It rained all of May, it could have been snow so we count ourselves lucky it was just rain. There was a lot of flooding and we've still got sink holes all over the place. It was cool and rained off and on the beginning of June, rivers overflowing and more flooding. We even had a flood in our basement. Now it has gone from rain and cool to 80-90 degrees and all the snow in the mountains is melting really fast. More flooding, especially in the downstream states like Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas.
One good thing to come from all of this is my garden is going crazy! My lilac bush bloomed really early, in April but it looks like it could bloom again. I've never seen it do this but it has buds on it! I'll keep you posted if it blooms again.
I thought I'd start out by showing you some of my garden and then my back porch.
The garden is really going crazy!
First lets talk Pansies. I really love them. They remind me of little faces.
Some garden centers sell Pansies as annuals but I find that they are prolific and will spread and come back for a few years.
I LOVE self seeders; in other words any flower that will produce seeds. You can harvest them yourself or let them go. I do both. I let some go and run wild and sometimes I gather the seeds and move them around my garden to propagate the flower elsewhere. Marigolds are an amazing self seeder, one flower can produce up to 50 seeds.
Usually in the spring I go to Home Depot and purchase their large wildflower seed package. Sorry I don't remember who makes them, possibly Remington? I just know they have 3 sets of packages, they are pretty large. One is purple one is orange and one is blue. Read the packages as they have different seeds in them.
I also plant bulbs especially tulips, dahlias, daffodils and crocus. Daffodils and Crocus will propagate and move in your yard. Planting a few bulbs and in a few years you'll have 50 or more!
I've bought some perennial bushes like Russian sage or lavender, English lavender, Queen Anne's Lace, Columbine and bleeding heart.
Okay let's take a look at my garden. Yes we have a trampoline!
We live going up a bluff here in Colorado so the yard has a bit of terrace to it. Most of the yard is now flat but the garden area is raised.
That large bush is my lilac.
To the left of the above the garden terrace keeps going across the back of the deck and yard then runs toward the house.
These are bachelor buttons, another self seeding plant. I have them in all colors, pink, white, blue and pink.
This little white flower is on the corner with all the bachelor's buttons. It was almost hiding with its sweet little white flowers. Do you see the pansies hiding in the below picture too? I tell you they are prolific.
This is a yellow columbine it sits on the wall down from the bachelor buttons on the corner. Look at all the blooms!
I am not sure what kind of flowers these are below but I've got them in several colors from white to pink to purple they are also prolific and seem to pop up in different places each year. You can also see the Russian sage and yellow Queen Anne's lace.
Every day I go out to my garden, I weed a bit and let the stress of my full time day job melt away. I really like seeing what could bloom next. Today I found these sweet little flowers about to bloom, they remind me of strawberries.
These round flowers are bulbs that get purple flowers on them. I don't remember them blooming twice last year but they are about to bloom again!
I hope you liked the garden tour. I'll keep you updated on what blooms next.
I'd also like to give you a quick tour of my back porch. It is covered and we spend a lot of time out there during the summer. We eat outside and entertain there.
As soon as you come out our back sliding glass door there is the summer kitchen table.
I may paint this table this summer. It is from my husbands Great-Grandmothers kitchen.
I use lanterns in my decorating both inside and out. I will bring this lantern back inside in the fall and use it on my mantle. This summer I filled it with DIY sea glass (post to come later) and shells I've collected along with a pinecone.
To the right of the table is the hot tub.
To the left is the entertaining area. I still don't have real patio furniture, no love seat or couch just chairs still.
The coasters I made using stamps I had on hand and some purchased felt pads on the bottom. They are tiles I got at the home improvement store. I've had the clock for a while I think it is a Steinmart purchase. The galvanized tub is from Crate and Barrel. I filled it with sand and a candle.
The coffee table is old, from Goodwill. I need to paint it - I'd love suggestions on colors! I got the tray at Home Goods, the metal orb is from Target as is the shell dish. I made the fisherman's floats out of Christmas ornaments! (directions to come in a later post).
I use lots of pillows on my porch, because I don't have regular furniture and just chairs I try to make them as comfortable as possible and pillows help. This one is from Target last year. You know I love dragonflies!
My daughter got me this lovely wind chime for Christmas it is from Pier One. It lights up blue at night and I love it!
Well that is it! I'm sure you need a rest now. Thanks for reading and stopping by.
If you have any questions about any of the flowers or anything please drop me a note here on the blog, I respond to every comment.
I'll leave you with a beautiful Colorado sunset that I took from the back porch today.
Until next week, Stay Safe!
Victoria
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Every year I plan to do more in my flower garden. I always get started too late though. Thankfully I have a lilac bush and a lavender plant that pretty much take care of themselves.
ReplyDeleteI still wish you were my next door neighbor....
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