Saturday, May 11, 2013

The upside of all that rain,

is that it helps maintain the lush beauty of this area. The park where I run and walk is green now and the lake is full.
And my yard!
The part of the bed above the stone wall is filled with lilies of the valley, which are now blooming like crazy.
I planted this purple-leafed sand cherry to mark my hysterectomy. I liked that it does not bear fruit and yet it flowers and happily wears its autumnal colors through the Spring and Summer.
Everything seems to be bursting into bloom, in fact. In the front bed alone, there is pierris, candytuft, pansies, azaleas, rhododendrons  clematis, dianthus and impatiens.
And irises, which look like something out of a police line-up. "Ma'am, can you identify the flower that accosted you?" "Ummm... I'm sure it was Number 3."
I don't know when this Virginia Creeper snuck in. But I'm tempted to leave it. It's such a pretty vine and will get brilliant fall color.
My side and back yard is absolutely enshrouded in honeysuckle right now. It makes mowing the lawn a pleasure because it smells so heavenly.
I've got Swiss chard and all my herbs in pots on the deck for the summer: lots of basil, rosemary, oregano, chives, dill, parsley, thyme, tarragon, mint and sage. Bee balm and petunias for color.
And one of my five tomato plants has already got small green tomatoes on it! Tomatoes signal summer's approach like nothing else for me. Rain? I'm feeling okay with it now.

34 comments:

  1. and it means i have to mow...oh wait...its raining again....i will need a bush hog....ha...mmm on the tomato plants...love tomatoes in the summer....

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    1. We've been mowing for weeks now. You can practically see the grass growing before your eyes!

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  2. Looks like a wonderful place to live.

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  3. Well no wonder, you're living in kinds of lushness and bounty!

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  4. I don't like rain, but I do love the lush green landscapes it creates. The greens in other parts of the country look so much greener to me :)

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    1. I don't mind the rain sometimes, I just dont like long stretches of it.

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  5. It's been a fantastic spring here. And since it's our first spring in this house, it's been fun to see what's come up! We did dig up some of our bulbs at the old place before we sold it, and we planted them all last fall, so more surprises because we didn't mark any locations.

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    1. I've read that you should always wit a full year before doing too much to change a landscape, so you know what's there and how it looks in every season.

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  6. one person planted all that stuff and all those planters??? that's amazing

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    1. There were some things already in when I moved in in 2007, but I planted most of it.

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  7. Oh, don't ya just love this time of the year? Everything is so GREEN and LUSH and COLORFUL!

    Beeeeeautiful shots! I can smell the lilies of the valley and honeysuckle just from your photos!

    And WOW...your herb garden is INCREDIBLE! And such a wide variety of herbs!

    *two thumbs up*

    Well done, girl. WELL done!

    Happy Mother's Day to you!

    X

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    1. Yes I do! It is so incredibly ALIVE! I have so much blooming hat smells richly sweet. It's wonderful.

      Thanks! I use those herbs in cooking, so I love having them available and fresh all summer.

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  8. I adore the symbolism of your purple-leafed sand cherry that flowers though it does not bear fruit. Your yard looks very beautiful, but that is definitely my favourite because of the story that goes with it. Very lovely, very empowering symbol.

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    1. Thank you. I thought for a while about what plant I wanted to choose and that one seemed perfect.

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  9. Your flower police line-up is funny. I guess the lines of the brick behind them do help give that appearance. I'm trying to think of a crime related to a flower. Maybe indecent exposure? Or conning an insect.

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    1. Or maybe something related to a con since it can use it's beauty to its advantage.

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  10. Better Virginia creeper than kudzu.

    Gorgeous. I wish I had some of your rain.

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    1. I just don't want it damaging the shingles. But it is a nice vine.

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  11. Everything looks so lush and green. You really live in the most beautiful setting.
    Maggie x

    Nuts in May

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  12. Yes, a lot of rain does make for more beautiful landscapes. It also reduces the threat of drought, which never affects us in Northern Ireland but is a constant problem in England.

    That row of shrubs in front of the house is very pretty.

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    1. We've had problems with drought (a few years back), which is odd for this area. But not last year or this.

      And thank you.

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  13. It is all so beautiful. This time of year is all about renewal.
    I have three tomatoes on my plant.

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    1. I have flowers on all of them, but actual tomatoes only on one. About the size of a cherry tomato at this point.

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  14. You have a beautiful garden!

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  15. While I tend to complain when I have to get out in rain I am always thankful after and I see the beautiful plants growing, they become bright and green instead of brown and dead looking. It just makes you think new beginnings.

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  16. You already have tomatoes? Are you freaking kidding me? We get the first ones towards the end of June!

    That's it. I'm moving!

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  17. Wow, your yard is gorgeous. And I love that you planted that tree when you had your hysterectomy.

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