“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God”
Psalms 42:1
If you’ve been around Everyday Living for very long, you know I’m always excited to share my garden with you, but today is extra special. I have been waiting to share something with you all and today is the day…but you’ll have to wait until the end of the post to find out!
I have always loved beautiful gardens and the idea of having one, but it wasn’t until two years ago that we actually had one of our own! I never thought I would say this, but there really is something fun and therapeutic about “playing in the dirt”! I am trying to read and learn as much as I can, but I am finding that gardening really is a lot of trial and error…finding the right plants for your climate zone, the right place within your garden, what needs a lot of watering, and what can withstand the heat of the summers! Last year we experienced a severe drought in NE Alabama and a few plants suffered, but most survived with our constant watering…you should’ve seen our water bill! Yikes! Fortunately, we have had plenty of rain over the past two or three weeks, so hopefully that won’t be the case this summer! It sure does make weeding a whole lot easier! I hope you brought your umbrella today, because we are going for a rainy day walk in the garden!
Gardens takes on an ethereal beauty from the clouds and refreshing rains!
Vinca was planted in between soft touch hollies…
…apricot drift roses are in bloom throughout the spring…
…the color of the apricot roses are highlighted by the Bloodgood Japanese Maple tree.
Our side entrance is marked by a pair of Sioux Crape Myrtles.
Our daylilies are thriving, this one is called “Echoes of Mercy”.
I woke up to a foggy mist in our garden and pasture on Monday morning, and of course I had to grab my camera and run outside before it disappeared…
…Adagio maiden grasses in the fog!
I am growing chocolate mint in the pot sitting on the chair, it smells wonderful and tastes even better in iced tea or water. Have you tried it?! I didn’t even notice the spider web until I was editing these photos!
I had to give you a glimpse of the most fabulous wind chimes…I mentioned to my sweet man that I wanted really nice wind chimes and he did not disappoint…he gave them to me for Mother’s Day. So why are they special, you ask? They are handcrafted in Austin, TX and they are called “The Stradivarius of Wind Chimes”! Music of the Spheres are acoustically superior and precision tuned A-440 and they are available in three octaves. We do love our music even wind chimes! It was a perfect gift and it is so peaceful to hear them in the garden!
Sunshine Ligustrums bring a different shade of green…a potted oleander can only be grown as an annual in our zone but they thrive further South towards the Gulf Coast! It should be blooming very soon!
As you can see, I haven’t done anything to the patio since we had the pergola built, it hasn’t been a priority and we can enjoy using it without all the pretties! We had Mother’s Day lunch here, and it was perfect…with a little breeze coming through!
The apricot roses vary in shades of orange and pink!
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Probably my favorite part of our outdoor area…the sweetest footprints I have ever seen! Our Ella Mae gave me this for Mother’s Day (with a little help from her mom, of course!)
The arbor with the hard to control Lady Banks Roses invites you to our garden!
I bought this lily last year because I loved its vivid orange color, does anyone know what it is called?
A very small courtyard at our side entrance greets you as you drive up to our house!
We always pot hibiscus for our patio… this year, we are trying a hybrid that can have several different colors of blooms. This one has yellow and red, so far.
Entrance to our kitchen porch with hanging baskets of million bells and boxwoods and vinca! I love a mixture of color, is anyone surprised? I am all about the colors!
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Angelonia and zinnias…so bright and pretty!
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Bold awakening daylily…such an interesting combination of colors!
I have loved spending time in my little garden with each one of you. I hope you didn’t get too wet! Please share your gardening experiences, I love all of your comments!
And now, the most exciting part…my special news…are you ready?!
On Monday, June 12, I will be hosting my very first link party! I want to see all of the beautiful gardens out there! You can link your personal garden, a garden you’ve visited, pretty flowers you’ve photographed, potted flowers around your home, your vegetable garden…anything that has to do with gardening! It can be a recent post or a post from years ago…there really are no rules! I hope all of you will join me in our Gardens Galore link party…I can hardly wait to see what you will share! I can’t wait to spotlight some of the beautiful gardens you share!
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Coastal Charm, Dwellings-Heart of Your Home, Savvy Southern Style, French Country Cottage, Stone Gable, Confessions of a Plate Addict, Worthing Court, Between Naps on the Porch, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, The Charm of Home, Katherines Corner, Share Your Cup, 21 Rosemary Lane, Love Of Home, Rattlebridge Farm, Rustic & Refined, Celebrate & Decorate, Chatham Hill on the Lake
I loved the walk through your garden even if I did get a little damp. It’s beautiful and I would even love pulling weeds in it.
Alice, I could use your help in pulling weeds!
Finally a look at the finer details of your garden! I love seeing all your plants and blooms! The apricot roses are delicious, especially with the Japanese maple leaves. I began learning about landscaping/gardening when I designed our yard redo in Georgia. I must say, it’s a lot harder to find happy spots for plantings here in our alkaline soil than it was in our acidic clay of Georgia. That’s what I get for moving – had to start again with a new learning curve! Your chimes must be balm for the ears. I had Corinthian bells, but HH cannot stand the constant noise in our Kansas-like winds. Your stepping stone with happy feet are the star of your garden. I know you treasure it! Happy Thursday!
Thanks so much, Kim. I would love for you to join in my link-party on June 12. Your Wednesday posts would be perfect.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to your garden. It is absolutely lovely. My favorite would have to be your fabulous apricot roses.
I, too, am a gardener – my passion is peonies. They truly make my heart pound.
Thanks for a lovely visit and I am happy to have found your blog. I will return!
Sandra, thanks so much for your visit. I am glad to share my love of gardening, even though I am a novice!
I will walk in the rain any day to see a beautiful garden…yours is beautiful!! I love the view where you see the statues. And…oh my, that bench is gorgeous!! I love statues and benches in gardens. I probably have too many for my small garden but to me makes a pretty statement. I have been gardening for years and it is so relaxing to me…here the birds and watch the butterflies. I have been watching my hummingbirds lately. That foot print of Ella Mae is special! I’m excited to see other gardens!!!! Have a Beautiful Day
Nancy, thanks so much! Being is the garden is relaxing…the smells, the sounds are balm to a busy schedule! Blessings~
How rift you are about gardening being trial and error! I find I have as many errors as successes, but I’m hoping that will change. You are definitely making progress.
Thanks Linda’
Pam, thank you for sharing your beautiful garden and I loved the spider web. Can’t wait to see all of the wonderful gardens on June 12.
Sandy, thanks and be sure to check out all the gardens on Monday!
Nothing could be more beautiful! I love to walk in the garden after the rain. Leaves and flowers perk up…the dust gets washed off…everything sparkles. 🙂
Thanks Stacey, we are still getting rain!
I could definitely get lost in the beauty of your gardens…love the enchantment of the morning mist. I planted many varieties of mint in a former house and it overtook the garden!….so I learned quickly to plant mint in pots!
Have a wonderful week Pam!
Shirley, I also learned years ago to keep mint contained in pots, it is prolific in the ground!
La lluvia tiene la cualidad de hacernos sentir el misterio de las flores y la serenidad del campo mojado.
El jardín está precioso. Yo, que ya hace bastante tiempo que lo observo, me doy cuenta de lo que ha ido mejorando desde el mes de agosto de 2015 que visité por primera vez tu blog. En estos momentos está muy bello y me ha gustado mucho el recorrido tan grande que hemos hecho en él. Todas las fotos son hermosas, las flores inmensas, todo ha quedado super bien.
Disfrutadlo a tope, en compañía de vuestros seres queridos y de todos los amigos que en la lejanía os queremos.
Dolores
The rain has the quality of making us feel the mystery of the flowers and the serenity of the wet field.
The garden is beautiful. I, who has been observing for some time, I realize what has been improving since the month of August 2015 that I first visited your blog. At the moment it is very beautiful and I really liked the great tour we have done in it. All the photos are beautiful, the flowers immense, everything has been super good.
Enjoy it to the fullest, in the company of your loved ones and all the friends that in the distance we love you.
Dolores
Pam, you always have the prettiest posts. Your garden is lovely. The arbor looks fabulous and so welcoming.
I love the rewards of gardening. We just had a rain shower the other day after temps of 92. Kind of refreshing and settles the dust. Thanks for your visit. Have a wonderful weekend.
Thank you, Linda. I hope you will join my Gardens Galore Link Party on Monday 8am (central)!
Loved taking a walk in your garden, it is stunning. You were asking about the photo of the orange lily but to me it looks like a canna because of its leaves.
You are correct, it has to be a canna…thanks so much!
Beautiful gardens. The lily you are asking about are called Canna Lilies. My Mother had some beautiful red ones in our front yard.
Thank you Brenda, I thought they were cannas, but not sure!
Pam, your garden is absolutely gorgeous! I can’t believe it’s only 2 years old!
Thank you, Pat…I am enjoying the learning process! Blessings~
I loved walking through your garden today! Gardening is certainly trial and error! I’ve been in mine all day with tree cutters limbing up. It’s funny really, I have irrigation to water my plants and scrubs and it waters the trees too. They grow and grow and then it takes major pruning to keep enough light so I am a little late reading blogs today.
I’m excited you are starting a linky party on gardening. I will be there with you. That’s really exciting. We will be on vacation but I’ll find a way!
Great post today. Have a great weekend.
Have a great vacation, Bonnie. So glad you are joining the party!
Rain or shine, it is always a pleasure to walk your garden. ‘-)
Thanks so much, Sarah! Looking forward to you linking with Gardens Galore on Monday!
Pam, garden envy! Such gorgeous vistas, and beauty in each and every choice of planting and flower, as well as hardscape! You must catch the sound of your chimes on video and post it sometime! Looking forward to your party. I hope to be there!
Thanks so much, Rita! I am excited that you are planning on linking up on Monday to the Gardens Galore!
Your garden is simply stunning Pam, what a beautiful place to spend time and relax. Those little footprints too are the perfect addition.
Thanks for visiting with me in the garden, Joy!
I am just about speechless Pam, your garden in a word is STUNNING! I would simply drift around all day enjoying all the incredible blooms and foliage…the Echos of Mercy are so unusual and pretty! Hibiscus seems to be one plant I do have success with, I will look for a hybrid next time, how much fun to have one with different color blooms! Your garden should be in a magazine, “psst hey Southern Living…” Your linky party sounds wonderful, I will be by to visit, but alas the only garden I really have is my flower paintings ?
Jenna
Jenna, please share your flower paintings, what a great idea! There won’t be many rules since this is my first attempt. Your inspiration comes from a flower or something pertaining to gardens, so I think it is a great idea!
Refreshing garden rains! Beautiful.
Thank you, Leslie Anne!
I think I sent a comment earlier but I forgot to say that I think that orange flowering lily is a canna lily.
You are right, Liz…it has to be a canna lily!
I have a special place in my heart and in my life for rainy days. I thoroughly enjoyed your garden in the rain. Your garden is beautiful at all times, but my favorite remains the rainy day.
I also love a rainy day, thanks for visiting with me!
You have such a beautiful garden! 🙂
Thanks so much for visiting!
I thoroughly enjoyed the stroll through your garden and that “Echoes of Mercy” daylily is just gorgeous. My daylilies have just about bloomed out already here in N. FL. I do have a late bloomer that originally came from my great grandmothers garden that has just begun to bloom. I’m glad to know about your new blogging party and I plan to participate. Sounds like fun.
Carolyn/A Southerner’s Notebook
Carolyn, thanks so much. I am so glad your are joining in the party. I love your gardening posts!
Thanks Carolyn, can’t wait to see you at my Gardens Galore link-up,party Monday 8am (central)!
Stunning roses, marvellous garden…Thanks for sharing!Blessings…
Thanks so much, blessings~
What beautiful gardens! So lovely! 🙂
Thanks for visiting with me!
What a gorgeous garden. I could sit there for hours. Thank you for sharing at Dishing it and Digging it link party.
As always, thanks for the party!
Beautiful!!!
Thanks so much, Debbie!
Oh so beautiful Pam! Your garden is remarkable. I hope mine looks that good someday.
🙂 gwingal
Thanks so much, Nikki!
Your garden is really beautiful. I particularly like the apricot drift roses. I am working on my perennial bed this year but battling the marauding deer is a full time job!
Thanks for your visit. Yes we have deer, also! The drift roses are really pretty this year. I just stopped in for a visit on your blog!
You make a rainy day walk in the garden look so inviting Pam, and I love your contrast in colors and textures in your foliage and flowers. We’re getting TONS of rain which I’m thankful for compared to our drought last summer but of course not all the flowers are happy about it! The poor Lamb’s Ear is matted and moldy and lavender is starting to complain, but it saves me some time lugging the hose around so much. I’d be thrilled to join the fun at your Garden’s Galore Linky Party, what a great idea. See you next Monday evening! ?
Mary, thanks so much! My lamb’s ear looks the same as yours! I am so glad you are joining the link party on Monday morning 8am central time!
Your garden is definitely not camera shy and that spider web was just perfect! Thank you for sharing with us this week at Celebrate Your Story, and I hope your week is going great.
Thanks Sandra, hope you are having a great week!
So pretty! I love the twinkle lights at night! Thank you for sharing at Home Sweet Home!
Thank you, Sherry!
Pam, your garden is breath taking! Oh my friend. How do you hold up to care for such a beautiful place? WOW! I love your wind chimes too but I am a fan of wind chimes. I have some little cheapies but a friend of mine gave me one that has bible versus on it and it is my favorite. Everything is so heavenly and I can imagine something just like this being in heaven. Hoping you have a wonderful day. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Cindy, you are such a sweetheart. The wind chimes with the Bible verses would be a favorite of mine, if I had them! Hugs
How do you link? I wanted to share mine also. The name of the lily you were asking about is a tropical cannon lily.
Thank you, Vickie! I will get back to you on how to link!