Friday, May 15, 2009

It's Bloom Day and ...

... it's Raining.
It rained a Lot yesterday,
again last night and, so far,
all day today!

It's been dependable, steady, and fairly gentle.
Enjoy the sound.
:-)



But it is Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day,
brainchild of Carol of May Dreams Gardens!
And I couldn't miss the opportunity to participate.
Why don't you visit to see who else has posted?
And make sure you post sometime, too.

First of all, indoors...
(Is this #4 or #5 for these to bloom since coming indoors last October??)
The kalanchoe has never stopped blooming!
Cute unnamed violet beginning to bloom again.

The violet below USED to be what I named 'S. Blushing Raspberry Icee'
(click here to see photo of what she looked like

when I purchased her!)
Oh, well! Perhaps that's what happens when one takes credit
for something one didn't do! ;-)


Now, let's unfold that umbrella, cover the camera and head outdoors!

* In the Sunny Corner Bed *

Mother's Day Gifts for Grandma (me)
from my two visiting grandchildren!
Thanks L and A!
I love you, too! :-)

Last year's new coreopsis 'Nana'
Light yellow iris are standing despite the rain...

* In front of the house *
Dianthus

Sweet Woodruff and soon-to-be blooming sedum
* In the Raised Bed Gardens
*
The chives are beginning to blossom.

Hurrah for Alliums!

We began our Alphabet Garden over Mother's Day!
(check out the sign!)
'Blue Spectacle' tulips planted last fall

Obedient Plant 'Vivid' is NOT obedient!
(Too late did I find out that the White Flowering variety IS!)
Want some?

* In the Backyard *
Heucherella 'Quicksilver'
Not really blooming, but it's getting ready! :-)
As is this astilbe... just getting ready!

I know, I know...
I have a love/hate relationship with ajuga (bugle weed).
The plant fulfills a purpose. If it gets "out of hand," you can
share it, dig it out of unwanted places,
or chop the runners so it can't spread.
I enjoyed the tour, as I haven't been able to be outdoors all week!! The reason??

I'm recovering from a heavy dose of the flu. "The family that cares, shares." Normally that's a good thing! ha! However... the flu... Now, that's a 'Shady' subject!!

29 comments:

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

I'm so sorry you've been ill. What a drag to have the flu in May, of all times. I liked the video, too bad I have my own version of that sound right now.
As soon as you are better, rip out that nasty Physostegia & plant 'Miss Manners' instead. There are just too many wonderful plants to put up with thugs. That said, the Ajuga makes a wonderful blender with the other plants and sets of that Hosta so well.

Phoenix C. said...

Oh I just love Alliums! And Astilbe.

It's raining here too - torrential at the moment, and fairly steady gentle all day. Rather nice, really!

Hope your flu gets better soon!

Anonymous said...

Having the flu sucks, SG. My husband calls rain FREE WATER. :) Looks like you're getting your fill.

I call it "Bungle" weed. I don't know why.

Love your grandchildrens' gift. They've got good taste. And kudos for a plethora of beauty in your borders.

Rose said...

Your Iowa rain has been making its way down to central Illinois...or maybe it's the other way around:) Still you have lots of beautiful blooms already; the flowers are drinking up all this rain. What a thoughtful gift from your grandchildren! And I like the idea of an alphabet garden--very clever.

So sorry you've been ill; I hope you're feeling better. I've been fighting bronchitis for almost two weeks; not enough to keep me in bed, but it's sure wiped me out. Not the best time of the year to be sick, is it?

Shady Gardener said...

Hi MMD! Things are looking Very Green, are they not? I'm in agreement with ripping mine out and getting the REAL Obedient plant! Everything looks so good at your house, too! I've only had time to quickly look at your Bloom post. Will soon leave a comment. :-)

Phoenix, It's so nice you visited. It's also nice to have an excuse to do something indoors, isn't it?

Grace, I agree with your husband. What I Really Would Love to get is a rain barrel (or two!) to capture some of that free water for later use!! I'm glad you toured with me today! :-)

Rosemary, I'll show more details about our Alphabet garden before too long (I hope!). We had fun painting the markers I'd readied.

You know, we had lots of rain almost all Summer ... (I wonder how nervous the residents of some of the flooded areas are with all this current rain?) that I think may be largely responsible for the beautiful growth we're seeing this Spring!

You're right. Being sick at this time of year is hard to deal with... hopefully you're feeling better very soon!

Gail said...

Shady, I've been concerned! Glad you are on the mend! Your garden is filled with lovelies! I wish that my sweet woodruff would bloom like yours...I think you must have pretty fine soil!

The rain has been constant all spring...very odd! We needed a cistern to collect it all!

Take care, stay out of the rain...but thank you for dashing out there to share your blooms with us!

Gail

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I was actually thinking about you because you hadn't posted in awhile. I'm glad you've recovered. Your gardens are looking very pretty, and the rain is very relaxing sounding. Hope you dry out soon :)

ChrisC said...

Don't you just love kalanchoe?the African Violet thing I have never been able to master.
And I love Heucherella.It does very well in Florida.
Hope you feel better!

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Gail, It's been hard to post... first with company over the Mother's Day weekend, and then with the flu. But I'm definitely feeling as though I'm on the mend!! Yea!! Thank you for being concerned. :-)

Catherine, I thank you, also, for thinking of me. It's Really Boring being sick! ;-) Thanks for stopping by!

Chris, Yes, I do like kalanchoe. The African Violets are something that I've been able to grow in this house. We lived without them for 23 years before we moved here! ha! I am feeling more "normal" today. Thanks. :-)

Frances said...

Hi Shady, hope you feel better soon. To be sick when the weather is nice is a drag. Your garden looks wonderful. I am a big fan of ajuga, but it shouldn't be planted around little guys. :-)
Frances

Shady Gardener said...

Frances, You're right. That's a reason I have to keep it in check when it gets near the sedum in the forefront and the miniature roses that are nearby. :-)

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I enjoyed your blooms inside and out. The rain sounded nice. We've had rainy weather, but not very much rain lately. That was a nice gift from your grandchildren.

I had the flu February of 2008. I'm glad you are on the mend.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

By the way, I enlarged your yellow flower photo, and saw that the light yellow flowers are iris, not daylilies, unless there were some of those in the pic that I didn't see. :o)

Layanee said...

The flu is no fun but at least you had a pretty garden to look at while recovering. Hope you are ready to work in the garden today!

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

I didn't mind walking in the rain at all. My astilbe are only foliage at this point, but I do love their leaves. Love the idea of an alphabet garden. Show us more of the letters, please!

Kathleen said...

It's so hard to be sick in the spring and summer. I hope you're feeling tip top again soon Shady Gardener. lol on the obedient plant. I had the pink one years ago in another garden and learned my lesson. Now I only have the white! Your indoor blooms are just as pretty as your outdoor ones. I can't believe your touch with cactus, violets, etc. You have a green thumb that's for sure. I missed bloom day this month. I don't know why it's so hard for me to remember??! But I enjoyed seeing your blooms ~ the garden is looking good. Hope the rain stops so you can go out in it. Have a great weekend.

joey said...

Always a delight to visit ... Non-obedient obedient plant has long been banished from my garden!
Your Mother's Day gift for Grandma from your two grandchildren was touching (my grandboys gave 'Mimi' a lilac tree). Aren't we blessed!

Shady Gardener said...

Sue, I hope it waits at least that long before I catch the flu again! (It really had been YEARS... I cannot even think when I've had it last, actually. Not even when I was teaching!)

Oh, how funny about the daylily/iris mistake! And you were the one that caught it!! Very discerning. :-) (Can you tell I corrected already?)

Shady Gardener said...

Layanee, Today was a Beautiful day! Cool and Sunny. And I'm now considering myself a "Well Woman!"
I went out of town for a few hours with a neighbor friend, and then it was into the garden for a little bit, at least. My endurance isn't very "back" yet, but I planted a couple of things, began a creative pot, and did a little weeding. Yea! :-)

Monica, Thanks for rain-walking with me! ;-) I will post soon about the Alphabet Garden idea. I know you will love it! (PS- We are planning a trip to Mt.P, MI in mid-June!)

Hi Kathleen! I'm feeling so well today, it's just wonderful! (It's not a recommended weight-loss plan, however. It was a crazy, yukky, Boring week!) It's also a good thing that it rained a lot the last couple of days! ;-)

Your filipendula is looking quite perky right now. It loved the rainfall. I have not yet been able to plant it yet, however. (Hopefully that changes before long!)

Joey, Blessed is the right word!
(I so look forward to eating, again! I looked for salmon today, to make your latest dish with asparagus. However, in the store I frequented today, they were out of it! I'll search somewhere else tomorrow afternoon.
I cannot think of any better way to begin working back into eating food (other than chicken soup, dry toast, stale 7-up and water)!

Rosemary said...

Rainy and cool here too. Loved the tour of your garden , will pass on the obediant plant , thanks tho.

Nutty Gnome said...

Hi Shady - I'm glad you're feeling better now, but be careful not to overdo it! (I know what us gardeners are like once we start to feel a bit better....!)

Beautiful flowers and a great video. I'm only on the computer right now because it's belting down and I've been forced back inside! At least Himself isn't being rained on in the garage - he's cutting the first joints for the tea house - yeah!!!

Pat said...

I can't believe how much you have blooming. Love your gift,light yellow irises and many hostas.
So many pretties !

Shady Gardener said...

Rosemary, I was positive I responded to your note last night. But... I guess not! Too bad you'll pass on this Obedient Plant! ha.

Nutty Gnome, I know what you mean. Wow! I have to ask. Who does the planning at your place? I'm going to assume it's a joint decision? You have a wonderful worker in Himself (and you're right up there, too, you know!) ;-) I'll be looking forward to the progress on this new venture!

Hi Patsi, I'm watching my Virginia Bluebells as they begin to show their fatigue. I'm watching for seeds!! ;-)

Northern Shade said...

I hope you are better now. That rain will get everything everything growing quickly. Your dianthus and matching tulip are very pretty in pink. I like the silver foliage of the Heucherella. Silver is such a nice colour in the shade, adding a little dazzle to the shadows.

Ellie Mae's Cottage said...

Sorry to hear you've been ill. I hope you feeling better today. It's rainy and cold where I am today in New England. There's not much blooming in my garden... it's kind of like that weird transition period righ now where all the early spring bulbs and tree blooms have finished but the late spring blooms have not started yet. Everything has buds so in about another week I'll have something beautiful to look at. In the meantime I have more blooming inside with my African violets and orchids. -Jackie

Shady Gardener said...

Northern Shade, I'm glad to have you visit. I'm also wondering about the progress in that corner garden! :-)

Ellie Mae, I'm much better today! And it's supposed to be a beautiful, warm week!! Yea! It's nice to have something indoors to help us until we have more progress outdoors, isn't it? You will soon be thrilling to everything in your garden. :-) Thanks for your visit.

donna said...

That was a wonderful tour of your blooms...inside and out. Hope you're feeling 100% by the time you read this comment. Gotta love a coreopsis named 'Nana'. I always notice when someone has Sweet Woodruff blooming in their yard. The idea of an Alphabet Garden is very appealing.

Shady Gardener said...

Donna, Thanks for visiting today. I DO think I'm back to 100%. It's also a wonderfully sunny day! :-) I hope to post more about our growing Alphabet Garden!

Linda said...

Getting round GBBD late because I've been ill too (being ill in May is somehow worse than during the winter, isn't it?). Glad you're feeling better now.

I'd heard that ajuga was indestructible, but mine died off completely this past winter. We didn't have a particularly hard winter, even by Scottish standards. Perhaps it didn't like its position in full sun?? Anyway, it never got going enough to be a problem.