Come Stroll Through My Garden

I love to garden. Can’t say I love the work as much as I love the product but I don’t mind getting my hands dirty. In 2005 we started building our house; before it was complete I began to layout and plant the flower gardens. I had a pretty good picture of what I wanted in my head and rather than put it down on paper, I picked up a shovel and began to make the vision in my head come to life. As you probably know the first couple of years after planting a flower garden, things look a little scraggly, they may bloom and they may not. But, that 3rd year the magic happens. Everything begins to spread out and bloom. The beds are pretty much packed but I still find room for more. Take a stroll with me through my gardens and let me show you a few of my favorites.
This is yarrow. I planted several variety of colors among the shasta daisies, coreopsis, and daylillies;



This is a coreopsis plant. It was a small plant when I purchased it from the nursery. It is now at least 24x24 inches. This plant never disappoints me with it beautiful sunny blooms. The foliage is thick and shades some of the smaller plants around it. It seems to grow every year and from the looks of it this year, I will need to divide it next spring. I love its small delicate silvery green leaves, it adds a beautiful sparkle to my garden. Adding plants with different leaf and bloom texture as well as varying colors of the foliage will add interest to your garden and give each plant its "15 mins" of fame as you walk through your garden or admire it from the porch like I do.


This is lavender; I planted it with my roses. I have always loved lavender; it's beautiful, soft lavender color and the fragrance. Its small silvery leaves stand out among the deeper green leaves of the rose bushes. It attracts bumble bees and butterflies. This morning while taking pictures, the bumble bees were buzzing all over this plant. I often sit on the porch and listen to the buzz, buzz of the bees as they flit from one stem to the next. Sadie will sit on the porch with me and snap at the bees as they fly by her on their way to the next plant. Fortunately, she hasn't been stung but I'm afraid it's just a matter of time before she nails one. If you look closely you will see a couple of the bumble bees enjoying their morning breakfast. I often use this plant for my craft projects. I also use it in aroma therapy bags with flax seed.


This beautiful plant is known as bee balm. A lady in our neighborhood gave it to me about 3 years ago. I kept it in a small plant container through the spring and summer. I had placed it outside and promptly forgot about it. When Fall arrived I knew I had better plant it in the ground before winter hit. I planted it at the edge of the garden between the detached garage and the house. I didn’t know anything about this plant, how tall it would grow, how far it would spread out and frankly I didn’t give it much hope since I waited so late to plant it. But amazingly the next spring it popped out of the ground and has been growing and spreading ever since. I love its unusual blooms. It attracts humming birds and bees. Any time we have guest over they always comment on it and a few have asked for a piece of it for their garden. This is another plant that will need to be divided next spring. Looks like I will have my work cut out for me next year.

This is an oak leaf hydrangea. It was given to me by a gardener friend. What a blessing that was as these plants are quiet expensive in this area. After she had planted this, on the second year she put a stone on one of the leaves so the stem was pressed and held to the ground. The stem began to root and by the next year she had a new plant which she dug up and gave to me. I had never heard of propagating a plant like this before but it works. What a great and inexpensive way to grow a garden! I planted this hydrangea by my Annabelle hydrangea and as you can see the oak leaf is fighting hard for its space. I will need to relocate part of it next year. It really isn’t showing off its beauty among all the white booms of the Annabelles. Regardless, it is thriving and seems happy but it needs its “15 minutes” of fame. I love the shape of the leaves of this plant. They are not small and delicate but bold and prominent. Its white, with a soft tinge of pink, blooms are beautiful set against the bold leaves.


These Annabelle hydrangeas came from a house we sold a few years ago. When we sold the house, the lady who bought it gave me a piece of the Annabelle to add to my garden here. From the first year that I planted this hydrangea it has done well. I think it was happy to come from our old house to our new one. This past Spring I trimmed it back quite a bit hoping it would stay confined in its space, but this guy doesn’t seem happy to stay in a boundary. It grew up and out and has taken up its space and its neighbor’s space too. I love the white, lacey heads on this plant. It adds a beautiful country feel to my garden. It provided a home for a nesting family of birds this past spring. It is also shelter to a small rabbit. While I was taking a photo of this Annabelle, the rabbit scampered out from under its leaves. Amazingly it scuttled away without Sadie catching wind or sight of it.


This is an Endless Summer hydrangea bush. I had it planted in a different location which it didn’t like at all. After seeing its poor performance in that location, I dug it up the next year and moved it. It must like its new home because it blooms profusely. This plant lives up to its name, it blooms all summer long. I enjoy its lovely blue blooms; they make great bouquets for the indoors. I hope you enjoyed strolling through my gardens and seeing all my beautiful bloomers. I also have a shade garden but I will have to share that with you at another time.