Some News And Front Yard Plantings

I'm happy to say that if all goes as planned, my artwork will be featured in the above book by Dianne Zweig. The book is called "Hot Cottage Collectibles For Vintage Style Homes" and it will be out this fall. I'm really thrilled to have been picked to be in this book, it is the first time my work has been featured in a publication and I couldn't be happier about it. Now I just have to learn to sit tight until the book comes out.

Ok, back to the garden, about 3 weeks ago I planted my front yard Geraniums, my favorite summer annuals. I actually bought some varieties I never had before, Cascade Geraniums & Scented Leaf Geraniums. I Miracle Grow the annuals once a weeks so they will get really huge and I will take more photos of them as they grow bigger in the upcoming weeks. I'll also get some nice close ups of the Scented Leaf Geranium in particular...it has the most beautiful leaves.

I bought this little wagon that I have in front of the Azalea bush, a couple of years ago on the internet and I really love it. I've also planted 2 Flower Carpet Roses, my favorite kinds due to their beautiful abundant blooming nature and resistance to disease . I just planted them so they are small for the time being but next year, they will be huge, like the ones I have in my back garden. They have gotten so big, I just had to trim them back so they don't take over.

Remember the gorgeous birdhouse I bought a few months ago from my blogging friend Michelle over at http://www.mosaicqueen.typepad.com/ , well here it is all set up and looking absolutely beautiful I might add, in the front of my house. If you haven't visited Michelle's blog, check it out, she does beautiful work and you can click right through from there, to her website.

The planter boxes were made by my husband years ago from a fence that was demolished by a falling tree. They are filled with the variety of Geraniums, Vinca Vine (I love that vine) and spikes and are again surrounded by 3 Flower Carpet Roses. I plan to also plant a climbing vine on the birdhouse pole this summer as well, I think it will really be the finishing touch.

This is the view from my front porch and shows the side and back of my birdhouse. That is all the news for today...I hope everyone has a great weekend out in some beautiful weather.

Finally, A New Computer

I'm now able to be part of the blogging world again, we've got a new computer and lots of places to store photos so I'm in business. I've really missed blogging!!! Ok photos of my new garden that I took last week. They Hydrangeas are blooming now and my Lilies just started to open as well. Behind the Lilies, you can just start to see my favorite flower peeking through. My Hibiscus are growing very tall and soon, will be as tall as the floor of my back porch. They break dormancy each year very late, in May actually. So while they will be the tallest flower in the bed, it takes them awhile to get there. By the end of July, they will be huge and filled with dinner plate sized flowers.

I've lined the walkway to the back door with Hydrangeas and on the other side of the stairs, I have pots filled with Geraniums and Dahlias. Also, I've got plans for the area under the porch floor, I'm having my husband build a frame for some lattice work back there. That will actually come in handy when the Hibiscus start to bloom, I'll have something readily available to tie them too. I keep telling him to get it done before they grow too much taller or else it will be difficult. I have a feeling it will just have to be a little more difficult because I don't see it getting done so.......that is the way it goes. We still feel like we're running a little ragged around here. Now that the move is over it should be easy but honestly, there are still so many little , annoying things to do that it just never seems to end.

A close up of some of my white Lilies.

Ow, my deep purple Clematis is becoming a real favorite. I love this plant!! I think I bought this one a couple of years ago and it is getting so large and healthy now. I bought a trellis for it to climb on just recently.

I've also run quite a Clematis muke so to speak. I'm so in love with this one that I ran out a couple of weeks ago and bought another one......pale lavendar. Then just last week, I ran out again and bought a white one. Can you see a pattern here??

One of my Flower Carpet Roses. I've got 3 in this back bed, 2 are doing beautifully and the 3rd is still a bit ticked off at me that I dug it up and moved it. However, the 3rd one is shaping up quite nicely and I think, getting over the shock of being moved.

I still have some spaces to fill in back here and one of the things I bought to fill it in are more Coneflowers. These are actually an orange color, although you cannot really see that too well here but they are very pretty. I'll try to get some more photos of some fresh blooms when they appear and you can see the orange color a bit better.

A coneflower that is getting ready to bloom soon.

My very pretty and reliable burgandy Yarrow that will bloom any day now. It's a very prolific and hearty summer bloomer for me.