Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Mid-July Garden Delights

I'm stitching away - it just does not seem that I have much time to devote at the present.

It part that's because it is Gardening Time! 
This weekend I had three big projects.

The first was to finally plant (after six years in a 20 gallon pot) this Japanese maple. 

This poor tree had a very rough winter and lost about 1/3 of its branches to our snow and ice.  It is deserving of this shaded spot on the north side of the house.  The birds love to have it as a waiting room for the fountain, and suet and peanut feeders.    

The second project was to finish tidying up the plants on the Front Porch. I looked at each and every plant and pot - assessed the health, trimmed and dead-headed, and rearranged as needed! And finally, I gave the porch a good sweeping. 

Once again everything looks nice and tidy.

My ferns and hostas a doing very well.

As are the begonias.  

On Saturday morning I worked on this end of the Front Porch - the long end!

Now when I sit out here, I don't see "What Needs To Be Done".  Instead, I have a shaded pleasant reading spot.

My third task was to pot up these 7 succulents which reached out and grabbed me as I walked into the grocery store to by a picnic dinner for an evening concert!  Darned plants! 

They were my reward for working so hard helping to plant the tree, and getting the Front Porch back into shape. 

They are living in the front row of this grouping of agaves and succulents.  It is a west-facing grouping that gets lots of heat and is impervious to the deer - perfect! 

After all that I took a walk around to see what caught my eye.

An ice plant.

Helenium just now coming into bloom.

Prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) and verbena bonariensis.

Frilled poppies

And a volunteer nasturtium!

I hope you've found plenty to enjoy and delight in your own garden.  Why not hop on over to the Tuesday Garden Party and take a look at what others have to share.

One year ago today Mom and I visited my paternal ancestral stomping grounds - Wakefield in Yorkshire and we delighted in the birth of baby Prince George.   

7 comments:

Maggee said...

Gardening is a serious business! And you are ever so good at it! It all looks lovely, after tidying up!

Vickie said...

Oh so awesome. The ice plant, succulents and frilled poppies jumped out at me. :)

Margaret said...

The flowers are gorgeous! That ice plant -- wow!

Barb said...

Your plants are all looking just wonderful. Each afternoon after the sun leaves my garden I go for my dead-heading walk. It also gives me time to look them over to see how they are all doing. It gives me real joy.

Wanda said...

Wow Beth! I am so in awe of your plants and your passion for gardening! They look stunning! Japanese maples are so beautiful
(I like how you think and your new succulents were the perfect reward. I frequently have cross stitch supplies and fabric practically attack me! :) )

Mindy said...

That maple has such a nice shape! Especially after being in a pot for so long. He'll be so happy to be free!
The begonias are so pretty. I do love them.
I have that same affliction at the grocery store. Plants just jump in my basket and come home with me!

Melanie said...

So much planty goodness! Love the new succulents too. I have a bear claw one that I've managed - somehow - to keep alive for a few years. It's the cutest thing ever. Soft, fuzzy bear 'feet'.