A gift...

So, would you like to see the view from my balcony? Now, there is much more stunning scenery in the area than this, but I am enjoying the gradual changing of colors of fall leaves out my window.



About 3 days ago, I received a gift. A very thoughtful friend (and blog reader) handed me a fairly weighty gift-bag. I love to get gifts, so I was excited when she gave it to me.



But then when I peeked inside and saw what it was, I was absolutely thrilled! Learning more about botanical names is something I have wanted to do for quite some time now, so her gift to me is just perfect. And I can hardly wait to start studying.


Have a beautiful day!

On the road...

If you were to leave from my house and travel basically west and then sort of north-ish, you might come across Pilot Mountain. The sky was really hazy and not the usual crisp, clear, stunning, fall Carolina blue sky.



Just after you get into Virginia, there is a great view looking back into North Carolina. Obviously, on a much clearer day, you can see a whole lot more. But, still, you get the idea.



And if you go keep you going, you will come to an incredible place: New River Gorge in West Virginia. The suspension bridge there is breath-taking.



There were these two cute girls at the Visitor Center...




I like the quilts hanging in the Visitor Center.



And, of course, you knew I would find a bee in a flower somewhere, right? There is a nice planting outside of the Visitor Center.



Moonrise. Almost there.


Have a beautiful day!

Coral Bells...

Ah, well, this is new. A first, in fact, for Muscari Musings. Ruth, this blog's authoress, is remarkably busy, and no, she is not referring to herself in third person. This is her daughter, Julie. She has mentioned me from time to time, as I have a garden of my own.





Anyhow, as I was saying, she is very busy, so I offered to write her blog for her. And she let me do it.




She had already taken these lovely pictures of her Coral Bells with the evening sun gleaming on their beautiful leaves.




And I am glad that the post that I was given to write was of these, for they are much more my style, if you will, than her usual pictures.




Do not take me wrongly, dear reader, but I quite honestly am far more fond of leaves than of flowers. But, I like my dear mother's Coral Bells (They are Coral Bells Heuchera, if you wanted to know. ) very much, for their lovely leaves and for their little flowers.



The Coral Bells, they are such wonderful plants. And truly wonderful colors, green, red, almost burgundy, gray, and white. Their shape, also, is so very glorious.




And I believe that here in these pictures they are at their very best, with the sun shining on and through them, for, sunlight and leaves is one of my favorite things.


Have a beautiful day!

Fair results...

Well, I picked up Kirstin's and Julie's item from the Fair today. And there were some ribbons!




Kirstin's baked goods - bread made with honey, cinnamon roll bread, and corn bread - each received 3rd place. And believe me, her baked goods are yummy!



Kirstin also entered into the Fair a necklace she had made of stone and wire.



Julie's pictures came back with honorable mention on her black and white photo (of Tiger) and 2nd place on her color photo (of herself). And the blue ribbon? What would you expect from a gardener's daughter? The blue ribbon was for Kirstin's Cosmos flower. Congratulations to both of you!


Have a beautiful day!

Surprise...

O.K., so I wandered outside to look at foliage, thinking maybe I would do a "Foliage Follow-up," as some garden bloggers do after Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.




I've taken plenty of pictures of my favorite foliages (yeh, I know "foliages" isn't a word) already, so I was looking for something different when I spied my Aloe vera plant.




This plant is at least 3 years old, maybe 4. (It's not hardy in this zone.) A couple of winters ago, I put it in my greenhouse (then a hoop greenhouse) for the winter. It died and I just left it in the greenhouse when spring came. The plastic on the greenhouse deteriorated and the dead Aloe got rained on. And then it started growing again! So, now I am a tad more careful with it.



Imagine my surprise - and chagrin, after my comments yesterday - when I saw something yellow in the pot and went to check it out. I found this sweet little reseeded Johnnie! I knew the little seedling was there, but I didn't expect it to bloom until spring. How delightful!


Have a beautiful day!

They're here....

Well, it had to happen. I knew the day would come. And I guess today was the day.




The pansies are here!




This afternoon, I was at a big box hardware store buying some hardware - actually, a part to repair something.



I debated with myself about going out to the garden center. I, of course, lost and myself went out to the garden center.



It seems odd for pansies to be available. It is still way too hot. I think we reached 90 today.



But, then again, stuff is always in stores much earlier than would absolutely be necessary.



I did like to see the pansies. And there were Johnnies, too.



I thought this would be a good topic for my blog today, but, alas, I didn't have my camera with me. However....



Resourceful me, I used my cell phone camera to take the pictures!



And, in case you are wondering, no, I didn't buy any.


Have a beautiful day!

Bloom Day September 2010...

So, here we are at another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Thank you to Carol at May Dreams Garden for hosting this monthly event. I'm starting with some Cypress Vine flowers. This particular vine is next to my front porch.




And this is another Cypress Vine flower, only it is white. (Duh.) You can see its feathery leaves as well as the cut leaves of the Cardinal Climber and the Morning Glory leaves which have little holes chewed in them.



The white Cypress Vine grows along the deck rail out the back door along with the Cardinal Climbers and Morning Glories shown below.




And here is a longer view of the railing.




Leading up to the back door is quite a jumble of plants. But a fairly pretty jumble, I would say.




'Ballerina' rose is part of the jumble.




As are tomatillos and Salvia guaranitica 'Argentina Skies'.



On the other side of the walk, Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' is ever so lovely. And quite popular with the insects.



My collection of pots on the back deck is still looking good. Well, relatively.



I love to see the Rose of Sharon and the white Buddleia in Julie's white garden. Also in the picture is the last of the Sweet Autumn Clematis. It's fading now.




Speaking of white, my tiny Santa Barbara daisies (Erigeron karvinskianus) are hanging in there. They were transplanted a few months ago and so haven't quite yet made themselves at home, but they are producing some flowers.




I have some roses blooming, including Marie Daly, Jacques Cartier, Double Delight, and Betty Prior, as well as the unknown orange rose below.



And Molineux. Beautiful, beautiful Molineux. The photo really doesn't do it justice.



The front porch Impatiens are blooming again. It won't be too long before it will be time to put Johnnies on the front porch. You can also see Salvia Coccinea and a Cypress Vine.



My Buddleias are still blooming. And providing sustenance for the flutter-byes.



I love the way the different colors of Salvia coccinea have reseed themselves here. Not quite what I would have planned, but they are very pretty with the Variegated Lirope and its purple blooms.




These two Salvias make such a lovely vignette together. Yes, the pink one is Salvia coccinea. (If you don't know, "coccinea" means "scarlet".) And the blue is Salvia farinacea. Thanks for coming to visit my garden!


Have a beautiful day!