Monday, April 22, 2013

Weekend garden walk.............



Already seeing amazing blooming in the garden. 
Over the weekend the clematis was a surprise, buds 
opening and large blooms already requiring help to 
clamber up the birdhouse pole. 



The perfect temperatures in the low 70's with
a gentle breeze make me realize again how beautiful 
Spring can be here in the southeastern USA.....we are 
definitely lucky and I feel for those of you up north, 
and in the Midwest where the snow is still falling,  
Winter just doesn't want to leave. 


The Spanish bluebells are still beautiful - these are 
definitely naturalizing now and large patches of blue
are scattered throughout the garden.


The pollen has dissipated - just a fine covering of 
yellow-green dust settles on everything overnight.......then a 
quick hose down and it looks clean and fresh.



My favorites, the pale pink George Taber azalea, are massed 
on the bushes which have grown well the past year.....


....and these other azaleas, names unknown, grow abundantly 
in the back garden in wild abandon, informal as these 
woodland shrubs should be. Our Winter efforts to keep 
the compost bin filled paid off, we've had rich soil to 
add to many plants and shrubs the past week.


Yesterday afternoon I cleaned out the gazebo, hosing away 
pollen and spider webs, washing cushions in readiness 
for outdoor afternoon tea days this week perhaps.

The snowball bush is pretty and loaded with flowers now 
opening from lime green to bright white. When I rescued it 
from a pot just a couple of years back I never expected it 
to grow this well.



The blooming of the honeysuckle was another surprise this 
past week..........more flowers than former years so 
something must be right in that rather dark corner 
back by the fence.  

Below, the small 'tree' in the center appears to be a 
volunteer dogwood - I'm so excited seeing it growing 
proud and tall, hopefully it will survive as we've lost 
all but one of the wild dogwoods growing here before.


Hope you enjoyed the garden walk.....and do come join us 
if you can! 
We have no help with our quarter acre garden........
and it is a lot of work for us now,
but we feel our efforts to keep it growing and blooming 
are worth it - and great exercise - and will continue to 
manage it ourselves for as long as we can. I planted 
almost everything in the garden over the past sixteen 
years. It has been a labor of love.

We sat collapsed on the front porch Saturday evening. 
Watching the birds at the feeders, enjoying 
an aperitif. We looked across the freshly mown lawn 
to the flowers and green shrubs, and it made all the 
hard work of the past two weeks so worthwhile. 


19 comments:

  1. Your garden is beautiful in bloom Mary. I am looking forward to having a little more control of ours. Too many years of neglect has taken it's toll. We have been trimming, digging up and replanting and removing some all together. Today the landscapers have started working on the front hillside. At this point they are weeding it and getting ready for the boulders and azaleas.

    We are working every evening for about two hours. It will probably not be till the end of summer that we have what we want.
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  2. Really pretty tour - it is a lot of work, but so worth it :-)

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  3. It's a wonderful feeling to sit and survey your kingdom after a hard day of work in it. Everything looks neat and trim, the smell of freshly mown grass fills the air - a well-deserved time of satisfaction.
    The azaleas are so very pretty. Springtime is beautiful in the southeast.

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  4. Mary, I'll join you for a garden walk anytime. Beautiful color! I've been in the dirt for weeks. This is a favorite time of year for me because Austin is at its best. ;-)

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  5. Mary your gardens look beautiful. It's so green and lush and seeing the colourful blossoms makes me long for sunny warmer days here. It is sunny today but not even 10 C (50) yet and the wind still blows cold. The grass is starting to show green though - a good sign. Thanks for sharing your beautiful gardens today. Enjoy! Hugs, Pamela

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  6. Your garden is so colourful, even at this early stage. It is always so gratifying when you can sit at the end of the day and the garden is just right after the mowing and pruning. Happy times. Take care. Chel x

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  7. Beautiful, beautiful garden. I just love it.

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  8. I loved this little walk through your garden, Mary. Everything looks so pretty.
    I was in Raleigh on Saturday attending a baby shower. If I'd had more time I would have been glad to stop by and lend a hand ;-).
    I just took a long walk before reading your post and was nearly giddy with our beautiful blue sky, crisp temperatures and flowers everywhere. It truly is a great time to be in the south.
    I spotted your compost bin. I've wanted to try making compost for more years than I can count, but so far haven't. Are you happy with your compost bin and if so might I ask where you got it?
    Happy Earth Day!

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    1. Kim, if I'd known you were coming to town you would have had an invitation to visit........not to help in the garden but for a nice cup of tea and a slice of homemade cake in the gazebo! Be sure to let me know when you plan to come to Raleigh again - would love to meet you in person.
      Thanks for being such a sweet blog friend.
      Hugs - Mary

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  9. Mary your Spring garden is exploding with colour - I just adore that soft pink azalea - I'm delighted you know the name as I will try and track it down and order for my Spring garden!
    The Spanish bluebells are delicious (I noticed one of your little bird houses in the background) sadly bluebells don't do well in Auckland - our winters aren't cold enough.
    Like you I maintain our garden too, I love the exercise and feeling of satisfaction when things all fall in to place - most times!!!
    Wouldn't it be super to wander around our gardens together with a cup or a glass in hand!
    Shane ♥

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  10. What a beautiful garden. I love those Spanish Bluebells.

    Sft x

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  11. Fabulous Spring garden photos. I am coveting your Clematis - I find them difficult to grow. All the other things I have in my Southern Hemisphere garden. We are in Autumn Mode here so I have a while to wait till I see such beauties in my own garden. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. It's breathtaking! Beautiful gardens and beautiful photos!

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  13. I always love seeing your beautiful garden, Mary! I'm envious that your spring arrives so much earlier than ours, although we did have a gorgeous, sunny day with temps in the 60's.

    I'm sure you have your hands full with a half acre, but if it's something you get so much pleasure from and love to see the results of all of your nurturing over the past 16 years, it must be well worth it.

    I hope you enjoy many warm afternoons in the gazebo having tea!

    XO,
    Jane

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  14. Absolutely beautiful. You are so talented. Spring time is just the best!!!!
    Farm Gal in VA

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  15. The tour of your garden was just delightful.
    The pink of the azalea was gorgeous.
    Now bluebells can certainly take over a garden and I am constantly trying to pull them out.
    A volunteer dogwood would be a very pleasant surprise.
    And snowballs in the south I would love them in my garden.

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  16. Greetings, Mary. It seems like a very long time since I have "seen" you.

    Your garden is looking wonderful. I adore Spring. We have azalea, dogwood and iris blooming. We also have a few camellias still blooming. We plan to tackle the porch, deck and terrace this weekend. Be gone pollen.

    Enjoy!

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  17. Labor of love for us gardeners, indeed! Spring is especially a busy season. Your flowers and specimen plants are beautiful.
    Cheers,
    Loi

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