Summer in the Hills

It has certainly been ages since my last posting.
Trying to get over some deaths and all that goes with since my last posting and it all takes a while. After getting Mom's home all cleaned out and her mobile home moved my daughter and I had so much painting and renovating. We left off last Fall painting and I was back to painting here this Spring to get my own place done from letting things go while Mom was so bad.
My daughter and I did take off in August and made a two week trip out west to Yellowstone, the Bad Lands and the Rocky Mountain area. We had a blast and wished we had had more time out there.

We had a very wet Spring and now Summer is blasting in with, Hot, Hot weather, but I am not going to complain about it. Winter was just too long this year.

Some of the garden loved all the rain and the plants were really lush, but the veggies not so much now.

I want to say Hi to all my Blog Buddies and hope you all are having a wonderful season in your gardens.

Where to start?

Well in April Mother Nature decided to postpone
Spring to the last day. What does not belong here? LOL!

But on the last day Spring did arrive.

The Bluebells and Alliums were very pretty.

The Spring flowering shrubs were also blooming in a rush of foliage and blooms.

The new flowering Quince was loaded and I love the red blooms.

The "Spring Symphony" Foam Flower is always a favorite of mine in the Spring.

A new ground cover Veronica "Georgia Blue" I managed to get planted last year was just gorgeous.

Candytufft and Bleeding Hearts always make me so happy and I welcome their blooms every Spring.

I had moved all of my Irises out of the Woodland bed because it was just to shady and they were not liking it there and preforming badly. Moving them then upset them and they did not bloom.
These two I had not moved but were in other flower beds and did give me some pretty blooms.

 The Peony's were lovely.

Of course I still love my miniatures and they have spread out into so many spots anymore. I found out I could just not be satisfied with the Fairy's and went on to add the Gnomes.

This was a new addition. When you cut up an old tree that has fallen,well then you have to make good use of it. :) 

And I added some whimsy this Spring by painting my old tin flower.

 The garden bench was not standing out
 behind the whimsical garden gate in all of the foliage of the Rhododendrons so I painted it a bright lilac.
Now it just screams  "can you see me now".
Is it too much? LOL!

And lastly, yes I am still planting in baskets.

I hope your gardens are bountiful this summer and
Happy Gardening.

Lona

Christmas Blessing

I see that some of you have almost stopped blogging.

 I understand with so much going on these days and so

 many other avenues to stay in touch that is around now.

I lost my Mom in October after years of this awful slow progressing
disease called "Alzheimer ".
Really we had lost her some years ago because she no longer knew
who we were. We had taken her to Tennessee to visit some relatives. She had
a couple of good days while we were there that she recognized a couple of them.
Which was a blessing for all of us and her.

Mom had taken care of her parents in their home when they were

passing so I wanted to do the same for her. She died her at my home

 on Sunday the 16th of October with her grandchildren and me at her side.

Little did we know that our dear friend Billy, here with her in the picture,

would pass away just one week on Sunday after Mom.

I was so very glad that we took her to Tennessee and it was almost

fate that we were suppose to go because of their loss from our family.

But I have  peace in my heart that they had a nice reunion together

and a good hug and laugh. I am sure Dad and her parents and family was

there also to greet her .

After we got back home she just started going down hill fast. I am so

thankful for our local Hospice that helped us to take care of her here

 at the house. It was not easy, but now I have peace in my heart that we

 did all we could do to make her journey easier. And now I feel like a

great load has been taken from my shoulders and I can breathe again.

The worry is all gone but the heart will ache for years to come.

The children and I had our Christmas dinner here on this Christmas day

And there was that void and I know we were all thinking about Mom not

being here with us but kept it to ourselves.

From the garden of my heart I wish all of you who have known me through

 out the years a
"Very Wonderful Christmas season and a Blessed New Year ahead.

Love to you all,
Lona
And Oh yeah, Happy Gardening.

Time Goes ...

Where has the time gone? I cannot believe it has been so long since
 my last posting. Life happens though and sometimes you have
other things on your mind and to take care of.
I hope you all have been well and your flowers have been beautiful
thus far this summer.

The garden season started out a wet one but the flowers loved it....
 well most of them did.
I will display a few pictures of the garden to try to catch up.
This was our year for the 17 year Cicadas to come out and for 5 weeks it
was hard taking a picture that did not have the ugly things in it. I am glad
they only come out every 17 years because the noise they make
 gets to you after a while. LOL!
On the good side as far as pests go the Japanese beetles were few and
arrived after the first flush of blooms.

Spring blooms were so welcome this year. My daughter gave me
 this Red Cardinal Columbine for my Birthday and I love it.

This Columbine was grown from seeds that Tatyana @ "My Secret Garden"
sent to me last fall.
I just love them! Thank you Tatyana.

Of course I had the usual mix up in plants and bulbs this year. Happens to
 me just too often. The pretty Tulips that I pictured
in my last posting in the fall turned out to be...

just plain old red and yellow and not the lovely fringed Tulips I ordered.
Talk about being disappointed. 

Anyone else bought bulbs from  Blooming Bulbs"?

"Coral Charm" Peony was beautiful.

The Rhododendron's were beautiful. They are always a joy to see
 blooming in the garden each Spring.

As were the Clematis vines.

Some of the Rose did well this Summer and some not so much.
I am seriously thinking of just getting out of the rose  gardening and
keeping just the ones that are hardy and survive our winters.
Now that I am growing old I am trying to make the garden more
 maintenance  free. With having a bum back and Fibromyalgia my body
 does not want to move some days. Roses can be costly to replace also.

I did not plant as many containers this year and in some of the big pots
that I want to keep I am adding perennials cutting down on expense and
watering.

To this big container I planted a  "Red Threads" anternanthera.
I love the dark burgundy leaves on it. Sun Impatiens, Angelonia, pink Fan
 Flower and a deep burgundy Coleus was added to the container.
 I need to take a more resent picture showing how it has filled in.

The yellow Foxglove was pretty this Spring and is just
now stopping to bloom. It brightens up the shade garden.

Other flowers have really leaped in growth this summer.

I hated this "Pow Wow Wild Berry" echinacea when I first planted it 2 years ago.
 This summer it has just grown huge and I now love it and
am glad it was not moved to the bad flowers of the woodland bed. LOL!

Some other old favorites that out did its self was this "Burgundy Wine" Bee
Balm. I can divide it this Fall and plant some in the woodland bed.

The Yarrow's are really spreading out and can be divided this Fall also.

"Lilac Fantasy" veronica looks lovely with the orange Papaya
coneflowers.

Summer is going by so fast and the daylight hours are now getting shorter.
I hope your Summer has been a great one and that your flowers are growing
and bringing you joy.

Happy Gardening,

Lona

Getting Ready for Winter

Hello again.

If you are from the north  I  know you all have been getting ready for winter.
I hate to see it come but there is no stopping it unless I move way down
 south. Maybe become one of those Florida " Winter  Birds. :)

The wild flowers are finished now and I have been trying to get out and

clean up some more of the flower beds for the freezes.

I have been raking leaves like the rest of you, but leaving a few to keep
 the heaving of soil in some of the beds.
Also trimming down some of the dead flowers  in beds.

In the woodland bed the flowers will stay for the birds to enjoy.

A few berries are around for them to eat this winter.

The Coleus got frozen and wilted with the cold frost and freeze we had
a couple of weeks ago. Then it warmed back up for some beautiful 
autumn days. It has my flowers all mixed up. The Brunnera is growing
 just like it is spring again and some of spring bulbs  are trying
to peek out of the mulch.

With cold weather coming this weekend I tried to get more of the raking
 done this morning for one last time.

Along with getting those tulip bulbs planted that I have been putting off.

I cannot complain because we have had lovely fall weather compared to
 last year on this date we had almost two inches of snow on the ground.

Pinocchio Greigii

These are some of the tulips I planted. I know they will be so welcome after

 winter when we all are longing for color and blooms.

Fringed Lingerie

I planted these two together and I am hoping they will
complement each other and not clash. The pictures always
look so beautiful but may not be true when they bloom.

Cool Crystal

I saw pictures on the news this evening that
snow is falling upon some of you.

With all of the sorrow that is touching the world now
 it seems selfish to ask for your prayers but I lost my dearest
friend Charlotte last week. I know she is alright and home
where she belongs with her husband and Jesus but
Oh, I am and will miss her so.


I also want to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving.
 And if you are traveling I pray for your safe journeys.

Get those bulbs planted everyone!!

Happy Gardening,
Lona

Fall in the Hills

Hello Gardeners!
Summer has flown by so very fast this year. I am never ready
 for the summers to end.
Fall Colors are at their peck right now. 

With some rain falling today the leaves are falling fast.

My yard is covered by a sea of red and orange leaves in the woodland bed.

While behind the house the trees were glowing in yellows.

Grasses are browning and the breezes are causing them to

 look as if they are dancing.

There seems to be a lot of berries for the birds. The birds have been

gathering now in mass for a couple of weeks heading to warmer states.

  Mister Scarecrow is standing watch in the front of the garage.

And fall flowers are almost done blooming for another season.

The last roses of summer have almost dropped all their

petals in the Rose Garden.

The new "Butter Rum" Heuchera fits right in for fall in the garden.

This week my daughter and I attended the Pumpkin Show.

It is the biggest free show and boasts about the biggest pumpkins.
It is a very serious thing this growing of giant pumpkins in Circleville
Ohio.

The Pumpkin tree is always in the middle of  main street and is surrounded
 with pumpkins of all sizes from the  wee ones to the giant. And in colors yellows,
white, green and orange.

Everything here is pumpkin. From soup, candy, pies, cookies, ice cream,
hamburgers. You name it and it is pumpkin flavored.

In the Arts and Crafts Building there is also pumpkin quits to be
judged and found.

I hope you all are doing well and have enjoyed your summer gardens.
 Now is the time to take in the flowers to over winter in the basement.
The putting away all the garden decorations for another year.
Planting for next springs color show that we will be so ready for
after a long winter.
 And the never ending raking and mulching of fallen leaves. 

Happy Fall to you all and
Happy Gardening.

Lona