BRINGING MY ALLIUM INDOORS

Two years ago I  planted three Giant Allium bulbs.  The first year there was only one bloom on each plant.  They were so lovely.  They added some height and some early Spring interest to my garden.  Here's last year's bloom.  If you'd like to see the whole blog post, click  here or on the image below.

MY GIANT ALLIUM IN BLOOM

  There's another reason to love the Giant Allium.  It dries naturally. 

The first year there were only single blooms.  This year two of the plants had two blooms each.  Once they dried, I brought them in and added them to my demijohn that already held dried Allium from last year.  Here they all are together.  You can see that this year's blooms are a little greener. 

DRIED ALLIUM

DRIED ALLIUM IN A DEMIJOHN ON THE LANDING

My demijohn is the perfect vase for the flowers.

DEMIJOHN VASE

I wonder how many blooms I'll have next year.

BLOOMS AND TENDRILS

I know that the winter weather is behind us when my garden wakes up with blooms and tendrils.  My favorite ferns are still uncurling tendrils.

FERN TENDRILS

The hosta are also twisting and uncurling. 
They'll soon fill the space and provide some yummy salad for all the deer. 
I would love to hear about some natural solutions to keep deer from eating my plants.

HOSTAS TWISTING AND UNCURLING

My tulip magnolia tree is one of my first signs of Spring.

TULIP MAGNOLIA BLOOMS

The rhododendron is not far behind.

RHODODENDRON

This past Fall I purchased some Giant Allium from Holland Bulbs.  They're still growing so no photos of them yet.  I can't wait to see their blooms.  I received some mini tulip bulbs as a gift with my order.  I planted them among the boxwoods and grasses in one of my beds.

MINI TULIPS

One of my ground covers, Creeping Jenny, has also appeared.  I love her lime green color and the way she keeps the weeds somewhat under control.

CREEPING JENNY GROUND COVER

I always try to add ground cover to my garden.  It helps with the weeds and also adds texture and color.  I've written about all kinds of ground cover choices before.  If you'd like to see that post, go here.

What are your signs of Spring?

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MORE BLOOMS IN MY SPRING GARDEN

Recently I shared the latest addition to my garden, my lilac topiary.  While the lilac was blooming, my azaleas and rhododendron joined in and added  even more color to the landscape.  These plants have been part of my garden for many years.  The azalea is the first pop of color in the Spring.

A POP OF COLOR IN THE SIDE GARDEN

Behind the azalea you can see my clematis starting to climb the arbor. 

 I'll be sharing its purple blooms soon.

AZALEA AND CLEMATIS

I can see the azalea from my kitchen window. 

AZALEA BLOOMS

The rhododendron is in the front garden next to the limelight hydrangea.  It's one of the first plants I added to the garden when we moved here many years ago.  

BLOOMING RHODODENDRON

My rhododendron blooms never disappoint.

What blooms to you look forward to in the Spring?

I've been appreciating everything so much more with all that's happening in our world today.

How are you doing? 

To see my lilac topiary in bloom, go here.

MY LATEST GARDEN ADDITION

Last year I removed a very large cherry laurel from one of the beds near my porch.  I planted a topiary lilac in its place.  It seemed like such a long wait until Spring to see it bloom.  The lilac did not disappoint.  It's gorgeous, and the fragrance is amazing.  

MY LILAC TOPIARY

These close-ups really show its beauty.

It peeks around the corner of the garage and can be seen from the front yard.

So pretty when viewed toward the garage too.

LOOKING TOWARD THE BACK YARD

You know how much I love my ferns.  I loved them even more when they layered themselves in front of the lilac.

FERNS LAYERED OVER LILAC

What have you added to your garden?

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?