"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Monday, January 2, 2012

Three years of blogging!

It's hard to believe that another year of blogging has gone by.  This past year of gardening has been great, many changes were made to our garden.  The past year of blogging hasn't been as productive for me though.  I've found that I just seem to have less and less time for it, and yet the thought of totally giving it up just can't happen.  I've made too many friends, friends that I've met at the beginning of my blogging and newer friends that I've met in the last several months. 
I appreciate each of you that visit my blog, especially when you take the time to comment or send me an email.  I apologize that I haven't been as good about returning visits, or at least commenting as often as I'd like.  Now that the holidays are over and there isn't as much to do outside I hope to be able to visit more often.
For now I thought I'd do a quick review of my garden. I like that my blogaversary coincides with the new year, it gives me a good excuse to go through pictures of my garden while there isn't much blooming outside.

January had Hellebores, Sarcococcas and Pansies blooming.

February was when the lawn went away for good!  We spent many hours outside, much of it in freezing cold weather and snow getting the job done.  We put up a picket fence, built raised beds and spread gravel around the beds.

March was when the rest of the fence was finished.  My husband and his Dad built the gates and arbor together.

April shows the pond garden waking up.  I love when the bulbs are blooming and there's lots of fresh green foliage around.

May in the shed garden's first spring was very colorful!

June in the front garden is one of my favorite times.  Here you can see the painted picket fence and gravel that was spread where the grass had been.

July and the pond garden is very lush and full.  We had record breaking rain and cool weather over the spring and much of the summer.  Most of the garden didn't seem to mind although it was a tough year to start vegetable gardening.

August and the new raised beds in the front yard were finally producing vegetables for us.  Squash, zucchini, beans and Chard all did really well.

September is when I decided to redo the driveway bed.  This area had really been ignored and need an overhaul.  It now should have much more interest year round rather than the middle of summer only.  I'm still trying to figure out where I can squeeze another rose in here...

October shows some of the rearranging in the pond garden.  I fell in love with grasses this past fall and added quite a few of them throughout the yard.  We had a beautiful fall, much warmer and drier than the previous one.

November in the path garden shows lots of green still and the beginnings of the leaves that drop from the trees.  It really doesn't change that much during the year down here, other than shrubs and spring blooming perennials.

December, on Christmas Eve I had a 'Kimberlina' rose blooming!  I'm always impressed with how long roses will bloom even after some very heavy frosts.  Seeing that pink amidst the brown mushy plants nearby was very cheering!

As usual, once the holidays are over, I'm already on the countdown to spring and I can't wait to see what changes this year will bring.  Happy New Year!
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress. Pin It

35 comments:

  1. First, congratulations on 4 years of blogging! That is a major undertaking!

    Second... I really enjoyed the recap you posted! Very exciting! I'm so ready for spring. Of course since it is 36 degrees out today here, I would guess I am not in the minority! :)

    I loved the photo of the arbor and gate. I think my husband and I may copy your arbor to make a more attractive tomato area for our yard. I believe it will work wonders for dressing up that area.

    Happy New Year and keep up the good work!

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  2. I really enjoyed your blog this year. I love projects and watching your front bed come together was fun. I hope you continue to blog. Thank you for the tour of your garden. I needed a little green as we are under a foot of snow. Happy New Year and congrats on your fourth year of blogging.

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  3. Loved your photos! Your pond looks great! We have a small garden pond and are looking forward to putting in a bigger one later this year :)

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  4. I look forward to your wonderful sequencing of photos. You are having a mild winter too. That rose is wonderful. I congratulate you on four years. I have tried to keep track of your blog but as you know life can bury things that you want to do. I play catch up when I get behind. I really enjoy seeing your gardens in all of the seasons.

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  5. Catherine Happy New Year to you!

    I enjoyed your garden Memory lane and like you, I have enjoyed your post and others since I joined in 2009. May this new year bring all your dreams and wishes!

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  6. Congrats on your blogging blogiversary. have enjoyed your postings, advice and pictures over the years. I really enjoyed watching your front yard become a wonderful garden this year.

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  7. Congrats on your blogging blogiversary. have enjoyed your postings, advice and pictures over the years. I really enjoyed watching your front yard become a wonderful garden this year.

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  8. Happy Blog-O-Versary! I know how you feel...this year I've felt very neglectful of my blog...so busy with other things! Love all the changes you made this year, especially tearing out all the lawn for more garden space! I've had a renewed love of grasses these past few years as well...and find I'm adding more and more. At no time do I appreciate them as much as I do right now, when they look so fabulous (and the rest of the garden looks mighty sad)! Can't wait to see what you have in store for the garden in 2012!

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  9. Congrats on your blogging blogiversary. have enjoyed your postings, advice and pictures over the years. I really enjoyed watching your front yard become a wonderful garden this year.

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  10. Happy Blog Birthday Catherine! Your blog is always a delight and source of inspiration. I've enjoyed following your adventures. Wishing you a great year of gardening growth and adventure ahead :) Cheers, Jenni

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  11. Catherine, what a lovely review of your garden year! Your garden is truly one of the loveliest that I know in the blogsphere! I just want to say how much I enjoy following your blog and I am happy that you decided to continue writing it. The last photo of the Kimberlina rose is so pretty. I am glad that your roses also are still blooming for you. Isn't it special to have roses for Christmas? Happy New Year to you and your family as well!
    Christina

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  12. Congratulations Catherine on another year of blogging. Your front area looks terrific for being less than a year old. Looking forward to whatever 2012 brings in your garden.

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  13. Happy blogaversary. I did enjoy seeing your front garden develop this year. I would love a picket fence but they arent really done here in the UK and I have a hedge anyway.

    I look forward to seeing more of your garden over the coming year

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  14. Catherine, It has been so much fun watching your gardening developments and progress. Everything looks so good ... are your daughters enjoying gardening opportunities, etc? You have it all: plants, water, wildlife, color, texture, etc. I think I want to be you when I "grow up!" ;-) Happy 2012!!!

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  15. Congratilations with blogging for 4 years. Your overvieuw over the last year is gorgeous. And the rose, wonderful.
    Happy 2012
    Marijke

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  16. Happy New Year Catherine ,your garden is beautiful.

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  17. I am looking forward to lots more of your garden Catherine! That front area looks great, I have very little grass so I know it works just to have more and more plantings.

    Eileeen

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  18. Hi Catherine, I know how you feel about being tardy visiting bloggers...I was also guilty of this in 2011...hope to change that in 2012. Wow, Roses for Christmas and I thought a Johnny Jump Up great. Hope 2012 brings wonderful events for you. Take care, Jen.

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  19. Everything is as lovely as I remember. May you have a wonderful New Year! Bonnie

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  20. Happy Blog Birthday! I think I forgot about mine in October. I'll have to go check. I have been at it 3 years, too. I have probably asked you this before, but my memory is bad. Did you post photos and visit with people in the Cottage Garden Forum in ivillage? You guys have truly transformed your place into a thing of beauty!

    I have had the same feelings you have about blogging. I have cut back, but don't think I'll stop. I do not keep up with all the blogs and bloggers I like.

    Happy New Year!

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  21. Happy blog-anniversary! Your garden is such an inspiration. I enjoy seeing your photos, in particular how it has developed and the layout/landscaping. Its my aspiration to have lovely raised beds some day too. All the best, Kelli.

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  22. Happy anniversary Catherine...so much going on in your garden this past year...Love how the front garden progressed...looking forward to this year!

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  23. Congratulations on maintaining a blog AND having had a pretty darn fabulous gardening year! So inspirational! I look forward to following your garden through the coming year. Happy 2012!

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  24. Was at the library with the laptop today so was able to enjoy a (long overdue) visit with your blog. Wonderful pics - you accomplished SO much this year in your gardens. Job well done.

    I've noticed that many of us that started blogging in 2008-2009 timeframe have or are going through a blog slowdown this past year. Perhaps it's cyclic, just like gardening. Some years feast, some famine. Anyway, congrats on the blog and gardens. And Happy New Year. :-D

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  25. You really did make some remarkable changes to your garden in 2011. I can wait to see what you come up with in 2012! Happy 3rd blogoversary, and Happy New Year too!

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  26. What lovely garden areas you have. I particularly like the stone work

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  27. Happy Blogaversary! Your garden is beutiful! And I'm so impressed with all you accomplished this year. Like your countdown to spring - I'm counting the days, too!

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  28. Congratulations with the blogaversary! I love your garden, and especially the pond! You are clever, and must have green fingers, as we say here in Norway :)
    Thanks for the look!
    Happy New Year!

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  29. Congrats on 3 years of blogging! May I just say that your pond is absolutely stunning! Love it!

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  30. Ah yes, the countdown to spring! Happy Blogaversary. I love your first and last macro lone-bloomers. Isn't it nice when nature gives us pleasant surprises like these?

    Don't worry about not getting around to all the blogs. I'm in the same boat. I think we all understand. We just have to do what we can. I'm glad we've become "friends." You're always a pleasure to visit with.

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  31. My Kimberlina is lighter pink than youre, mine still have blooms. I live in south Ark and this was the hottest and driest summer in our history. You yard is beautiful

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  32. Congratulations Catherine!
    I also slowed down my blogging. In 2011, I spent more time with my Russian language blog. Another reason is... we got a new puppy!
    Catherine, I want to thank you for your comment on my post about our forest. One of the worst parts of the story is that that person who did it lives in our neighborhood and used to walk his own dog in that forest. When prices on timber went up he swapped another property for this piece of land with the only purpose - to harvest trees and sell them to China...
    Thanks again!

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  33. Happy Blogaversary, Catherine! I love the way you've celebrated the event by recapping the year in your garden. (By the way, the photos in this post would have made a great calendar.) -Jean

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  34. Your gardens are just beautiful! Very inspiring!

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  35. Hi Catherine its such a joy coming back to read your blog.

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