This is the
exotic" impatiens
{{gwi:158565}}

And this is the herb basket:
{{gwi:158571}}

Olly, Olly, oxen free at my house. Just popped in for a quick howdy. We got the planting finished up this weekend, now I'm playing catch-up with housework, laundry, etc. My reward is going to the garden center this afternoon to pick up some annuals, and hopefully some stuff that wasn't in my flat from green mountain. I won't bore you grumbling about that here, lol..I did that on the post on the discussions page. Suffice to say.....grrrrr!
Oh, shoot-Jim's home for lunch, so I'll have to make this even shorter than I intended.
See ya later-Brenda

I had a great gardening day yesterday. The weather shaped up with some sun and mild temps. I was able to caulk and prime the playhouse and start a brick/gravel walkway for that garden. All the annuals are in the potting area and are receiving a drink of rain today. Hopefully, they will be potted up soon.

Add me to list of those with a cold :o(

Cynthia, I love the roses, I have Carefree sunshine too, but the rabbits thought it mighty tasty this winter.

Deanne, I think I need lessons from you on spacing. I like the way everything is close but yet nothing appears to be smothered. What is the pink flowers on the left in the last photo? I'm always looking for things to drape over rocks. Your containers look so nice already. I haven't done any yet, but soon.

'bug, I like the herb basket.

A few shots from yesterday:
{{gwi:158572}}

Blue denium iris:
{{gwi:158573}}

Succlent sink, something new for this year:
{{gwi:158574}}

Michelle

Our thanks to all for their kind thoughts about 17 year old Paige. The funeral was yesterday and we have never seen the likes of it. The High School's gym was full. There were police officers from all over Northwest Arkansas, and lots of other State government personel.(The father is the sheriff of our county, and the mother works for the State Game and Fish.) The police officers conducted themselves sort of like the military at a President's funeral. It was very impressive, and heart rendering. It was a rather long service, and when it concluded the audience were asked to file on out without delay due to the huge crowd, and let the condolences be restricted to the family and friends at the cemetery. The request was ignored and after quite awhile Nolon and I left, and went home for a 'pit stop'. Then we went on to the local cemetery to await the procession. It was a long wait! There were many others already there, so we had plenty of folks to visit with while waiting. A meal was served to the family, in the local community building. We didn't stay for it.

Such a sad day for you and your family, Marian. The next weeks ahead will be especially hard on the parents. For some reason, people can keep it together until after the funeral, then they really need a lot of support.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the pictures are divine.

cynthia...you are the Rose Queen. They look so perfect.

deanne...yes, I need a primer on spacing, too. There is no soil showing at all. How do you plan for that? Your planters are so full already. Is it because they've been growing indoors and had a head start? Everything looks just beautiful.

michelle...your Succulent Sink is Superb! What great ideas you have. Love your bleeding heart...you've captured it perfectly.

brenda...How dare your DH interrupt your Idyll time. LOL. Hope you get the annuals you need, and I'm off to read your post on the discussions side.

'bug...lots of frost warnings for you. When will spring finally arrive out your way? Please post pics of your Black & Blue salvias. I tried one last year, but wasn't completely impressed with mine. It could have been too much shade, but didn't look like the pics in magazines I've fell in love with.

martie...I see you bought some B&B salvia, too. Great price. Do you get them every year?

Anita

I hope you have some fond memories of Paige. I think it was good to include the youth in the services. But my, what a sad business!

Marian, I haven't commented much but do want to add my condolences on Paige's death. That has to be one of the saddest things to face.

A frightening moment on our drive home after work yesterday - a towering column of smoke coming from very near our house. It turned out to be a home about 1 1/2 miles away. An 81-year-old woman lost her life and the house was a total loss. The preliminary speculation was that it was a space heater. That tells you how crummy our weather has been, that she had to use a space heater at the end of May...

On the brighter side, we went to the Thursday night wine tasting and met a lovely couple who are working on creating a summer jazz festival in town. She's a vocalist and upon request she belted out a lovely verse of "Summertime" (my request, in hopes of influencing the weather!). We're going to a benefit next weekend for the jazz festival and I'm officially very intrigued.

We're having a dinner at the house tomorrow evening, so I need to start fluffing. TTYL,

V.

V, I'm waiting for a photo of THE TREE!

Salvia Black & Blue. I love it and buy it as an annual every year now.

{{gwi:158575}}

Thanks for posting that 'bug. It's gorgeous! It's on my list again.

Good morning :-)

What a nice busy day I had yesterday. Our oldest DS offered to help in the garden and I watched while he spent the morning installing a few pavers for access into a long shade border, followed by digging out a shrub and installing a new one, followed by some badly needed weeding. Then we had a rare opportunity to all go out to dinner together, last night, celebrating DD's new job that she is quite excited about. We had a really nice time. Outdoor seating, delicious seafood, lots of laughs. Ahhh...really nice day.

Lots of busy people in Idyll-land. Unfortunate that some of the busy-ness does not fit into the fun category. Sorry to hear Chelone has been wrestling with bad news, but I am sure friends and family are happy to have her presence. Marian, such a sad day. Sounds like the family may have a lot of support though which has to make a difference. Colds this time of year? I am feeling very grateful for our weather then. It has been cool some days, but mostly nice sunny days too. Only a couple of days it was too cool to even want to garden. I still have the winter comforter on our bed and enjoy that on these cool mornings. Then by mid morning it has been warming up to the 60s mostly. Have only had one or two hot days all this spring. I love this kind of weather and don't look forward to 80s and 90s when I wilt. [g] I don't think we have had this cool a spring in awhile.

Good to see you Norma. So what is going on at your house that is keeping you so tired and grumpy? [g] Working hard? Stress? How is your garden doing? Are you able to get enough garden therapy time? :-) No time for naps!

Yes, Lucky Ladybug had a Lucky Gentlemanbug show up and they seem to be setting up house on this one rose bush. Now if I could figure out what is making a mess of the buds on the other rose bush. The David Austin Golden Celebration has these fat buds developing and the foliage was looking great but now something is eating through the buds and some of the foliage has holes. I have to do some investigation today to figure out what is going on with it.

No photos of Jerri's puppies yet?

Black and Blue Salvia here too. I found it at Lowe's this year. Nice size pot that must have just arrived, looking healthy for $6. With all this cool weather it is just sitting there looking lost in the bed so far.

Deanne...I did get a good two inches of rain but really I am sure I will be turning on the sprinklers next week again, unless we do get the rain forecast for this weekend. The grass has only needed one cut so far. I've already had the hose out a lot. Looks like you are in gardening heaven playing with your plants Deanne. lol I agree, your garden is looking lush without seeming overcrowded. I see your standard fuschia is already in place. Great pics! Love all your containers, especially the large urn on the patio.

Saucy, I hope your new Bees are going to find the time to pollinate your yard and not someone else's. Geez!

Gardenbug, I want a nursery like the one you have near you. :-) LOVE that herb basket! What are the yellow flowers, pansy? Next time you go to the nursery, what about a photo tour? Have a nice weekend away. Lucky DH that you would drag yourself away from the garden this time of year.

Michelle....finally, some warmer weather for you. I felt so bad thinking of you gardening in a jacket and hat. :-( What nice photos of your garden. I love the second photo of that border with the wavy brick border and the distant view of the pretty stone wall. What is just over the hill there? So lucky to have such room. Must be a lot to keep up with though. I've always wanted to do a sink in the garden...lol. Very cute! Looks like a nice grouping of succulents, looking forward to how it will fill in.

V....Jazz festival sounds so Summery. Something to look forward to. I'm picturing, a town square with a gazebo by the edge of a lake...anything like that? :-)

Hello to sue, anita, kathy, martie, cynthia, cindy and brenda...[banana bana fo fana] [g] Who hasn't been posting in awhile?

Sun is shining...puttering in the garden and napping on the menu for today.

pm2

Good morning all,

Well I surely had some excitement here yesterday. The people who live behind us decided to take out the Behemoth White Pine tree that was about a foot from our back property line. (They didnt have the courtesy to let us know they were doing this so I could move the pots and things next to the shed garden that are underneath that tree. Grrr) I went out back and there was a gigantic crane on the next street over and the next thing I knew there was a guy in the tree. Apparently the crane lifts him up to the top of the tree. He attaches a cable to the section of tree cuts under it then the crane lifts it out. An amazing operation. Im glad to have that tree gone, like one on my side that has to come out, it had a big split trunk and is likely to come down in a wind storm. Anyway, the down side is that the wind was blowing hard in my direction and Ive got a HUGE mess over here. You cant even see the plants next to the shed for the sawdust. I had a few big branches down on my side but they came over and picked them up but there is nothing they can really do with all that saw dust.

{{gwi:158576}}

{{gwi:158577}}

In that first picture, if you look up that center tree you can see the fellow working up there. Im very glad I dont have his job! LOL The wind was pretty strong and a couple times when he cut the piece off it blew toward him. You can see him leaning out of the way in the second pic.

Anyway, weve got to have the tree people over here tomorrow to get a quote on removing the three White Pines left on our side. That big tree used to shelter our trees from the worst of the wind and now there is a good chance theyll come down in a good blow. It seems there is always something.

Bug, love that herb basket! And that impatiens is so pretty. Thats going to be great with the Diamond Frost.

Hi Brenda! Cant wait to hear what you get for annuals.

Michelle, I pretty much stuff things in then it is the survival of the fittest. I try to put things that will tolerate shade in areas where the larger plants will keep them out of direct sun. That terrace border is pretty mature now and I only make tweaks to the plantings each year. Mostly I keep things like the astilbe and rudbeckia in bounds. The pink flower on the right side of that photo is actually just a ground phlox that has been there for years. Its a plant that was in the driveway garden when we moved here thirty years ago and I just move it around from time to time. Most of the other plants in the rocks are thyme, sedums and sempervivums. ~~ Love the photos especially the dicentra with the bird house. So pretty! And that succulent sink is wonderful!

Anita, the planters get the same treatment as my borders. I stuff things in and then its survival of the fittest. I do have a lot of nice large plants for the containers because I grow them indoors but I dont assemble the mixed plantings in the containers until they go outside.

PM2, Im so jealous of the rain you got! Oh well, last year we had a thunder storm this time of the year that came with nickel sized hail so I guess I should just stop complaining and drag the hoses. LOL ~~ Yes indeed Im in garden heaven right now. You should pop over for a visit sometime.

Waving hello to all!

Time to get to work,
Deanne

Good morning all!

Wow Deanne....I don't envy his job. The saw dust was the biggest mess here, too. And there seemed to be an oily film on my deck. I used a little soap and water, but it was a pain to have to "wash" the deck. There are still pieces of the monster tree in my backyard :)

GB, I love that impatient! I always think they're called impatients because they can't wait for me to water them :) I always catch them in a wilted state, the the New Guineas seem to be a little more forgiving :)

PM, that was quite the productive day you had there! Isn't it nice when everyone can sit and have dinner? And it sounds like a delicious meal to boot!

The succulent sink reminds me of Eden's garden! She had a beautiful deep sink planted in a similar way - she may have even had a mirror hanging above it. Eden, how are you doing?

V., I'm having company, too! Idyll company! I'm not gonna fluff too much for them, though, 'cause we're planning a day of plant sales and nursery crawling. I'm gonna feed the crowd in between stops :)

I got the nicest compliment yesterday. Jake was filling my wheelbarrow with mulch when a man pulled into the driveway and said that he must be at the perennial place he was looking for....it took Jake a minute, but he redirected the man. He said my garden is what made him think I was the right place.

Have a great Friday everyone. I am kid free for the 3rd weekend in a row! What did I do to deserve such a wonderful break?

Saucy

TGIF!

Good beautiful Friday morning! Too bad I'm stuck at work. At least the weekend looks good. Yesterday I had six yards of mulch delivered so I know at least one thing I'll be doing. Tomorrow we have a mini idyll get together at the Tower Hill Botanical Garden spring plant sale and lunch at Saucy's. Wish you were all close enough to come. Can't wait!

Marian, my condolences on the loss of Paige. A very good friend of mine lost his 17 year old son and only child in a horrific auto accident five and a half years ago. The pain it caused him and his family continues to this day and will never go away. Such a terrible burden for a parent to carry. Sometimes I go and read the guest book that is still on line to get an appreciation for his pain. At times I've had to stop reading.

Anyway, so Deanne will you get more sun out of this tree shuffle? I wish my neighbor would take down a few trees. I live next to a quarter acre forest. After mowing the lawn and all the anthracnose covered Sycamore leaves last night I'd like to take those trees down. The crap was up my nose and in my throat. I'm going to need a surgical mask to mow.

Love, love, love Salvia 'Black and Blue'. It lasts til hard frost here. A couple of years ago it reseeded in my garden and I had large natural patches of it in a couple of spots. This year I planted one plant solo in a small bright blue pot.

Michelle, you and Eden are so creative. A succulent sink-how clever!

OK, more to say I'm sure but I had PT at 7 AM and just got to work half an hour ago.

OH, after almost four weeks Nick has finally cut his yipping down to starting just around 5 AM with more time between yips. We're getting there...lol.

Sue

Deanne, you don't sound unhappy about the loss of the tree. I am wondering if you had a shade garden in that area that will have to be moved? Also, was it screening your neighbor at all? Sawdust would make a nice mulch or some compost for a new bed. :-) Have any blueberry bushes? Thanks for the invitation, I would love to see your garden some time. Maybe the next time you go to Lake Street Garden Center I might be able to drive up. Not that long a drive from me.

Glad you are making the most of your children free weekends, Saucy. How did your DH like the wallpapering job?

Sue, happy to hear Nick is responding to your efforts to sleep later in the morning. You are evidently being consistent and persistent..lol.

Eden, Woody and Marian were who I was missing in my hellos this morning. Hope to hear more of how things are going with all of you.

:-)

I'm wondering if Salvia 'Black and Blue' is that black to start with. I saw one at the nursery last weekend but the stems didn't appear black at all.

Sue I can certainly sympathize with sitting in the office on a nice day.

Today is a beauty and tomorrow is supposed to be as well. We have a family wedding that requires attendance. Last night we had lots of storms around us, we got a good rain but no damage like some of the surrounding areas. It was a good night to do some bookkeeping and cleaning.

Saucy, I would love to see more photos of your garden - hint, hint. What a lovely compliment, I think Idyll gardens could give even the best nursery a run for their money.

Deanne, I'm in garden heaven as well, things are starting to really pop. I'm pleased to see that the persicaria 'Firetail' and gaillardia 'Summers Kiss' have finally made an appearance. They are both such great performers and I was beginning to think they were MIA. Interesting about the astilbe, I don't have that problem, they never seem to really thrive for me. Interesting pictures of the tree removal.

The sink is one that my FIL gave to me before he died.

Honey, if you are reading, I was wondering if your 'blue denim' bloomed this year.

Cindy, I see buds on the iris you sent me, so I'm excited to see that bloom.

PM2, how nice that your son takes the time to help you in the garden. What wonderful memories you are making. How old he is?

V, how awful about the house fire.

I hope the sun shines on you today!
Michelle

This certainly seems to be the busy season for everybody!

Deanne - watching big trees come down is always interesting. Good life and disablitity insurance would be a must for those guys though :-) We - and my garden - would be very sad if we lost our white pines. Fortunately they are probably no more than middle aged since they still have their bottom branches, although they are nice and tall. I'm sure I asked this question in a previous year, but I don't remember your answer... With all those containers to water, do you have some sort of watering system or do you literally stand there with a hose to water them all?! (You do talk of dragging hoses...) I only have about 20 pots in the front yard and 4 on the patio (not including the houseplants when it gets warm enough to put them out there...) It takes me far too long to water - all but a few are big pots of peas, strawberries and blueberries so they need a good soak when they are watered. Two of the pots are brugs - and those are your fault! :-) If you hadn't kept posting pictures of yours, I probably wouldn't have got those ones. I've done my best to kill them off over the winter but the two mother plants insisted on living, although the cuttings got aphids and had a date with the compost pile... If you hand water, do you use any special soil mix?

Sue - it sounds like you're starting to win the battle with the canine early rising system....

V- that smoke must have been a scary sight given that other fire in your area. The poor old lady...

Saucy - I keep looking for bees around here but haven't seen any. They are really quite discrete - I'm sure no one keeps hives around here and I've never seen a wild hive so I wonder where they live...? That was a nice compliment on your garden - we definitely need some pictures...!

Brenda - nice to 'see' you again. I hope you get a nice long break and get to catch up on the garden chores. Getting time in the garden must be particularly difficult for you and Michelle at this time of year.

PM2 - it sounds like you brought that kid up right - he sounds like a handy garden helper :-)

Marian - it sounds like Paige's family will have lots of community support. That sort of death in the family must be every law enformement officer's worst nightmare. Hopefully there are good support services to help if/when they need it. It's got to be something that takes a long time to come to terms with.

I can't remember who it was that said they weren't familiar with white redbud. Here is a picture of the one that I planted about 3-4 years ago:
{{gwi:158578}}
They seem to be slower-growing than the pink ones, although it's supposed to be fast growing. The new one we just planted seems to be more upright but maybe that will change as it grows since they are generally described as having a flat-topped crown.

This is always a pretty time of the year in the woodland garden. This picture is from the opposite side of the back garden, looking down the center path. The new white redbud is planted off to the right of where this picture shows:
{{gwi:158579}}

And I'm waiting impatiently for the Chinese wisteria 'tree' on the front lawn to open the rest of its flowers! Randy took a close-up of this one the other night; the color is darker in the picture than in reality because he took it late in the evening:
{{gwi:158580}}

I'd better go get supper started...

Hi to everyone else I missed. I hope you all have a good gardening weekend. I've got my fingers crossed for much-needed rain - but only at night so we can get the rose swags chains up this weekend...

Hello Idylls..Good Friday evening to all...I'm typing my first post on my new laptop, while sitting in a comfy chair, feet up, cat and wine nearby, and baseball game on..I am going to have to go into my office for a couple of hours tomorow so it is a quasi-friday here.
Great photos to be had here, and Maries cool thread documenting Phoebes 'play-date'. Interestingly in view of Deannes lumberjack pics, my neighbors across the street had a couple of mature (20 year plus) birch trees removed today . Those trees were pretty sad looking, really almost half dead anyway. Birches often suffer here if we have much heat in summer, and the beetles have been quite active the last few years-you can drive all around Napa and see ailing birch all over town.
I'm hoping to get some more daylily pics this weekend, and I guess I better go snap a shot of Black and Blue. Mine is 3x3 now and buds are just starting to break.

Woody, I like your white redbud- I don't think I've ever seen one, though I imagine yours is eastern redbud . The ground around it looks quite full of action.

Way cool succulent sink Michelle !

Ok this is all for me tonight , hope all are well, and hello to everyone--big wave!

Kathy in Napa

The "Knockouts" are knockouts this year

{{gwi:158582}}

{{gwi:158583}}

Pyrenthins and pink knockout
{{gwi:158584}}

This was the new bed I made around the tree stumps last year. what a job digging that was, but worth it.
{{gwi:158585}}

Campanula
{{gwi:158587}}

unknown yellow iris and zebra grass
{{gwi:154710}}

Woody, your woodland garden is really showy right now. It was me that ask about the white redbud. Those are neat.

Deanne great shots of the tree cutting. I bet that guy would love copies of those. Maybe you can do some bartering. LOL

Michelle , I like the succulent sink.

Saucy the honey bees were all over my tradescantia sp? (spiderwort) do you have any in your yard?
Have fun with the idyllers.

It got hot and windy here today. Possible storms tonight.
I did a couple of containers today and put a few things in the ground. Morning walating is taking up to much time. LOL

Have a good weekend all. Norma

Norma, do you have any pest problems with the Knockouts? Every year mine get something that skeletonizes the leaves. It only happens early in the season and they still bloom heavily but are not attractive for quite some time. Here they are just starting to bloom. Your garden looks great as usual.

I've never seen a white redbud either. I have two in the front garden, 'Forest Pansy' and a variegated one called 'Silver Cloud'. Both bloomed heavily this year and look great right now. Love the Chinese Wisteria. Is that "Amethyst Falls"?

The sun is peeking out ever so slightly. Could it be that we will actually have good weather for the idyll festivities today?

The neighborhood coyote is around again. Last night I actually saw it for the first time. When I went to get a closer look it ran then watched me from the field at the end of my street. I almost yelled "Eat some rabbits!" at it but figured one of my neighbors might hear and thisnk I was nuts. lol I wonder if I should call the town animal control and give them a heads up. Gotta keep a close eye on the dogs when they go out. Deer should be arriving soon. Then locusts.

OK, time to have some breakfast and get this show on the road. I've got to shop at the framer and pick up a couple of prints I had framed and matted then head up to Tower Hill for the plant sale. Lunch at Saucy's then another nursery. Who lives better than us?

Enjoy your day!

Sue

Good morning

Fantastic photos on this thread. I thought I'd add a few from this mornings stroll in the garden.

Japanese roof iris (Iris Tectorum) grown from seed
{{gwi:158588}}

Hosta Gaucamole looks good enough to eat. So far the deer haven't discovered its new location.
{{gwi:158589}}

Columbines are just starting. You might notice something tiny in the crook of the holyhock leaf.
{{gwi:158590}}

Up closer...
{{gwi:158591}}

And closer still - a tiny sleeping fairy baby:0)
{{gwi:158592}}

Have a great day everyone - hope to be back to chat later.

Mary

Is it the hollyhocks that attract fairies? I've never spotted one in my gardens.

Well Cynthia, I've heard rumors that Fairies are greyhound-phobic.A grey-safe zone is the only answer... ;-)

Kathy in Napa

Good morning all,

Weve finally gotten a nice little downpour and Im hoping for more later. We havent had any measurable rain in weeks now and when it gets like this I cant put enough water in the back gardens under the trees. ~~ Im hoping to finish potting up most of the plants today Im down to a couple shelves out front and one quarter of the cold frame to most of my plant material is potted up. Woohoo!

I realized a problem with having potted up my large fuchsia standard in that cement pot. In the past when we were going to get any severe weather Id just take the pot off the wall and bring it down in a protected corner of the patio. Well, now I cant move it (That urn has to be about 120 pounds empty) and the wind was whipping through here this morning and the head on that fuchsia was looking like it was going to break off! Yikes! I have the stake right up through the center of the plant and have supported the top and head but some of the side branches on that are so large now that I was afraid theyd break so I ran out and added some additional support. Always something isnt it.

Last night I went out to a Pampered Chef party at my friends daughters. I only went because Sarah specifically asked her mom to bring her friends and I decided to grit my teeth and deal with it as I HATE parties like that. Well, they actually had a couple kitchen tools I could use that werent too expensive and the three of us got the sillies on the drive home over something stupid and I havent laughed that hard or that long in a while. Arent girlfriends the best????

Saucy, how neat that the fellow thought your gardens were the perennial place. That must have made you smile.

Sue, Ill get more late afternoon light in the summertime but thats about it. The tree was northwest so the sun only gets that far over a month or so before and after the solstice.

PM2, nope Im not unhappy at all about that tree being gone. Yes that is a shade garden in that area but that tree didnt block any sun because of its location. Ill let you know next time Im planning on heading out to Lake St.

Michelle, so glad to hear that your persicaria 'Firetail' and gaillardia 'Summers Kiss' came back for you. Interesting that astilbe dont thrive in your garden. They really can take over real estate here if I dont pay attention. Its easy enough to divide and move them though and I love that they come in such a range of blooming times. Once my white ones open in June Ive usually got some sort of astilbe in bloom until the end of August.

Woody, I used to love our White Pines when we first moved in but that was before I was gardening under them. The amount of mess generated by those huge trees is unbelievable. All the pines here are second growth and truly enormous, 100 foot plus. They one they took out the other day was probably 125ft. Because of their age they were always dropping big limbs in the winter and any time wed get a good blow through here. ~~~~ Ahhh. yes, container watering, I do indeed water every one of them by hand. Id love to get an irrigation system in here but thats not at the top of the list of things that need doing right now. I have to have a new driveway put in this year and thats going to take the $$$ I set aside for irrigation. ~~~ LOL about the brugs being my fault. I dont have any special soil mix, I just use the Pro Mix they carry at the local Blue Seal store. ~~ Your woodland garden is just lovely!

Kathy, Nothing in the world like a wireless lap-top. You are going to love it.

Norma, your gardens are absolutely stunning!!!! What on earth do you feed those roses?

Mary, so sweet! Ive never found any fairies here. Maybe the kitties scare them away. (Did you make it?)

OK time to motivate here. Looks like the rain has stopped for the moment so Im heading outside. Later all!
Deanne

Fairiehound

{{gwi:158593}}

Cynthia, I never thought I would see an actual Fairiehound photograph!!!!! This is amazing!
The fairy baby is pretty amazing too, but someone has to hate babies until Chelone comes back. ;)
I hate those parties too but I love Pampered chef. They have great gadgets and the prices are not bad.

TC, Woody - who am I kidding - ALL of you have beautiful gardens! I never heard of a white redbud either. I will be on the lookout. Even my knockout roses look good.
That's a pretty good recommendation for a plant. LOL

So much more to comment on but I am on the run today. After taking care of the zoo, I am off to see a sand Mandela created by visiting Tibetan Monks. It is exquisite. I cannot think of words to describe it. It looks like a tapestry! It will be destroyed this afternoon. They are here raising money for a health clinic in their current homeland of India.

Jerri

P.S. Photos are on hold until I get the correct memory stick for the new camera. Life used to be so much simpler! ;)

The photos have been splendid, and I don't think I've seen anitamo's garden before, or quite that much of Norma's and Woody's. The hostas are unbelievable, as are the roses. (Complicata!) Deanne's dry wall terrace garden is stunning as always, and I second the comments re spacing, where I fail miserably. And the size of those trees! (sorry to gripe about my jacaranda bloom mess!) Michelle, your sink looks like so much fun, what a great idea.

Up early to take Mitch to the local airport for a 7 a.m. flight, after which Ein & I headed to Home Despot for potting soil, manure. I always add lots of stuff to the bagged potting soil since my pots hang around year-round. The phone's ringing when I get home, and it's Mitch who's missed the flight. Back to the airport to fetch the miscreant, stop for pastries, then I slung manure around, potted up a few things, and will work on transcripts. The eucomis I potted a few wks back is showing growth, and I moved a few directly into some garden spots. Made a "hummingbird station" right outside the office, putting three rooted cuttings of the Waverly salvia into one large pot. Funny how many white flwrs there are this year, seemingly unplanned, but white diascia, white arctoctis (blurry photo below) and masses of the White Diamond euphorbia. I wonder if any of you grow this in the garden beds. Past two jobs have been taking testimony from a woman on oxygen, awaiting a double-lung transplant, with two more sessions next week, since she can only go about 3 hrs a day. Breathe deep and enjoy this spring day. Hopefully, the frost watch is now over. Nursery shoppers, post your loot later!

Here's an appallingly bad photo of the white, blue-centered arctotis with purple orach towering over it. Anyone else grow the orach? I get just a few volunteers every year, which I hunt for and zealously protect. Now if the Nicotiana langsdorfii seeds around or, better yet, near some purple orach, I'll be a contented woman. Unseen in this photo is a Mulberry Jam salvia, a Ravenswing anthriscus blooming and lilies budding, a couple lavatera, and maybe the Green Envy echinacea will even join in, tho not much show probably til fall.

{{gwi:158594}}

I had a blast today! This was my first hosting of an Idyll "group" and I was a bit anxious, but I think I ("we" - DH was a peach and had an appetizer ready when we came in from the Tower Hill plant sale and then prepared lunch!) did okay :) I got lots of great ideas from my seasoned garden friends and feel very inspired!

Nick even surprised us all with dessert:
{{gwi:158595}}
That's all that's left of the best cannoli I've ever had :)

I'm going to start another thread with pictures of loot and the garden. Nick and I are without children tonight, so I'm going to rush right back into the living room to see what's going on and save my comments for tomorrow.

Saucy

Have looked hi and lo for A.Ravenswing. I am plunged once more into jealousy. I expect I could mail order it, but should one be mail ordering plants when one is (allegedly) moving? Of course I continue to buy plants almost weekly . Today I picked up a bronze fennel for a vacant spot between some lilies and a rose , and a lemon verbena. Its hopeless.

Norma, love your Knockout views- with my 60+ roses I havent got a single specimen of any of that series. Love the wagon wheel, and I think your stump garden turned out just grand.

Sue, our spring skeletonization on roses here is almost always caused by rose slug, which is not actually a slug at all , but a type of sawfly larva. Maybe you have those out your way too.They are quite small and usually hang out on the undersides of the leaves.

Deanne, you can count me in on the product party avoidance side. I make it a point never to go! Tupperware, candle parties, purses, cosmeticsyukko. Now why is there never anyone inviting me to a plant party ??? This would be something I could easily deal with.

Ah yes , the reclusive Fairiehound. Just the ticket for the doggie garden.

Jerri, we have had the monks here doing a Mandela a couple of times in the last few years. Northern Calif is a sympatico spot for them.

Idyll get-togethers always seem to involve photos of food. Perhaps well get a pic of the attendees ?

Here are a few pics from Norcal today

Although Star Jasmine is ubiquitous here, I love it when this happens. And the perfume ! Thankfully, I dont have allergies.

{{gwi:158599}}

Orchid cactus opened a couple of days ago. Please note the 2 o'clock beer.

{{gwi:158600}}

Delphiniums...These are 7 footers.

{{gwi:158602}}

See y'all tomorow !
Kathy in Napa

Good evening

More fab photos. Kathy - the beer and flowering cactus make a great combination!

Saucy - congrats on your first Idyll host, I just know a splendid time was had by all. Dessert looks delicious!

Cynthia - how cool to see a Fairiehound. My sleeping baby would love to encounter one I'm sure. The secret to finding the wee folk is to creep up really quietly.

Deanne - you are quite right. I've told DH he is lucky in that some wives expect jewelry, expensive cars and the like, but you can give me 25c of clay and I'm happy for hours.

Michelle and Eden, and anyone else with grandkids, I'd be happy to make some more fairy babies if you'd like one to hide in your gardens. Just let me know via email. I'm also working on a series of fairy doors and windows to attach to trees. Pictures will follow.

Busy today in the garden planting and mulching, then sewed another apron for a friend's upcoming birthday. It turned out very cute - more teapots and a halter neck this time. I can't wait to give it to her. DH is out of town and Annie and David were at a party so I had a rare evening to myself. A friend called and I joined them for wine, then Indian food, and a very convivial time.

After a very early start at the market I'm heading off to read under the covers.

Nite all

Mary

I've been to the liquor store and Trader Joe's and am stocked to weather any storm.

The storm however came earlier today, with tornado warnings and threat of 70 mph winds. I was out there wandering with the long handled tree pruner help up to the sky ...not wise. The weather was great for two fisted weeding though. I tackled a tiered bed that is so shady I never planted anything under that dogwood. The dogwood looking shabby and I had to remove a lot of lower limbs last week. So after clearing out english ivy, honeysuckle, ground cherries and poison ivy, I threw 40 green and white hosta divisions in there. This place was ringed with that when I bought it. I've given most away and tried to kill the rest, but it still comes up in odd hidden places, so easy to find plenty for my 'carpeting' efforts. I like the lightness of it massed under the dogwood. So will probably start watching sales for 'good' green and white hosta so that it doesn't look as ratty at end of summer.

Everyone's gardens are looking gorgeous! Keep those photos coming. Norma, your 'stump' bed came out great! I have 5 or 6 of the red knockouts and was getting away with pruning them every other winter, but now I'm waiting for the bloom to pass so that I can chop them back for the next cycle. Just too big. Some I'm going to move out of backyard to side yard. I have a pink one in front that needs a radical pruning too. Sue, no insect problems with them here. Even the japanese beetles ignore them.

Kathy, I chopped down a bunch of Anthriscus Ravenswing today so that it wouldn't seed around. It's not an awful seeder, but I have enough. Not sure the seeds are ready yet, but I can check the other patch tomorrow and send you some if they are. The star jasmine is gorgeous! It would never grow that well on this coast.

Denise, I like purple orach every time I look at it but don't remember growing it. Or maybe I drowned it one year and choose to forget. What kind of Eucomis did you pot up? I must have missed that. I have a new (to me) one this year, that was potted up 4/14 and is just now showing teeny polka dot leaves :) Eucomis Van der Merwei

When I saw your sink Michelle (love it), I thought Eden had popped in. I don't know many folks have been 'gifted' with a sink :)

Deanne, those beds are manicured you are so on top of things! Glad there were no serious accidents with the tree removal and your garden. Keep the pot photos coming, I love looking at them (while I tend my monopots.)

Woody, The wisteria blossom looks like geese flying. Your two whitebuds will be beautiful blooming together in a few years. I love white in the garden, but in spring it reminds me too much of snow so I have very little white in the early garden.

Hi to all. I know there's more I meant to say, but Saucy's cannoli has destracted me and now I NEED dark chocolate caramels and red wine.

Later, Cynthia

Drat ! Thoughts of joining Cynthia for dessert- got the red wine but no chocolate of any kind to be found.
Kathy in Napa

Sue, my knockouts are pretty much pest free. Things here have actually bloomed later this year. It has been a cool wet spring. And that is the only reason things are doing well this year. We are usually hot and dry. Last year I was ready to throw in the towel. Or maybe that should be throw out the trowel. LOL
This is a welcome reprieve and I'm trying to enjoy every minute because who knows what will come next.

Deanne I haven't fed those roses at all . I can imagine the wind makes you pretty nervous with that fuschia standard.

Mary, I love the freshness of the rain drops on your plants. Does Gaucamole get very large?
The fairy is precious. Wouldn't Kenzie like to find one of those in her secrete garden.

Denise I wil have to google the purple orach . I am not familar with that plant. I love the diamond frost, but haven't grown any in the ground. Don't know why you couldn't though.

Saucy the picture of the cannoli is stressing my willpower not to eat sweets. How nice of Nick to take care of you ladies.

Wow what a nice Star Jasmine Kathy. Does it interfere with the garage door opening? I wish I could afford to buy more of the tropicals to use as annuals, but no can do. Two o'clock beer duely noted.Thats a large bloom on the cactus. Have you had any more lookers for the house?

I planted another Bloodgood Jap. Maple today in a spot that has needed finished out for three years now. Had to dig some weeds and grass out of the path there too and mulched it heavily. Glad to have that done.

I bought this honeysuckle for DH last year and put it in a spot where it had lots of room to grow. It almost died out there so I moved it to another spot where it is going crazy and I'm a little worried it won't have enough room.
{{gwi:158603}}

Norma

Cynthia ,How far back will you cut the Knockouts? I have a couple that could stand to be renewed. Do they take severe cutting back this time of year?

Good morning all,

We are in for a lovely day here and Im planning on getting most of the remaining plants in pots so that monumental job will be mostly done for the season. You noticed I said mostly? It seems I never can resist a few new pots here and there through the summer. Here are a few photos I took yesterday.

A couple more containers..

I have high hopes for this one. It has a Hibiscus, Canna Tropicana and an Acalypha wilksonii in the back, all of which should get some nice size on them. That coleus on the right is new to me this year and called Oscar and Im hoping it keeps it color where I have it planted. That chartreuse trailer in the front is Fuchsia Golden Marenka and the magenta/purple color of the flowers on that will pick up the color of the cuphea blossoms. At least thats the plan. Thats a 24" pot so the big boys will have room to grow.
{{gwi:158604}}

Here are a couple of my sunny yellow pots. Ive put them under the Brug. Charles Grimaldi this year.
{{gwi:158605}}

{{gwi:158606}}

Here is a pic of the whole container garden. The brugs are still sticks and behind where they were last year. I think the cold spring slowed them down but once the warm weather hits they should really put on some growth fast.
{{gwi:158607}}

A couple containers from the back by the pond

I bought that square container from New England Garden Ornament and it is made of cast limestone. Its probably my favorite container.
{{gwi:158608}}

Another container under the hay rack planters
{{gwi:158609}}

The shade garden is looking pretty with its fresh spring growth
{{gwi:158611}}

The pond is looking good and still isnt leaking!
{{gwi:158613}}

Love the photo Denise! Pretty combination. I also love the idea of a hummingbird station. How many species of hummers do you get at your feeders? ~~ Its always interesting to hear about what you are currently working on. I dont imagine your job ever gets boring.

OK NE Idyllers, fess up, what did you find for loot yesterday?

Kathy, youve really hit on something, a plant party? Maybe I should do one in the spring with my leftovers. LOL ~~ That Star Jasmine is amazing. I can almost smell it. And that orchid cactus is beautiful. Do you have to bring that in for the winter? ~~ And, those delphiniums, Im whimpering here. Gorgeous!

Mary, you are amazing! That baby fairy is so beautifully done. Marvelous work. You are an artist! What did you make the wings out of? They look like dragonfly wings.

Cynthia, did you have any damage from those storms? I surely hope not. We finally got some rain yesterday but thankfully not damaging winds.

Norma, that honeysuckle on the wheel is wonderful! Im so enjoying seeing your garden photographs.

My Knockouts also get sawfly damage here.

OK Ive got to get going. Lots to do today. Have a great day everyone!
Deanne

Good sunny Sunday morning! Don't tell anyone, but I think we have a beautiful day on tap AND I don't have a hundred other obligations. I think I get to play with plants today.

Life continues tearing along at an interesting pace. We got hit with storms Friday morning, with high winds that brought down trees all over the place. I saw one 60' spruce completely uprooted and on its side. About 11:00 am Friday, we lost power at home and it was not back until 2:00 am Saturday. In the meantime, we hosted a dinner for 10. It was a minor challenge and all clean up had to wait until Saturday morning due to a lack of hot water, but we had a great time, great food and great fun.

Once I finished cleaning up (champagne flutes, white wine glasses and red wine glasses times 10!) I headed into the city to help DS and his fiance move into their new apartment. They're in Rogers Park, just a block off the lake. The toughest part of the day was the fact that it is a third floor walkup. They had to get the box spring in by passing it up three stories on the outside of the stairwell. Just before they got it all the way up, DD walked out and said, "Is that safe?!?" NO, but it worked!

Time to hit the shower. I hope to get some new pictures up later today - a few interesting things to share.

Enjoy your day!

V.

Well, we had quite the light show pass through here last night! I had to shut the computer down and never made it back - Nick and I sat on the front porch in our chairs and enjoyed the free show :) Reminded me of sitting on the front porch with my grandma watching the weather come over Short Mountain....she had a metal roof.

V., last summer we had lobster dinner with no power :) Luckily water still boils on a gas stove....

Mary, your garden fairy is precious! I am enjoying being more creative lately. It is really satisfying, isn't it?

Deanne, your container combos are delicious and your gardens are stunning! I wish you could have made it yesterday - you know you have a personal invite anytime you're in the area :) I'll post pictures of my "score" in a bit.

Kathy, the other day I came in the house all hot and thirsty and when I opened the refrigerator, there was a Heiniken staring right at me :) I thought of you as I enjoyed my ice cold beer on the deck.

Norma, I wish my gardens looked so filled in after just a year! I love that honeysuckle - just give it a haircut every year :)

I hate this stupid camera - those cannolis are blurry! A lot of the shots I took yesterday had an odd coloration to them. I'll show you my property/gardens if you promise to throw out any suggestions you might have :) I got lots of good ideas from Sue, Wendy, Les and Monique :) I made a list.....

Have a great day....hope you get to play in the dirt!

Saucy

Another quick post...I just can't seem to get my summer vacation started. I've been done for a week today, but have had very little peaceful time to play outside :( The trip to the garden center was pretty much a bust. I'm afraid they're going to go out of business. They didn't have a lot of annuals, what they did have was the same old, same old and a lot of them were already looking ragged. As far as perennials....lol, well, I'VE got more plants than they do! Sad to see small local business run out by big box stores, but I think that's what's happening to them. I did pick up a few things...nothing exciting, just some portulaca, blue lobelia and petunias.
Crazy thing..I had gone to the chiro for my end of farming adjustment. Next day, DD and I were looking things over on the porch, and I was getting her opinion on which color of moss roses would look best in a container with some small starts of Sedum 'Hab Grey'. I took a 4 pack and reached around to hold them up to the container and felt a little "snap" and my lower back went out. Back to the chiro, another adjustment, light duty yard work only, and I have to go back next week.
This morning, we're getting a new shipment of little pigs. They are calling for rain for us most of the week, so they want to get them over here and settled in today. Not hard work for me, I mostly stand and hold a gate to steer them into the pen and count them as they go by. Just time consuming on a beautiful Sunday morning. My Bluestone order has arrived (79 plants!!) and I was hoping to sit on the porch with a pot of coffee and daydream about where they're going. Maybe later.
Marian, before I forget, I wanted to send you my sympathies about Paige. Losing a young person unexpectedly is so heart-wrenching. My thoughts are with you and your family.
I've missed much, but have had a chance to skim a little, and of course, enjoy the pictures. Deanne, there never seems to be a shortage of interesting things going on at your place. The pictures of the tree removal were awesome, and I am once again envious of your talent and patience with both a camera and container plants ;)
Time to switch from my flip flops to chore boots and get smelly.
I shall return!
Brenda

Good morning! It looks like we have a beautiful day in store here as well. I'm off to relatively slow start. As soon as I get the second load of laundry started I'll head outside and get going on the weeding and mulching activities. When I get sick of that I'll work on the containers. For the most part I'll be sticking close to home.

So...despite the uncooperative weather, a great time was had by all who attended yesterday's idyll festivities. Tower Hill plant sale in the morning followed by a walk around of the gardens. I was underwhelmed by the plant sale. Nothing new or unusual, to me anyway. Everyone else scored though. Then it was off to Saucy's where she and Nick served the most fabulous lunch. You missed it, Deanne, but I'll try to describe. For starters we had cheddar and brie served with crackers and a selection of tasty olives. The main event was the most delicious salmon grilled to perfection on cedar planks along with grilled jumbo shrimp marinated in a tasty hoisin barbecue sauce served with fresh, juicy tomato, basil and mozzerella salad. Scrumptious cannollis rounded out the meal. As you can see from the picture, not many left. Unless wine counts, no dinner for me last night-too full.

After lunch we took a road trip to a small local seasonal greenhouse tucked away on a country road. As luck would have it, there were gardens to tour there as well. I picked up three pots of coleus that I hadn't found anywhere else yet. Got home around 6:30 after stopping for some groceries. Long day, but well worth it.

OK, time to hit the trenches.

Enjoy!

Sue

The kitchen floor is cleaner today than it was yesterday. Which is not to say that it's perfectly clean. It did look like 40 of Brenda's little piggies had rolled in the mud and then had a hoe down in my kitchen. Yesterday's mud caked jeans are going through the second super heavy duty wash cycle now.

I did get a LOT done around here this morning while I was avoiding washing that floor. Desk is cleared off, cleaned a few windows outside, planted one thing or two. Ran all cleaning type appliances - which is not real work I know, but IS progress. Thought seriously about cleaning the frig before attacking that floor. Washed all winter dog blankies, and put away the space heaters. It's June now, so how many cold days can be left? My mother died with boxes of old magazines in her attic. I'm now recycling 20 magazines a week until I no longer have saved magazines. Mine were at least in nice cardboard holders by year and labeled.

The bunnies must be coming up on the patio early early. The E Diamond Frost was sheared to stumps this morning. Same thing happened in the gh this winter and that one didn't recover. So I elevated the remains of this one. Big bunnies here but not 'big and tall', so should be safe. I had to lock the dogs in the patio one night last week while I tried to rake a bunny out of the back yard. Instead it raced up steps to patio through rails of gate and jumped in a rose bush. I gurgled 'supper!' and dogs obliged by running into house and not noticing bush bunny. My worry was not that bunny would be killed, but that dogs would eat dead bunny and get worms/virus/or other ickies.

Norma, I'll probably remove at least a third (canes + height) on the knockouts that will stay in place. Those I'm moving will take more severe cutting. I've chopped down roses I hate in summer and they come right back. I'm being ruthless because blooms this year on those that are too big isn't the thing for me, I just need more breathing room in spots or other plants will be affected. I only have half an acre. But knockouts will bloom no matter what you do to them. I just moved one a few weeks ago and cut it down completely so that I could move it with the least amount of spilled blood. It's already throwing out new branches.

Deanne, the yellow mono colored pots are my favorites because they're very different and full of light!
Saucy, that's twice you've promised pictures of your loot, if no time for uploading photos, a list would be nice :)

Alright, I'm going to admire my cleaning, do some more and then putter outdoors.

Fair enough, Cynthia :) Here's the list with some pictures to follow:

Wendy (dear woman!) brought me a car load full of plants that included many astibes and a delphinium and some other plants that I can't remember off the top of my head!

From Tower Hill I got:
Caryopteris clandonensis "Longwood Blue"
Musa "Zebrina" (10ft tall banana!)
Abutilon "Christian's Cross"
Arctotis - African Daisy (grey green foliage with a dark pink flower
Agastache "Tutti Fruiti"

From Mapel Plants:
Trailing red coleus
Cussonia Paniculata - Cabbage Tree (So. African native)
and I rescued some .75 cent sempervivums for my 'tufa pots

Next year I'm buying the Umbrella Pine and Japanese Maples that I see at Tower Hill :)

{{gwi:158618}}

{{gwi:158620}}

LOL, and I see lots of plants that I forgot to put on the list :)

ooh, kudos on cussonia, Saucy. You are such a good idyller to post your loot. The eucomis I potted are nothing fancy, just some dark reds and a couple chartreusy types. I forgot to congratulate Michelle on sighting the Summer Kiss gaillardia in her garden. Still waiting on my Amber Wheels to get up and out before swampage from nearby summer growth overwhelms its chances of survival (in about two days probably). The Grape Sensation gaillardia is a definite hit here. The color is purplish, but it seems to splay out even more than most gaillardias but still a keeper.

Very nice Sunday morning reading. Cynthia does more work while procrastinating washing the floor than I do while diligently working. Ein would love to count your shipment of pigs for you, Brenda, tho he could possibly be mistaken for one himself, the porcine devil. Yesterday while watering the hell strip where the climber Renae struggles at the base of the jacaranda, an elderly Asian man stopped and stared. Just stopped in his tracks. Very little other than Stipa tenuissima survives here. I fumbled a few words...ah, very difficult...no water...um, people trample. Haltingly, we began a conversation that swooped and swerved but ended with him telling me about his 80+ potted bonsai collection, most at least 60 yrs old, and what bonsai means to him. Abstraction was difficult for him to convey, but his face said it all. He used some nouns in ways unfamiliar, like the "tongue" of the plant, but otherwise we got on pretty well. His grandsons were taking kung fu lessons at the local temple, so while waiting he was strolling the neighborhood. In honor of the nice bonsai guy, here's my photo of the day. (Nothing to do with bonsai, more the temple theme.) The buddha mask that sits in my fountain pot was found by Mitch in San Fran nailed to a street post. I probably posted a similar pic last year. The shrubby mass behind is Lonicera nitida 'Red Tip. The magenta poppy-like flwrs are calandrina which is at least a 4x4 swathe everyone complains of since half of its mass spills out onto the pathway. It is a trial living with such practical people ;)

{{gwi:158625}}

Deanne, I'm lame with bird I.D and can't help with the species of hummingbirds but most are ruby-throated. The "hummingbird station" I alluded to was nothing more than a pot of salvia. I can sometimes bury the meaning in words, lol. Your containers are coming along smashingly,

Here's my weekend plants purchased list (a little of everything)

echinacea coconut lime
3 solidagos (all different of course being the collector that I am) little lemon, crown of rays and goldrush
salvia eveline
heuchera beauty colour
platycodon miss tilly
phlox david's lavender
fuchsias autumnale and golden marinka
perilla gage's shadow
plectranthus green heart
musa siam ruby
coleus defiance

One word for Deanne...WOW! Everything's beautiful, loved seeing it all. The containers are all just to die for!

Norma, very, very nice!. Thanks for showing us more! Your gardens are beautiful!

Cynthia, I always love the frothy abundant look of your gardens. I want to be transported into the pictures so I can see it all! I have the chocolate wing rodgersia planted next to my fountain. It likes to be wet here. It's a neat plant that you'll love!

Mary, the little fairy is just magical! I love it!

Michelle, cool ideas for the sink and the drawer.

I've been busy over at Jenni's working on her gardens with her. We've finished the shady woodland garden along her side yard and are now beating back that darned ivy to put in more shade garden there. I meant to take my camera yesterday to get some pictures for you all to see but forgot. I will next time. She's hooked and is joining Bella and I on our weekend plant shopping trips.

Question...Are mono-pots and uni-pots the same thing?

Hi to everyone!

I'm off to plant all the stuff on that list. It's beautiful here today!

Eden

It looks like everyone has been doing some productive plant shopping this weekend...

Cynthia - when Misty ate her first baby bunny a couple of years ago, she seemed to be having problems digesting it. We took her to the vet and he took x-rays to make sure it was passing through OK. He said rabbits have sharp, splintery bones so can be hazardous for dogs to eat. But he said we should just be aware of it and watch to be sure any bunny snacks pass through successfully; most do but just be aware that there is potential for problems. Misty has eaten quite a few baby bunnies since with no further problems. I guess she learned to chew her meat carefully :- )

Norma - I forgot to say... I loved your pictures, particularly the Knockout roses. I need to find a place for some (although I seem to have run out of sunny places where such things might grow...)

The rose activity here this afternoon was getting the chains up on the rose swag posts. We still need to do some adjusting of the drape - it's hard to get them to look like they match, even when they measure the same! One side of the alley is a bit higher than the other I think and that affects the perception of whether the chains match across the width of the alley. Also, the chains originate from one point on each side but then separate on the posts so the swag is never going to be the same from the origin point to the first post and then from the first to the second post.

The New Dawn roses have grown pretty much unchecked for the past couple of years. After the roses bloom this month, we (Randy!) will cut all the flowering laterals to a few inches so we can find the basic framework of canes and tie them in properly to the chains. Then we (Randy!) will be more diligent in keeping the main canes and laterals in control. (Can you tell that Randy has now been assigned the rose arbour as his garden responsibility? He's always liked roses and is way more diligent than me when it comes to maintenance chores like rose pruning...) Here's what the swag looks like at the moment:

{{gwi:158627}}

I set aside the Sunday paper this morning in favor of the Idylls which were much more entertaining and featured superior photography and journalistic excellence. Time for a 2 oclock beer and a respite from the sun .. watering is in progress and planting duties are complete except for my Caryopteris (having shamelessly copied Saucy, right down to the cultivar) which is awaiting the sun to abate a little.

I spent some quality time this morning with Cecile Bruner who continues to engulf everything in her path despite my best efforts. I noticed this morning when I was brewing the French roast, that all I could see out the kitchen window was her under-carriage . Got out the ladder, loppers and gloves and filled 2 32 gal cans with chunks of her. Hardly looks like I made a dent , but things seem a mite brighter in the kitchen.

Bonsai..my DS has several which are in training . Hes very diligent about their care, pruning, re-potting etc. He got interested in them when we went to the exhibit at the SF garden show 2 years ago . He occasionally attends the local society meetings -no doubt the youngest there by far. I enjoy the exhibits very much, but am not patient enough for such a hobby.

Cynthia, seeds of Ravenswing would be very welcome! At least they are portable . Like Denise, Im impressed by your productivity today- the floors were the one indoor task that I pledged I would get done this weekend and I have failed miserably ! But after a particularly trying week at work that included time put in on Saturday, I guess outdoor stuff was what I needed most.

Deanne, lovely containers as expected. What a great idea pairing that Cuphea with the Golden Marinka. Will enjoy viewing the progress as they fill in.

V, I must say it seems like you have a dinner party almost every weekend. !

Brenda what a shame about your local garden center. I always try to patronize the locally owned places first , and sometimes manage to go the whole season without visiting a big box or discount store garden center. When we first moved to Napa in 1986 there were 6 local garden centers, its down now to 3. Those three though, appear to be thriving, so I guess it was survival of the fittest. 79 plants from Bluestone ! You dont mess around do you ?!.

Okay, how about something garish for a Sunday afternoon. I used a cheap-o wooden marker on these which I cant find so the name is lost in posterity. They are right next to the sidewalk -nothing subtle for passers-by here !

{{gwi:158629}}

Kathy in Napa

I"M CAUGHT UP!!!!

I'll enter my list of goodies when I have a few micro moments.

More plants to show, but that will be another day!

The wedding of DHs niece was an elaborate affair. The colors were shades of green and white. All the flowers were those colors. There was no expense spared in the flowers, they were stunning and very creative.

I did get in some gardening time during the fabulous weekend. We went right into summer with warm temps here this weekend. My mom stopped by to get some perennials to plant at her new house. They removed some old overgrown evergreens and she wants to start a small garden. I also supplied her with some plants for a couple of large containers. I finally have all the plants out of the house and organized in the potting area. Now the fun begins! I did finally get a couple pots done up for the front step.

I was able to plant some flowers in the Secret Garden and build a little bed for some strawberry plants, so things are taking shape. Hopefully, I can get some painting done this week.

Woody, your woodland area is lovely and the white redbud is a great addition.

Norma, the Knockout and the white clematis is a pretty combo. What a great job of disguising the stump.

Mary, the fairy babe is adorable! Be sure to post some pictures of the doors and windows Id love to see how you make them.

Lunch at Saucys sounds yummy! So many of you are such great cooks!

Wow, 7 foot delphiniums! Im jealous Kathy, mine never get that big.

Deanne, your containers are looking fabu fabu and the garden pristine. Last year I had one of those hibiscus in a pot and it took on shrub like proportions. In fact I eventually took it out and planted it in the garden.

Denise, neat fountain pot and the mask is very cool.

Eden, I picked up some Eveline too.

Night
Michelle

Tried to post some pics on a separate thread and they landed in the Discussions forum rather than here. Oh, well, good enough excuse as any to post #100!! LOL

Martie