Flowers big and small

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As we continue to wait for rain to wash away all the pollen, I'm finding that a lot of the smaller flowers are blooming around the yard. Today was a good time to prowl around and snap some more photos.

Near the back of the yard there is an old arbor that's falling apart - the only thing holding it together is this strong Red Honeysuckle which blooms like mad for weeks.

You've seen the pink and the white, but this week it was time for the flaming Red Azaleas!


One of the surprises we found last year were these patches of rich Purple Columbine. I planted a few more from seed last year, so we may be lucky enough to get a few more blooming soon.

I'm pretty sure that this Rhododendron was in bloom last year, but I certainly don't remember the flowers being so vividly white and pink! It's our surprise stunner to end the month of April.

On one side of the patio we have a small square that has become almost completely overrun with Lily of the Valley. And that's just fine, because with lovely delicate flowers like this, how can one resist?

As for the bulbs in the square planter, our latest bloomer is this strip of Red Empress Tulips. (I think that's the name - Scott can correct me.) This might be my favorite so far!

And lastly, I know I already posted a picture of the Pink Peony, but it's so lovely, I can't resist taking more pictures of it! It's just ludicrously big and fluffy.


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Pollen is everywhere

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It seems like there is a coating of pollen over everything outside this week! I'm not sure why - maybe all that rain we had loosened it all up.

But the good news is that we are hitting the high blooming season around the yard. This week it's more azaleas and the peonies!

Out in front we have some small Lilies - not sure of the variety, but they are pretty.



For a few days now we've had tons of Pink Azaleas. It took me awhile to get a decent shot, but this close-up works:



After the pink comes the White Azalea:


This is the gorgeous Pink Peony bush that bloomed all in one day. We're happy to see that some of its seeds are growing nearby, so hopefully we'll have a fuller display in the coming years.

Out in the front yard there's a small dark Red Peony which is starting to burst open also:

Even the grass is in bloom! Or something - these wildflowers are dotting the back yard near the big Oak tree.

And one last shot purely for artistic value. The Parrot Tulip looks interesting, even as the flower dies away:

Next up we should have some more azaleas (red this time), more peonies, and the full unveiling of the Mammoth Blue Hostas.

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Boomer's Journal Entry 4/26/09

Yo,

Boomer here. Sorry, it's been awhile since I did a journal entry. I get so busy, it's hard to keep up.

Not a whole lot has been happening around here lately. With spring and soon, summer, fast approaching, I've been spending a lot of time hanging in the windows watching the property and making sure no one is coming around that shouldn't be.

For example, this afternoon I spent several hours watching the Blue Jays and Cardinals cavorting in the yard. They are ok, but those dang squirrels! I need to find a way to scare them away.

Oh, I know what else has happened. Hairballs! Well, more specifically, a very large HAIRBALL! HUGE. I'm surprised just how much came up.

And...daddy and popsicle bought me a new set of food dishes. I'm not happy. The first night I managed to get them to switch back to my original bowl, but since then, I've been forced to use these new dishes. They are deeper and harder for me to totally faceplant into my dinner. Now I have to take my time and take a breath inbetween each bite. Ugh!

Outside of that, not much has been going on. Just enjoying the warm sunbeams...

Later Tater Tots

Quick flower photos

The storm was a-comin'! So I had just a few quick minutes to snap some photos of our latest blooms.

This is a new Lily that Scott picked up at Lowe's. It's replacing an insidious ground cover plant that I yanked out last week.


And now we have Tulips coming up in our square planter from last fall's bulbs! Scott says they smell like candy. This first one is certainly sweet - it's called a Parrot Tulip.


These are just a pretty multi-colored variety.


And this pointy beauty is called a Chinatown Tulip.


Lastly here's a close-up of our Bleeding Heart. It starts small and then branches way out - a simple tiny beauty.


Unfortunately I couldn't get a decent shot of our first round of Azaleas - but I'll try again this weekend. I imagine this batch (the dark pink ones) will be in bloom for at least a week.

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On A Clear Day

The weather was perfect on Saturday. We got some yard work done and spent plenty of time relaxing on the patio as the sun went down and the grill cooked up some tasty burgers.

Bringing the outdoors in

Today we were having guests over for a delicious Easter dinner (check out ScottE's blog for all the photos and details and the food). For my contribution, I took clippings from around the house to attempt my first flower arrangement. It was looking just OK, but then Scott suggested some of the Crab Apple Tree for color and height. That really made the difference! I'm pleased with how it turned out, and the Hyacinth and Tulip really provided some great fragrance all evening.

For whatever reason our weather continues to be on the cool side which is atypical for April in the Washington area. So whenever there is a spot of sun I'm running outside to check out the latest in the garden.

First up, we have progress on all of our new bulbs! They've been coming up amongst the Marigolds and should give us several months of beautiful color in the square planter area. Below are the Narcissus (which I learned today is the same thing as a Daffodil) and two lovely Hyacinth.


Most of the existing Tulips around the yard are pretty old, so they aren't doing too well. But this lovely red one was determined to bloom all by himself next to the patio. While on the other side of the patio, the Hostas are all bursting forth beneath the birdbath.


Now for the mystery plants - any suggestions as to what these are? The first two are big flowering bushes that grow on the east side of the house. The last one almost looks like a weed, but it's come up in the same place for 2 years now. It's pretty tiny.


And lastly there is this pretty thing. What is that, you might ask? It's our Crab Apple Tree! It doesn't really grow any fruit; it's primarily a flowering variety. But it should be lovely for awhile!


Next up we should have appearances from the Peony bushes, and maybe the Azaleas - stay tuned!

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MPG

She may be a little dirty.
She may be pushing 5 years old.
She may have a big dent in her butt.
She may smell funny sometimes.

But girl is good. She got 395 miles per an 11 gallon tank of gas!

Rock on Sister Friend!