Sunday, June 15

Tour for a Cure Hosted by Sweet Annee

Deena, from Can I Be Pretty in Pink, also known as Sweet Annee, is hosting Tour for a Cure today. She asked that each of us show photos from our gardens this year and also post the click for a free mammogram button. Please be sure to visit Deena and check out Mr. Linky for more garden photos. Be sure to click on the free mammogram button just beneath my banner to help a woman get a free mammogram.


The first thing to bloom in my garden each spring are snowdrops. I love them and when they bloom I know that spring is definitely on its way. The are so dainty and pretty. The first signs of rebirth.

The second thing to bring forth beautiful thoughts of spring are the fragrant violets above. They are also dainty. They were given to me by my MIL and I love them.
Then come the perriwinkles. They grow in several places in my garden and also behind the house in the garden outside our bedroom. Last year I transplanted a few into the side bed. It was nice to see them there when I stepped out onto the side porch this spring.
Tulips and lavender. That lavender is trying to take over this flower bed. It spreads each year. Each spring I thin it back to almost nothing and the next spring it is right back to full size again. I usually dry a little of it to put in my dresser drawers to keep everything smelling nice.
Meet Desmerelda, Queen of the fairies. She sits in front of this rock in my side flower bed and watches over the sleeping flowers at night. She has a solar light that gives off a glow in the moonlight. She's so pretty and I can see her from the side door.
A new hanging basket this year. This hangs on the stairs that go up to deck on the back of the house. I have never had a hanging basket like that before.
The above hanging basket is scarveola. I have loved this since the boys first gave me a basket like this about 5 or 6 years ago. Each year I have a basket of scarveola hanging in this spot. In the background you can see my butterfly that hangs on my porch.
Red Oriental poppies. One of my favorites. Each year I wait for these to bloom. They don't last long, but I absolutely love them. A little bird left these in a deposit in my flower garden.
And above, one of the blooms. This one was about 4 inches across. They are so beautiful!
Then came the rosebuds. There were dozens of them and I knew I was going to have lots of red fragrant roses this year. We planted these when we moved here 15 years ago and they have never ceased to bloom. One year after a harsh winter, they were late budding and I thought I'd lost them. I really enjoy these roses.

The buds progressed quickly. Next they looked like this. I knew that the hot temperatures would bring them on.
Today they look like the photo above. They are plentiful and there are still lots of buds.
One of the red roses in a closeup. The color is actually darker than this. They are a darker red.
A closeup of one of my pink roses. They are highly fragrant and this one is about 4 inches across. I like to bring these in as they bloom and float them in a rose bowl. They fill the house with their wonderful fragrance.
The flowers above spread like wildfire. They are another that I thin out each spring and they just keep on going and going.
The iris above was given to me by my mother, who got a toe from her mother. This iris has been passed from generation to generation in my family. I enjoy it. It is the only one of my iris that bloomed this year. I think some of them need to be transplanted and given a bit of manure to help them bloom.
The above photo shows my red peony in bud. This is another plant that has been here for 15 years since we bought the house.
Above, it is in full bloom. These peonies and the pink ones below are all fragrant - the pink one more so.
Mini carnations. This was taken a week or so ago and they are finished now. They are pretty though. It's been so hot this year that none of the blooms are lasting long.
The above photo shows my clematis. It always has dozens of blooms on it, yet I do very little with it. I just water it when I remember. It has done very well.
The clematis was also planted the first year we had the house. It gets bigger every year. I love the dark purple shade of it. I tried growing a red one, but alas, it never bloomed and finally died the second year. I've been told that red clematis is very hard to grow, as is white. I'm not sure why.
Purple columbine. I didn't realize that I had so many purple flowers in my garden. There are quite a few.
Here is close-up of the blooms. They are so unique and below is a pink columbine. I don't like it nearly as well. It looks kind of washed out. I got a piece of root from Mom. The purple columbine root came from Aunt May. I'm hoping it continues to do well. It is also a favorite.

Some of my readers will remember my post about the stump I brought home when the City cut down a tree two doors up the street. You can find that post Here.
This is what I've done with it and I think it looks kind of pretty. I would have liked to have put a scarveola in here, but there were none to be found. I settled on this beauty.
Here is it from another angle. I do like the effect it has. We have lots of white clover in our lawn in the area. If you want a lovely natural lawn, white clover works really well and when it is cut, it is so soft on bare feet.
After I had planted the flowers in the stump, I got my garden elf out and asked him to stand guard over the lovely blossoms. He was glad to do the job and gives the stump a more enchanted look, I think. Of course the grandsons love this kind of garden decor and when I choose something, I keep them in mind. It was about eight years ago I bought the garden elf for the boys. Every time they walk past it, the Hi Ho song from Snow White plays. They about drove Grandpa nuts with it way back then.

So that is a tour of my garden. It is a little neglected this year because of all the renovations taking place, but I still enjoy all the lovely blooms. I hope you've enjoyed the tour. Have a great Sunday and remember to stop and smell the roses. ~Blessings, Mary~

27 comments:

  1. Boy, after looking at all your flowers, it REALLY makes the few Mandy and Kate planted out front of the house look REALLY, REALLY puny! Well, even if you only had 1/8 of the flowers you have in your garden ours would still look puny. There will definitely be no competition going on between Ontario and Pennsylvania with respect to the posies growing, will there? LOL
    We do have one really nice peony bush that has been at the back side of my house since I was a little kid -probably been there well before then too. I noticed a week ago maybe it was finally starting to bud so hopefully, it will be in full and glorious bloom soon -if it isn't now already. (Just haven't been on that side of the house in a while so I haven't kept up with its progress.) I'll have to remember to get a photo of it though so I can show off at least one plant that manages to live here on my property. Thankfully, it does it all on its own though! LOL

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  2. I will go over to Deena's and see how to do the tour..... I enjoyed your pictures again.... they are beautiful..I have planted some poppies in my garden and I hope they do as well as yours.......... I pray that you have a good Sunday and get some rest.......

    Hugs

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  3. Sweet Annee is promoting a worthy cause.

    Your flowers are beautiful, Mary. I wish I had more room for flowers here in my tiny little yard, but I'm not really physically able to tend them anyway. I do love to admire other people's efforts though.

    This is off topic, but I just read a tip on another blog buddy's site about removing wallpaper. I know you've been having a difficult time of it with yours and thought you might want to try it:

    "A great way to remove wallpaper is to combine one cup of fabric softener with a pail of warm water. Sponge it on the paper and scrape. This works really well! If the wall paper is stubborn, gently score it with a fork."

    Hope it works for you!

    Have a wonderful weekend, Mary, and Happy Father's Day to your hubby. :o)

    Love and hugs,

    Diane

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  4. I really enjoyed my tour of your garden. We have alot of the same flowers in our gardens. Mine our a little behind yours because summer has yet to arrive in the Pacific Northwest this year. Not sure it's actually coming...

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  5. loved your tour...your flowers are beautiful and very plentiful!!!

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  6. Thank you for the tour Mary. I am going to repeat myself, however, have you heard anything to the nature that a gluten-free diet helps with those with Aspergers. I discovered another friend whose child has the same thing and she told me that. I wondered if you knew. Thanks!

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  7. Thanks for sharing and I would love to walk around the garden with you as you seem to like one of my favorite colors, Purple. Peace to you and wishing Dwight a Happy Fathers Day. Hope his gout is better.

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  8. Love all of your flowers. I especially love the iris that was passed down to you-that always makes them special!

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  9. I think this is the first time I've seen what you did with your piece of wood! And it's darling!!! Love the added special touch of the magical gnome/elf!! And your purple columbine are gorgeous and your violets...your peonies...poppies...EVERYthing. Absolutely a paradise.

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  10. Mary,

    I enjoyed your garden tour! The flowers are beautiful. Desmerelda is lovely and I love what you did with the stump. The gnome is the perfect touch, too.

    I hope you are having a nice weekend and not working too hard!

    Hugs,
    Tina

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  11. You have a lovely garden and great collection of plants. Thanks for the tour,
    Aiyana

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  12. I love the stump!!!! I love it... I came back to look at your flowers again,,,,,,,,,,,, I love the stump! I am going to copy you my friend and make me one!

    Have a blessed day..

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  13. Hi Mary!

    Thanks so much for visiting my blog and commenting on my garden pics...I must say your garden and flowers are amazing! I love those tiny violets - so lovely and sweet =) Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden with us!...

    Peggi xo

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  14. Very pretty! My garden post is my parents garden. We have had so much rain in Manitoba, it's hard to get out and work in the yard.

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  15. Mary, your flowers are lovely! I love purple flowers and think you cannot have too many. And you gotta love the little garden gnome. He'll take care of your plants!

    Lynn

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  16. You sure have the collection of flowers.
    Their all so beautiful and each time I scroll down I would think to my self "Thats my favor one"

    I wonder if your in warm climate then me.
    Any how what zone are you in? I'd say I'm in zone 3 or 4.

    I posted a few picture of my flowers but you sure have a lot more then me.

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  17. Mary, Thank you for visiting my "little and new" gardens! This is such a great cause. Your photos are beautiful! Hugs, Sharon

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  18. What a great garden I love the peonies
    I think I smell them
    and you did good with the stump!!
    smiles, deena

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  19. Your garden tour is lovely today Mary! How lovely to find Desmerelda watching over the sleeping flowers at night!!! Everything is so colorful … your baskets are gorgeous … and the color of the iris given you by your mother is most unusually beautiful. The purple iris is most unique too. Yup … I remember the stump and think you’ve put it to excellent use here. If this is a neglected garden, I’d love to see what you’d produce with some effort!
    Hugs and blessings,

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  20. Hi Mary I am back and trying to catch up on all the news. Your gardens are AWESOME!! I love the variety you have. Just Beautiful..
    hugs
    Deb

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  21. What a nice tour through your yard - you do have a great variety and they're all doing so well. I really like what you did with the stump of the tree - very clever.

    My dad had a frog that croaks every time you go by it - he finally had to turn it off because it was so annoying!

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  22. I really enjoyed seeing your lovely garden! Such a beautiful variety of flowers! Your peonies made me think right away of my Mom's garden back in Chicago when I was a child.
    Everything is so very pretty Mary!
    Smiles,
    Carol Anne

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  23. Lovely garden! Thanks for the visit!
    Life is beautiful!
    Maridon

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  24. So many wonderful flowers! Thanks for sharing your garden on the tour!
    Lennea

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  25. I am finally getting a chance to sit down and visit all the gardens this morning.

    Your garden is just beautiful ~ I love that deep red rose. And those purple columbines and clemetis and the snowdrops...I really love them all!! Very cottagey (is that a word??). Thanks for sharing. Have a sunny day! Jenn

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  26. I really really love what you did with your stump!! I have one just like it where they cut down a tree in our yard... the idea of making it into a planter is divine and your garden... so lovely the peonies and columbine...

    WONDERFUL!!

    Do stop for a visit if you can... I finally got what little I have up

    JO

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  27. I loved the photos! Your garden is lovely--the snowdrops are so beautiful, and columbine is my favorite flower. They remind me of fairy flowers.

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