~In The Garden~

Greetings and Holykisses!

Today my new "Parrot Tulips" bloomed!
A dear friend sent these bulbs to me and I've been so anxious to meet them face to face!
Thankyou again Tracy! I love them!
They're wonderful ...just like you!
The last two days it's been 80 degrees here and I've been taking full advantage of it.
Planning, planting, tilling, hauling manure, and pruning.

Two Ranunculus plants jumped in my buggy at walmart yesterday.
This one's name is "Kelley." (smile)
I tried to buy more spray paint to touch up this old washtub but they were out of my shade.
Oh well; .... I kinda like the whole rusty, chippy look.
There used to be a rock where this manure is.
Yesterday I was mowing on the rider and for the umpteenth time I accidentally hit the big rock.
The mower blade made a horrible racket and I saw Myguy stick his head out the shop door in my direction. "oooooooops!" We've been married 28 years- and I'm guessing he was thinking: "She did it again." --I felt so bad! I tried to miss it... I really did! Turning off the mower; I went to the potting shed and found a shovel. I dug and dug and dug and dug some more. With sweat runnin down my neck I looked up and here comes Myguy. "WHAT are you doing? he asked -(grinning)" "I am never hitting that rock again," I said. He was on his phone but was still grinning ear to ear. Once I got the rock uncovered, .... it was too big to lift it out. So then I got a prybar, the 4 wheeler, and a chain. .....Once again here comes Myguy. I guess he realized my absolute determination. That rock was coming up out of that hole one way or another. I wonder if he was afraid I'd tear something else up, if he didn't help me. (lol) - I couldn't lift it off the ground on my own. But he lifted it all the way into the back of the truck! (whooHoOo Myguy!) He is so my hero. lol It felt great getting it out of there! --haha I bet Hubster will be happy that he won't have to change the blades on the lawn mower near as often this summer with it gone! And today, I hauled a load of manure to my garden. A few shovel fulls of it worked great to fill the crater left in the yard. Such a simple thing, .... that should have been done YEARS ago!
Some of you have asked about Oliver. Look closely and you can see him in the yard.
I called the Pound today and the man who answered the phone basically said, "There was no room at the Inn."
Back in the garden, I moved this old gate to another area today. I had a Clematis planted too closely to it and it covered up too much of the gate. So I put picket fence up for the Clematis instead, and moved the vintage gate over here. I'm thinking zinnias on both sides of it! (I should have just enough seed from last years plants.)

Can you see the hollyhocks on the left side of the gate? They came from my friend Deena of the Singing Woods. They should bloom this year!
The Peonies in the "flower bed" are growing at different rates. I don't know why?
The tall one on the right already has buds!
Still have Bigdaddy's boots to plant. He gave me another pair besides these! The toads are gonna be so happy. If I make it to the nursery tomorrow, I hope to find a few packs of the old fashioned petunias. I like them the best because they sprawl out like wave petunias but they seem to reseed themselves.
I have another coco basket ready to line this chair but I haven't decided what to plant in it.
It didn't get as lush as I wanted it to last year. I think this time around, I need to plant more in it? I've been on the lookout for another chair to put succulents in. Hens, chicks and sedum.
Finally deadheaded the hydrangeas and I saved a few to put in the "nesting" basket for the birds. There's bits of string, pieces of haytwine, and sheep wool.

The 7 day forecast looks good but it seems like we always end up getting a late freeze or frost.
I've only planted potatoes and onions in the garden so far. But they'll be okay no matter what it does. I think I'll at least plant the peas tomorrow. They like cooler weather and if it does freeze again,.... we'll only be out a couple packs of peas. But everything else will have to wait until into April. -Except for flowers that go in pots. At least they can be brought inside if it gets cold again.

This evening, our Trent helped me get the pump going in the "flower pot" fountain.
The sound of the water running is so soothing. We saved the roots in the Fall from the water plants that had been growing in it, but I don't know if they're still alive. May as well put them in the water, and give it a try though!

My to do/grow list is longer than ever.
I call it Garden daydreamin! It seems to get longer with every garden magazine I consume.

The Snow Queen Hydrangea I ordered should be here any day now.
Tomorrow, I hope to figure out where to plant her, and get the hole dug and ready.

Years ago, a lady from church and I used to go visit an older woman who was housebound.
We would sit on her porch with her and I'll never forget her "rose garden."
She'd collected so many *roses!* She had one area of her yard dug up and had them all planted fairly close together with a weed barrier down. That was it.... nothing even on top of it. But they were thriving and I've always wanted to do something like that. Sitting on Miss Maggie's porch was "an experience I'll never forget." The heavenly scent of roses just filled the air.

I wonder how many years it took her to gather that many roses?
I think it'd be neat to plant a rose garden and name each bush in memory or in honor of the people I love. I have about 8 rosebushes now, and they all require a fungicide spray, but I've heard shrub roses are easier. Do any of you have experience with shrub roses? I could use some advice..... --I'm feeling up to the challenge!



I leave you with one of my favorite verses from the book of Isaiah.
"And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."
Isaiah 58: 11

Until we meet again!
Holykisses xoxo
L