Hope

It's been a long time since I've posted on this blog.  A lot has happened in my life since I last shared here. 

For one, I now live in an apartment.   Thankfully, I still have places to garden.  

I would not have survived without my plants. 

Today I went out to clean up one of the spots that I have.  It is the only spot that I have that is in the sun.

It's in a raised bed (that someone else built) that is 3' by 8'.  I fenced it last year to keep the deer from eating my plants. 

One of the plants that I have there is a red miniature rose that was given to me after my first hip replacement surgery (in 2021.)   Last year it didn't get pruned in the winter like it should have, but today I pruned it. 

Years ago when I lived in California I had a few full size hybrid tea rose bushes in front of my house and I diligently pruned them every January so they could give their best each year. 

Each year, pruning the rose bushes reminded me that there is hope.   These beautiful bushes seemed empty of life in the middle of winter.  But as I got in each one with my clippers, I would always find the small red leaf buds that held the promise of a full leafy bush and wonderful roses in the spring.

Today again I felt hope as I saw those tiny red leaf buds on the small branches of my miniature rose. 

Have a beautiful day!

New Dawn...

One of my favorite places in my garden is my rose arbor.

New Dawn grows over the arbor, and in spring, it is absolutely breathtaking.

I'll just let you enjoy the roses.

(You can click on the pictures for a larger view.)

Have a beautiful day!

More Spring....

Overall, it still looks pretty dreary out there in my garden.  But there are a few plants that are bravely making their way and sharing their beauty.

The flowering plum is covered with blossoms.  It will get its purple leaves later.   That is a close-up of its blooms above.

It grows next to - way too close to - a holly that will bloom later.  The forsythia bush is also there.  Think how pretty this would all look if the forsythia was well pruned and in full bloom with periwinkle in full bloom beneath it.  And daffodils to boot.  There is always hope...

Speaking of daffodils... There are several different kinds of daffodils here and there in my yard.  None in abundance this year, though.  This beauty was looking down ~ maybe because it is raining.

The beautiful blue hyacinths are still blooming.

My daphne bushes don't look all that great; the winter has been hard on them.  But they are blooming.  They smell like heaven.  Daphne are notoriously difficult and short-lived so I am pleased to have had mine for so long.

It appeared as though maybe my variegated hydrangea hadn't made it through the winter.  But that is ~ thankfully ~ not the case.

And my rose bushes are starting to show their new leaves.   This is New Dawn, my climbing rose.

Such charming muscari...   I love this picture.

A pot full of Johnnies on the corner of my deck. 

Oh, wonderful, unabashedly cheerful Johnnies.

Have a beautiful day!

Bed of Roses....

One morning, a couple of weeks ago, I went out into my garden to cut some flowers to take to work with me.  As I was looking around, I saw a dark spot in one of my roses.

I thought maybe is was a dead leaf that had fallen on the bloom, or maybe some huge insect.

However, as I got closer, I realized that it was a little froggy!  It had certainly chosen a lovely place for a bed!

Have a beautiful day!

Ruth

In my garden...

So, here's some stuff blooming in my garden.

These three photos are all of the same balloon flower bloom.

I think it is so amazing!

My Venus Flytrap is still alive.

And it is blooming again!  I'm pretty tickled.

 
My Molineux, a David Austin rose. 

This is a cluster of blossoms on "The Fairy."   You can see part of this rose bush in the first picture in my post about Clover.

And last, but not least, a gorgeous hydrangea bloom.  This is "Mini Penny."

Have a beautiful day!

Iris in the bed...

This morning,  I took a few pictures of the gorgeous blue and white iris in its garden bed.  I'm not sure how I like the quality of the pictures, but at least you have some idea of the colors in the bed.  The iris is next to Ballerina rose.  The iris and the rose are along the path to my back door and then behind them, stretching out to the pedestal is my hummingbird garden.  One of the salvias, the pink you see behind the iris, has begun blooming already.

I love how the pinks and blues look together.  Ballerina rose is covered with buds and will be stunning when they all open.  (You can click on the pictures for a larger view.)

Have a beautiful day!

Thankful...

Today, as I was hurrying and scurrying about, I thought about the things for which I am thankful. And I came to realize something: they are things that are beautiful to me.



I am thankful for the people who love me. And for friendly people. I am thankful for the wild birds that come to my feeder and for my three dear chickens. For the charming hummingbirds that come to visit. And for many of the creatures that share my land.



I am thankful for clouds. And for the rain that waters my garden. Ah, my garden. I am so thankful for my garden and for the plants that I have. For sunrises and sunsets and seasons.



I am thankful for my blue and white transferware dishes, for my gorgeous fabrics, those in quilts and those yet to be in quilts. I am thankful for my cozy bed, for the bed frame and dresser and vanity to match which I inherited from a great aunt.




I'm also thankful for intangibles like courage and wisdom, joy and peace, when they come into my life. And there are so many, many more beautiful things for which I am thankful. Including you who read my blog.


And I do hope you have a beautiful day!

A bed of roses...

I found a sleepy bumble bee taking a nap in Ballerina Rose.


Have a beautiful day!

Fall roses...

A few of my roses are producing their last blooms. Near the front porch, one of my Pink Gruss an Achen roses is blooming.

Even though there is not much left of this Molineux blossom, I just love the color and detail. That's my blog garden behind it.

Marie Daly, a sport of Marie Pavie, produces small, exquisite flowers. It looks nice with the grey of the Buddleia leaves behind it.

Ah, lovely, lovely Ballerina rose. I think this is a cheerful rose.

And here is a close-up of one of her blossoms. Do you see what I see? I didn't realize it was there until after I took the picture.

At last, but not least, Lyda Rose. Isn't she enchanting?

Have a beautiful day!