Happy Tuesday sweet friends! Our gardening has gotten off to a slow start. With both of us having the flu at the same time, we certainly are behind. The Head Gardener has done all of the work so far, because I can’t seem to get my energy back.
“The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”
Psalm 103:19 (ESV)
Grab your sunglasses and let’s take a look at what’s happening in the garden!
The Sarah Bernhardt peony was planted in 2020 beside the kitchen porch.
Sarah Bernhardt is one of the world’s most beloved peonies.
Large soft pink double blooms make Sarah Bernhardt a stand out among peonies! It was first introduced in 1906!
Some of the beds where seeds are typically planted needed a little soil conditioning prior to planting this year. This area is a favorite spot for zinnias and a few sunflowers.
Most of the seeds we plant come from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. We order seeds in the winter and sometimes forget where we stored them. As you can see, we located the hiding place!
Zinnias are to be planted here also. They are difficult to plant says (fusses) our gardener. The seeds are quite small and cannot be covered very deep!
Vernique Blue Speedwell was planted in the cottage garden last spring. It is a perennial and features dark purple-blue flowers. It attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds!
Autumn Fire Sedum was moved to the cottage garden last spring. It is currently happy where it was planted.
We planted three Double Play Doozie Spireas between the garden and cottage garden last spring to replace two Adagio Maiden Grasses. It is seedless, deer resistant, and provides color from spring through fall with beautiful foliage and purple-red flowers!
Festiva Maxima Peony has been a gardener favorite since it was introduced in 1851!
With its gorgeous white-ruffled blooms and enchanting fragrance, Festiva Maxima is a stunning cut flower!
Festiva Maxima is always our first peony to bloom!
Clematis Jackmanii is one of the most popular and easiest clematis vines to grow!
Jackmanii is a showy perennial of violet-purple 5- to 7-inch flowers that typically have four petals, but can have five or six petals.
It is a fast-growing, deciduous climbing vine. There is a saying about clematis’ growth rate: the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap. This is our Jackmanii’s second year!
Peony Karl Rosenfield is a garden classic and is considered one of the best red double peonies!
We planted two Karl Rosenfield peonies in 2019 in a bed next to our driveway! They are prolific bloomers.
This show-stopping peony with its huge cherry-red blooms are stunning in bouquets and have a long vase life!
Stairway to Heaven is my only iris in the garden and it is a special pass along from a blogging friend that passed away last year. I have been admiring all of the irises on Instagram and think I might need to add more to the garden.
What is blooming in your garden or landscape? Thank you for your visit and gracious comments. Wishing you a joy-filled week!
Linking with: Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
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Good Morning Folks! Your gardens are always breathtaking! The peonies are show-stoppers! Your varieties are colorful and put a smile on my face.
I am going to try to add a clematis this year. But I need to find a sunny spot!
I sure hope you are on the mend. Take good care and Happy Tuesday!
Thank you, Nancy for joining me in the garden. Yes, add a clematis! Thank you for the well wishes!
Good morning Pam, Beautiful blooms! Your peonies are ahead of ours which typically bloom the first two weeks in May. Our garden has gotten off to a slower start too this year. We’ve been out of town more than usual so I’m behind planting seeds and tending to other gardening chores. Tell Butch I feel his pain about planting zinnia seeds. I told myself I was going to make some seed tape this winter to make for easier planting but didn’t get around to it. Our roses seem to be behind where they typically are, despite our warm temps. Rest up and enjoy the peonies and tell Butch I love his NC shirt. 😊 🌸💗
Thank you, Mary. I know your peonies will be breathtaking. Butch’s NC shirt is from The Swag. We have a trip planned for the end of May. It is one of our favorite places to visit!
Such a lovely walk through your garden this morning. Peonies-ah-such beauties. I wish I could pass along some iris to you. I have some pretty ones and they spread so great to pass some along. A few years ago, I bought some reblooming ones that bloom in summer and fall. You might like those. Love the name of Stairway to Heaven- great song and pretty iris. A nice reminder of your friend.
Thank you, Ruth. I know your irises must be gorgeous. How nice to have some reblooming ones!
Apple tree is full of blooms. I didn’t think anything would survive the storm we had. This is the first year it’s had so many blooms. Getting to the garden work is almost impossible these days but I sure am loving to see and read about yours. If only I had smell-a-blog at my house. So glad both of you are recovering. ❤️🩹
I know your apple tree is beautiful in bloom. Thank you sweet, Alice! Take care, my friend ❤️
Beautiful flowers! My irises and daylilies are putting on a show. So glad the torrential rain this week did not destroy their buds. RHill, TX
Thank you, Rachel. I just know your irises and daylilies are beautiful!
Beautiful flowers. I so enjoyed the walk in the garden. Hope ou feel better, Pam.
Thank you Lu Ann for the well wishes!
Your garden must smell like the stairway to heaven with those glorious peonies. I can never get the ants off but boy, do I love the fragrance and I’m glad mine bloom outside my window. (Not for another month, though!). Everything looks stunning, Pam!
Thank you, Jeanie! Peonies are truly showstoppers and I do love their fragrance!
Your peonies are gorgeous Pam, I adore peonies! You are so lucky to have a dedicated head gardener! Your garden is such a beautiful labor of love, I hope you’re feeling better and energized soon~
Thanks so much, Jenna! Yes, my head gardener is the very best! He works really hard. Thank you for the well wishes!
Hi Pam,
Peonies are my faves and yours are gorgeous. Thanks for taking us along through your beautiful garden. Have a great rest of the week. Hugs. Kris
I am so glad you enjoyed, Kris!
Hugs, Pam
I am loving all your blooms, Pam! Three of my five peonies, along with my iris, poppies, lilac, and one clematis are blooming, but I am still waiting on my Jackmanii (planted last year). I always thought they were a violet blue, but yours clearly has more red. Sandra’s iris is beautiful. What are your poppies planted in? They appear to be large & deep wooden planters with sides to support?
I’m sorry you’ve both been down with the flu. That’s hard anytime, but especially when you’re ready to be outside otherwise. I have been working all month. Every time I plant something, I have to amend soil due to the crap leftover from when the prior owners renovated in 2016. I have found rocks, wrought iron fencing, siding…not to mention clay soil (we are right along the river so that had to be dirt brought in after construction). It’s frustrating!
I so enjoyed your garden update!
Thank you, Rita. I have been thinking about you working in your garden. The peonies are in the ground, but because wind is a problem here, Butch built wood cages a couple of years ago to go around them. He places them when they start to bud and removes them when they are through blooming. We lost a limelight and several sunshine ligustrums this year. It seems that gardening is always a challenge. Amending soil is hard work and time consuming, but, necessary. A friend that is an amazing gardener told me years ago that your plants will only be as good as your soil. I believe that is true. Butch had to amend the soil from where we lost the plants. Happy gardening!
As you know Pam…we do not have peonies or any bulb plant in Florida and I do miss them. I grew all the peonies you have shown when we lived in Kansas and always had blooms for Memorial (Decoration Day we called it) day to place on the graves of loved ones. If my peony started to bud too soon, I would cut them and place them on the bottom shelf of the fridge to force them to be on hold til I could vase them and take to the cemetery. We always had all colors of Iris…if you haven’t seen an Iris catalog, you should as there are some beautiful combinations to order. sigh…..Hugs and blessings dear friend.
I know you miss peonies and bulbs in Florida. How lovely that you could place those beautiful blooms on the graves of loved ones. I don’t need to look at an iris catalog, I would order way too much (lol)! Hugs and blessings to you dear friend!
Pam, your peonies are just beautiful! What showstoppers!! And you’ve reminded me I have zinnia seeds to sow. A sweet friend at church has given me 6 beautiful Iris pass-a-longs (different varieties). I didn’t have the heart to tell her I’m dealing with a bad case of sciatica and can’t plant them right now. Hoping I can keep them watered and alive in their pots for a few weeks until I can dig some holes. Glad you and Butch are on the mend. Take it easy until you regain your strength, my friend!
Thank you, Roxanne! Can you sow zinnia seeds with your bad case of sciatica, seems like that would hurt. The iris should make it if you keep them watered! Hope your sciatica improves and please take care of yourself, my friend!
Your garden is so beautiful. I love your peonies. Your iris from Sandra is lovely. She is greatly missed.
I am so sorry you and Butch had the flu and you are still not 100%.
Your post is a great diary for reference.
Thanks so much, Bonnie! I have no energy, hopefully that will get better soon!
Pam, we’re so happy that you and Butch are feeling better. It does take time to get your strength back after flu and fever. Your peonies are gorgeous! They could win awards! Your entire garden area is so pretty. I planted seeds after April 23 but I think they may have still have had a few cooler nights. It may be good that you’re just planting some of your seeds. I do see some tiny signs of growth that should be marigolds and zinnias. I just hope that growth isn’t grass and weeds instead of the seeds planted! 😂 We’ll not have peonies again this year but the plants are green, healthy and growing so we’ll keep our hopes up for next year. I did confuse them by transplanting them before they ever bloomed the first time to another area so that probably added more “no blooms” time to the formula. If they ever bloom half as pretty as yours, we’ll be thrilled! Take care of yourselves and don’t overdo it! Clara❤️
Thank you, Clara! I know that peonies can live 75+years. Isn’t that amazing? We are going to have to move our Sarah Bernhardt this September. It might not bloom next year because of the move. Butch planted our zinnias and sunflowers at the end of last week! I am just trying to regain my
strength. There is much garden work to be done and I have to get busy❤️❤️
Pam,
Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words in regards to Joe’s passing…I gratefully appreciate it..
Hugs,
Deb
Debbie-Dabble Blog
Hugs and love to you Deb!
Pam, as always your gardens is lovely. I simply don’t know how you and Butch keep that all up so well. I do hope that you both are feeling much better. Oh girl, it takes me weeks to get my strength back when getting over a sickness. Prayers for total healing. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Thanks so much, Cindy! Hugs and blessings to you, my friend!
Thanks, Pam, for the peony memories! As a child growing up in southern Minnesota the arrival of peonies each spring was such a delight. I have tried growing them in Texas, but they don’t like my yard very much. Yours are extra lovely!
Thanks for sharing your childhood memories, Mary! Peonies are a favorite in my garden.
Pam, the opening photograph of the peony is absolutely gorgeous! I have enjoyed my virtual visit to your garden. You have so many pretty blooms! I’m so sorry you have been so sick with the flu. I hope you get to feeling better soon, my sweet friend. Take care of yourself and take time to rest.
Thanks so much, sweet friend! I am trying my best to rest.
Your garden is already lovely with those beautiful peonies. I miss the wonderful flowers that I grew in New England, many the same as yours, except they didn’t start blooming until June. I hope each day brings your strength back and that you both feel like yourself soon.
Thank you, Karen for your sweet comments and well wishes!
Your flower photos are beautiful! Your growing season is way ahead of Wisconsin’s! My peonies are up but no buds at all yet.
Thank you, Jeanne. The peony season is almost over here. I am sure your peonies will be beautiful!
SO beautiful – I’m inspired to add peonies to my yard. You two do such a great job with your lovely gardens. Thanks for sharing, and hope you feel more zippy soon!
Barbara, it is a lot of work! But it does pay in beautiful blooms. Feeling better, thank you!
Your gardens are truly inspirational. I love everything but that ruffled white peony caught my eye. I’m going to look into that variety and see if I can add it to my garden. Thanks for the garden visit. Stay well. XO- MaryJo
Thank you, Mary Jo. The white one is the most fragrant. It fills the house with its lovely scent!
These peonies are so beautiful; as are all your other flowers too!
How sweet and thank you, Joanne!
Oh my goodness Pam. Those peonies are so beautiful – all of them! I’m taking inspiration from your gardens as I will have to start landscaping all over next year. Peonies do grow here although I’ll have to check on certain species, but we had clematis Jackmanii a couple of houses ago that did very well (through no green thumb of my own). The Iris is stunning! I am so itching to get out in the yard but I fear that really nasty polar vortex with the -38 temps back in January did some damage. I’m so happy for you that your gardens are doing well and that you both are feeling better. Happy gardening my friend!
Thank you, Kim! I hope you can grow peonies, they are a favorite of mine. Hopefully the polar vortex won’t impact your garden. Gardening is tough, but when blooms appear it makes the hard work worthwhile! Happy week, my friend!
Love them all! I will be looking to add a few more clematis vines to my garden this year.
Thanks so much, Cindie! I love your garden!
I’m so late getting here, as usual, but I truly hope you are both feeling back to normal now. I was so sorry to read of your illness. Your flowers are so stunningly beautiful! It was so uplifting to read your post this morning. God bless you both!