I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was spectacular. Many memories were made with family, hearty food and good times spent together. My daughter, Carlee, even pulled a tooth on Christmas Eve night so we had a visit from Santa and the Tooth Fairy on the same night. And then, the most memorable part, Sunday morning we awoke to an amazing sight...
...snow!
I just couldn't let October slip by without taking notice of the inspirational colors that autumn brings...
~turquoise and orange~
~yellow and gray~ I am enchanted by both of these color combinations right now.
Over the past several years my confidence in my gardening ability has grown. Not so long ago I could barely keep a houseplant alive. Okay, so I still have trouble with the houseplants, but outdoor gardening seems to come easier. And I just plain love it. I look forward to our family's evening walk around the yard, through the flower bed and down to garden discovering what new flower has bloomed, how tall the tomatoes have grown and which seeds have germinated finally broke through the dirt.
Each year we've planted new things in the ground hoping they will thrive and we will enjoy them for years to come. The hobbyist/collector in me compels me to accumulate as many beautiful plants as possible. I want to enjoy them all and know everything possible about the all the plants in my collection.
My list of new things to plant this year included hydrangeas ( I now have 5 bushes and still want more), gardenia, wisteria (this one will have to wait because it's an aggressive grower that requires lots of pruning), phlox, Japanese Andromeda and, the one that makes me the happiest, blueberry bushes.
Oh my, how I'm dreaming of the bushels of blueberries these guys are going to produce. I also learned a few valuable tips on growing blueberries from the lady who sold these to me:
I hope that helps anyone who wants to add blueberry bushes to their collection.
I am always amazed at the beauty and perfection of a flower.
Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa Columbaria)
Year after year they emerge from the dirt, reach for the sun and provide endless amounts of joy for me as I watch their evolution from bud to bloom.
Helleborus
Tiger Lily
The close-up view is like glimpsing into another world.
Fern
Salvia
Calla Lily
As you can see, I've been spending my time in this "other world" lately. Spring always brings out the horticulturist in me. Thanks for coming along on the close-up tour of my garden.