roses....roses....roses...

I'm so glad I decided to put a few more roses (well about 30 actually...) in my garden 2 winters ago. I am enjoying the fruits of my labor with gorgeous roses greeting me every morning.

I went to visit a friend this morning and cut the most beautiful bunch to take with me. I was running a bit late so I didn't have time to snap a pic.. but she loved them! 

take care girls, Maryann

my very first peony...

Well I couldn't help but be a little bit excited today! After purchasing several peony plants and waiting about 3 years... today.. I had my very first peony bloom!

I had never really heard of this plant 'till I started seeing and reading about them in blogland... and I knew that I just had to get my hands on one.

I ended up getting the plants online and the first year I planted them there wasn't much of a show of leaves which was very disappointing. So I ended up digging them up again and amending the soil adding more fertilizer. Then last year again only a few leaves and I was beginning to think that this may not be the right area for these plants. This year however the plants seem to be stronger and slightly larger and I was so happy to see that I had a bud on one of them. I must have watched that bud everyday 'till it opened I think!

This one is called Monsieur Jules Elie and she's a beauty, what a gorgeous flower. I'm so glad I gave them a go .. now I only hope next year the other's decide to bloom as well!

take care, Maryann

 

camellias....how I love thee...

A few years back I decided to plant a small row of 8 camellias to form a hedge along the fence line on the side where my neighbor has his orchard and where my hedge of buxus ends.

 

It is so very pretty... but I do have ONE BIG PROBLEM..!

Out of the 8 plants only 2 have really performed well...

I also have a grapevine planted right in the middle, so I have 4 plants either side. 1 each side doing really well, and 3 each side either with stumped growth or practically dead.

yes there are supposed to be 3 camellias there.. above..all there is now are sticks..

I am pretty upset and disappointed with this hedge. I keep picturing how pretty it would look if all 8 camellias were as nice as the one on the right. Why they all grew differently I don't know. I know they copped a battering with the heat last summer but they were struggling before that. I've already replaced a few of these plants and don't want to go out and spend more money on new ones. So, I've taken a few cuttings but I'll have to wait a while before they reach a decent size.

Ahhh.. the joys of gardening.. if any one has any advice I'd love to hear it.

and here is another pretty camellia, on the other side of my garden, that has really dainty pale pink flowers..

I do have a couple more that haven't opened up yet. Ok, I'm off to improve the soil around my half dead camellias and add some water saving pellets, hopefully that will do the trick.

take care, Maryann

a visit from the Easter Bunny...

Well, look who I saw lurking in my garden... obviously the Easter Bunny!

hope you all have a safe and happy Easter!
take care, Maryann

garden arch progession....

About 8 months ago, I decided to put up an arch along with some climbing roses along my fence line. You can read the original post here with all my inspiration photos. Well here is what it looks like today. With winter just round the corner I don't think it will get any better than this until next spring.

Here is a reminder of what it looked like then...

   I put crushed rock at the back and and 3 square stepping stones towards the front.

as you can see the little dianthus on the RHS with the pink dainty flowers are not as big as the one on the LHS. That's because I stuffed up and bought only 1 plant and tried to divide it into 2. Ofcourse it didn't work and the one on the RHS originally died so then I had to wait till the other one grew big enough for me to take a couple of pieces for me to replant. Yeah, I do that a lot buying one plant and dividing it into 2. Doesn't always work. 

I'm afraid the pictures don't really bring out how pretty this area is, my camera is not the best. I have planted lavender and dianthus with tiny pink flowers either side, Piere de Ronsard over the arch and another little pink rose in the pots. Towards the back on the RHS I planted some lilac colored iris. I love this little section of the garden and enjoy seeing it every time I hang up the clothes!

Bye for now, take care,

Maryann

a foggy morning and what else is blooming..

I know all I seem to be talking about lately is my garden but there IS a method to my madness. I am preparing for the winter, which is not that far away. So when I'm feeling cold and have had enough with it all in a few months time I can look back on these posts to brighten my day and know my garden will look pretty again.
This morning I woke up to some pretty thick fog...

it was quite magical really.. so misty and eerily peaceful with just the sound of birds calling in the background..

Well, Thelma, which is what I decided to call my scarecrow, is doing her job really well and my previously devoured beans are now filling in again  and are taking over the arch. The cucumbers (on the other side) have taken off too but are not as fast growing..

My pumkin has taken over my veggie patch... and I only have 1 plant..!

near my beans I have basil and behind that, my zucchini plants.

what I picked yesterday and a couple of eggs.. compliments of the girls..

 a great yield of tomatoes.. times it by 10... so over summer all I have been doing is making this, 

yes, lots of pasta sauce. I have been freezing it and hopefully it will see me through winter or just about.. not to mention all the tomatoes I gave away to family and friends.

Now my cucumbers have started I am looking for ways to preserve them.

and here are just a few more flowers from my garden...

Hope you're having a great day where ever you are ..

take care, Maryann