Too Much Rain and Flower Deals

We've had way too much rain these past weeks, but my garden really responded.  Plus, my sister Claire and I hit the jackpot for annual flowers. They were wheeling out carts filled with marked-down plants just as we arrived.  Hanging baskets bursting with flowers, flats with vinca, dahlias, zinnias, celosia,  impatiens and begonias.  Needless to say we went crazy.  We could hardly wheel our overloaded carts through the aisle to get to the cashier.  It was a flower feeding frenzy.  We both spent all day Saturday planting in our yards.  It was quite a project but such fun.  Bargains are always fun. I wanted to share the results of too much rain and flower deals.

THE FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND SPRING GARDEN

FRONT PORCH CLOSE UP

I filled my Chippendale planter with zinnias and dahlias.

PLANTER WITH ZINNIAS AND DAHLIAS

I thought we were going to lose the Japanese Maple, but it seems to be recovering. 

 It used to thrive in the shade of our Bartlett Pear tree.  It is adjusting to a full sun garden

now that the pear tree is gone.

OUR RECOVERING JAPANESE MAPLE

I tucked some zinnias among the rocks that fill my garden.

ZINNIAS AMONG THE GARDEN ROCKS

I found another iron sphere for the garden and planted some zinnias in it too.

More rocks, this time with celosia and zinnias.

IRON SPHERE WITH ZINNIAS

I planted the portulaca in the basket of my garden statuary.

I'm hoping it spills out some more and spreads onto the rocks.
Did you know that you can put a coffee filter over the drainage hole in a pot
 and the soil won't clog the drain?

PORTULACA IN MY GARDEN STATUARY

These pink Dragon's Breath added color to the side yard.

SIDE YARD WITH DRAGON'S BREATH

I filled the bird bath with trailing vinca.

Did you know that vinca resembles impatiens but the deer don't eat it?

BIRD BATH WITH TRAILING VINCA

I planted clematis on my arbor and my trellis.  They're just starting to climb.  

I can't wait until they grow taller and bloom.

MY ARBOR AND MY TRELLIS WAITING FOR THE CLEMATIS TO CLIMB THEM

CLIMBING ROSES OUTSIDE MY KITCHEN WINDOW AND
A SNEAK PEEK AT THE CLEMATIS ON THE ARBOR

I divided some of my perennial ferns and planted them in the side garden.

PERENNIAL FERNS IN MY SIDE GARDEN NEXT TO MY NANDINA

Annuals are a great way to add color to your garden all summer.
How does your Spring garden grow?

Our Japanese Maple

Last Spring we thought we'd lost our much loved Japanese Maple.
 We guessed that the damage was the result of a winter ice storm,
 but never figured out the cause or how the maple recovered.  But, it did recover!
  It was a beauty this summer and looked spectacular in the Fall when the leaves darkened to a deep red.

Japanese Maple Encased in Ice This Past Winter

We thought it was a gonner.   But, it made quite a recovery.

It really added color to the summer garden.

Japanese Maple This Summer

But nothing can compare to the deep red of its leaves this Fall.

Deep Red Leaves for Fall

I think this may be my favorite shrub.
Do you have a fav?


Kathy

Encased in Ice

 A yard full of shimmering shrubs greeted me this morning after our ice storm last night.

The first glimpse I had was from my kitchen window.
The cedar branches supported clumps of ice and the last buds of my climbing roses, encased in ice, glistened.

The Last Buds of My Climbing Roses

What leaves remained were also trapped in ice.

The Last of the Leaves Dripping

The branches also looked beautiful encircled and dripping.

The berries on my climbing hydrangea were encased in ice.

My Climbing Hydrangesa

My gnarly Japanese Maple was not spared.

Japanese Maple

The Red Tip was coated.  I love that it holds its color in the winter.

Red Tip

The apple tree was in quite a tangle.

Apple Tree

My neighbor's shrub was completely covered.

My Neighbor's Shrub

The pear tree didn't escape the storm either.

Pear Tree

I also had some non-greenery in my yard that was equally coated in ice.

My mailbox and the holiday greens and ribbon were covered.

My Mailbox with Holiday Decor

The lamp post wasn't spared either.

Lamp Post

I loved what the storm did to my garden architectural fragment.

Architectural Fragment

Check out one of my truck's tires.

My Big Red Beast's Tire 

They are predicting another storm tonight.  How greedy am I hoping for another snow day?



Kathy

Spring Blooms

Yes, it's another post about my garden.  I thought I was done with the spring blooms but after a sunny bright weekend, rain was in the forecast and it was very overcast.  Overcast with no bright sun glare is perfect picture taking time and my garden was getting started.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity the weather had given me.  Enjoy more blooms.

Rhododendron and a Peek of My Birdbath

Pieris

Japanese Maple

Cherry Laurel

Nandina Still Holding On to Its Winter Berries

Climbing Hydrangea not blooming yet but curling nicely around my architectural fragment.

Azalea

Houttuynia, an invasive ground cover, near my kitchen porch.

Silver Dollar Plant, grown from seeds shared by my Mom.

Azalea in the foreground and a row of hostas on the wall.

I love Ferns.

I just made it.  The rain drops started just as I finished taking the photos.  Its been raining for several days now.
 I wonder what new blooms will appear after they get their big drink.

Kathy