Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - May 2008

The past couple of posts I have made were about what is blooming in my garden right now. Since I have been out of town for a day or so and it has been pouring rain since I arrived home this evening this lone Iris is all that is new blooming in my garden that I can show right now. This Iris was given to me by a friend of my daughter. I think it is such a beautiful Iris. It almost looks like an orchid to me. I just love it when it starts to bloom. This one was just a bud when I brought it in Monday afternoon. It had been broken off by a big furry dog walking by or the mower man. I stuck it into water and when I arrived home this evenign it was blooming. A wonderful welcome home. If you want to see what more is blooming in the garden right now you can look at the past two posts. Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day to everyone.

A Few More Blooms

It has been a fast paced few days for me. We worked on the Illinois Spring Bird Count. That took an entire day. Mother's Day was a a wash out in that it rained and the wind blew the entire day. I wasn't able to get into the garden until today. I found this mass of honeysuckle lying on the ground. It must have fallen over during the storm yesterday. I wouldn't have minded so bad but there was a robin's nest in the top of it with three eggs. This robin has nested here successfully the past several years . I didn't get the honeysuckle cut back before she took up residence this year. I was just going to wait until the first clutch hatched before I trimmed it back. I wish I had gone ahead. I guess the it was top heavy and it went over. The vine is fine but our little momma has to start all over.On a happier note the small varigated Wigelia I planted during the drought last year survived the winter. It is now blooming. Its blooms are very pretty. They are white with a pink blush. This was one of my $12 bushes I guess it didn't come with a tag because I can't find one with a name for it. When it grows up to be a $100 plant I think it will be gorgeous. With all the rain there are several different types of mushrooms popping up out of the mulch. I always wonder what the names of these things are. Mushrooms are so difficult to id. The Irises took a big hit with all the wind and water. This is one of the dark yellow ones that survived. At least I will get another chance at some blooms with all these buds. You can see the native Columbine blooming up a storm in the background. They make great companions in the garden.

Here is a blue and white Iris I had forgotten that I had. It has several buds yet to bloom.

Luna was happy that it stopped raining too. She found a high and dry spot in the garden where she could take a nap. She was just about to plop onto some Patriot hostas that are just coming up. In this same area where Luna was napping there is a white Columbine blooming. I don't remember planting it. I must have but I sure don't remember. I think I am having a lot of memory drops so to speak. Do you find things in your garden that you don't remember planting? Maybe it is just me. Hmmmmmm

A Different View

Sunday was a gorgeous day to be outside. The weather cooperated almost all day until the cold front started blowing through. I tried to sit out in the garden and just be but that didn't last too long. I pulled a few weeds and then noticed that the House Sparrows were buiding in the new Martin Houses. I got a ladder and cleaned out the boxes. While up on the ladder I noticed that the garden looked different from a birds eye view.


Here is a picture of this corner of the garden from the vantage point of the Martin Houses. I kind of liked the way you can see how a couple of the flower beds are round. You can see I have grass paths that run through the back. You can also see the Irises blooming as well as the Japanese Kerria bush on the other side of the fence.


This view also made me think of Frances and how she views much of her garden from a higher vantage point. Do any more of you Garden Bloggers garden on a hill and have a hill top view of your garden?

This is a view from the ground level from the other side of the flower bed. The Martin houses are in the back. I put a cross bar over the top of the houses as Ruthie suggested for the Martins to commune on. So far no Martins but I like the welcoming affect of the houses. I had a neighbor say she liked seeing them.




On the outside of the fence I moved the ladder over a few feet and took a picture toward the apple tree. The flower bed around it is also round. So if you want a different view of your garden. I would suggest get a ladder out and have a look around your garden.