Moms Garden

As usual Mom's gardens are beautiful. The lilies were bloomed out but there was an abundance of other flowering beauties to behold....It's amazing, she has flowers that reseed themselves in crevices in the walkway too. She also has a plethora of assorted daisies in all sizes, shapes and heights throughout her gardens...they are soooo cheerful!!

Of course Mom spends hours each week making her gardens look nice, watering, etc...which is why hers look better than mine. If mine are lucky, I get out there 2 or 3 times a year and do something to them. Once planted, they are on their own other than automatic watering...lol.

Garden Pics

Here are pics of the front flower beds after the cleanup and BEFORE the roof repair and wind storm that blew through here this weekend.

The brick raised garden is starting to crack due to the River Birches and their huge roots which are now growing atop the yard also. I'm not sure why anyone would put trees in a raised bed in the first place but what do I know since they were here when we bought the place. I cut the azaleas back in the correct time after blooming so hopefully there will be a good showing next spring of the blossoms. the last couple of years I've trimmed them late and they didn't have near the bloom they should have done. Maybe I'll fertilize this year too, that could make a difference :)

The BottleBrush plant made a pretty spectacular showing this year. I love the pops of red in the garden.
















The False Indigo was beautiful this year and had multiple flower spikes and was looking beautiful (the roof job decimated the poor thing and I was most displeased when I saw what they had done).
































I do believe this WILL be the year that I cut down the boxwood bushes. Not dig out mind you but just cut to the ground. That way if they decide to live they will be much smaller and work with the flower bed and if they don't, oh well *sniff sniff* (NOT). You ask 'if you dislike them so much why haven't you dug them out before now?' well, my hubby likes them so there ya go.

















One of the amaryllis bulbs that Jadene gave me for Christmas has bloomed in the garden this year!!! What a delightful surprise and the first ever to give a flower in the yard!!














































The front beds get so much sun during the day so whatever is planted needs to be heat tolerant and drought resistant. The succulents are always a good choice and I love the yellow leaves and flowers on this one.





I adore the hot pink knock out roses but the thorns are horribly wicked.



































Flowering Maple and closeup

Anole

When I first hollered for my camera there were two anoles outside but by the time I got outside with camera in hand there was only one so I photographed him. At first he was shy and wouldn't do anything but sit there on the

Dogs on Thursday Garden

This pic somehow got deleted on the post I had done before going on vacation of Wilbur & Charlotte sleeping together. Aren't they just precious?







The puppies helped me with some yardwork. Ok, maybe helped is a bit over enthusiastic but at least they hung out and kept me company while I was doing the yardwork.



We weeded out and cut and trimmed Azalea bushes, poison ivy vines, mystery vines, etc. These are before pics, Charlotte slipped her head out of her collar (which was attached to her leash, which was attached to Wilbur's leash, which was attached to Wilbur's head) and they started running the streets.














One CANNOT have American Pit Bull Terriers running loose through one's neighborhood so they were put inside and I didn't get after pics of the gardens...bummer.
















Look what was hidden behind the Lantana in the front flower bed
















and a closeup














this little anole came out after the puppies went back inside.



















Charlotte's taking a break and getting a little sunshine.














I can't remember the name of this bush which was quite small when I planted it and has apparently been sneaking growth pills while I wasn't looking. It gets orange berries in the fall and has thorns which are quite annoying. I'm going to have to find a trellis quickly before it takes over any more of the garden space with it's sprawling.














and a close up













This is one of the white iris that my brother, Damon sent me a few years back from his garden in Charlotte, NC. I wish you could smell the intoxicatingly wonderful scent these iris produce. I cut a few of them and the blue iris to put in a vase in my bathroom.


















Looking down from the deck into the small plant area that was cleaned out of the wild berry bushes. The light pink knock out rose was hidden beneath the rubbish. The mock orange had even started to bloom and is full of buds.














The area is cleared now so hopefully the Abelia (left with the tree stalks coming out of the tiny bush beneath) will get enough sun to grow itself up straight since the Wigelia (on the right) got whacked back down to bush height.














after we were through we had a couple of nice big piles of plant garbage to be burned




























Charlotte was inquisitive "whatcha doin mom?"














Wilbur played some ball













































and played more ball





































and after a busy day Wilbur says "I's sooooo tahred mom"......sweet dreams puppy boy.