My Garden is an Heirloom...

As I walk around my gardens, I remember all the people who have donated and/or exchanged plants with me.  What great memories.  We've lived here 15 years now so some of the perennials we brought along...like a pickup truck full - are gone now but the Phlox are everywhere but not blooming quite yet.  Did you know that in the fall as the seeds pods dry up that they burst and seeds go flying???  I thought I was hearing bugs in the garden and then discovered it was the Phlox!

These Hydrangea flowers came from my Mom's cousin.  

A garden is like a puzzle or mystery...to me at least.  Some things grow just great and then others not so much.  I should spend more time investigating the different plants like I used to.

Not sure what these are but the are so gorgeous!

 Bearded Iris Autumn Circus

My friend, Franci, gave me some Iris when she was dividing hers.  They come up each year but just one blooms...it is so gorgeous.  This picture isn't of mine because I forgot to take a picture this year and can't find one from previous years.  Franci lost her fight with cancer but I have this flower to remember her.


I'm getting excited to go back out in the garden because I have found someone to help me weed...hopefully we can do some dividing and planting soon.  I would like all perennials so because they keep the weeds to a minimum.  Even if they are just green leaves after flowering, I don't really care.  I love their leaves.  I have made bouquets of just leaves...they last longer than the flowers do in the house.

The silvery gray stalks are some kind of Dusty Miller.

Not sure where the tall, lanky Dusty Miller came from but last year I babied one lonely plant and now look!  My Granddaughter helped me plant my 5 wheelbarrows and in this one we planted a tomato in the middle and Mesclun (Mesclun is a salad mix of assorted small, young salad green leaves, that originated in Provence, France) around the edge.  So we have a virtual salad in a wheelbarrow!  Addy took some greens home to put on her tacos this week.  She was excited.

Those plants around Mr. Frog are radishes from last year!

The radishes didn't do that well last year so we'll see how they do this year...those little volunteers.  I thought something was fishy when I saw them around the edge...probably when it rained the seeds floated to the edge.  They weren't quite so close to the edge last year.

  

Snow on the Mountain gone crazy from our last home...

My goodness, Snow on the Mountain not only flourishes (invades) but they reverted to all green with no snow on the edges.  And they went forth and really multiplied.  My friendly gardener cleared me a path so I can get out there now without wearing a Hazmat suit!  Don't you love the non-invasive striped grass!  Time to divide and conquer!  I want to plant some out along the fence along with some Hostas.
 

The Stellas are from my friend, Doris!

Not too many years ago, I planted the Stella lilies from my friend, Doris.  Now I have a wonderful lily hedge - the grasses really like to hang with the lilies though.  More weeding to do...always!

Miniature Iris - they were so pretty this year.

 

I have three different kinds of peonies.

A couple of weeks ago we had the most beautiful peonies and miniature Iris.  The peonies have been on this farm forever and when I tried to move them I found out how big and long their tubers/roots are.  Wow!  I just cut off a part of one and moved it to the raised bed by the deck...the other one is in the garden below and will stay there as long as I am the gardener!

The lilac I planted outside my kitchen window is now huge...its a French Double White.  It is over 15' high now.  So fragrant and usually some little bird builds a nest in it so we can watch them play house.  A Robin comes back each year to the Purple Lilac that is right next to it.  This year they built their nest higher in the bush.  It is fun to have nature so close.

I will do another garden post when the other flowers are in bloom and the weeds are gone.  My grandkids helped haul up Hubby's garden from the basement so they are playing catch up right now.

Take care and go play in the dirt!!!

Bonnie