Hello sweet friends. I am happy that you are here and joining me for a walkabout in the garden. With all of the spring rains, it is beginning to flourish!
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
Psalm 4:8
“In spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.
~Margaret Atwood
With a cooler spring than normal, we were late in planting seeds. Zinnias were planted in the cottage garden and a raised bed by the driveway. They have all sprouted. Sunflowers were planted behind the cottage garden and in a raised bed behind the main garden. I am in hopes that deer and rabbits don’t decide the young plants are to their liking!
Our first daylily to bloom, ‘Bold Awakening’, has a fitting name! It is a creamy yellow with purple eye above a green throat.
Little ‘Princess Spirea’ has dainty clusters of rose pink blooms and mint green foliage. We planted five of these a couple of years ago in our front landscape, making a pretty and compact border!
A rusty garden ornament is a nice contrast to the gladioli that will be blooming soon!
‘Double Play Doozie Spirea’ is new to our garden this spring. I am most excited about its beautiful bright purple-red bloom. What makes this spirea a doozie? The show begins in early spring when the foliage emerges in a blazing brilliant deep red color. By late spring the flowers begin to emerge. The show doesn’t stop in summer but keeps flowering and flowering! Because it produces no seeds, all of its energy is put into flowering. It is also drought tolerant and deer resistant. All of this earns it the name ‘doozie’!
After visiting the Swag garden last summer, I decided to try growing alstromeria. Their plants were huge and loaded with blooms and I was impressed. Alstromeria is one of the most popular filler flowers for arrangements and is often found in the flower section of grocery stores. After a little research I gave up the idea. A few weeks ago, RM and I were in a favorite garden store when he spotted an ‘Inca Magic Alstromeria’ plant also called ‘Peruvian Lily’. I hope it will do well and can be used in my Monday Morning Blooms’ arrangements!
A view from the front of the cottage across the garden to RM’s workshop!
‘Ageless Beauty’ daylily is a great garden performer with large ivory flowers, a rose center, and frilly edge!
My Renaissance Man (RM) and I have been amazed with the wildflower garden’s performance! He planted it last year and it has been blooming non-stop this spring!
I mentioned the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ iris in a previous post. You might remember that my blogging friend, Sandra, who passed away earlier this year had sent me this gorgeous iris several years ago. It did not bloom last year, but it is performing magnificently this spring! I know Sandra would be happy.
A new side entrance to the garden was added last year. RM built the rose arbor and added more fencing.
The grandchildren love to find hidden treasures like this sweet bird that “Da” placed in the pot with chocolate mint!
Annuals had a slow start with our cooler nights. Now that the nights have warmed, they should start filling out the adult tricycle basket!
“Gardens are not made by singing, ‘Oh, how beautiful,’ and sitting in the shade.”
~Rudyard Kipling
The bunny planter at first glance appears to be real! It would not be uncommon to see a rabbit in the garden.
A new clematis was planted on an old trellis at the back of the cottage garden. ‘Jackmanii’ is considered to be the most popular and reliable clematis with its large and velvety purple blooms!
I call this new space the bowling alley! I am anxious to see what will happen in the future!
A profusion of Sarah Bernhardt (shown in photo) Karl Rosenfield, and Festiva Maxima peonies filled the early May garden and graced tabletops here and here.
Plains coreopsis and cornflower thrive in the wildflower garden!
Thank you for visiting our May garden. Wishing you a most wonderful day!
Linking with: Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
Good morning dear Pam. I loved our stroll together through your gardens. I enjoyed all that is blooming. The Duzzie might become a favorite.
I am planting zinnias today at the Lakehouse! That’s right; we are now here. Let the weeding begin.
Thank you for all the loveliness this morning! Happy Thursday!
I am so happy you are back at the lake house. Wishing you a safe Memorial Day Weekend ♥️🇺🇸💙
Amazing post. Thank you for such beauty and encouragement.
Thank you, my friend!
Pam, I was writing a response to you when my phone rang. Your gardens give me a glimpse of heaven. The beauty of the flower and all you “cultivate” is second to the beauty and love in your heart and life. I imagine myself at your place, sipping tea, and walking in the gardens and sharing our love for Christ, family, and nature. I hope you know how you inspire me and give me hope! My kids and tiny grands are coming in for the weekend. I have an idea of “hiding” tiny creatures now around the yard (thank you for that idea in the chocolate mint! We do that at Christmas so why not now?). I love you so much and pray for you and Butch every day! May God bless you and keep you, and your family, safe and happy. Finn and me. 💕💛🐾💚🙏🏻 💐
Karla, I have been praying for you this morning as I do everyday. You were especially on my heart. I am so happy you walked with me in the garden and for your precious comments. We could sip tea, pray, and talk for hours. I am so happy your precious kids and tiny grands are coming this weekend. Soak it all in, my friend! I love you 💕🙏🏻🎶✝️♥️🤍💙🇺🇸🙌🏻🙏🏻
Thank you so much, Pam! I’m so glad are hearts were aligned this morning! And so many times I know. I’ve been working getting things ready. Now, I can rest before they arrive and just soak it all in. Sending love and gratitude always. 🇺🇸 💙 🤍 ❤️🤗🙏🏻🙏🏻💕💕💕🎶🎶💐💐
Everything is so pretty Pam. I love the little bird in the mint. The bunny does look real! The weather has been glorious! Happy Memorial Day! Clara ❤️
Thanks so much, Clara♥️ 🇺🇸💙
Oh how true that Gardens are not made by singing and sitting in the shade. The past few nights I could barely fall into the bed but what satisfaction. When I retired I complained about our small yard but am I ever glad now that it is small. I love the variety in you garden, something blooming all season long. We have that same clematis on an arbor by our back door. It’s beautiful in full bloom. Looking forward to what you do with the “bowling alley”.
Alice, it sounds like you have been busy in your garden. Happy gardening!
It’s all so beautiful and I can’t wait to see the progression of the rose arbor. It’s a garden of hope, with more joy and plans yet to come.
Thank you, Leslie Anne!
Hi Pam thanks for letting us stroll through your garden with you. Enjoy this week and have a great holiday weekend. Hugs. Kris
Thank you for joining me, Kris!
Oh, so lovely, Pam! Jackmanii was my favorite in my former landscape and bloomed profusely. I couldn’t find it last year, and had a hard time locating one this year, but managed this past week. Mine is planted, and I’m hoping it thrives. My work in the garden this year feels like double time. Every time I’ve planted, I’ve amended the soil, which has so much clay. I’m not used to that, as my former home had river silt soil, and was wonderful, no matter what I planted. I love your bicycle planting, and the iris {sigh}. I love spirea, also had Princess variety in the former landscape. I have Neon Flash in this garden, and it’s just starting to bloom. Butch did such w magnificent job on the side entry new arbor. That’s a gorgeous view. Happy gardening!
Rita, I feel your pain about the clay soil. Here it is red clay. We had loads of good topsoil brought in when we established the garden, but we keep amending. Neon Flash sounds interesting, I haven’t seen it before. Happy Gardening to you!
Simply delicious is this visit to your garden in bloom. I don’t envy, and might, but hold myself back, for you have “labored” well and fully deserve the beauty with which you surround your corner of paradise. It took great dedication, skill and toil to give it the splendor we all so enjoy and K.L. expresses my gratitude perfectly.
Just love the little “intrigues” RM sets out for the young ones to discover, with
chocolates, no less. Now that is the grandest “DA”…. A very blessed Memorial
weekend, dear ones.
Thank you my dear Mary! Blessings from our house to yours!
Oh, Pam your garden is beautiful and delightful, and I love your ‘Stairway to Heaven’ iris!!!!!!!
Thank you for joining me in the garden, Mary!
Pam, I think I’m losing it. I read your post this morning and was typing my comment when somehow I got sidetracked. I just realized I didn’t finish typing my comment. Sorry, I’m late. Your May garden is gorgeous! So many pretty blooms to see. The wildflower garden is stunning! I have so enjoyed my visit and walk through your lovely garden. Have a blessed weekend, my dear friend!
Shannon, I have done the same thing several times. Thank you and blessings for Memorial Day!
How beautiful! Your garden is thriving and so beautiful. Everything looks so neat and clean, nary a weed in sight. The Little Princess spirea is gorgeous! I’ve hired a delightful young man to work in the yard with me…a Clemson student who is in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, coaches Young Life middle school football, and has a 3.9 GPA in bioengineering!! He has lovely manners and has whipped my shrubbery back into shape! Hope all of you have a safe and happy weekend.
Thank you, Roxanne. How wonderful you found a delightful and industrious young man to help you. I know you are so happy to have found him. Wishing you and John a blessed weekend!
Breathtakingly beautiful!
Thank you, Cindie!
Beautiful Pam! I love that you added a wildflower garden beyond your fence for the pollinators to enjoy. Your rose arbor is a wonderful addition with the lights. How fun you planted alstroemeria…I’m anxious to see how they grow! Our daylilies are just starting to bloom too, there is lots of deadheading in my future. 🙂 Wishing you a wonderful weekend, it’s looking like a wet one for us. ♥
Thank you, Mary. My Lake Norman daylily should be blooming next week. Have a wonderful weekend in spite of rain!
So many beautiful blooms Pam, and the special Iris is breathtaking! I can’t wait to see what happens in “the bowling alley!” We planted a variety of garden flowers in the pots around the patio and the pesky squirrels are always digging through them and making a mess! I love the hidden surprises you hide for the grands to find 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend 🇺🇸
Jenna
Thanks so much, Jenna! Wishing you a beautiful weekend 🇺🇸
Wow, Pam. That’s really fabulous. I love that iris — they are a favorite of mine. Oh, what beauty surrounds you!
Thank you, Jeanie. I love irises!
Ditto to all that has been written about your lovely garden. I am thankful that i get to take a walk through it even if not in person. It is cool and rainy here (New Bern, NC) this morning and just what I needed. May God continue to bless you and Butch to be able to work in your garden and enjoy the labors of all the hard work.
Thank you, Bobbi. Gardening is hard work, but enjoying the results makes it worthwhile!
My daylilies are preparing to bloom, but I am tired of them and want to dig them up. They aren’t the prettiest colors. Your iris is stunning, love the purple and white. Mine didn’t bloom much, even though I spent quite a bit of effort keeping their rhizomes cleared.
Thank you, Carole. Gardening is always trial and error for us!
i do love that blue tricycle basket, Pam. and things are coming up VERY VERY slowly here so I will live vicariously through your gardens and photos and hope for greener days ahead …
i hope you’re having a lovely weekend, friend. bless you.
Thanks so much, Linda!
The flowers in your May garden journal are all so beautiful. The iris is gorgeous and I love peonies. The new Doozie spirea is intriguing – they will actually grow here in Calgary and i will be curious to see how yours fares. I hope the alstroemeria does well. Happy gardening and wishing you a lovely week!
Thank you, Kim. Wishing you a lovely week my friend!
So much beauty, sweet friend. Thank you for sharing with us.
My pleasure!