Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Garden Photos

Hello!  Today I have some garden photos to share.  I use to have a beautiful perennial garden where people would drive for miles just to come and view.  But then I suffered a back injury about three years ago and got a full time job, and my garden went to, well, shall we say 'weeds'?   I call it my 'natural prairie grass garden' now.  There are a few pretty blooms that pop up now and then, but for the most part, it is just tall grass and weeds.  Someday, when I no longer work full time, I will restore it to it's former state, but for now, the weeds win.  As much as I wish I could be Wonder Woman and work a full time job commuting two hours a day, clean a 3000 square foot house, participate in ministries, maintain a acre of perennials, and be the perfect wife, mother, and friend…I can't.  I just can't do it all and some things just have to go…so I chose to let my garden go.

Nevertheless, there are the 'survivors'.  The flowers that scream 'No!  I will bloom amidst adversity, amidst the weeds that want to choke out my life,  amidst the neglect.'  I love their perseverance, and if they survive till I am able to restore them to their former glory, I will give them a home forever in my garden.

Here are the Spring Survivors: 

A double pink peony.  You gotta love peonies.  Anyone can grow a peony bush, and they always make any person look like a Master Gardener.  Such show offs they are!
Orange poppies:  They are one of my favorite spring flowers.  I love how bold they are.  Their papery blossoms are so fragile, yet so strong.  I've always been fascinated by the the large, dark seed pods in the center and how they seem to lift themselves up to the sky.  Amazing!
A double fuchsia peony.  Just look at that color!  I wonder what a dress in that color would look like on me?
A deep red peony.  This one is more traditional, with a yellow flowered center.  She is isn't as flashy as her double peony cousins, but her rich color is all the adornment she needs!

And now for the Summer Survivors:

The Sunflower.  I wish I could say I planted this beauty, but I didn't.  My friendly, feathered friends scattered their seed all over my garden creating a sea of sunflowers to cheer me up every time I do the dishes and look out my kitchen window.  How did they know I needed that?  Thank you birdies!
 A gorgeous off-white day lily.  I love day lilys.  They are another perennial that's almost impossible to kill.  They will survive drought, weeds, animals, …you name it!  Nothing can destroy them.  They are invincible and the heroes of any garden!
 The purple cone flower.  I have friends who have ripped out this flower from their gardens because they claim it grows like a weed.  Well, if this is a what weeds look like, give me more weeds!  They are so hardy, they provide color at a time when most other flowers are fading, and most importantly, in the fall the birds go crazy for their delicious seed!  I always leave these flowers up all fall and winter for the birds to feast on.
 Tall Asiatic Orange and yellow lilies.  These exotic babies are so strong, and ever year they seem to grow taller and taller as if they are trying to reach the sky.  I love how hot their color is, as if to echo the hot, late summer temperatures of August.  Their color compliments the purple cone flower well also.


 I played around with a new photo editing software for iPhone and came up with this beauty.  I don't usually edit my photos because it takes too much time, which you already know I don't have, but I do like the way this one came out.
 I did manage to plant a few annuals around my house.  If I didn't, it would have been nothing but wood chips all summer long, which would eventually have become weeds, for I have no perennials planted up against the house.  I don't like fussy annuals, so I always choose wave petunias.  One plant just grows, and grows, and grows as if to say 'Stop me if you can!'.  They are well worth the extra cost !
 I have this iron plant holder hanging on the wall of my front porch.  In the spring and summer I have it filled with annuals and in the winter months I try to have it filled with greenery, if it doesn't get too cold too fast.  Last year winter arrived in October, so I wasn't even able to decorate the outside porches before it got too cold to freeze everything solid.  So my poor plant stand remained empty all winter long.  Now it's blooming in all it's glory!
I hope my flowers have brightened your day!  They always do for me!

Have a great day!  Amy

4 comments:

  1. Wonderful photo's of natures beauty, I love flowers!
    hugs
    Glenda

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  2. These are all beautiful photos of your flowers! We have a few similar ones in our yard at our new house and really enjoy them.

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  3. Beautiful flower photographs Amy, and what a nice surprise the birds left you with that sunflower. Love your flower garden - so pretty and colorful!

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  4. Hi Amy, love the flowers and how nice of the birdies!
    Hugs Ageeth

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