Signs of Spring... Finally!

These pictures were taken last week when we had a warm streak and while poking around in the garden doing a bit of weeding. After a brutal winter I was quite enthusiastic to see the new growth!


Columbine is popping up!


This is what my lilacs looked like last Monday.


And this is the same branch today! Last night the scent was wafting through the air, I can't wait until it's in full bloom as it will fragrance the air around the whole block (we have 3 huge old lilac trees.)


Daffodils are out enforce.


No lone tulips this year, they are popping up everywhere!


My climbing roses are leafy as are my rose bushes, no buds yet they'll come a bit later this month.


Wild violets fill the lawn. I don't allow my poor Punk Glam King to mow until they start to die. Too pretty to look at!





This is the first time I've had hens and chicks (houseleek) survive a winter. And it even had babies!


I forgot what these are called, theyre the white version of grape hyacinth.


When we first moved here nearly 11 years ago I planted different varieties of daffodils. This is one of my favs, and of course I saved no info to get more! Such a pretty salmon centre!


Grape hyacinth. When I was wee, I saw faeries in amongst the grape hyacinth!


Another daffodil variety I have no clue about.


This is a peony I thought bit it last year, but it's sprouting, so I've got hope!


Lots more peonies sprouting.





Ladies mantle that took root in a nearby pot!


Coral bells. And my VW wellies -- gardening in style!


I swiped a bit of forsythia from my neighbour to bring some spring inside!


I got 2 of these 1970's patio tables for our back patio, or the area I want to make into a sitting garden for $10 total!


Also purchased last weekend was this, which I will recover to match the love seat on our covered front porch. It was under $10, and the swirls don't match perfectly to our wrought iron love seat but they blend nicely.





It was so warm I broke out a summer dress to run errands! Leopard dress is by Norma Kamali, and I love it's vintage feel and swingy skirt so much I also got it in plain black. So happy too, its one of those dresses you find yourself throwing on when you want to look nice but are either too heat beat or haven't the energy to really try! Tried to show the shoes, they're Miu Miu and have tiny little studs. Very comfy and I've worn them to death even over the winter! You can't see from the photos but I used an OTC organic keratin treatment which pulled all my colour out. I kind of like it as it goes from blonde on top down to red at the ends. Ombre-ish I guess. I do feel the lure of Manic Panic calling my name so I'm sure this look will be changed soon and Vampire Red will triumph! (If you click to enlarge the pics you can see the stud details on the shoes, and in the 2nd picture you will see my ombre-ish hair a bit better.)

As you will notice, I've not yet pulled all the leaves away. This is because it's still been getting quite cold at night and I fear if I do, what growth I have will freeze and be lost. Hopefully this will all change within the next week or so, and then I can do a proper weeding and maybe even some planting. I really can't wait to get my hands in the dirt!

One last thing... Here is a photo of the area I want to make into a sitting garden. We used to have an above ground pool there, but it proved too shady and the water never warmed, rendering it a useless lawn ornament! Any ideas of what to plant around the perimeter? This is as sunny as it gets.


I'd prefer perennials or some kind of flowering bushes. All ideas welcome!

XXX

Spring... FInally!

Finally it seems the garden is blooming, or at least attempting to.

My beloved Lady's Mantle. I adore those chartreuse flowers!

I don't usually go all pansy mad, but for some reason this year I decided to plant an abundance as I found so many interesting colour combos. This one is in a pot you have to pass on the way up the few steps to our back door.

Oops more pansy madness... I'm really loving the orange ones, so vibrant!

I picked this up at a local sale to benefit a garden/ animal sanctuary. They said it was a variety of fuchsia, but its a vibrant red and definitely perks up a sad little patch.

I'm truly loving this "Blackie" potato vine. Best part is that its a nightshade so blooms at night. A beautiful lavender trumpet shaped flower. Total love. I wish the colour showed better, its really a lovely deep, dark purple as close to black as you can get with plants.

This is one of the "shrub" roses we have at the front of the house. It really went mad this year and filled out quite beautifully. This is a fab rose to grow as its ever-blooming, even in our hideous tropic summer heat.

Front of the house with my climbing roses. I got an incredible amount of buds this year, but sadly the late summer is making blossom time a bit late. In the foreground you can see my peonies, most of which were transplanted as I got zero blooms last year. Thankfully that is not the case this year! (But what happened to my red peonies? boo!) I've actually had to stake them up as the recent rainstorms had them all bent over and sad looking.

I'm particularly proud of these pink roses. It was suggested to me about 5 years ago to try to "shock" them by replanting them elsewhere. Last year I think we got two blooms for the first time since replanting. This year the bush is covered with gorgeous pink blossoms!

One of my beloved peonies in a flower arrangement. I never tire of peonies, the smell, the flower shapes, I love everything about them.

Here's the whole flower arrangement I put together yesterday. I got a little over-enthusiastic mixing colours and flowers, but hey, in nature it all goes together right? The red climbers are also ones transplanted at the same time as the pink ones and have been doing better and better each year.

Unfortunately I did contract my very first case of poison ivy whilst trying to weed back where the pink roses and red climbers were transplanted. Apparently I have allergies to all the OTC remedies, and will have to hit the dermatologist today. My legs look scary o: not to mention I am DYING of the itch! Relief is in sight... well at least I hope so!

Cheers!