Composting

I went to one of the local Starbucks today and got a large bag of coffee grounds for my new compost pile. I also bought another trash can for a second compost pile. The first one seems to be doing well. It appears to be breaking down quickly and is staying warm and moist. I can't wait to spread that compost in my flower beds, the soil really needs enriching.

I'm surprised that this peony isn't covered with ants. It is just dripping with, um, whatever it is that peonies drip with. I'm too tired to think clearly tonight.

The sage is in full bloom. I'm not seeing any bees and I've only seen a couple of butterflies passing through but not stopping. I hope when my butterfly bush blooms they will come.

African Daisy

I haven't been able to get out into the yard much these last few days. I worked for just a couple of hours tonight. I could have gotten an earlier start but it was a beautiful evening and I took a long walk with my daughter. I at least got a little bit accomplished in the yard. I watered again, (everything is drying out so quickly), I put up a new trellis and planted another clematis. I also planted a few more of my annuals and did some weeding and mulching.

Salsbery Brothers Garden Center

I made a brief stop today at Salsbery Brothers Garden center and what a treat it was; I wish I'd had more time to browse. I have been to several local nurseries before, but frankly, I just haven't been that impressed. We purchased almost four thousand dollars worth of trees from one and we readily admit it was a waste of money. The trees were not very healthy and we're still not sure after three years if they are going to live. Several of them have died, including two Colorado Blue Spruces, one of which was the replacement for the first that died. I am also a budget gardener. I need so much in the way of landscaping, that I have to be very careful. So I usually shop at box stores for my flowers and shrubs, only going to local nurseries for trees and special perennials. But this place could make me a "nursery snob" too, (I wish I could remember whose blog I read that used this term).
This place was lovely and there was a difference in the quality of plants, in fact, there was no comparison. I was asked several times if I needed help, and the people who asked were smiling and eager to be of assistance. I wanted to take more pictures but my camera didn't work. It wasn't until I got into the car to leave that I noticed my battery door hadn't snapped closed. I closed it and took these four shots from the car on the way out.

This is at the entrance.

This house must be where the offices are located. I'm very glad that I discovered this lovely place. I didn't buy anything today, but I will definitely be going back soon.

The Sanctuary

The other day while I was at a garden center, I met a very talkative lady. She was so excited because she had just moved into a new home. The previous homeowner had planted hundreds of bulbs and she had beautiful surprises popping up all over her yard. She proceeded to tell me about her lovely secluded back yard. She used words like sanctuary, heaven, and peaceful to describe it. It was very shady, had a creek and attracted many birds and other animals. All the while she is telling me about her sanctuary I am thinking about my own yard. I tried not to envy, but honestly what she was describing is what I long for.

We used to go camping a lot and I loved it. I would get up early in the morning and walk down by the river and sit and listen to the birds. It was so peaceful and quiet with no one else stirring about. I always came back home refreshed and rested. How lovely it would be to have a place like that to go in my own back yard. A tranquil sanctuary- a refuge from the world; a place of solitude and rest-where the pace of the world slows down; a place that is peaceful, quiet, and beautiful.

I don't think that I will ever achieve that here, but I can continue to do things that make it feel a bit more private and enclosed. I can continue to add more greenery and foliage which has a calming and soothing effect. However, right now I must be content with what I have and be a good steward of what God has already blessed me with; and maybe one day we will sale this house and can begin the search for our own personal back yard retreat. As this lady told me, the house can be updated and fixed up, but the yard is most important.

Container Gardening

This container is on the patio wall. It will fill out more as the purple wave petunias grow.

My front porch. I love the Superbells, Dracaena Spikes, and trailing vinca. This is probably my fourth year to use this combination.
This is my column planter that I searched for so long to find. I have purple fountain grass, three kinds of sweet potato vine, (purple, variegated , and a lime green color), tonight I found Creeping Jenny to go in it.

Pets, Petals, and Pests

H F Young Clematis

A few of the impatiens I grew from seed have buds.

It should be safe to plant the caladiums now.

The center of this Johnny Jump-up looks like a blond angel in a robe to me.

Speedwell Veronica

This is so frustrating. My rose bushes were covered with aphids today. I squished some by hand, then sprayed them with soapy water, then blasted them with the water hose.
Then I saw that something had eaten this bud. First the freeze gets the beautiful spring blossoms and then the bugs get these. The ground is so dry now from lack of rain, all I had time for today was watering my plants. If I didn't enjoy gardening so much and the rewards it brings, I would probably throw my hands up in frustration and quit, but quitting is not an option. I'll not whine about it any more (in this post any way), because nothing worth having comes easy. And these beautiful blossoms are worth the effort.

Dianthus

Peony buds

My kitty is an inside girl; often I will leave the door cracked open a little for her and she will play, turn flips and all sorts of funny antics. I often wonder what she would do if we let her out. We all love this little kitty and would be heartbroken if something should happen to her, so she only gets to look out for now.
I thought this was funny, the cat is wanting out and the dog is wanting in, or maybe they just wanted to be together. They really do get along well.