Thursday, May 30, 2013

Celebrating with flowers!

 I have a whole garage full of painting projects going at the moment. But it's my three-year blog anniversary and I'd like to celebrate with flowers. So here is what's blooming in my garden!


I've been crushing on potting benches for the longest time and now I finally have one of my very own! Karla's husband came home with two old work benches from a barn. She put one in her garden and I  was lucky enough to get the other one.


 It was a little rough around the edges, but nothing a little paint wouldn't fix.


I had a can of chartreuse green oops paint on hand - the perfect pop of brightness I was looking for, but also a perfect color to blend seamlessly into the garden.



One of the things I love about my yard is the combination of sun and shade. I get to grow a wide variety of plants. This little corner of our yard is the shade garden.


I picked up the wheelbarrow at a yard sale. It is so heavy, I can hardly push it. But I think it looks pretty cool propped against the tree.

And it says Elizabethtown on it. That's a town not far from where I grew up, plus you might have guessed that I'm kind of fond of the name Elizabeth!


The azaleas sign came from a barn sale!


This variety of azalea is called Mother's Day and sure enough, it knows exactly when to bloom.


A shade garden is the perfect spot for ferns.


Oregon Grape Holly with VERY sharp pointy leaves.


And all kinds of hosta.




Coral Bells and Brunnera


Columbine -  I definitely need a few more varieties!


And this is the old iron arch that we took to the winery for Megan's wedding. (That required men and a truck!) One day it will have a happy home in her yard and be a sweet reminder of a very special day!


I see every nook and cranny as an opportunity to plant something!




I was so excited to see this little guy growing through the rocks! No, I didn't actually plant this one. He's a volunteer!


And even the moss growing on the rocks makes me happy!



Summer Snowflake Viburnum


Baptisia


I have five bushes of this variety of rhododendron called Very Berry. Last year they were fully covered with blooms. This year I only got one single bloom.


Clearly something bad is happening here!




But these rhododendron are just as happy as can be. They
were planted when our house was built over 30 years ago. We transplanted them a few years ago and they are bigger and better than ever!




This is a very cool tree called a Chinese Fringe.


It is just covered in fringy white blooms and the fragrance reminds me of Hawaii!


And who can resist a peony? Even if they do make me sneeze!


Even the bud is pretty!


Coreopsis and Nepeta


Purple Iris


Delphinium


Yellow Yarrow

I think a little rust is good for the garden, don't you agree?


I even have rusty flowers!



My husband isn't sure why someone in Maryland needs an olive bucket, especially since it is filled with holes. Silly boy!

And a little chippy paint is a good thing too!


Ryan built this bench for me - sweet boy!


And really, can a girl ever have too many sprinkling cans?


So that's what's growing in my garden at the moment. I'll be checking in over the weekend with some features from our May Garden Party!
Elizabeth and Co.
I hope your day is filled with sunshine and flowers!

I'm sharing with...

22 comments:

Twice Nice said...

You are so lucky to have such a green thumb!! My gardens need more work, and $$, to pull them up from what we inherited. A little bit more each year. It might help if I stay put long enough to ever finish a garden! Have a great weekend!

Cassie Bustamante said...

BEAUTIFUL!!! i love your garden and love love love that potting bench! what a great score and color!

Artsy Matilda said...

Absolutely delightful, Sharon! Love that you are sharing it with us. It inspires me every time. AND there is an Elizabethton about 25 miles from me, but it's in Tennessee! Who knew there would be two towns with such a special name!? ;-)
Yay for Friday~
Cheri

My Repurposed Life said...

whoa! so much in one post! Happy blogiversary!

love all the flowers... so pretty. Some I've never seen. We have an elizabethtown right down the road. ;)
sweet bench ryan built.

have a great weekend Sharon!
gail

cindy said...

Happy anniversary Sharon! What lovely plants and flowers. I'm determined to rehab my black thumb, and you've given me some ideas for shades spots I'll have when the house is finished :)

Laurie said...

Your gardens are so beautiful! I love the variety of flowers and plants, you've given me so many ideas Sharon!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your 3 year milestone! I hope my humble little 5 months can last that long! Always a pleasure to get your posts. Very creative and positive!

Our Pinteresting Family said...

Happy Anniversary, Sharon! You have such a beautiful garden. I love your new bench...the green fits perfectly. I'm sure you host lots of friends and family in your beautiful back yard.

Fishtail Cottage said...

Please come link up to the garden party over here at Fishtail Cottage too! love your post! xoox, tracie

Fishtail Cottage said...

yay! you linked...thank you for sharing over here at this weeks garden party! xoox

Doll in the Looking Glass said...

What a glorious garden! Such a variety of plants -- some very unusual. Eye candy everywhere you look.

Debra

Laurel Stephens said...

Happy Anniversary! What a nice way to celebrate. Your garden is truly a magical place, Sharon. I don't think I've ever seen such a variety of blooms in one garden. I love the way you tell us the names of all the flowers so I can try them in my yard, too. I'd love to know your secret for its health and vigor. Do you keep a cow out back? :)

Stacy said...

Your garden is spectacular! I enjoyed all the different points of interest like the water cans and the rust flowers. The hostas are stunning as well. New follower :)

Sue said...

Lovely, lovely garden!! I so enjoyed my visit here.

gardenbug said...

So much fun to walk through your garden! This afternoon two friends surprised me and came over asking for a tour. That's the best way, because I don't have time to panic!
http://gardenbugworld.wordpress.com/2013/06/08/a-garden-walk-with-surprises/

Sally Annie Magundy said...

Your garden is so lovely! I adore your potting bench and love the green and how fun to find the wheel barrow with Elizabeth on it.

Happy 3rd blogging anniversary!

Debra at HOMESPUN: http://www.thehomespun.com said...

I have enjoyed your lovely garden tour immensely! :)

Susan Freeman said...

Lovely garden and I really like the bench that Ryan made for you.

Big Hugs,
Susan and Bentley

Claudia said...

I love your gardens! Beautiful. That bench is lovely - This reminds me that I need to add more funky structures to my garden.

Thanks so much for joining in this week!

xo
Claudia

Balisha said...

This post brings back so many memories for me. In my younger years, I collected all kinds of treasures at sales that other people would just pass by. I had a similar bench that I put behind my garage where I had what I called my "plant nursery" where all the cuttings and baby plants were started. I now have a rusty chair like yours...just recently painted it a light purple for an accent in my garden. I put a flat cement leaf shaped planter on it with many sedums planted in it.
My husband passed away and I have since remarried. He likes everything shiny and new...so it is a challenge for me to decorate my garden the way I did in the past...(compromise you know?)
Balisha

Vicki @ lifeinmyemptynest said...

Everything looks so pretty - I love all your garden treasures. I am now following your blog from MHC and look forward to reading more :-)

Kathy said...

Hello Sharon - what a lovely potting bench - love the color you painted it - all the whimsical decor in your garden is marvelous - so love your olive bucket - I think all us girls completely understand why you'd want one ;) I appreciate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
Kathy