A Few Irises

Posted on 05/10/2016 by Laurie

I love it when our irises are in bloom … and so do our guests. The garden is such a wonderful conversation starter!

The lovelies above are Thornbird Irises. I chose them for our garden because, despite being a modern iris, I thought that they had a beautiful old-fashioned look to go with our historic home.

The beautiful irises below are ones that I call “Happy Accidents in Peach” because I do not know their true names. They were supposed to be a spotted purple variety, but I adore these, though they are nothing like what I thought I was planting.

As always, wishing you a very lovely day …

Iris in the Breeze

Posted on 05/04/2016 by Laurie

Iris season is a special time in our garden. We have about 150 early-mid season irises blooming right now in shades of deep burgundy, vibrant purple, and pure white lining the front walkway and adding sweet scent to the air. Soon will come the pinks, the mauves and the beiges just around the time that the rose bushes start to bloom and then the spring garden will be in full swing.

Wishing you a most lovely day!

Past iris posts & photos:

Irises in the Morning Light

May Showers, May Flowers

Abbey’s Rose, Pt. II

Posted on 01/29/2016 by Laurie

Back in December, Abbey’s rose was the last one blooming in my garden. I repotted it and brought it inside for the winter, unsure of what to expect. Happily, it just started blooming. A small victory over winter! (Pun intended: this cute bloom is about the size of my thumbnail.)

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A lovely day to you!

New Year, New Growth

Posted on 01/03/2016 by Laurie

A month ago, I wrote about Abbey’s Rose. It was the last rose blooming in my garden and one to which I have a sentimental attachment. Since it is potted, and I have never successfully overwintered a potted rose outdoors, I decided to try to bring it inside this year. It is covered with new growth, a good sign for the new year for this little rose.

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A few of my orchids have also recently sent out new shoots, a good sign that there will be blooms to follow. I look forward to posting more pictures of them once they start to flower.

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I hope that your new year is off to a positive start! Best wishes for 2016!

Abbey’s Rose

Posted on 12/05/2015 by Laurie

Nature can be a crazy, beautiful thing. As amazing as it is, I still have one rose blooming in the garden – in December, a week after an ice storm.

This is a delicate miniature rose that a friend gave to us as a memorial to our Boston Terrier Abbey after “Abbs” passed away in the summer of 2014. I thought that I had lost it last spring when it didn’t come out of dormancy with our other roses; but I dug it up and put it in a pot, hoping that it would come back. Here “she” is, still blooming.

I am thinking that maybe I will bring the pot inside for the winter to see whether I can keep Abbey’s rose alive, since I have never successfully overwintered a potted rose outside. (I purchased roses in pots during winter months and transplanted them outside in the late spring, but have never gone in the other direction.)

In the meantime, on this December day, I am delighted to see Abbey’s rose and to think of our sweet girl.

An Icy Day

Posted on 11/29/2015 by Laurie

With the freezing rain that we have had over the last 24 hours, it is a good day to stay inside, have a warm drink and read a book … or go outside and take pictures in the garden for a wee bit first if you are someone like me! These are quite a contrast from the photos that I took just 12 days ago. It is so dreary out today that I had to use a flash to get a few of the shots, something that I almost never do outside.

Wishing you a warm and lovely day … and safe travels to anyone out on the road in this area today!

Late Autumn Garden

Posted on 11/17/2015 by Laurie

So far this year, it has been a very mild autumn here in Manhattan, Kansas, allowing for an extended period of color in the garden. The weather, the last few days, has been grey and damp, with rain on and off. So the colors are really showing up in bright contrast to the skies. Here are a few pictures that I took this morning. I hope that you enjoy them!

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Wishing you a beautiful day!

Asiatic Lily ‘Kiss Me Kate’

Posted on 06/10/2015 by Laurie

I love this time of year when our lilies are in bloom!

Have a great day!

Shade Garden Glimpse

Posted on 05/21/2015 by Laurie

Our shade garden has been loving the cool spring weather!

Have a great afternoon!

May Showers, May Flowers!

Posted on 05/09/2015 by Laurie

Both despite, and because of, all of the rain that we have had lately, the garden is looking quite lush. I couldn’t help but go out in the drizzle this afternoon to take some pictures. The garden should be gorgeous for Mother’s Day.

… And to my mother, who taught me to garden, “I hope that you have a great day out amongst the flowers, Mom! Love ya.”