How we were so lucky to enjoy blue sky and sun on the weekend I'll never know, but I'm sure glad we did. Normally we go to a big nursery called Flower World for Mother's Day, but I had the great idea to go Saturday instead. Well, I think everyone else had the same idea. I had never seen it so busy. We found some plants and took a walk around their big pond and found some goslings following their parents around. So cute!
When we got home we got to work and play outside. I was able to get the window boxes planted. They look so sparse when first planted, so I'll take some pictures when they fill in a bit. I think everything is pink or purple as usual in my containers.
Here are a few things looking good right now.
A wine barrel planter under our large Japanese Maple. It's impossible to plant in the ground under it, only a few hellebores will grow there, but it needed a little color. I have a toad lily growing in this planter, but I don't have luck to get it to bloom. Are there some special tricks?
Bleeding hearts (dicentra spectabilis) in full bloom. The ones in the front yard have flopped over, I need to stake them.
Red Valerian (centranthus ruber) buds. These are a favorite of mine, and bloom all summer.
Weigela 'Minuet' just starting to bloom.
More Columbines, this purple one is short and faces up instead of down like most of them in my garden do.
These are the first white ones I've found, I saw that there is at least one more white plant near this one.
Pink flowering dogwood and blue sky. Can't get too much prettier than that.
I've already been given a beautiful card that my oldest daughter made at school and the promise of breakfast. I'm so lucky to have my girls, it's an honor to be their mother!
Happy Mother's Day to all of you Mom's. Hope everyone has a sunny gardening day!
Your dogwood is gorgeous!! How lucky you are to have had cooperative weather this weekend. I am so jealous. Happy Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteEverything looks fabulous! I love the purple upward-facing columbine--isn't it fun that they're cultivating plants that have their flowers look up so we can enjoy them even more?
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day-it's a beauty!
All of these photos are so pretty but I love the dogwood against that pretty sky. Sounds like you are having a perfect Mother's Day. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! Happy Mother's Day!! ~Brooke
ReplyDeleteYour Dogwood just pops against the blue sky. Your Columbines are sure pretty and I also have Red Valerian and love it with it's long blooming period. Wiegela another favorite of mine. I think we have a lot of the same plants - could be we're both pink and purple nuts ya think? Can't wait to see your window planters.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of your Mother's Day with your young gardeners and hubby. We sure did get the nice weather for it!
Happy Mother's Day to you!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like and looks like you are having a lovely Mother's Day weekend.
ReplyDeleteI love your bleeding hearts.
FlowerLady
Mother's Day is earlier in the year here but the garden centres are always crowded that weekend too :)
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy how busy the garden centers have been around here too. I suppose lots of people like to get their moms flowers for their special day. A wonderful gift to be sure!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking so pretty! I love your planter, that must either be a really big one or that hosta is just a baby. I killed a toad lily once, haven't tried it since. Are they trick or ?? Happy Mother's Day to you!
ReplyDeleteLovely bleeding hearts and columbine! I have a feeling that your toad lilies might not be liking the weather out there. I'm in zone 9b (Japan) and my toad lilies seem to be thriving without requiring any attention from me (for photo, see http://japanesegarden.wordpress.com/2008/10/14/autum-flowers-cauliflower-and-leafy-vegetables/).
ReplyDeleteLiisa - Thanks! We were lucky, it seems like lately it rains on the weekend. Nice to be able to all enjoy it this time.
ReplyDeleteAerie-el - I love how it looks up too, it's the only one that does. They have so much detail and it's a nice way to actually see them.
Mildred - Aren't those two just beautiful together?
Brooke - Thanks!
Linda - Great minds must think alike :) I hope it warms up so the annuals I planted will grow, otherwise it'll be awhile before the containers look much different.
Sheila - Thank you :)
Flower Lady - It's been a great one! The bleeding hearts are at their best now.
Anna - Mother's Day is always the busiest. It's fun though seeing all the families there choosing flowers together.
Cinj - I guess they do, lots of people were buying gift cards too. It feels like the beginning of annual season around here even though it's really not warm enough yet.
Karen - A combination of both. My friend just gave me the hosta and the planter is a half wine barrel. I think I'm giving up on toad lilies. They are so pretty, but they just won't bloom for me.
Gururaju Rao - Maybe that's it, because I'm trying to give it what it needs. They are really unusual flowers, must just not be the climate for them. I'm going to go take a peek at yours.
And you are an awesome mom. That dogwood does stand on its own without a single word needing to be mentioned. You have a lot of interest packed in to every spot of your garden.
ReplyDeleteIt looks great Catherine. FW was just as crowded today. Ugh. I don't think I'll do that again. Hope you had a lovely day with the family!
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day! May your life continue to be full of flowers.
ReplyDeleteCatherine,
ReplyDeletejealous of your pink dogwood! We had to bulldoze ours last year when we started the addition. Those columbines are wonderful.
Happy Mother's Day to you Catherine. Glad you got your window boxes planted. I grow toad lilies only in the ground and they always bloom. Maybe it is the planter thing? I've never heard of anyone growing them in a planter. But I know in the ground they like shade and can do well in dry or wet shade. I love them. Good thing since all I have is shade right? That columbine is so lovely that it faces up.
ReplyDeleteAnna - You are sweet :) Those dogwoods are about the most photogenic flowers aren't they?
ReplyDeleteMelanthia - Glad you made it to Flower World too, the lines were so long. Maybe next year I'll the weekend before. Hope you enjoyed the beautiful weather.
Town Mouse - Thank you!
Randy - How sad to have to bulldoze it. Maybe you'll be able to plant a new one in the future. The columbines have been so pretty, full of surprises each time one blooms.
Tina - I need more potting soil for the rest of my containers, but I'm glad I got some finished.
I had the toad lily in the ground for a few years and all it did was send up foliage. This planter is really deep, but it doesn't seem to like it in there either. I'm not giving up on it yet!
I think garden centres get packed the world over on Mothers day.
ReplyDeleteI like you Weigela 'Minuet' by the way.
Rob
your garden pics always give me joy to look at and I learn everytime I read you!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I loved the Dogwoods too!
Rob - I like how the 'Minuet' stays small, and it's loaded with flowers this year.
ReplyDeleteI guess Mom's and flowers just go together.
The Retired One - Thank you very much :) I just love the dogwoods too!
I love your columbines! I have kept planting them over the years, and not had many live over the winter. This year, I am enjoying a number of them, and have a variety of colors. Your white is pretty.
ReplyDeleteI also have the red valerian bloom all summer. I better get to bed!