May Flowers

In contrast to the mess INSIDE the house. .the mess OUTSIDE the house has been nice to look at. Among the many weeds and undesirable things starting to flourish, are plenty of flourishing things that I incorporated into the landscape!

Finally, good luck with a clematis.  I picked this one up at Walmart 3-4 years ago. .and it has verged on death since then. .you know. .won't live. .won't die?? It's mate has already succumbed, but this one lives AND blooms this year.  If I remember right, it is Nelly Moser. .a pink and purple variety. .Camille just loves it. .it has her two favorite colors, and it blooms where she can see it from her favorite swing!!

The orange honeysuckle bushes are LOADED with blooms. .as you can see. I keep hooking more of the vines into the new trellis. .I think one of my next projects will be to make a small container water garden on the deck side of these.  I saw a photo that had a face sculpture hanging amidst a vining plant.  They snaked clear plastic tubing through the vines (completely hiding the tubing) and attached it to the spitting face and a water pump.  The face "spit" water into a galvanized tub a couple feet below the face. .it had a lot of cool factor to it! These honeysuckle would be just perfect for a project like that!

The iris are beginning to bloom.  These yellow ones have really taken off. .I don't even remember having that big of a clump!! And there are two clumps.  The peach ones won't be far behind them. I also noticed some white ones blooming. .but no purples or blues yet. They are great for making indoor bouquets.

I mentioned the other day that Becky and I had gotten new plants for our water features. .I am trying to turn the south end of the pond into a bog-like area. This will allow for some interest to the sides. .and the ability to grow some different types of plants.  The roots also work at "digesting" fish waste, and serve to clarify the water in the pond. I came home with quite a few things to try. .including some rush, variegated cattail, sweet flag, papyrus, parrot feather, ferns, bog lilies, lizard tails, and two shades of pickerel. Now. .surely SOMETHING will survive!! I knew that the initial plant stocking would be an investment. I don't like the looks of pots in the pond. .so I am trying to plant part of them in the pea gravel. I'll let you know how it works out. The nice thing is that all but 1-2 of the plants purchased are hardy here. .the other ones can go into buckets in my greenhouse for the winter.

I didn't think about the ferns being planted right in the water. .but my research and the pond lady said you could make it work.  I bought a couple to try out!! If they work. .that will be the best success ever, since I really LOVE ferns!

My purple columbine plant is blooming it's little head off!! I think next year I will try seeding some columbine mixes and see if I have any luck there.

Mr. Lincoln rose is showing off a bloom right next to the inferno garden. .which has really started blooming.

The Napeta Walker's Low (catnip) is smothered in bloom, as is the Cardonna blue sage (salvia). 

The new grass is starting to look pretty good.  And we even brought the mower out last weekend to clean up some areas.

I am hoping that we can get our garden veggies planted this weekend!! This is really a busy time of year in all aspects of life!! Many jobs and activities and little time! I know you all know what I'm talking about!! Wishing you all a few moments of peace and serenity today!!