You know it's Spring when the day after Bloom day you still have more flowers to share for Fertilizer Friday. I only wish that the camera could show the feeling that walking around the garden gives me. The way certain flowers or parts of the garden make me feel when I look at them is something I'm sure only other gardeners know. There is just so much promise in the garden right now. The other night I was surprised to hear my husband say, "I think this will be our garden's best year." I know he appreciates the work I do to make it look pretty, but actually doing the gardening is definitely not one of his favorite things to do. There wasn't even a sense of worry in his voice that I may have another great idea that involves him. I wonder if living with a gardener for so many years has really begun to rub off on him. Maybe he just likes that I'm in a really good mood when I get to have my garden therapy. Either way I agree with him, I think this could be our garden's best year.
This is one of the parts of the garden that though it may not look organized, it feels "right" to me. I love the messy growth under the tree right now. So much new coming up, while things like Muscari are just finishing. I'm definitely not a formal or organized gardener. To me there's something homey or cozy about a little bit of a mess. Inside the house is another story. I like it cleaned and organized there, outside I can just let go of that part of myself.
Another Columbine (
Aquilegia) blooming.
Deutizia 'Chardonnay Pearls' just starting to pop open.
Tina is yours further along?
Deutzia 'Pink Minor' only gets 2 - 2 1/2 feet tall.
The Apple tree is blooming kind of sporadically this year, it'll be interesting to see how many apples we get. I know it's fairly common for them to have better years than others.
Spanish Bluebells
Daffodils 'Sempre Avanti' blooming at the front of the butterfly garden.
Visit Tootsie at
Tootsie Time to join in or see who else is "flaunting their flowers."
This is one of the parts of the garden that though it may not look organized, it feels "right" to me. I love the messy growth under the tree right now. So much new coming up, while things like Muscari are just finishing. I'm definitely not a formal or organized gardener. To me there's something homey or cozy about a little bit of a mess. Inside the house is another story. I like it cleaned and organized there, outside I can just let go of that part of myself.
Another Columbine (Aquilegia) blooming.
Deutzia 'Pink Minor' only gets 2 - 2 1/2 feet tall.
The Apple tree is blooming kind of sporadically this year, it'll be interesting to see how many apples we get. I know it's fairly common for them to have better years than others.
Spanish Bluebells
Daffodils 'Sempre Avanti' blooming at the front of the butterfly garden.
Visit Tootsie at Tootsie Time to join in or see who else is "flaunting their flowers."
I agree with your husband, Catherine, your garden looks grand!
ReplyDeleteYour "spring" is so much ahead of ours ~ I loved every bit of this post. I know exactly what you mean about wandering around the yard and taking it all in. My husband and I do it on a daily basis, noting the tiniest of changes. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteDear Catherine, Although I have not known your garden in previous years, I am quite certain that this year will be spectacular as already there has been so much of interest in the most difficult months of the year.
ReplyDeleteIn my eyes you do not 'do' messy, merely relaxed, in order that plants may be allowed to have their own way and look beautiful and healthy as a result. I think that it is wonderful how, as a family, you all enjoy the garden in your own ways.
Happy weekend.
Is 'Sempre Avanti' the same as the one I am showing today. I don't know the name of a single one. I just enjoy the blooms. It would be nice if I could name them.
ReplyDeleteYour gardens are so full and lush. I can't wait to see your babies in all their glory. Spanish Bluebells are stunning.
Dear Catherine,
ReplyDeleteI forgot to say that I LOVE it that you like your gardens wild and free. I do too. It makes me feel so blessed.
I read your posting last night as I was doing my wildflower post. I WISH my yard could look like a huge wildflower haven. I asked Jeff if we could somehow start a Lady Bird Johnsonish wildflower center out in the Plains. Only problem, $ and it is so far away from everything we would get visitors only for a few weeks a year.
Love,
Sharon
Whenever I look at daffodils, they remind me of an interogation lamp. Not, that I've had one of those shined in my face before or anything. I'm just sayin'.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, yours are lovely.
Your gardne is lovely! I, too, love a relaxed garden. The Deutzia blooms are so dainty, very pretty.
ReplyDelete*hugs*deb
You have such interesting columbines....ones I've never even heard of. I need to see if I can find some. They're beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for making us aware of them.
~~Linda...
Your garden is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteCatherine, that's a stunning Columbine, and I especially love your Spanish bluebells. We used to have wild little bluebells that would grow in our garden in England. These look very similar. I'd forgotten how much I miss those.
ReplyDeleteI get the same feeling walking around my garden! It cannot be captured in pictures and I too drag my patient husband around with me to listen to my narrative! After all these years I think it does rub off and it makes me crazy-in-love when he randomly identifies a plant correctly!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! My hubby always says "happy plants, happy gardener." And, "happy wife, happy life." :-)
ReplyDeleteDear Catherine, how I love how your garden is looking these days, now that spring is there!!!!! I can feel your joy working out there!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDon´t worry my friend, I share with your and some other women gardeners same husbands attitude,like they don´t really apprecciate all the work we do and the divine beauty we help to create, but in some silent way they do also enjoy the paradise around... don´t they????
Enjoy, enjoy and enjoy all the work in your wonderful garden!!!
Cariños,
Maria Cecilia
Oh Goodness! So much beauty. I love how the blue color of your house contrasts so well with the flowers of your garden. I totally understand about your husband. Mine is usually very patient when providing the muscle I need for my projects ;-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful stroll through the garden, Catherine. Spring hasn't decided to visit the Isle of Devils yet.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, is it not a joy, the anticipation of a garden getting better and better? We used to say that every year and when we would plant a new tree, another shrub...
ReplyDeleteSpring is here and this weekend and into the early week our forecast is for high 60's. Our vegetables are going to love it too!
Have a most enjoyable weekend.
That could be a picture of my pearls right now! So glad I don't need to post it now since your photo is perfect! Thanks so much for asking. I think our spouses really do pay attention to our gardens but just don't like to show it. They have to hold that card for when it really counts. A guy thing. But now you know he likes the garden! That is super!
ReplyDeleteCatherine--
ReplyDeleteEven though we're in the same city (I'm across the way, in Rainier Beach), your garden is a good week ahead of mine!
I went out looking for columbines yesterday after seeing your GBBD post, but mine are still tightly budded up...same with the deutzia. Next week, I tell myself. Next week.
I'm really enjoying seeing your garden evolve. It gives me hope for my own never-ending projects!
Next up: Planting all those things I bought at the Lion's Plant sale last week..
-Meg
Catherine your garden looks great!!!! But I agree with you, I also wish that the camera could catch it the way the eyes sees it - there's a huge differense sometimes. I hope you'll have a wonderul weekend / hugs gittan
ReplyDeleteAh, the promise of the garden. Agreed - we all know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteYour Deutzia are really nice, Love the slender foliage and sweet white blooms.
ReplyDeleteSpanish Bluebells are a great spring bulb.
It is true that there is so much going on in the garden now. It is exciting to go out and find new plants blooming or growing.
ReplyDeleteYour Columbine is so pretty Catherine. I have not heard of Deutizia before. I will have to read up on it. The pink is so pretty.
We just had a down pour of rain and I do not know where it came from but was really needed.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Hallo, Sweden here....
ReplyDeleteI must tell you, that I love your virtual & image blog!! Amazing mix of pic's & so much inspiration!
Regards from Agneta
The lil' bit of mess makes it look natural! Wild! Like Nature herself!
ReplyDeleteNice, colorful, blooms and I wish you all the best for another year of joyful gardening!
It is amazing how much you have flowering in your garden at one time! I'm thinking your gardening method works. The effect is quite beautiful. I love those Spanish bluebells! Very pretty.
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to check out the Spanish Bluebells. I have never heard of them before but I like finding new blue plants.
ReplyDeleteOh Catherine, the Spanish Bluebells, Columbine and Deutiza are so beautiful! My husband is not a gardener, but he is a digger and like yours certainly does appreciate what I do.
ReplyDeleteEileen
That columbine is my favourite! I also just noticed the Hellebore 'Mardi Gras Double' in the sidebar. WOW! I always tell myself I'm going to do bloom day but then forget until the day of at which point is usually cloudy. Next month for sure.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful garden, thank you for the tour. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteCatherine..I have stated it before and now once again..I think your back yard gardens are absolutely beautiful! Your hard work certainly pays off!
ReplyDeleteI never heard of Deutizia'
Chardonnay peals before, they are lovely..So are the Spanish blue bells.
Best wishes for your best garden yet this year!
Lovely, as always! I bought a columbine a few weeks ago. Died a couple of weeks later, or so it seems. There is good in not having everything too organized in the yard. For all the little creatures that need hiding places.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Your first picture of all the beautiful clors under your tree, made me wich myself through the computer to your house! I LOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing! Paula in Idaho
Your first picture of all the beautiful clors under your tree, made me wich myself through the computer to your house! I LOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing! Paula in Idaho
Oh I love the Deutzia! How charming!
ReplyDeleteYes, Catherine, I do understand that joy of walking around, and seeing things coming up, growing, and blooming. There are new discoveries daily. The growth on some of the plants seems to be several inches a day.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this could be the best year for your garden so far. You have put so much into it over the years. It sure is looking great even now.
I agree with you about not having everything lined up just so in the garden. Actually, I'm not able to do straight lines with anything, including cutting with scissors.
I planted that white pearls deutzia last year. Mine is just leafing out. I look forward to it looking like yours.
Oh, I love your garden. It wouldn't look natural if it was 'organized'. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou have some beautiful flowers - I love that natural look. Hopefully, in a few years, our garden will have a similar look.
ReplyDeletethose spanish bluebells are lovely!!!
ReplyDelete"Garden therapy....." I identify with the term. I'm a bit of a disorganized gardener myself :)
ReplyDeleteYou know I love that Columbine! I'm with you - I want my garden to be voluptuous, rather than tailored, with stuff spilling out here and there!
ReplyDeleteI don't think your garden looks messy at all, but relaxed is good in landscapes, I think. I get tense around too much formality in that setting. Funny that you feel like you have different tendencies indoors and out. I think I am the reverse - I hate weeds and will spend hours removing them from any spot I can reach, but inside my house is not always the most spotless... maybe we can only invest a certain amount of energy in tidying and we choose where to put it! That deutzia is really lovely, I have only seen the big ones so good to know there's a cutie dwarf.
ReplyDeleteI like your gardening style very much - its very similar to mine too. The deutzia's are shrubs I have never grown probably because of their ultimate size but you did have one little small one that does interest me alot.
ReplyDeleteHello Catherine, Your garden looks so lovely. I love the Deutzia 'Pink Minor' and your bluebells! You are so far ahead of us and yet our lilacs are about the same... is that not curious. Beautiful apple blossom!
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine
ReplyDeleteThose Deutizia are wonderful.
By the way, love the pond photo at the bottom of comments, you've created a beautiful space!
The Spanish bluebells are amazing, I love those. I am learning from and enjoying your blog very much. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI think we are turning our hubby's into gardeners too! Mine has been commenting all weekend on various things blooming around here, without me even bringing it up. I think he enjoys it too, although he concentrates on the the lawn and veggies. That columbine is fabulous, mine's about to bloom too!
ReplyDeletewhy why why can I never get a photo as beautiful as yours????? Oh this weeks flaunt is breathtaking girl...love the color of the columbine!!!
ReplyDeleteThose Spanish Bluebells are terrific looking! I would never consider that a messy garden at all! Looks grand to me!
ReplyDelete