Birds, Bees, Butterflies And Gardens

Summer, it’s beginning. The warm days with all it’s sights and sounds, the slow motion feel of each day. It’s hard to keep working behind the computer when I hear a hummer on the feeder, or the just the idea of reading on the deck as the wind gently blows.

This Peonie was transplanted from the back yard to the front to increase our view. I think it likes it!

When Del and I first moved into this house a few years ago there were a few plants here, but not many. Each summer we dig another bed, or add to an existing one. Not thinking anyone noticed but us, it felt good to hear the mail woman tell us we had a beautiful garden!

Blooming Chives always remind me of my dad, not matter how many times I see it. Planted in full sun, these come back every year.

At first Del though she was joking because we just had tons ( literally ) of fill dirt dropped into our front yard in preparation for leveling the ground so that we don’t acquire a lake in each big rain, or fall into potholes when mowing the ever diminishing yard (it’s a good thing because it is turning into a garden) but no, she really meant the part of the garden that actually looks like a garden…

This Honeysuckle is attracting hummingbirds, as intented. Planted beside a deck with a feeder hanging nearby, I can hear the Hummers as I work in my office.

There is always work to be done in a garden, but as always, the results are worth it. I am sharing just a few of the plants that have opened their buds this week.

I bought two knock out roses last year from our town. They use it for a fund raiser, and it doesn't hurt that it makes the town more beautiful too!

Speaking of roses, this is a rose my daughter Lara got us last year. She is the queen of roses..

Zephirine Drouhin, so beautiful!

When I planted the Bleeding Heart in beside the Zephirine Drouhin, I didn't know they would be the same color! Sometimes, ok, often, it is intuition that guides the hand ..

Finally an update on the squirrel that adopted us! He is now living in a BIG cage that Del built him. He was outgrowing the little “box” we kept him in. We’ll keep him until he is ready to run free..

You can almost hear him asking .. "can I go out and play"?

One of the gray squirrels that lives in our tiny woods behind our house.

Always alert .. and always "figuring out a way"!

Plus, I saw my first red squirrel. I thought it was a chipmunk at first ..

Check out that eye "make-up"!

After applying 8 cubic yards of mulch (4 more to go) Del and I took a walk around the garden to see what was blooming.

Important to do, don’t you think, to remember what all that “work” is about. Though I would share some of those blooms with you!

Bleeding Heart

Columbine

Foxglove

This Iris was here when we move in.. was under where a deck is now.

Another Iris that I found and moved from under another deck ..

Petunia thriving in a pot

Wisteria

Masses of peonies are blooming too… watch for their pictures ..

We have two of these Hummzinger feeders.

I love them and so do the hummingbirds!

Happy at the feeder ..

You would think, given how long it is since I have posted, that I have not been gardening at all. Not true! Although I was temporarily diverted because we were preparing and guiding a retreat, which in a way is still gardening, on the very first sunny day back I was out gardening.

I had masses of seedlings to plant that I had started in my little greenhouse purchased from Lowes back in March.

I had wonderful plants to find homes for given to me by may family for birthday and mother’s day. Two full days from early morning to nighttime found my husband and me in the garden.

Some of the seedlings I planted were zinnas, sunflower seeds, and violas. The bigger plants were corylus avellana contorta, clematis, and lilium.

While I was planting Del was installing landscape timbers to border our parking “lot” (we have lots of family that comes to visit.. lucky us!) and I was replacing little patches of lawn with plants. I confess though, that I was unable to dig the holes that these plants needed, and Del dug them for me in just a few minutes time.

Someday, after much care and attention perhaps all of our garden will have soil that is easily dug into. For now I am grateful for his prowess with a shovel.

This Broom just keeps on blooming!

Of course no garden update is complete without a few pictures of what is blooming! The first is the wisteria that Lara gave us this spring. It is in a pot for awaiting an arbor of some sort to climb on. Years and years ago I owned a home for a brief time. I planted wisteria but never got to see it bloom. I know this is a reminder to all of us, that good things are never lost to us.

The moss and the columbine are from Michael and Mesa last year. I came home from a trip and found them sitting there waiting for me. A lovely welcome home.

There are teeny tiny flowers in this moss ..

I love that many of my plants are gifts. As I check on them and admire their growth they always remind me of the person who gave it to us. A gift that truly keeps on giving!

Just in case these aren’t enough pictures for you to see, there is a slide show of more flowers in my other blog.

Columbine with Iris and Peonies getting ready to bloom in the background