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

Vintage Finds

I'm always looking for backgrounds for my photos and my climbing hydrangea provided me with the perfect back drop.  My hydrangea had decided to change out its green textured summer outfit for this fabulous golden fall ensemble.

My Climbing Hydrangea

Whenever I find vintage kitchen step stools I always purchase them.  This one is chrome and red vinyl with two pull-out steps.  It's for sale.  I'm not keeping this one.

I couldn't pass up this ottoman.  Lately I've been seeing this lavender/green combo in rooms.  How cute would this be at the foot of a bed!!!!  

Did I mention that the top opens for blanket or toy storage?  It's available too.

I bought a set of these four chairs.  The chippiness is natural and the back rest is to die for.  I re-covered them with burlap.  It's neutral to match your decor.

I am always excited when I find another bar cart.
This one is petite and brass and available for purchase.

This ornate brick is going to be part of my landscaping.  Can you imagine how fabulous that building must have been?

The gargoyle has already made it into my garden.  I know he's kind of homely but he reminds me of a wonderful vacation in Paris.

What have you found lately?

Kathy

My Garden in Bloom

Even though we haven't had much rain, my garden seems very happy.

The azalea's blooms stretch in front of our new patio wall.

The azalea on the opposite wall with a field of ferns in the background.

A clay chimney pot and some vintage cement urns flank the garden path in the side yard.

Roses climbing past the trellis onto the bricks.

My peonies are so lovely and so short lived.   If you're not paying attention you could totally miss their beauty.

Hibiscus bloom in one of the pots on my front porch.

My arbor framing the path to the back yard.

Peeking through the pergola at a back yard bed.

Climbing hydrangea clinging to a grouping of lattice trellises in varying heights.

Hydrangeas in bloom under a canopy of wild climbing roses.

A chippy iron garden bench next to a vintage weathered cupola.

How does your garden grow?

Kathy

My Emerging Spring Garden

We've had a very mild winter and while I was outside enjoying the beautiful day,  I realized that my garden is so interesting now that last year's plants are responding to the weather and beginning to reappear.  I wanted to capture them on their way to their full bloom.  Right now they are only giving hints of the beauty to come, but their emergence is just as lovely.  The ferns are still curled, the azaleas not quite open, the peonies barely recognizable and the hostas mere spirals.  The climbing hydrangea is ready to flower any day now while the phlox and the pieris are in full bloom   There are still remnants of the winter garden in the mix--dried leaves, bare spots that will soon fill in, even some winter berries still clinging onto my nandinas.

Enjoy.

The pieris is in full bloom with it's cascading flowers and fiery new red growth.

The red tip tree has new leaves and is encircled by mondo grass and varigated hostas which for some reason are larger than the others in my garden.

The phlox carpet is in full bloom.

The garden fountain is waiting to be surrounded by flowers.

The nandina hasn't released its winter berries yet.

 Lamb's ear and sweet woodruff are two of my favorite ground covers.  They'll be spreading and filling in among the shrubs.

The warm weather has confused the rhododendron.  This is a repeat bloom for it.

The climbing hydrangea will flower any day now.

The sedum is just getting started.

The peonies are appearing and give no hint about their soon- to- appear heavy blooms.

The azaleas will pop with color any day now.

Some volunteer wild violets share a flower pot with some sedum.

I love ferns.  I think they look just as good tightly curled as they do when they release and become long and feathery.

So how does your garden grow?

Kathy

Happy Easter to All