A lot of excitement around here since last Friday… Flowers Blooming, Open Garden, Indianapolis Rose Society Picnic, and a special “crew” came to visit too.
Quietness was READY for company! Peggy Martin just couldn’t be stopped. And, became the “place” to have your picture made — prom style! (See gallery below) LOVED IT!! So fun.
Someone asked how many clematis I have…. I’m not sure. I think about 17 – but I love them. Probably need to count. Mr. G probably already has. 🙄
My friend, Kerry Cates, took a candid shot of the garden and the gardener. I didn’t even know she took it, but I’m so glad she shared it with me.
Having your garden filled with friends is just the best!
NOW FOR THE “COMING SOON” SECTION…
The middle of the week was spent with these guys. Sr. Editor of Garden Gate Magazine, James Baggett and Photographer, Jack Coyier. What fun we had.
More details to come!
I told you it was a BIG week!
After coming to my open garden, a friend sent me this quote…
Don’t only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets; art deserves that, for it and knowledge can raise man to the Divine.
-Ludwig van Beethoven
I love that, don’t you. Reminds me of my practical mom who said things like, “anything worth doing, is worth doing well” … but Beethoven said it much better. 😉
Wishing you a wonderful week. Thanks for stopping by.
It’s true, rain or shine, I’m not gonna whine. It’s all good. Because of the rain, we have areas that are more beautiful than ever before at this time of year and areas that have been stunted.
The area hardest hit by the “wet” was the herb garden. I plant a lot of seeds in the herb garden and it was very late when I got them out and they are quite small. I believe that all of them, with the exception of the sweet peas will be fine. It might be too hot for the sweet peas before they get to be their best selves. Last year the zinnias were twice as tall or maybe 3 times as tall as they are this year but no worries there. They will be monsters soon enough.
Speaking of zinnias, I planted several varieties that I had not planted before — Enchantress (they don’t look like double giants yet ), Apricot Blush, and Blue Point. So excited to see how they do. Last year my California Giants did so well that they blocked more than one path through the garden — beautifully, I might add. 🙂 And, the pink ones (I don’t remember the variety.) were so “healthy” that they smashed out several of their neighbors before I got them staked.🙄
STORMY WEATHER
Last night as we were preparing the garden for events this weekend – another storm came, taking many blooms with it. This morning I see that it also brought many fresh new blooms – so “rain or shine, I’m not gonna wine.” Now if it rains on Saturday and our guests can’t tour the garden. I might whine a bit.
BIGGEST UPSIDE OF RAINY WEATHER
Very little, if any, hand watering. While I love the process of hand watering and getting up close and personal with my plants, my garden has grown to the size that it certainly takes some time to get that job accomplished.
BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK
There were so many things blooming this week that I told myself no more than 10 pictures. So, of course I’ll give you 13 plus a video. Sorry, couldn’t help myself.
New Dawn going up and over! Just as she should!
Peggy Martin doing what she does so beautifully. Shout to my beautiful friend Peggy too! xoPeggy Martin reaching for the sky – beautifully
New Dawn and Etiole des Violette … good companions year after year
Mother of Pearl – I counted 25 blooms on one of the shrubs this morning. I have 3 shrubs of this gorgeous rose.
Freida Kahlo — so much prettier in person
Imogen (DA) my, my she’s pretty. She was in the garden last year but I don’t remember her being a standout. But this year that is a different story. LOVE HER.
Sweet Drift and Darcey Bussell (DA)
Most of the garden action around here happens in the back yard, but Mr. G was busy in the front yard so it wasn’t an embarrassment. I tend to forget we have a front yard. 🙂
First year for Queen of Sweden (DA) and she is stealing my heart!!
Rosa Mundi. What a standout. One-time bloomer but what a bloom.
Rosa Mundi and neighbors
If you need me, I’m in the garden deadheading the roses, so they can be their best selves for our guests tomorrow.🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
In the movie Singing in the Rain… they looked so happy dancing and singing in the rain! As happy as those scenes looked, I will confess I am not all that happy with all the rain we are getting and getting rained on again and again. While gardening in the rain poses some challenges, the horrible weather that some of my gardening friends around the country are having is much worse with tornadoes and even snow storms.
When I heard the rain was coming again this morning I went out to take some pictures (and got soaked yet again) and was struck by how good the garden smelled. I do love the smell of rain! Did you know that the smell of rain has a name — Petrichor. I read a Reader’s Digest fact that tells us the “why” surrounding the smell of rain.”Water doesn’t smell like anything, so why does rain produce a pleasant aroma after it falls? Well, it’s because of a molecule, called geosmin, created by soil-dwelling bacteria. When rain falls, it creates air pockets, which contain small amounts of geosmin. The rain traps and then releases these air pockets, dispersing geosmin into the air, where it’s free to travel to human sniffers.”
As much as I want to be working in the garden and can’t… I am learning how little my plants need me. Many are thriving from all the bounty from above. And, we are quickly moving to the jungle stage as the roses and peonies begin to open.
So here is BLOOM THYME for this week…
Rugosas and Peonies… oh the fragrance in this spot!!!
I forgot I had this beauty! Fun surprise as I absolutely love it!
Therese Bugnet has been amazing. If you follow me on Instagram, you are probably tired of seeing her picture! 🙂
I live in midwest farm country and would ask that you say a prayer for our farming families. They have not been able to get in the fields to do their spring work. Since it is now so late, they run the risk of having no crop this season. The forecast for the next week is for rain each day.
Friends, stay safe and dry and enjoy all the beauty around you . . . AND carry an umbrella! ☔️😉
I always refer to my spring bloom cycle as “fireworks and fragrance,” primarily because the rugosas and the old garden roses go crazy! I love it so much. And right now it is beginning. My first rugosa gave me the much anticipated first blooms and the other shrubs are loaded and just about ready to go.
Belle Poitevine…
Would you look at that center!
Soapwort… Has a short but beautiful bloom cycle. I love it that she’s early and holds her own even in the crazy spring weather.
Bloomerang Lilac still going strong… and filling the garden with fragrance!
Rugosa buds…
Peonies…
Three beautiful roses came today from Roses Unlimited and they look fantastic. One Papi Delbard and 2 Mother of Pearls. EXCITING!!
MR. G HITS PAY DIRT!
Mr. G is over the moon excited with his new wheelbarrow. IT’S A CRAFTSMAN. Guys his age will understand his excitement with finding CRAFTSMAN anything these days – especially at Lowes as it was a Sears feature for so many years, but that’s another story. When he called me from Lowes to tell me of his good fortune, he failed to mention the wheelbarrow was RED — CRAFTSMAN RED. 🚒🔥🚨 All I could think was the numerous times in my youth when I was told not to wear pink and red together — they would clash. 💞❤️ 💞 You and I both know that my garden is filled to the brim with pink roses. So what am I to do. Of course I can try to photograph the garden around this “great wheelbarrow with a lifetime guarantee,” 🙄 or… you and I can play a game of WHERE’S WALDO / RED WHEELBARROW. When you see it in a picture, let me know and I’ll feature you in a post! 🤷♀️
Well, we wont’ lose it! 🙂 Plus, it holds a ton of mulch!✔️✔️✔️
