Everyone is invited to pitch in with how their home looks in spring. No need to stay on topic.
I'm posting some pictures I've taken this weekend.
Projects on going. New bed out front. Cardboard is covering the weeds where I want to put some colorful shrubs or whatever.
New flowerbed in back is my current weeding project. Wildflowers mostly.
Various Helllebores. The second one self-sows all over the place. I have scads of babies.
"Queen of the Nile" Bromiliad House plant
New cat Carmel and what used to be a big beautiful begonia. Ready for his close-up.
Planted last year a few Hyacinths.
Bed under a Pink Dogwood. I added hosta and hellebore in February.
Epimenium with yellow flowers.
New type of Primrose.
Camillia
Current
Neat grass? It's spreading
the wisteria covered old shed. Needs painting but what color?
Very fun, Willow! I always love seeing your garden photos. And....what a silly kitty!!
Looking good, Willow! I love that little shed! I would paint it hunter/forest/dark green. And maybe paint the door a contrasting color.
Yes, thanks for the photo tour. Re shed: I would go with a bright but not jarring color, perhaps a dusky purple.
Hunter green and purple together looks good to me.
What's coming up in my garden right now- craigslist wheelbarrow planted with spring bulbs and flowers, Pulmonaria rubra ‘David Ward’, new wheelbarrow and frog fountain up by the shed, ornamental rhubarb and 'Mr.Morse' brunnera. More to come!
Ok, here's more. I'll try to get some more sweeping shots of the garden but every one of those I try to upload Dave's doesn't like for some reason. So here we have a coral bark Japanese maple just unfurling its leaves, one of my spring pots (I garden with a lot of purple, blues, pinks, silvers and golds), climbing hydrangea 'Miranda' (varigated), pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain', and one of my three kitties- this is Tigger enjoying the garden
Love your wheelbarrow and pot. Very pretty arrangements. Like the rose pulmonaria also. Your kitty is the same color as mine only long haired. Very nice. Your frog fountain is neat. I need a small size one for this place.
Fantastic photos, Swedishchef. All of them are very beautiful. But I love the wheelbarrow pics the most!
I have 2 garden kitties. One follows me around, everywhere I go. And he loves to be inside my greenhouse with me.
Thanks for the compliments Willowwind! I got the frog fountain at the NW flower and garden show this year for $17! I must say I have zone envy...living close to Hood Canal is so nice with the warmer temps you get. My mom lives in the Port Ludlow area and her fuschias bloom until January. My kitty Tigger is one loco gato, funny and he's a great hunter- helps me out so much with my vole problem. All my kitties and my dog are rescues and I'm so happy I have them. Tigger does make gardening more of a challenge when he climbs my Himalayan white birch, digs for voles and pounces on my grasses attacking with all four feet (prey back kick they do). Sigh. The vole presents I get make up for it guess. I also garden as organically as I can with all my pets around plus I can eat anything I want to- flowers etc. I discovered Hendrikus Organics thanks to Ciscoes tv garden show and that's pretty much all I use, plus neem on my roses. I especially love Hendrikus Organics Start Right when transplanting and dividing plants or planting seed- magic in a bag! When I first moved to my house 4 years ago, I'd dig up sod and find zero to one or two worms per square foot of sod (with True Green lawn service used by previous owners). Now, gardening organically, I have over fifteen worms per square foot and a lot more nature comes to the yard- tree frogs, garter snakes and birds!
Fantastic photos, Swedishchef. All of them are very beautiful. But I love the wheelbarrow pics the most!
I have 2 garden kitties. One follows me around, everywhere I go. And he loves to be inside my greenhouse with me.
Pictures of some progress.
I have this all weeded now and the large space planted with a wildflower mix.
There is a boysenberry behind the trellis and some sweetpeas in front.
The cardboard will be covered with bark and be a path.
Some pretty spots. The rosemary is blooming. Big bunch of grape hyacinths. The Gloriosa Daisys bloomed all winter. Love this swan. My BIL made it for me. Has a hook on her beak to hang a hummer feeder. More Daisys
Pot with Jacob's ladder, sedum and violets. Will get planted in the new bed out front.
This pot has been on the front porch for many years. Always makes me smile.
Love the currant.
Lots of different plants in this spot of shade
Love this little beautiful white daff.
Looking good, Willow!
Swedishchef: how often do you apply neem to your roses? I've had some probs with black spot on some of my roses the last couple of years, so I have started spraying with neem oil this year. I've sprayed twice so far. Planning to do it weekly. Is that more often than is necessary? What is your routine?
Thanks
Looking good, Willow!
Swedishchef: how often do you apply neem to your roses? I've had some probs with black spot on some of my roses the last couple of years, so I have started spraying with neem oil this year. I've sprayed twice so far. Planning to do it weekly. Is that more often than is necessary? What is your routine?
Thanks
Looking good out your way guys!!!
It has been a cool spring here. My daffodils are waning. I do love spring though. Just thought I'd pop in to say HI!!
Hi Jan, Good to hear from you. My daff are done now also. New lilies are coming up. I've had to suspend garden work for now. DH is in ICU with a heart attack and his dementia is really bad. Have to be in there by 8:00 this morn for a meeting with the doctors.
Willow - my thoughts are with you and your husband. Deb
Oh, willow, dear, I'll be praying for you both. (((HUGS)))
Thinking of you and your husband during this difficult time.
Oh Willow, I'm so sorry he is doing so much worse, and hope for the best possible outcome. I'll be holding you in my thoughts.
Thanks to you all for the kind words. I just got back from a visit and he is almost back to normal. It was good to see "him" again after four days. I'm thankful that the hospital is only 5 minutes away and I can go back and forth easily.
Whew! I'm glad it was good news after awful anxiety. Best luck for a continued recovery.
My Dad had quadruple bypass surgery in his late 80's. Doctors in Florida told them there nothing to be done, no matter what "those hotshots in Boston think." She practically carried him onto a plane, pale and gasping, flew home to Boston, and taxied him to a hospital there. (Strong-willed woman!)
I guess they had him under anesthetic a long time to relac e four valves each 90-100% blocked.
The nurses in the recovery room panicked when, no matter what they said to him, he just smiled and nodded.
They came out palefaced and tried to explain to Mom that they might have paralysed his brain. "No, he's just hard of hearing and he won't admit it." Mom pushed past them in to the recovery room and bellowed " B I L L !!! T E L L T H EM Y O U ' R E F I N E !!!!"
After that, everything WAS fine, and he was walking in just 2-3 days.
So much for doctors in Florida, in Senior Citizen Central.
I pray your husband recovers as fully.
Glad to hear that news, WW
Funny story, RC! Strong-willed woman indeed. Hopefully the doctors in FL are better now, heehee.
Julia (Springcolor) sends her good thoughts your way also, Willow. She's now on ATP and didn't renew her DG subscription. I'm bouncing back and forth still.
Tell Springcolor" thanks" for me. Miss her. DH is still in hospital and will be going to a skilled nursing facility whenever his blood sugar is stable. His mind is okay sometimes and really bad other times. Seems when he gets tired or losses focus he really slips away. He has refused any further treatment for the heart problem. Doesn't want to know what happened or if it can be fixed. Stubborn man.
I have been working in the flowerbeds a bit. Slowly getting some weeding done and my DD came over yesterday and we spent about 4 hours putting down newspaper and compost in the new bed in front. Ran out of compost. Will get some pictures.
You guys all really help with your kindness. Thanks
Hugs, dear heart. Digging in the dirt helps soothe the body. Glad you could share that with DD. Thinking of you.
Best wishes to all three of you!
Thanks Rick
Willow, I hope your husband's condition is continuing to improve, and his stay in the nursing facility will help him remain stable and give you a bit of respite. I've been preoccupied with school work, and meant to say this sooner. I sincerely hope you are alright.
HI, I'm doing fine. My DD took me to lunch in Poulsbl ane we ate lunch outside under a magnolia tree. Super. Toured the antique stores and then on the way home checked out a facility for dementia patients. It is beautiful and about 2 minutes from home. Seens perfect. Will call tomorrow and arrange for a tour. I was told by the place he is in now that it is one of the best. Not sure yet he will have to go there but it lookjs like it. Making progress in the gardens. Holly the plants you gave me are all blooming or budded. The little iris are so beaitful. I have white/lavender and gold/purple. Love them. The rockery one is blooming also and the lily is up and growing. The front sidewalk is just beautiful with iris and columbine together. All the fuchsia baskets made it through the winter and my minature rose pot has a lovely hummingbird nest in it with an egg. I'm so excited. Many good things have been coming by that lighten my heart. I just say "thank you" every time.
The little iris. Mindy and Carmel looking out at the squirell and trying to deny what they are thinking and then Amber with her sweet "not me".
Pink dogwood
