Wednesday, June 26, 2013

In the Garden

Things are changing again in the garden.  Most of my spring blooms have faded now ... just a new foxglove hanging on with the flowers growing paler and thinner each day.
 
We've had a lot of rain lately ... heavy rain ... and the ground is waterlogged and there's mold looming here and there.  I have some potted begonias that are covered in some sort of mold and not looking well at all.  My son's climbing rose is now blooming, but the first blossoms have been a bit beat up from all the rain.

 

The rotten rabbit had a feast on this rose in the early spring, so I'm glad that it at least survived that.  It's now surrounded by the ever-so attractive chicken wire to keep the rabbit away.  We have yet to build a trellis for this rose, but perhaps it will get done this summer.

 
On the weekend I did some trimming with my heavy duty hedge trimmers.  First were my backyard neighbour's cedars growing up and over our back fence.  The neighbour is a slob and I think they actually rent the house.  They have a pool surrounded by these overgrown cedar hedges.  When we first moved into our house 18 years ago, there was a middle-aged couple living there and they took immaculate care of the house and gardens.  Now after several different people, the slobs moved in and they swim in their green pool, have their radio on non-stop all day long, and on a windy day I like to watch their roof shingles flip up and off their roof!  Anyway ... the hedge is a mess with their garbage trapped under it, and I'm glad that it's all hidden behind our shed :) 
 
After the cedars, I trimmed this bush beside my patio.  I can't remember the name of it, but I know there's a "d" and a "z" in the name, and it has pretty white flowers that just finished blooming.  Usually this bush is completely covered in white blooms, but I think it was growing too large and not many bloomed this year.  So I cut it back ... way back!  It was almost up to the height of the arbour, and this is what it looks like now (the bare branches to the right of the arbour)  ...


Excuse the long grass as the rain is making it grow rapidly and we've not had time to cut it yet this week!  With "d" bush trimmed back, the clematis on the arbour are better exposed.  The bush also leaves space in my patio garden (I'll show my patio another day, but it's right behind the bush).


My son finally got his pond cleaned up and filled with water.  It's so nice to hear the gurgling of the little waterfall in this pond.   He'll put his two fish back in here tomorrow I think.   The area at the top of the pond (above the waterfall) is a small walled garden around my patio.  It always looks crummy in this garden as I try different things.  My son planted one small pot of ornamental grass there last year, and it actually looks pretty good.  I think I may get some more and just plant it all around the top of the pond.  He chose a grass that look like reeds, so they suit the pond. 


My garden in front of the shed is coming along nicely.  I love this little garden as the plants I put in there all seem to do well.  It's shaded by the pine tree most of the day, but around 2:00 it gets full hot sun.


I have a bright pink columbine that loves this spot right beside the door (finished now).  Last year I bought the pink spire flowers (but can't remember their name and I've lost the card for them).  And beside that I have some garden flocks that will be blooming in a couple of weeks I think.  The clematis on the side of the shed is slowly getting more and more shade each year, so the blooms on it don't come out till later.  It still hasn't bloomed, but is covered in buds.

Here are the pink spires.  When the sun hits them, their ends all hang down, so I try to remember to give them some water in the afternoon.


I'm such a procrastinator that this little window box hasn't been filled with flowers for THREE years!!  The plastic liner that we had was all broken up, so this year I finally got a new liner and some annuals plopped in there, and they're filling in nicely.


I planted some morning glories all along the fence here ... look how tall they are!  I probably should've had them planted weeks before, but I hope they start to climb up the chicken wire soon.  I love morning glories ... these are "heavenly blue" and look fantastic in late summer.  My mom had morning glories growing up strings in front of her kitchen window so she could look out at them while doing the dishes.  I hope the rabbit keeps away from them ... I painted them with "Skoot" to deter him.

 
Mom's clematis that I dug out of her garden at the last moment.  I'm glad I did because it's climbed right up the fence now and look at the rewarding buds this year!  The people that bought my parents' house completely renovated it and tore up all the gardens that were there.  I'm so glad that I took almost all of Mom's plants before we sold it because the new people obviously didn't care about any of it.
 

The Shasta daisies are unfurling their pretty white petals ...


The butterfly bush has lots of teeny tiny buds about to appear.  I love the scent of the butterfly bush blooms ... so I'm looking forward to another good year of this beauty.


The lilies are blooming too!


And last weekend the pool has been put up.  Nothing fancy there, but it is so nice to hop in on a hot muggy day and just float around and look up at that blue sky and huge pine tree and relax!  It's already warmed up to 23'C!  Today the outdoor temperature was 31"C, so we're all hoping the pool warms up just a bit more and then we're in there!
 
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
Wendy

Linking up with Fishtail Cottage Garden Party

newparty
 
 
 

41 comments:

  1. We could do with some rain,it's so hot here during the day...I'm not complaining but the veggy patch might like some overnight rain.
    Your garden looks like an oasis...it must take a lot of work.
    Jane x

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    1. I hope we have a clear long weekend! With all the humidity the thunderstorms have been building up each day (except yesterday). My garden IS turning into a lot of work, but I've been enjoying it more the past few years.

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  2. OMG!!! Is your garden shed the cutest, prettiest thing that I have seen in a long time!!! Wendy...it looks like it should be on BHG!!! I could only wish for mine to be that sweet!! Great work friend and boo to the slobs...your garden is outstanding!! Beautiful things happening here friend!!!

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    1. Thanks Nicole, my husband built the shed and it's his design. It's nice and roomy inside ... and the rabbit thinks it's nicey and roomy underneath!

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  3. So many wonderful things in your yard. I like your shed, your waterfall/pond, the clematis is beautiful, etc., etc. Thanks for the tour. :-)

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    1. Thanks, I'm glad you stopped in and enjoyed the tour :)

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  4. What a lovely garden, Wendy! I love that little shed ...

    Hope the pool warms up for you soon

    Love Claire xx

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    1. Thanks Claire, a few more days of these high temps, and the pool will be ready in no time! Have a great weekend :)

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  5. Oh I have garden envy! Wish you could just pop over here and work your magical green fingers in my garden too :-)
    Have a happy weekend,
    xx

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    1. I wish I could just pop over to England too! Have a great weekend!

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  6. Thanks for sharing - I love your pictures. BTW, the pink spire plant is a speedwell (veronica), but I'm not sure of the variety. The plant next to it is tall garden phlox. Happy gardening!

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    1. Thanks Joanna! I knew the garden phlox plant, but speedwell ... couldn't remember it! Thanks for visiting! :)

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  7. Your garden is so beautiful and well attended, great photos :) I love the garden by the shed, the clematis will look gorgeous when in bloom. The pond is lovely too.

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    1. Thanks Hilde, I've spent more time on the gardens this year than most ... probably because I feel so obligated to keep all these new plants from my mom alive and well. It might also be blogging that has me inspired to keep it looking good ;)

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  8. Enjoy the pool! Your flowers are looking really nice. Sorry about the naughty rabbit, though! The fish pond looks terrific, what a nice thing to have in the yard. I'm glad your son is so willing to help with the gardening.

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    1. That pool is a real saver on a hot day! I really like the pond too, as it attracts the birds and makes things seem cooler with the sound of the waterfall. My son has bursts of interest ... once the pond was filled he disappeared again!

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  9. Hello Wendy
    Sometimes the shrubs need to be hacked way back to rejuvenate them. We just did a golden ninebark and the mock orange is next, now that it's finished flowering. All this rain and everything is growing like crazy!
    You've created some pretty pocket gardens and the pond and pool both look inviting. (only the pool for swimming!)
    On hot days, we sometimes look at our huge pond and wonder why we didn't put a pool in. :-)
    Judith

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    1. Thanks Judith, I often feel like just dipping my feet in the little pond (and probably would if it weren't for the thought of wiggly worms). Things ARE getting like a jungle everywhere with this rain aren't they. I've never regretted the pool, we put ours up for the kids, but I think I dip in there more than they do now. These pools are really great, they don't take up much space, are relatively inexpensive and we pack it all away in the winter. Have a nice long weekend :)

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  10. Your garden shed is seriously adorable!

    I really enjoy summer rains and overcast days. If I have something to do in the garden, it is nice to take a break from the heat and get some chores done!

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    1. Thanks Stacy, I'll have to tell my husband how much his shed is admired ;) It's just been a little bit too much rain lately ... even today is again overcast and I wonder if it's going to rain again. Rainy days in the summer just bring me down ... I'm always desperate to get outside in the summer!

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  11. What a beautiful garden, gorgeous blooms and so well kept ... you have been blessed with green fingers ... Bee xx

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  12. I love your garden! It's awful when you have bad neighbours, we are blessed with wonderful ones but we did have some awful experiences in our old house, the stress! :) x

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    1. When we first moved here the entire street was full of retired people, now we're slowly getting a turn-over. The people behind us aren't all that terrible, I just don't want to hear their music every time I step outdoors on a nice day :)

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  13. That pool is looking good right now. I love all of your pretty flowers!

    Oh, and I can't stand neighbours that play the radio all day. Does it occur to them you might not like their music selection?

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    1. I'm wondering if we're going to get into that pool at all this weekend with the clouds piling up today! The radio (I think) is turned on by the teenagers living there. Other neighbours have called the police on them, but I'm sort of loathe to do that in case of retaliation (and I used to play my music loud on my transistor radio when I was young HA HA!!)

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  14. Gosh and we've had so much rain there's flooding all around! Feast or famine I guess.

    Lovely flowers!

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    1. Oh dear, flooding is no good. I hope it's not "Calgary" sized flooding.

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    2. I'm 4 hours from Calgary, they got the worst of the storm but we had a good go of it here too!! Thanks for visiting me & following, too.

      Happy Canada Day!

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  15. Hi Wendy, so many pretty flowers growing in your lovely graden!, I love the window box and the pond :) Hope it is going to be sunny long weekend, and have HAPPY CANADA DAY ! - Gaia

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    1. Thanks Gaia ... I hope it turns sunny too! Today's rain was just too much. Hope you have a Happy Canada Day too ;)

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  16. Hi Wendy, I really enjoyed your post and all the lovely photos. your son's pond looks good, and I always love the blooms

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Kathy :) I'd like to add a few plants around the pond this weekend ... hopefully the rain will stop long enough to do that! Enjoy your weekend :)

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  17. I enjoyed your lovely garden tour Wendy! Thanks for sharing everything with us :-) I especially liked the geraniums in the window box..one of my favourite plants!

    Sarah xo

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it Sarah! I like geraniums too, and these pink ones almost glow they're so bright :)

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  18. really nice photos :)
    and do not miss

    SATURDAY SHOW OFF

    it is FUN :)
    WELCOME
    Håkan ( The Roseman)

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  19. Thank you for the walk around your garden, it's been lovely! x

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  20. Your garden has many nice little features like the pond. I didn't plant any morning glories and now wish that I had. I wonder if it is too late...hmm. Have a great weekend and enjoy that pool. It is supposed to be pretty hot on Sunday!

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  21. I love that shed of yours and the way you have the flowers arranged outside of it. Actually, there isn't anything I have seen of your garden that I haven't fallen in love with!

    Sorry to hear about your neighbors! My hubs and I rent our home, a converted barn on an old farm. Honestly, I have never understood people that refuse to care for a garden just because they rent! After all while you are living there it is your home!!! At our place there was nothing much left of the old gardens except the outlines so slowly I have been adding plants to the space. We just put in 9 rose bushes and I hope to build my arbor for a climbing rose, New Dawn this fall - she is very unhappy with where I planted her - she is just sitting there refusing to grow so she'll get a new home this fall! I'm also going to put in 4 or 5 peonies as well as some more hydrangeas - I've already put in 3. I mean seriously, if we move I can dig up most of what I've planted and just take them with me so... ?!!! People... that's why I enjoy living in the woods! LOL!
    Hugs and enjoy the weekend my dear friend,
    Beth P

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Thanks so much for leaving a comment, it's nice to know when you've stopped by! :)

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