Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Cross Stitch Bees and Bumble Bees


Design - "Keeping the Bees" (kit)
Designer - Shepherd's Bush
Fabric - 32 count Light Sand linen
Fibers - Silks - 1 strand over 2 threads
Started - 15 June 2015
Completed - 19 June 2015 

I always enjoy the color pallets that the gals at Shepherd's Bush come up with and the specialty stitches that make up the bands beneath the design.

Goodness and just like that it's Tuesday once again and time for a Garden Party and a Blog Hop. So here we go...

We started off the weekend by visiting our local Farmers' Market.

I thought it was very clever that they are now offering cooking demonstrations using market produce. 

Somehow fresh produce is really photogenic...

Even potatoes!

As you can see, there was lots of wonderful fresh food.

New this past week were cucumbers...

...and cherries.
We came home with strawberries and cherries.

And we obeyed all parking signs!


Now on to the Home Front.

I am really pleased with the exuberance of our Mudroom Flowerbed.
Terrible name for it, but it is off our mudroom door.

Echinacheas and Salvias are in full flower.

This is one of my favorites. 

The hummers like the Salvias. 

I have several displays of sedums and succulents. 

The bottom shelf is reserved for resting cats!

My sedum theater is looking really good.

Cupheas have become 'a thing' for me this year.  I have six different kinds.

The baking hot west patio is perfect for Lewisias and Agaves and the like.

I am so pleased that this little plant is blooming.  I've had it for five years and this is the first time it has bloomed.

Front and center here is a gravel patch in desperate need of weeding.  Are there any volunteers? You are supposed to ignore the weeds and admire the clay pots that edge the area.   

Hummers aren't my only pollinators!

Last year I grew annual mimulus and I was really disappointed in them.  They did not last the summer.  But this perennial mimulus is in its second year and has been blooming for over a month now and shows no signs of stopping.

I now have seven strawberry pots that march down the steps.

Echiverias are happy in strawberry pots.  This one has just begun to bloom.

My shaded nook is home to begonias, primroses and fuchsias. 

Our west flowerbed has oodles of self-sown annual frilly red poppies.

And it smells wonderful as my sister has planted sweetpeas there.

I hope you enjoyed this week's Garden Tour.

8 comments:

Vickie said...

Lovely, lovely! Those frilly poppies are so great!

Poppypatchwork said...

I have serious pot envy, our English weather is too wet and unpredictable to keep so many pots outside, I would spend each morning moving them in the sun and out of the heavy rain.

Janice said...


Beautiful garden! I love seeing that you grow the same salvias that I have, even though I'm in central Florida, zone 9.

Margaret said...

Everything is so lovely! I always enjoy a garden tour!

Barb said...

What a wonderful garden tour. I enjoyed seeing your market. I especially love the mud room garden!!

Maggee said...

Oh yes! I certainly enjoyed the garden walk! Those red frilled poppies are terrific--something different!

daisy g said...

What a wonderful farmer's market! I love that there are cooking demonstrations. Hmmm, maybe I should suggest that to our manager.

Your garden looks very busy and full! Enjoy all of your lovelies! And thank you for stopping in at The Maple Hill Hop! It's always good to see you there.

Anna van Schurman said...

Love the SB bee skep. Your garden is lovely. Always like to see pictures of it!