Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Garden Springs To Life!



Hello all!! Today I thought I'd take you along on my morning walkabout to see what's blooming in my garden. We've had rain and warm weather so the plants are really coming alive. 

We start with a dwarf bearded Iris "Truly" that is surrounded by Love in a Mist.

The Camellia is really showing off. 
Here's a close up of one of the blooms.

Carolina Jessamine with Columbine in the front corner garden.

Purple Iris. Iris is the state flower of Tennessee. You see purple Iris growing wild along the roads.

Columbine. I just love Columbine and planted several new ones this year.

How beautiful is this!! Another dwarf bearded Iris "Pokemon". It's really putting on a show!

Wallflower. I love how these plants have different color flowers on each stem.

Summit Alyssum really brightens up this corner.

Catchfly.

My new Pearlbush "Snow Day Surprise" is looking great!

One of the eleven pots in Morrow Park...Penta, Sweet Potato Vine and Marigolds. They were just planted one week ago, so they should really start taking off now.

I would like some help identifying this. It looks a lot like Summit Alyssum, but the leaves are different. This came up on it's own, and since it's so pretty, I let it stay!!

Cheddar Pinks and Dianthus.

I made this garden totem using two vases and two plates. I filled it with small gravel and keep it filled with water so the butterflies have a place to drink. I saw my first butterfly of the year yesterday!

Ajuga. This was given to me by a very nice lady I met when she attended the garden tour last year.

The garden gnomes have awakened from their winter slumber and have been helping in the garden. There is another family of gnomes living down the path.

Woodland Phlox.

Finally, this is the house that "my" Bluebirds chose as their home. It's in my favorite Oak tree. They are busy all over the garden catching insects and keeping me company. 

Hope you enjoyed going on my walkabout with me.....I enjoyed having you come along!
Happy Gardening!
Words and Photos Property of Christy's Cottage Wildlife Garden.












37 comments:

  1. Beautiful pictures! What fun to walk around and see all that everyday, not to mention the daily changes. I love, love, LOVE that little Pokeman iris. I am going to have to get it.

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    1. Hi Beth...thanks for your nice comments. I really enjoy my daily walkabouts. However, I'm finding that things are changing so fast, that I'm taking a morning and evening walkabouts. In fact, another dwarf Iris that was just a bud when I took these pictures is now open! Pokemon really is a show stopper isn't it!!! Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  2. Your STBs are fabulous! I was just preparing a post on mine that are blooming for tomorrow! We should swap some colors as I have different ones from you. I love the STBs so much~!

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    1. Hey Tina...thanks so much! We can definitely swap some colors. I just had another one open after I took these pictures that's absolutely wonderful. I will include it in another post. I can't believe how many blooms were on little Pokemon....amazing!

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  3. You have so much going on in middle Tennessee right now -- love the irises and everything springing to life. We are still brown and gray up here in New England. The daffodils are starting and the forsythia is finally opening, but that's about it at ground level. Up in the tree canopy the red maples are blooming hazy red. C'mon spring!!

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    1. Hi Laurrie...Yes, things really took off a couple of weeks ago when the temps started warming up a bit. Amazing what some warm weather and rain will do!! I really hope spring weather reaches you soon...and no more brown and gray! Glad that you are seeing some spring blooms and color. Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. That camellia is just amazing! And I love those purple irises - I can't even imagine seeing such beauties growing wild along the roadsides! I also like the color of 'Pokemon'. Really, some of the names of these things! I love your butterfly waterer. I should do that with my bird bath!

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    1. Hi there! Thank you so much for your wonderful comments! It is amazing to see the Iris blooming along the roadside..and before that you see daffys blooming all over! TN is really a pretty place! "Pokemon" is so pretty and so many blooms...I was so happy. The butterfly waterer is so easy to make and you could do it with your shallow birdbath. I'm not sure if the butterflies will drink from my waterer, but at least I know I tried to give them a drink!! Thank you for stopping by!!

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    1. Thanks so much Stacey! I'm so glad you visited my blog. Hope you're enjoying your spring!

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  6. Oh, I'm so envious of your Camellia! It's a beauty! This must be the perfect time to be in Tennessee. Everything looks so fresh and colorful, and I love your garden totem! I'm wondering if the plant you asked about is Yellow Rocket (Barbarea vulgaris)? I can't quite tell for sure, but here's a link that describes it: http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info.

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    1. Hello! You are right about the Yellow Rocket!! I went out and picked a stem and compared it to the picture and it's a match...THANK YOU so much!!I've had so many compliments on that Camellia. It's about seven years old and I don't do anything to it but each year it gets prettier! I hope some butterflies drink out of the totem. BTW, since yesterday I have seen five hummers, so they are on their way to you (if they're not there already.) Thanks so much for stopping by and for helping me identify that plant!!

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  7. Everything looks so nice and fresh. We are getting lots of rain today and tomorrow...our river is over the banks. I think big changes will be in my yard once this deluge is over. Not quite as far along as yours, but getting there..Thanks for sharing....Balisha

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    1. Hi Balisha. We had a lot of rain too and afterwards everything really took off. I'm sure you are in for some big changes very soon! Thanks for visiting!

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  8. You have such a wonderful climate. Spring treats the south so well. I love Tenn. and always thought I would like living there. You can grow things like Camellia, a favorite of mine.

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    1. Hi Donna...Yes, Tennessee is a wonderful place to live. Thanks for stopping by!

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  9. What an enchantingly beutiful spring garden. And so well organized and kept. I miss my sunny gardens but when we divided our property and built a new house in the woods..... I had to learn about shade and wildflowers a whole different ball game. :)

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    1. Hi tb...thanks so much for your wonderful comments. I only have a little bit of shade along the North wall of the house (where the Camellia is.) I've tried to "make" shade by planting big shrubs, but it's just not the same as having some nice trees. I think the very best thing would be to have 1/3 shade and 2/3 sun...but that's not going to happen at this property and we don't plan on moving. It's a good thing I love the sunshine!! I really appreciate you stopping by!!

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  10. Christy what a wonderful sight as I will be seeing so many fot hese soon. Especially the dwarf bearded iris...I have both those and love them.

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    1. Hi Donna...I think the dwarf bearded Iris are so pretty. Do you have "Cats Eye" or "Frisk me"? One of the "Cats Eye" opened just after I took these pictures and has a lot more buds on it and "Frisk Me" should open tomorrow. I'll take pictures and post both of them. They are really pretty too! I hope you see all of your spring blooms soon! Thanks so much for visiting!

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  11. I love your iris! 'Pokemon' has a wonderfully electric purple beard.

    The camellia is beautiful.

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    1. Hello! The dwarf Iris are just so cute. Pokemon really outdid itself, and I have other dwarf Iris blooming now so I will show those on another post. The Camellia never dissappoints me...it looks better every year even though I don't do anything to it! Thanks so much for dropping by!

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  12. How beautiful!!! Love your blog and every one of your plants. Pokemon and the camellia are my favorite and hope to have some in my garden on of these days.

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    1. Hi Helga...thank you so much! I'm so glad you got to see my post. Thank you for visiting!

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  13. You do have a lot going on in your garden already! I know it's been a weird spring in Tennessee, too. Down here on my corner of Katy, I was out gardening in a tank top & capris yesterday. Today I'm in long sleeves and jeans and gardening may have to wait until this afternoon. 48 degrees is too cold for this Southern gal!

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    1. Hi Cindy...Yes, it seems like there's been odd weather all over. We just had a big storm last night and it will be cooler today, then back to the 60s and 70s starting tomorrow. It's hard to know just what to wear when you're going out! Thanks for visiting.

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  14. Your garden is looking awesome. It's fresh, just like spring. The iris are lovely, especially the Pokemon. Love, love, love your camellias. I've never seen a yellow alyssum, but I sure do like yours.
    Blessings, Beth

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    1. Hi Beth...thank you so much for your nice comments! Things are really coming alive, however tonight we have a frost warning :-( so I hope everything is OK. My dwarf Iris are blooming better than ever this year and it's so nice to finally see them take off! I appreciate you stopping by!

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  15. Sadly spring is stalled here and there are snow flurries in the air. Your garden is really coming alone so nicely. I like the different irises, the pink camillia and the columbine. Some gnomes are tacky, but I just adore the little ones you have. What great expressions they have on their faces and their little house is charming.

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    1. Hi Jennifer...Thanks so much for your wonderful comments. I really like those gnomes too. We made their house out of a log. My hubby carved out the door and window and we even made little metal hinges for the door. Some bad news....I woke to 30 degrees. Many of our annuals didn't make it....all the pots in Morrow Park are kaput and some of the Big Surprise got hit. I'm trying not to get too upset as there's really nothing I can do. Our normal "last frost date" is April 15th, so this was a surprise. I appreciate you visiting!

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  16. Thanks for sharing your beautiful, lush explosion of spring. We're still catching up in Kansas. Envy your beautiful camellias. But my fav is the little blue eyes on Pokemon. Wish I had 'em.

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    1. Hi Patrick...I'm so glad you visited my blog. This was the first year my dwarf Iris really put on a show. I have several different ones, but Pokemon really out did itself with all those blooms! The plants are really taking off so I hope you'll visit again!

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  17. What a gorgeous selection of spring blooms! I especially love those Pokemon Bearded Iris, such a beautiful colour. I'm glad I came across your blog and look forward to seeing more of your garden.

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    1. Hi Paula...I'm glad you came across my blog too!! Pokemon is really special and is still blooming out in the garden despite a late freeze the other night. My garden is really taking off since we've had rain and some warmer weather, so I'm looking forward to you visiting again! Thank you so much for your comments!

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  18. I love all your pretty blooms but that Pokemon Iris really jumps out at me. Love that bright bloom! I suspect the chickadee are nesting in a gourd in a Crepe Myrtle tree but not sure just yet. Not sure where he Bluebirds are located this year as I have yet to spot them coming out of any of the house's we have for them...

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    1. Hi Skeeter....that Pokemon just demands attention! All of my Dwarf Bearded Iris are looking great this year so I'm very happy. I've enjoyed watching so many birds collecting nesting material...we should have some babies soon! Thanks so much for stopping by.

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  19. I always enjoy walkabouts. This was a very pleasant one.

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