Hello sweet friends. I hope you are well and are enjoying this last week of January. On Monday night there was a devastating EF-3 (150 mph winds) tornado in the Fultondale area of Jefferson County with a loss of life, multiple injuries, and homes and businesses that were totally destroyed. This is about sixty miles from where we live. Please join us as we pray for our fellow Alabamians that were terribly impacted by this storm.
“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”
1 John 3:18
January is the month that I really begin thinking about our garden. RM and I are planning some expansion this year and we shall take you along as our ideas begin to take shape. There is much gardening work to be done around the Sunshine Cottage and that is definitely in our plans. Blogging provides a beautiful way to journal the progress of the garden, its successes and failures. Let’s open the journal and take a look!
Click on the highlighted links to view the original posts.
The snowball viburnum bushes are one of the first to produce lovely blooms in March. The two very large bushes are not officially part of our garden space, but they do make a grand showing each year!
The blooms start out a lovely shade of green and then turn to this beautiful creamy white. Many people confuse the viburnum with hydrangeas. Our bushes have become small trees and a few blooms are present year round, but not as beautiful as their spring show!
Japanese bloodgood maple trees occupy the back corners of our garden and their vivid spring color is amazing when paired with sunshine ligustrums!
I love day lilies and “bold awakening” is the first to bloom in spring!
Apricot drift roses make a lovely showing and provide a heavenly scent!
After several years, this really did happen last year! I first mentioned a garden shed in a blog post in May of 2016, it took a few years but was well worth the wait.
In the midst of a pandemic, we saw that a lot could happen in a week!
My Renaissance Man isn’t a professional drone flyer like our son, but he began practicing with some drone footage of the garden that provides perspective of the space
Limelight and vanilla/strawberry hydrangeas put on a show in the July garden!
Happy sunflowers make me happy!! We have been growing them for several years.
Last year was the first time to grow procut red sunflowers with their rusty red flower heads. I purchased the seeds from Floret Farm.
We had a new addition last year…
…Butch constructed a raised bed behind the garden fence for the sunflowers!
Zinnias are one of my favorite flowers to grow from seed. Last year presented a few problems, but after all it was 2020!
I highly recommend zinnias for their beautiful colors and as a cut flower to bring indoors!
Last year was my second year to attempt growing dahlias. “Bodacious” dahlia comes by its name honestly. We dug up some of our tubers last fall and are going to place them in a different location. Gardening is always trial and error.
One of our spring projects will be planting around the Sunshine Cottage. I want an English garden feel, I think. RM has different ideas, so we shall see who wins. I would love to hear any suggestions you might have.
Thank you for your visit and gracious comments. Wishing you a joy-filled day!
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
Good morning Pam. It’s been a couple of wet, cold days here so dreaming about flowers and gardening is a perfect pastime. I had to chuckle at your comment about zinnias: “Last year presented a few problems, but after all it was 2020” ‘-) The bunnies and their voracious appetite presented more than a few problems for me last year. Thank for the beauty this morning. I would love to plant some red sunflowers this year. Keeping all those impacted by the storm in our thoughts and prayers ♥
Thanks Mary. I remember you bunny woes. The armadillos continue to be horrible, they just keep digging. The deer used my Japanese magnolia as their rub, ugh! See you Monday!
You and Butch seem to never run out of projects and the results are always just right. Wish you were around to help me think about a little garden I’m hoping to have in Maine as that is not one of my skills.
Linda, I am excited about your Maine garden. Is someone helping you plan it?
Help is what I need!
Beautiful gardens, lovely journal. I look forward to seeing the Sunshine Cottage’s gardens. I’m with you – relaxed, cottage style plantings.
Thanks Rita!
How fun to look back! I know that I will soon be seeing beautiful blooms from your garden, long before they come to mine! You accomplished a lot last year!
Thanks so much Jeanie. It was a lot of work last year, but so glad it happened.
Lovely pictures to wake up to! I so enjoy your posts and always read your email first! Beautiful landscaping – the drone was great to see perspective – especially the large stones among the grass. We’re installing a pool and that gave me good insight for landscaping. Glad y’all were safe amid a very tragic weather day. Hope your DIL is doing well and her mom. May God continue to comfort them. Happy Thursday!
Thank you so much Yvonda. Your family will enjoy the pool. Thanks for remembering my DIL and her mother. They are doing ok, it was such a shock. Our little Ella Mae has been so sad about her Popsie. Blessings ~
So relieved that you escaped that tornado! Your garden photos are stunning as usual, makes me want to get out my seeds and begin planting! But is it just a couple of weeks too soon, so I’ll have to be content with dreaming of your gorgeous spring flowers.
Thank you Carole. It won’t be long before we will start to see trees sprouting!
So thankful Pam that you and Butch are okay and did not reap the storms brutalities. I am so sorry to hear about so many others. One things is for sure, we never know about the weather. Yesterday it was 80 degrees and today it dropped to 50. It is just crazy. I adore your shed and enjoyed watching it come together. What a blessing to have that beautiful shed and I know that you will have your gardens just like you want them by Spring. You always have the prettiest flowers. Hugs and blessings to you Pam.
Cindy
Thank you Cindy, you are a sweetheart. Enjoy your Sunday!
Pam, your gardens always inspire me with their beauty and detail. I wish you lived close by so you could give me advice to make mine as pretty as yours. I’m anxious to see what you plant around the Sunshine Cottage. I think an English Garden would be stunning. I read about the terrible detestation cause by the tornado. My heart and prayers go out to all of those affected. Take care, dear friend!
Thanks so much Shannon. Gardening is full of joy, and hard work. But it is worth it. Blessings, Shannon!
Pam, We’re so thankful that you and your family are safe. When we heard about the tornado we knew you were close. We’re praying for those who were impacted. January is a scary month for tornadoes in the south. One of our friends lost their house last year but escaped without harm thankfully. Your garden is beautiful and we’re excited to see what you do around the Sunshine Cottage. I love the various plants with all the gorgeous colors and textures. We’re hoping 2021 is less challenging on the zinnias for all of us. We gave up too soon! Yours turned out beautifully. Love those pretty red sunflowers mixed with the yellow ones. Your garden compilation was a joy to see on such a cold morning. Enjoy your day! Clara ❤️
Thank you dear Clara. Winter tornadoes are always scary. Zinnias acted weird last year, I have heard that from several gardeners. Happy Sunday!
Good morning, Pam. So thankful you and your family were not harmed by the tornado. I know you are fairly close to Birmingham so I was concerned. Your post today is lovely with the magnificent blooms and beauty of your garden. I took a stroll around our garden yesterday, as it was 60 degrees. Today we have snow. But things are beginning to pop through the soil.
Wishing you a wonderful day and weekend, my friend. ❤
Thank you Sandra…Happy Saturday❣️
Pam do you sow your sunflower seeds directly in the garden or start them early indoors?
Hi Mildred, we sow the seeds directly into the ground. We don’t sow until June.
My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims of that terrible storm. I read about it online and just couldn’t believe there was such a horrible tornado in the middle of winter! How devastating.
It’s so nice to see all those beautiful flowers! We woke up to snow on the ground and we’re looking at a very cold and windy day. Your garden post was just perfect to warm up this day! The snowball bush and sunflowers are my favorite!
Thanks so much Michelle. We rarely get snow, but I always enjoy when we do. Happy Saturday!
Prayers of comfort for those enduring losses from that storm.. so grateful it missed your area.
I am relishing the photos of your garden in bloom and between you and Butch, there is bound to
be a spectacle of beauty surrounding the cottage this year. How you both inspire us. The Japanese Bloodgood Maple combined with the Sunshine Ligustrums make a stunning showing.
A good time to plant our noses in the gardening catalogues. Be warm.
I enjoy perusing garden books and catalogues this time of year. Many blessings, Mary!
Thought of you when I heard about the tornado and said a little prayer for your safety. Tornados in January? Goodness. What a mess. But I have to say I’m tickled pink you are extending your garden and can’t wait to see it. More beauty to see. I don’t think I could sleep dreaming about it. And so now the Sunshine cottage will have it’s on garden to have tea in. My goodness the queen and princess are going to be thrilled. I am too!
Thank you Alice for your prayers. It seems we can have tornadoes at any time. Thank you for your sweet comments my friend!
I enjoyed thinking about your garden along with you. Love the overhead drone shot.Y’all have accomplished so much in less than a year and during a pandemic. Pat yourselves on the back.
You have inspired me to make some plans. I enjoyed all your pictures today.
I was so sorry to hear about the tornado a!nd the lose of life and property. Praying for those affected.
It going to be cold tonight.
The Wolf moon was gorgeous last night although I saw it this morning early.
Thank you dearest Bonnie. The moon was gorgeous!
Pam I just loved seeing all your garden flowers! We are all looking forward to Spring!
The red sunflower is a beauty. As soon as I plant sunflowers here in AZ… something comes and eats the sprouts. Grrrrr!
Prayers for those who were impacted by the tornadoes! I did not know about them. 🙏🏻
Thanks so much Nancy. I wonder what is eating the sunflowers as they come up?
The same critters that enjoy eating wires from our landscape lighting. They are called desert mice. 🙄
Yikes! We all deal with pests in our gardens. Happy Saturday, Nancy.
Lovely post, I remember many of them. I always love an English cottage garden too in any setting but especially apt for a Sunshine Cottage! 😉
Saddened to hear about the tornado Pam…praying.
Blessings,
Jennifer
Thank you so much sweet Jennifer. Wishing you a lovely weekend!
Wonderful pictures! Sending prayers … Hugs!
Thank you sweet Maristella!
So sorry to hear the the tornado. So much damage and loss of life is sad news. Your gardens always look fabulous. The pests can be quite annoying. Sunshine a cottage is such a blessing. Looking forward to seeing more garden beauty.
Thank you Linda for your sweet comments!
Whatever you decide to plant around the Sunshine Cottage, I know it will be so beautiful! Have a wonderful Lord’s Day!
Wishing you a wonderful Lord’s day, Cheryl!
The January tornado was so awful, I hope we don’t have a violent Spring…planning your garden is the perfect way to urge January along, I can’t wait to see what you do! Your garden is like an artist’s canvas and I know you and Butch will paint a gorgeous picture!
Jenna
The tornado was so horrible. Your comments are always so encouraging, Jenna!
Lovely photos – spring will be here eventually, you are inspiring me on flowers to plant!
Gorgeous garden, especially vibrant on this dark grey day!
Thanks so much, it was a cold and windy day here.
Hi Pam. It was great to find your post today. Thanks for the beautiful pics and for telling us what the plants are too. Spring can’t come soon wnough!! Sharon
Thanks so much Sharon and I am thrilled that you found me!
Absolutely gorgeous, Pam. Those drone pictures give such a great perspective, and it’s amazing! We don’t have much space (and I don’t think I have the energy!) for such a wonderful garden, so I love that I can view yours here at your blog. Thanks so much for sharing at the TFT party!
Pam, you are so sweet and gracious with your comments. Thank you!
What a wonderful blog post Pam. I enjoyed it so much, I had an established snowball viburnum tree in my front yard that fell with the hard rain and wind a few years ago. It was a very sad day, They are so beautiful and one of my favorites. And of course your Sunshine Cottage is so inspiring.
You are a sweetheart, Kim and thank you!