I have been noticing a bit of a trend in my borders as things are starting to grow and bloom. Lime green. It seems to wake up the darkest areas of my garden. Similar to how the garden lightens our spirits and brings us hope.
As I was driving down our street this Memorial Day weekend, I paused and sent silent prayers when passing several of my neighbors' homes. Fallen Soldier Flags hanging from front porches to honor their loved ones who lost their lives serving our country.
And wouldn't you know it....most of these homes have spectacular gardens.
A song I have been enjoying that brings me a bit of hope and happiness...
The Head and The Heart...Lost In My Mind
foliage....Jack Frost and Solomon's Seal
I was worried about my Weigela {Fine Wine} shrubs as they were looking a bit tattered from the winter so when they started blooming it was extra sweet!
Climbing hydrangea, Carolyn's Gold hosta, Japanese Forest Grass, Snow on the Mountain, Epimedium Sulphureum {Barrenwort},
any day these peonies should be bursting
Adding some color to our little front porch. Pillows, table and stool were all bought at Home Goods for under 100 bucks. I potted up a fern and brought out my orange chair and lantern to finish it up. It's a nice change.
One of my favorite miniature hostas is Carolyn's Gold. Here with sedum {Lemon Coral}
Joe Pye Weed looking strong after being stepped on by a bean!
Baptisia {false indigo}
experimenting with views
A new plant for me this year...Delphinium {Belladonna} paired with phlox {Red Riding Hood}
Snowball Viburnum
geraniums with Bee Balm
Lilacs are blooming
growing some peas up front in my sunny flower bed
Did I mention that the boxwoods that I planted in my containers by the front door did not make it through our winter...done..fried.......containers are now filled with begonias!
Brookside Geranium and behind my new Anise-Hyssop {Blue Fortune}
some more lime...Creeping Jenny and sedum
Strawberries from my sis and Mexican Petunia with sweet potato vine
Blue Star
So as I move plants....apply compost.....plant seeds....water...weed...split...add more.....I look onto my garden with hope. And when hope is answered with the smallest of victories it is replaced with happiness!
THANK YOU to all who have served our country.
Wishing you all a wonderful week!
Oh my goodness! Your garden is looking fantastic. I love the gate and the fence, the red chairs, all the other furniture. You must be so excited to have spring finally after the crazy winter.
ReplyDeleteYou really have a good collection of plants. Your garden looks wonderful and love the decor you have. Enjoy the spring and summer in your beautiful garden.
ReplyDeleteYou have so many lovely plants in your garden, it must be a joy to spent time in your garden. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteGoodness - your garden is looking really good - I can see that you have worked hard to get good visual effects with your planting and garden accessories. Amazing how much has survived the long winter. Year by year gardens fill out until you wonder how you are going to squeeze another plant in. Have a good week Nicole.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is really looking fantastic, bright, green, fresh & healthy. I'm sure it will be a burst of colour before long, hope you have a super week. Ps I loved seeing the bucket of chalk on your porch floor, just how a garden with kids should be. xx
ReplyDeleteMy heart too goes out to the fallen soldiers and yes we should not forget there sacrifice. You really have a amazing garden and loved seeing all the plants you have in your garden. x
ReplyDeleteAt last, I get my turn to say OMG OMG OMG about how beautiful YOUR garden is looking Nicole!!!!!!!!! It is fabulous, your hostas look wonderful and are so free from any blemishes, I am very envious of those!!! Your weigela is a beautiful colour too, such a lovely deep shade of pink! I like your experimenting with the views photos too, they look really good!!!! So do your new pieces of garden furniture, such lovely places to sit and enjoy the view and contemplate!!!!!!!! All I can say is WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing your beautiful garden with us, I so so so enjoy seeing it - oh and those pots of begonias are fabulous!!! Thank you!! xx
ReplyDeleteOh Nicole your garden looks just so lovely and inviting and I am sure on a sunny summers day the beans just love being out in their own little wonderland! Happy gardening my dear friend, I hope you have such a wonderful week xxx
ReplyDeleteA wonderful post and a beautiful garden.
ReplyDeleteGillx
Your porch must be a nice place to enjoy your garden. So lovely! I love your colorful flowers, especially the geraniums
ReplyDeleteYour yard looks spectacular Nicole and everything looks like it has survived well. I was weeding last night and noticed most of my bee balm and lambs ears have died, leaving huge holes in the garden. You have such a nice variety of greens and blooms and it all looks so inviting. Love your red chairs sitting amongst all the greenery. So pretty. Wish I could sit and have a chat with you.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day!
Cindy
Love the set of red chairs in your garden and those lovely cushions too! Your garden looks so fine!!! Hope you had a great long weekend
ReplyDeleteGorgeous!!! and you reminded me how much I love peonies... :)
ReplyDeleteIt's all looking so lush and beautiful around your garden. I love the different shades of green you've planted, it's all very fresh. The porch looks great! I love the new cushions. Your home is so pretty, Nicole.
ReplyDeleteNicole: What an artist you are. Your garden is an inspiration..so very beautiful in it's variety and so lovingly cared for. I must also say that your fairy homes are Heaven! I don't know how I missed the one you did last year, but I LOVE fairy dwellings and yours are enchanting. (I have fairy friends who visit my yard from time to time :-) ) -Derrith
ReplyDeleteShame about the boxwoods, but the begonia arrangements are beautiful and make a real statement by the door x
ReplyDeleteOh I can't even imagine how much work you must put into creating this beautiful outdoor haven. I hope you'll get to enjoy it more and more as the weather warms up! Hope your new week is off to a lovely start Nicole!
ReplyDeleteRowena @ rolala loves
so amazing. you have to show us pictures of when your peonies are in bloom!
ReplyDeleteOh Nicole, your garden is so green and lush and beautiful!! I just love the pops of colour and all the lime green! Your porch looks like a comfy place to sit and admire your hard work! Enjoy friend, xxx
ReplyDeleteEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! You ALWAYS leave me smiling with this garden, girl...and I see that bucket of sidewalk chalk under that table ( I LOVE sidewalk chalk)! Turned on the video and got lost in my mind while I enjoyed your photos. Happy Tuesday, Nicole - MUCH love...XOXOXO
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking fantastic, Nicola! You really have a great eye for where things should go and how plants will work together. I find your blog very inspiring! You would be proud of me as I tackled those weeds today when we had a break in the rain, I feel much better now things are looking in order! Our Lilac is smelling lovely right now, it's one of my favourites. I am sure we have a snowball viburnum too, or similar, this is the first year it has flowered for us. Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos, Nicole! As always, it was a pleasure to pop by here. :)
ReplyDeleteWow everything is looking so beautiful and lush.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Meredith
Lovely post - so much happiness and hope everywhere xx
ReplyDeleteThis post made me weepy but in a good way. :o) Your garden and home feel so happy. I just bought a lime green coleus today! I like the begonias better. They feel more vibrant and cheerful than a boxwood ever will. LOVE that pergola/gate!
ReplyDeleteHi Nicole,
ReplyDeleteYou have shared a beautiful post and what an amazing garden.
Love that you are going to have peonies blooming soon and you have sweet peas and lilacs and so many gorgeous flowers. thanks for sharing all the beauty.
Hope you are enjoying the week
hugs
Carolyn
I love bright limey green plants, they really make a garden POP. So envious of you having peonies - I expect lots of photos please. Pity we can't convey the scent via our blogs.
ReplyDeletePS: Haven't forgotten your cake recipe, just have to remember to take my cook book out to the computer.
Hi Nicole!! Your new arbor is so pretty - it is a good accent for the garden room. Your garden has a beautiful new spring garden look and I love the all the lime greens. I hope your baptisia does well. On Sunday, I saw these huge, glorious masses of baptisia and took a few photos of it. It is on my wish list now. Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is just so lovely, I need to really get busy with mine-our yard around the house is pretty sad have a good week ahead
ReplyDeleteHey my.friend your garden is looking beautiful if only I could walk round it in person. Hope life is treating you and family very well xxxx
ReplyDeleteDear Nicole,
ReplyDeleteyour green world is wonderful! You show us the shades of green and they are so fantastic. I love them too!
All the best
Elisabeth
The lime green color is finding its way into my yard more and more each year, as well. I've tried to find some of that Japanese Forest Grass at a reasonable price, but it hasn't happened yet. It's crazy how a trend will jack up the prices of such common plants - that I'm sure are more than easy to propagate. I love that little strip where you have yours. Which one is Snow On The Mountain, the leaf with the white edge? I've never even heard of it. I'm not familiar with the Blue Star, either.
ReplyDeleteYour peony is going to be gorgeous. And there's that Brunnera again, another one I'm on the hunt for.
All of your fencing and arbors look so pretty. I love the color of new wood like that as a backdrop.
Your porch pots are gonna be stunning! Those begonias are seriously impressive. Is that just one plant in each!?
Everything is comin' along great! So pretty.
aw, sorry about your boxwoods! I was just saying the other day how impressed I am with ours and how well they respond to neglect :). I think I watered them twice in the week after I put them in the planters and haven't done a thing to them since! It was a rough winter here, too, but a Georgia rough winter is no competition for your rough winter! but everything else is looking amazing!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking good! Sorry about your boxwood, they seem to have been lost in a lot of gardens this winter.
ReplyDeleteLovely green garden with the red chairs in it. I see your Hostas are doing so well, no holes of slugs in the leaves. Your porch and the pots with begonias look magnificent. Then I see the photo on the side of you and the little beans, so pretty. Enjoy your week, and there is always hope, also for our gardens. Wish you and yours all the happiness there is.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Your garden is coming along beautifully! You've done a great job planning and pairing plants that complement each other!! Unfortunately, I tend to be a 'sticker!' Yep, I see a plant I like, bring it home and THEN think, "Now where can I put this?!" I'm going to follow your lead and do a little more planning when dividing these guys! Love the bucket of sidewalk chalk! Reminded me of when I used to decorate around our kids toys. We spent a lot of time outside, too. Have a wonderful weekend!!
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog via another blog I follow. Very nice too.
ReplyDeleteIt must be hard to see those memorial flags hanging at the front of neighbour's homes. It certainly would bring home the high cost of war.
ReplyDeleteEven where trampled, your garden is coming along by leaps and bounds. I admire the gate to the backyard each time you show it and the porch furniture and pillows were a steal! Love, love the sentence: "And when hope is answered with the smallest of victories it is replaced with happiness!"
Everything looks so lush on your gardens. I enjoyed your photos.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! SO much inspiration here! I love the Brookside Geraniums. I don't think I can grow those where I am. I love seeing front gardens with edibles growing. Hmmm...you have inspired me! You ALWAYS inspire me! xoxoxoxoxo Jen
ReplyDelete