT!!!

THE FIRST TIME!!!!

WHEN WILL THE BOYS CLUB FIGURE THIS OUT???

ANYWAY, I HOPE EVERYONE WILL ENJOY MY SIGNS-OF-SPRING PHOTOS.

AND MY OLD (16years), puppy, who works so hard at guarding these gifts of nature.