A "Gifted Garden"

A “Gifted Garden”
Many of the plants that now make their home in my garden started off in the gardens of family and friends. When we moved into our home, I was gifted with plants from my mother, grandmother, aunt, and neighbors. My cousin gave me a Lavender plant on my wedding day to plant by my front door. I was a complete novice and knew next to nothing about gardening. The previous owners of the house had left me peonies, roses, and unusual double day lilies. My garden has been a constant pleasure and subtle teacher. My friends and I often swap plants, thus expanding our gardens and friendship. My garden is a scrapbook of memories-the Hydrangeas from Donna-peonies from my grandmother-primroses from my former neighbor Bonnie-Iris from my Mom..

Naturalized daffodils on the side bank.

Spring is here, but those lovely spring temperatures still elude us. Some hardy blossoms are putting on a show anyway. The magnolia in my neighbor’s yard is stellar with big fist-sized blossoms. In a little while when the petals drop it will look like a carpet of pink snow.

My old fashioned red primroses turn their little faces to the sun and a bunch of Forget Me Nots has seeded itself in my front bed.

The Lenten Rose is a fascinating piece of art captured up close. The double daffodils were a gift from my mother’s garden as well as the old fashioned bleeding hearts. I have a white variety that has yet to bloom.

Since we had company for the weekend, I needed some color for the back door so I planted a wire basket with magenta pansies. Since we use the backdoor more than the front, this would be the first sight to greet my guests upon their arrival.

The PJM Rhododendron is just beginning its show. With all the rain showers things will really start to burst into bloom.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my early spring garden. Just a little show for

Outdoor Wednesday.

Have a lovely day!

Outdoor Wednesday, Hydrangeas

Ah Wednesday again! Be sure to drop by A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday. It has been lovely the past two days with weather reaching almost 60. With a little rain which we will be getting buckets of any day now, the blooms should finally show their spring finery. I have one lowly daffodil blooming and some lovely lavender heather keeping my yellow pansies company.

With Easter right around the corner, flowers are popping up everywhere. It’s hard not to fall in love with one and give it a good home. I have to add to my Hydrangea “collection” every year. They are everywhere for Easter, grocery stores, home centers, garden shops, & street corners. Here are a couple rules of thumb-(green)! To make you a happy Hydrangea owner.

Mop head Hydrangeas are the fickle ladies of the garden. One year they are prone to blue couture & pink the next. They embrace a woman’s prerogative of changing her mind.

If your garden has acid soil, your hydrangeas will sport a wardrobe of blue. If you have base, sweet soil, she’ll deck herself out in pink.

If you desire that coveted blue finery, check the pH level of your soil. You can get test kits at most garden shops. A pH of 6.5 is considered in the neutral range. If your test indicates a reading below this level, your soil is considered acid. Lady Mop head will produce blooms in a blue hue in acid soil.

Alkaline soil, with a pH above 6.5, will dress the ladies in pink or red.
Working lime into neutral or acidic soil will turn the soil more alkaline or sweet. Lime may be applied around the base of the shrub in spring & fall.

But like most Grande dames, they are slow to change their favorite attire. They will not make a dramatic change overnight. It may take them several years to change their frocks.

Even though that showy lady was dressed in blue at the garden center, like a leopard she may change her “spots” in her own home, based on where her “feet” are planted.

I try to choose a place in the garden where they get morning sun & afternoon shade. My grandma always planted one near a down-spout, because they like lots of water.

Hydrangeas make excellent cut flowers. Cut blooms in early morning before mid-day heat has caused their floppy heads to droop. I lightly spritz them with water from my sprayer at the sink to dislodge any little uninvited guests. Cut the stems on an angle underwater on the green growth, not the woody stems. Remove any leaves that will be below the water line. Leaves left underwater will produce bacteria & shorten the life-span of the arrangement. Cutting the stem underwater allows water instead of air to travel up the stem. Fill a bucket with several inches of water & place your cut flowers in a cool, dark place for a few hours before arranging. I have found cut hydrangeas are not fond of the floral food that comes in those little packets with cut bouquets. To keep my bouquet looking its freshest, I re-cut the stems every few days & change the water in the vase. I have had bouquets of hydrangeas last for up to two weeks.

Get outside & enjoy this lovely Wednesday!

A Vintage Outdoor Wednesday

It’s hard to believe another Wednesday has rolled around so quickly. It’s time again for Outdoor Wednesday hosted by A Southern Daydreamer.

The calendar may say spring, but temps have only reached the low 50’s by afternoon, and many nights are in the 20’s.Haven’t put away those winter coats just yet! For inspiration I have turned to some of my vintage garden books. One, “Garden Bulbs in Color” was published in 1948 by the J. Horace McFarland Company. We toured Mr. McFarland’s home in Belleview Park for the Christmas Holiday tour. It is in a state of renovation right now. The house had been left in disrepair for years. It’s wonderful to see someone taking the time to restore this former Grand Dame. The other book I am showing pages from is, “Chase Fruit & Flowers in Natural Colors”. This lovely garden book was written in 1922. Some of the illustrations take you back in time to a simpler, beautiful, romantic life. See how many of these heirloom plants you have in your garden or maybe might want to add.

My tribute to Outdoor Wednesday is a bit of Victorian Scrap I purchased at the antique mall when I was supposed to be working in my booth-it’s hard not to shop and I almost always bring something home.

Enjoy Outdoor Wednesday and visit Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for more inspirational Outdoor posts.

These vintage garden books are still fairly easy to find at reasonable prices. I've found them

at yard sales, flea markets, antique shops & co-ops. They have many lovely illustrations &

great ideas for the vintage gardener. I have included a photo of grapes. Before all our trees were mature the former owners had grape arbors stretched the whole way across the back yard.

I almost wish they were still there.

the former Mcfarland Mansion.

Outdoor Wednesday-A taste of Spring

My favorite greenhouse opens the end of the month. I can't wait! Last year this wagon was filled to over-flowing with baskets of petunias.

This fabulous allium is an early spring bloomer.

This is the fish pond as it looks now. The iris are

about eight inches tall. Fish are lovin' the sunshine!

By late May or early June we are in full bloom!

I am partial to those tropical-looking coral begonias.

Another Outdoor Wednesday has rolled around. Spring is taking her time, but the weather is finally turning fair. Temperatures are expected in the 60’s today. I noticed tiny little green buds clinging to the ornamental cherry today. The water irises are popping above water. The fish lazed in the sunshine rippling across the surface of the pond.

Still nothing to get too excited about. This first phase of spring is all about clean-up. The amount of twigs and branches cluttering the garden is phenomenal. The bulbs are pushing up in spite of it so we rake it away to give them room to grow. The larger limbs we cut up and save for outdoor fires later. Can’t wait to roast some marshmallows.

So I leave you with scenes from gardens past-while spring is yet preparing for her grand entrance!
Happy outdoor Wednesday!