Tag Archives: Flowers

More Flowers!

May 9, 2016Country Life, GardensBlessings, Flowers, Springcindyhazelett

These primulas came up in our yard this year. We don’t know where they came from but they are a wonderful gift. Once they are done blooming I will transplant them into one of the flowerbeds so we can mow that area again.

These white violets also grow in our yard. They come up every year and I love to see them. The flowers disappear before it is time to mow. How considerate they are.

This trillium grows in our pine grove. Each year it adds another bloom. I would love to divide it but fear it would not flower if I did. I have heard they are very particular. Their trumpets surely are a thing of splendor and beauty.

Spring Time Flowers

May 3, 2016GardensFlowers, Gardens, Springcindyhazelett

Yay, it’s time for garden photos again! These are blooms on my flowering almond tree. They are a welcome sight as they are among the first blooms of the season.

The service berry trees are early bloomers too. If each of those blossoms turns into fruit we will have glorious service berry pies again. Oh happy day!

The dogwood always brings a smile to my face. It just seems to announce “Happy Spring!”

And the ever faithful tulip. Planted by a former owner of our home, but an ever present bloomer.

And the lung wort flowers are ever an early surprise. These plants are all gifts of the season and harbingers of what is to come. Happy spring!

Fair Lady of Spring

April 7, 2016Country Life, Thoughts On LifeFlowers, Friends, Vasescindyhazelett

Oh, fair lady of spring,
First, bearing your cup – like blossoms,
Then wearing your memories dear,
Thank you for the smiles you bring.

This vase makes me smile for many reasons. I enjoy it in its own right. The figure makes me think she is a peasant girl, wearing her Sunday best, out enjoying the gathering of beautiful flowers that she will display. And the flowers she holds are beautiful in and of themselves.

I also have special feelings for this vase because it was a gift from a friend. It had belonged to her mother. After her mother passed, they were clearing out some of her things. When my friend saw this vase she knew that it would be appreciated in its new home with me.

And so she is.

Gifts from Mother Nature

November 12, 2015Country Life, GardensCountry Life, Flowers, Friends, Gardenscindyhazelett

Mother Nature was indeed kind to us this weekend. It was such a beautiful day of mid-November on Sunday that I took a walk around our property to check on the progress of the plants. The garden area is still quite spectacular. The plants have the “bones” of the garden as backdrop so even with the lesser array of blooms it is still pleasant to look at. The fountain and sandstone beds anchor the plants. In this shot above I especially like the dappling of the sunlight on the fence and the way it is reflected on the surface of the water. The fountain pump has been put away for the year so the fountain functions as a reflecting pool for the time being.

These snapdragons were all volunteers. That’s one of the reasons I love them. Plant them once and you can enjoy them for a few years afterward too. I also appreciate them because they bloom so prolifically and for so long. I have seen an occasional bloom even in December! And the white snapdragon is growing from between two sandstone blocks on the side of the flowerbed. These tough little plants show tenacity. Hence the phrase, bloom where you’re planted. Mother Nature planted these and they took advantage.

The hydrangea continue to put on a show as well. Their foliage is at least as impressive as their blooms which are not too shabby themselves. Large green leaves provide a lushness that is fading in the garden at this time of year.

A few plants do appear to be confused by the unseasonably warm weather. They are taking advantage of it as are we. This rhododendron has several blooms. I took advantage of this warm spell too. I dug up some daffodil bulbs and moved them to new locations. Then I took a book and sat on the patio to read in the sun. Then friends and family came over and visited while enjoying time outside. Life is good. This is Ohio in mid-November. What a gift!

July Garden Walk

I think the gladiolus are the most glorious thing in the garden right now. I haven’t planted any in many years. I can’t think why. They are splendid.

The glads are tall and majestic. Their flowers are a thing of beauty. Definitely more glads! They blend perfectly with the butterfly bush in the foreground. Both are tall and willowy.

The butterfly bush does come by its name honestly as you can see. We have quite an abundance of these black and yellow butterflies, and an occasional swallowtail. On a warm, lazy afternoon such as this I sit and watch them.

The snapdragons and petunias are an enjoyable site too.

The clethra also draw in the flying creatures. We have two in the raised garden beds and the bees love them as you can see. The sweet scent draws them in.

And who doesn’t love a rose? I certainly do.

I like some of the old fashioned types of plants too. The phlox are spectacular when they are in full bloom. And the best part is they draw the phlox bug, otherwise known as the hummingbird moth. No picture of those yet. I will keep trying. I get excited every time I see one.

We even have pink phlox growing beside the house.

It and the beebalm put on quite the show.

The trumpet vine is an endearing plant for us. The hummingbirds come to it in groups of two or three to enjoy it’s sweet nectar.

The Rose of Sharon in the front yard is very tropical looking to me. Although it is a shrub, the flower looks like a hibiscus.

No garden walk would be complete without a stop at the vegetable garden. Things are looking pretty good here because we just weeded. Look quick, it doesn’t last long. Soon the weeds will be back.

Some of the trees are interesting now too. The mountain ash trees have their orange berries and the red buckeyes are setting nuts.

I always end up back at the walled garden with its raised beds. They seem almost like a canvas where we display shapes and colors that we find appealing. This area never fails to soothe my soul.

Why I Prefer to be at Home

May 25, 2015Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, GardensCountry Life, Dogs, Flowers, Gardenscindyhazelett

Earlier this week I talked about why I like working four 10 hour days as opposed to the normal five 8 hour days. Today I am going to show you. Most of the time at work I am inside without access to windows. I don’t usually know if it is hot or cold, or sunny or rainy. These pictures will share some of what I see when I am at home this Friday. Above is the clematis which is blooming early this year. It is quite spectacular.

As I take a tour around the yard I see the Wygelia and Rhododendron in bloom beside the house. The light and dark pink complement each other nicely.

We have two red buckeye trees and they are currently covered with these stunning red blooms.

The false indigo blooms in several places on our property. The extremely cold winters have been hard on it but there is still some left.

I just finished weeding and mulching my herb Garden so it’s looking good. Here you can see the thyme, oergano, catnip, and globe basil in the urn.

The irises are blooming early this year. These plants have been moved and split many times. I dug them up and started moving them with me two houses ago.

These are columbine and they are really something this year. I have moved them around the yard too.

And here are Shelby and Baxter waiting for me to take them in the house for lunch after being outside for a couple hours enjoying the beautiful weather. Who wouldn’t want an extra day at home with all of this?

Our Dogs at Sanctuary Acres

May 16, 2015Dogs & Other AnimalsDogs, Flowers, Garden, Portraitscindyhazelett

Do you know how in some families they have one particular spot that they like to use in portraits? In some families it’s in front of the fire place or maybe near a particular tree. For me, with the dogs, it is in front of our garden archway. So this evening I set out to get a portrait of each of our dogs with the urns that I had newly planted for summer. Above is our greyhound Phoebe who is 9. She is our prima dona although you can’t see her bling very well.

This is Baxter who is 6. He is humoring me by posing with the flowers. He thinks he is too masculine for this but is confident enough to pull it off. He is a black lab/doberman mix and currently the lone male in our pack.

This is Nikki who is 9 and a very tiny sheltie. If you see that deer in the headlights look, it is because not only did I make her get off the couch but I made her go outside as well. Oh, the horror! Her nickname is Nikki Pouncer Pants.

This is Roxanne. She is an oversized sheltie who is 15. If you’ve been following the blog, you might remember that just two weeks ago I thought Roxanne was ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge. She had stopped eating and was very weak. Well look at her now! She’s tough as nails.

This is Shelby and she is 5. She is my certified therapy dog and always looking for a job to do. If you don’t have one for her, she’ll find her own.

It would be nice to have the photo with all of the dogs in the same picture. Maybe taller ones in back and the rest in front. That will have to wait for another day. Maybe when my husband is home!

First Spring Flowers!

April 13, 2015Country Life, Gardens, UncategorizedFlowers, Springcindyhazelett

This winter has seemed to go on forever and I usually like winter. Enough is enough though. So I was very happy to see that our first flowers for the year are in bloom! I was outside picking up some branches and pine cones from the yard and taking them to the pile in the woods where we keep yard waste. And there it was along the side of the path.

Some previous owner of this property must have planted these little gems. They come up every spring before I expect such beauty. I’ve looked them up and they appear to be called Glory of the Snow. This is the blue variety. There is also a pink variety which we do not have. Seeing the one reminded me that we have an area with a carpet of these beauties in another area. So of course I had to stop what I was doing and see if those were blooming too. They were! This made me happy. Spring is here!

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