Backyard Blooms on Fertilizer Friday.

This was one of those weeks that I can't believe is over already. I've been working on filling containers and getting the vegetables planted. I always end up with a random grouping of container plants left over that don't seem to go together. I'm not very organized with my containers like the Gardener on Sherlock Street (she has lots of great ideas, and if you haven't visited her yet you should). She has nice organized lists with what she wants for each container and then follows it, unlike me who just grabs random plants. Every year I tell myself I'll plan what I want in the containers, and every year I just feel overwhelmed with the choices and put a bunch of plants in my cart and hope that I can make them look nice. I definitely think there is an art to container planting, one which requires patience and creativity, both of which I lack in that area. Actually a couple look like they might look pretty good once they start to fill in.
While I wait for them to grow a bit we're lucky to have lots blooming in the backyard.

I love having Fuchsias hanging near the house so we can see the visiting Hummingbirds. My sister told me about a nearby hardware store that was having a sale on hanging baskets. Apparently they got one thousand too many and now they're trying to sell them off. I found 2 huge ones for $10 each, now I wish I would've bought more. This one is 'Bicentennial'.

Irises from my sister. There are several clumps in the front yard which are still several days from blooming.

Clematis 'Nelly Moser' seems to be doing a little better and has more flowers coming. I've noticed they start out darker pink and then fade quite a bit. Clematis 'Josephine' and the one I think is 'Piilu' are both starting to open.

Most of the Heucheras are either blooming or just about to. I don't remember the name of this one here. The Golden Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius) behind it is also just starting open it's sweet smelling flowers. I seem to have quite a bit of this purple and gold in the backyard now.

And a view down the path shows that the big red Rhododendron is blooming. It gets just huge and needs to be cut back every few years so not every year blooms as well. This is probably the most flowers it's had for a long time. On the right the Geraniums 'Wargrave Pink' are blooming. On the left side the Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra spectabilis) are still blooming, further down are Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) and Meadow Rue (Thalictrum). At the very end the purple Rhododendron is just starting to bloom.

Every Friday Tootsie at Tootsie Time hosts Fertilizer Friday. Visit her to see what flowers she and other gardeners are flaunting, or to join in yourself.