Garden Colors

Song - Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls (Kina Grannis Cover)

The first round of roses are blooming and the very first one was this beauty above.  I don't even know the name because it was one of the few plants that we kept when we bought our home 20 years ago. In honor of the woman who built and lived in this house for about 45 years, I have nicknamed it "Nancy's Rose". 

The main plants that are blooming right now are the bearded Iris.....

And the Wisteria.....oh my.....

If you walk anywhere near this Wisteria you will hear the hum of big ol' fat black bees and get knocked over by the aroma from the flowers.

The Dogwood trees are loaded with blossoms.....

....as are my three white Lilac bushes.

And if you look closer.....

The Lady apple trees are making me and the honey bees happy.

 The little Japanese Iris in the woodland garden loved all of our winter rain!

 

Even the Foxgloves are preparing to bloom.

Our side garden has once again become my meditation place after we brought back 

our lawn for our son and sweet daughter-in-law's wedding last Fall.

Mama Dove and Papa Dove are enjoying the new nesting box under our eves.

Last night Papa showed up one hour early to relieve Mama.  

True Love.

I find that my day is not complete without a morning & early evening walk around our garden to see what's blooming, growing, changing, hatching, in need of pruning, etc. each and every day!

"Nothing in nature blooms all year.  

Be patient with yourself." -- Unknown

 

Spring is in the Air

Song -  The Green Green Grass of Home by Joan Baez

Five days ago mama Mourning Dove was sitting on the nest with out any evidence of  babies.

Then this morning, guess who showed up? She was in the nest alone because I think mama was out getting something to eat. I'm going to name her 'lil Debbie Dove.

The Spring garden is full of life.  

The Dogwoods are in full bloom in the shade garden.

The lettuce that Tyler planted last fall is yielding some beautiful plants just ready for eating.

Freesia is bloom in both the front yard and back yard.

The Wisteria is full of blooms and happy bees!

Roses are just starting to burst into bloom.

Hosta's are emerging from their winter sleep.

Dogwoods up close.

 Soloman's Seal fills in the base of the shade garden

Camelia's are just finishing up their blooms.  This plant was left from the original owners of our house and it produces non-stop!  I call them Nancy's blooms.  Maybe 'lil Debby Dove will fly over to Nancy's blooms one day soon?

 Our lovely apple tree is filled with these soft pink blooms.  One of my favorites!

 And of course our lawn is filled, filled, filled with Dandelions.  They remind me of childhood and blowing a wish. 

 Bearded Iris - fist blooms!

 I forget what this ground cover is called but don't these flowers look like they are having a conversation?  And maybe one is sticking his tongue out at the other?

 Even the Japanese Maples are happy that it is Spring!

And here is my little buddy Mika who was walking around the garden with me but then got tangled up in the lemon trees.


"If life gives you lemons, don't settle for simply making lemonade - make a glorious scene at a lemonade stand." -- Elizabeth Gilbert

Monday Morning Walk

Song - Busy Bee by Arthur Askey

Have you ever heard a flower hum?

Well, I have!

There must be a thousand big, black, bumble bees in this Wisteria tree.  I can hear it hum from 20 feet away!



 Let's continue our walk from yesterday. 

 Azalea

Sunday I showed you the beginning of my vegetable garden.  Today we are going to wander through the shade garden.

 Dogwood

A babbling creek below the shade garden

 Ferns are unfurling

Hosta's filled with water are erupting

And Primroses are happily growing amongst the wild strawberries.

Did I every tell you that my Dad's mom was named Violet after the flower?  

And her twin sister was Daisy?  

And their other sisters were flowers as well - Lily and Rose?

"Arranging a bowl of flowers in the morning can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day - like writing a poem or saying a prayer." - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Spring Iris

Song - John Denver "Inch by Inch"

Our garden is a riot of color right now due to my obsession with Bearded Iris!  Well, that and roses and Spring bulbs and Lilac's and Wisteria and......well, you know how it can be.

My Grandpa Art got me started with roses.  He always had several roses in his front yard in Oakland with cuttings and onions underneath.

Grandma Sophie in the rose garden in Oakland

Grandpa Art with 3 of his 4 daughters in the rose garden.  My mom is on the far left.

Both of my parents are wonderful gardeners and their yard looks like a park.  They are in their mid-eighties (shhh...don't tell them I told you that!) and it wasn't until this year that they hired someone to "mow & blow" but all of the rest of the work, they do themselves.  They get great satisfaction from working in the soil and coaxing a plant along.

My parents at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco while they were dating.

My mom & her sister Marie in a garden

 

My Grandpa Art working in the rose garden while his four daughters pose for the camera.  L-R is my Aunt Bernadine, my mom, Aunt Alma and Aunt Marie.  Not sure who the little girl giggling on the steps is.




Now that all of the Spring blossoms have left the trees and the bulbs are withering and my roses are just about to burst into bloom, I have time to enjoy my Iris.

I hope you enjoy them too.....

 

 

Where I relax after gardening.  Ahhh......

Had to add a beautiful white Lilac!!!  Can't you just smell the lovely fragrance?

And some Peonies just about to bloom!!!  So exciting.....

Our Wisteria at the back gate.

You would not believe the iridescent colors on this Iris when the sun is shining.  Unfortunately it was a hazy day today.

Some white Clematis on our fence.

The entire fence is a beautiful creamy white.

A little American Goldfinch taking a sunbath on the birdbath.

 

PS - I picked my first bouquet of Sweet Pea's today and they smell glorious! 

"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul. " - Luther Burbank