Garden News

Front:  Saturday we trimmed back all the spirea, the big arborvitae in front of the windows, and the barberry.   Things look neat and tidy.  Blooming:  day lilies, campanulas and daisies.

South:  We noted that the cat mint by the lilacs is doing poorly.  We will now replace it with a rock.
Blooming:   catmint, algarve lily

Back:  It's really beautiful.  Blooming:  coreopsis, gailardia, day lily, hardy geranium, veronica, the new anna bella hydrangea, potentilla, hope for humanity rose, polish spirit clematis.

I need to take pictures of the geraniums and veronicas since they have been there two years now and look like they are going to thrive.  The hydrangea is blooming incredibly well and we weren't expecting that this year.

Garden Flowers

I had two choices of wonderful flowers for the header--the Marie Louise Clematis pictured here or the Hope for Humanity Rose.   I decided upon the roses.

Garden News

Front Yard--The wiegela is still in bloom along with the spirea.

Back yard--The two clematis are beautiful in bloom--the polish spirit and the marie louise.   The potentilla is in bloom as well as a new gailardia that we purchased.   The coreopis is starting to bloom along with the day lilies.   All four rose bushes seem to be doing well and are blooming.   The Julia Child is the best but the others seem like they will do well too.

The Rozanne geranium is huge and covered with blue blooms.   The dianthus is still blooming in the perennial garden. 

It's time to prune of the iris stems and the small geranium.  

Tulip Tree

This year we had a surprise.  We didn't think the tulip tree would bloom until 30 years from now, but this year there are flowers on it.   It's not that spectacular, but nice.  I imagine it years to come it will be better.  This is the Indiana State Tree and these flowers are part of the Indianapolis Temple decor.

Peonies

The peonies in  back are in bloom.  They are behind the gated arbor and don't add to the back yard color, so Wayne's job is to cut them and bring them into the house.  The white ones we brought from Saline, the pink I got from a ward member who has dozens of them and the red one we bought. 

I have always loved peonies.  My mother grew them and my Aunt Alice had wonderful peonies in her yard.   If they are cut before they open, they will open and last a long time.

Garden Report

Front--Just the weigela still.

South--catmint

Back--we cut down the chives.  The shrubs are starting to fade.   Laminum is still blooming--I love that ground cover.   The gaillardia is blooming.  I do hope it survives the winter where it is.  There are a few little blooms on the cheddar pinks--I need to replace that.  The day lilies are starting to bloom.

Our Backyard in Blossom

Ninebark in full blossom.

Summer Snowflake Viburnum is in full bloom.

Dark Purple Iris

Bridal Spirea in full bloom.  This is the best it has ever been.

Garden Report

We are back after being away for a week.  The garden has evolved.

Front--every thing has faded except the wiegela that is now in bloom.

South side--nothing in bloom here

Back--wow, what a show.   The bridal spirea are spectacular. It seems they were benefited by the horrid winter that killed a lot of other stuff.  They have thrived since that winter. The ninebark are in bloom along the back.   In the perennial garden there are poppies in bloom, lavender iris and the cute little biokova geranium.

The water fall looks fantastic too--in the back the summer snowflake viburnum is incredible, the chives are in bloom as are the lavender and the dark purple iris.   And the potentilla is really blooming too.

The grass was in bad shape--needs to be cut and trimmed and we need to get the water on it.

I am also trying some new things for pest control.   I killed the new guinea impatien last year with bug spray so I am trying some Mrs. Meyer soap and water.  If it doesn't kill it I am hoping it will keep the bugs off.

The other is a Bayer 3 in 1 stuff for roses that you put in the water and dump on the roots--supposed to be a fertilizer, bug repellent, and disease control.   See if it works.