Does Everything Grow Better in My Neighbor's Yard?

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2012-01-29T06:15:00.000-06:00

Brings us Five More Subjects to Address!
(These all bear a connection to our little local garden club.)

Smile!

Soft sculpture garden ladies, one per garden friend, plus a couple of others.
We began working on them in 2009 and finished in 2010.

Hazel and Harry reside in Oklahoma with my Aunt.

Stand Alone

Susan-Scare-the-Birds has been doing her job for 8 years!

Here, a granddaughter hides behind . . .

Rusty or Something Old

Just waiting to become birdhouses

Artificial

Made our own flower pockets -

but the flowers never "top" the real thing! :-)

Repeating Pattern

At the home of one of our garden club buddies!

All photos are the property of http://yardisgreen.blogspot.com

Visit Scavenger Hunt Sunday by clicking the link at left or in the right sidebar. You'll enjoy the posts of other participants! You might want to participate, too! :-)

ABC Wednesday - "A"

2012-01-25T06:30:00.000-06:00

During this ABC Wednesday (round 10), I anticipating a variety of gardens and gardeners. I hope you're able to walk with me!

Aunt MEA

lives in extreme North Central Iowa.

She gets a lot of snow during a Winter season.

Yet, once Spring comes, you'll find this wonderful array!

My Aunt MEA has likely gardened for as long as she can remember.

These are photos of her vegetable garden from July 2011.

One last Fun Look at some her beautiful lilies.

Yep!

My Aunt MEA is my Gardening Heroine!

I hope to be gardening when I'm 95 years old, too!

:-)

Now, if you'd like to enjoy other ABC Wednesday posts, click on this link or on the right sidebar.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2012-01-22T06:30:00.000-06:00

SUNSET

(taken September 5, 2011)

When I was little, while playing a game that demanded we be wearing a certain color,

one of the girls would call out "Sky Blue Pink."

I looked for it for years... think I'm finally getting a handle on it!

BLACK AND WHITE
You can make a difference, especially during a dry season. Save water...

(I happen to love the reflection in the windows!)

A DAY IN MY LIFE

(Following friends to the State Fair - August 13, 2011)

FOUR

(Taken on New Year's Eve, Omaha, NE)

COLORFUL

Again in Omaha, NE.

We enjoyed the New Year's Eve fireworks indoors,
due to the cold, rainy evening!

All photos are the property of http://yardisgreen.blogspot.com

Enjoy Scavenger Hunt Sunday postings by others by clicking on the link here or on the right sidebar.

Feeding the Birds Today!!

2012-01-17T17:20:00.003-06:00

It snowed a little bit again today.

Look at (Grandchildren) L and A's Christmas Gift for (Grandma) SG and the Birds!

Look at Mr. Shady's birdbath!

And now at Shady's Bird Feeders!

WHAT a treat!!
A treat for the birds. A treat for me. A treat for you! :-)

All photos are property of http://yardisgreen.blogspot.com

Scavanger Hunt Sunday

2012-01-15T08:55:00.004-06:00

Sponsored by Ramblings and Photos. Click the link in the right sidebar to see other "offerings!" You can also participate!

I cannot say I have the greatest "Green Thumb" when it comes to orchids . . . but I do love them so. And I DO want to develop my thumb into at least a chartreuse (if I can't get to Grass Green)! ;-)

Stacked Up

The photo below was taken January 8th (notice the green yard).

Winter Wonderland!

(Compare with last week's post!)

Sweet!

This photo was taken January 12, 2012.

Yahoo! ;-)

Hole!

Frozen!

You should visit Scavanger Hunt Sunday. Click on the link at left or in the right sidebar.

All photos on this post are the property of http://yardisgreen.blogspot.com

It's Been Snowing Today!!

2012-01-12T18:50:00.003-06:00

And I am Very Happy about it!

Happy for many reasons, two of which are:

Birds!

At 8:30 a.m., there were at least 6 cardinals, two (female and male) house finches, juncos, and tufted titmouses on my sister's tree. (Please try to look past my makeshift "tree straightener.") The birds were enjoying bird seed creations - a Christmas present from two of our grandchildren!

I had to post this photo.

It was taken through the front door, the walkway "fence," and the burning bush. :-)

All the photos were taken through the house windows.

This was taken at 9:00 A.M.

The rest were taken around 2:30 P.M. Clicking on the photos will enlarge them slightly.

And the fact that we can truly say,

"Happy Winter's Day!!"

This post (and all photos) is the property of http://yardisgreen.blogspot.com

It's a New Day, A New Month, A New Year

2012-01-10T06:44:00.000-06:00

And We're Feeling Good!

One Color

errant rose

Laundry

soup

Empty

nester

One Dozen

songs

Soft

in contrast

Scavenger Hunt Sunday
begun by Ramblings and Photos

Something new to try!

Hush... The Garden Is Dreaming

2012-01-08T19:20:00.001-06:00

This was a Christmas gift from a sweet friend.

And so it is . . . though not under a blanket of snow, as yet!

Heuchera is another genus of herbaceous perennials that has undergone much diversity in the past few years. If you haven't tried coral bells, or checked out the variety in both leaf shape and color as well as blossom size and color - you should! There are quite a number of cultivars from which to choose.

The greatest problem I have with these plants is the "Winter Heave"-ho! They seem to be rather shallow-rooted and the freeze/thaw action during Winter often leaves them out of the soil and need of quick attention in the Spring!

A little extra soil and/or mulch in the Fall usually takes care of the problem, though. :-)

(Winter color - photos taken a week ago)

Heuchera 'Purple Petticoats'

Heuchera 'Beaujoulais'

Heuchera 'Caramel'

Heuchera 'Palace Purple'

Heuchera 'Key Lime Pie'

Heuchera 'Sashay'

Heuchera 'Tiramisu'

I have two more Heuchera left ... but I didn't get photos!

'Lime Rickey' wasn't happy and "left" two years ago.

He truly was a beauty, and I may give him another try.

Happy January 2012! We are patiently (vs impatiently) waiting for Winter Weather here. It will snow - it always does. ;-) I'm going to assume school children (and teachers?) are anticipating their first "Snow Day!" LOL

Best wishes,

Green Grow the Lilacs - Wishing You a Prosperous and Floriferous New Year - 2012!

2012-01-02T15:55:00.001-06:00

Green Grow the 'Lilacs'?

I took this occasion to look back at unpublished early 2011 photos!

(June 2011)

(Chris' plants - June 2009)

Green grow the lilacs, all sparkling with dew

I'm lonely, my darling, since parting with you;

But by our next meeting I'll hope to prove true

And change the green lilacs to the Red, White and Blue.

(June 6, 2011 - Clematis 'Niobe') (April 14, 2011)

(April 14, 2011)

(May 6, 2011 Woodland Phlox)

I once had a sweetheart, but now I have none

She's gone and she's left me, I care not for one

Since she's gone and left me, contented I'll be,

For she loves another one better than me.

Green Grow the Lilacs is a folk song of Irish origin that was popular in the United States during the mid-19th century.

2011's Spring "Came and Went" quickly last year!

Are you looking forward to Spring 2012 as you peruse the Garden Catalogs and search the Gardening Websites?

Happy New Year!

The Story Behind the Name

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

Click here to visit Garden Faerie's Musings

and the story behind this Meme. :-)

It seems I know a lot of gardeners.

It also seems that many of them have lived in my neighborhoods, over the years.

Somewhere along the way, it became apparent to me that like homes, while residing within (basically) four outer walls, they are completely different - one from another - on the inside. And so it is the same situation with yards and garden spaces. Basically located within a perimeter of four borders, the spaces therein vary as widely as the personalities of each of their owners!

All that is to say, it's not fair to compare one against another. However, the contrast is FUN to observe and somehow that relates to the name of my blog!

I truly do have some gardening neighbor/friends here. And it's always inspirational to see what's happening in their yards!

Dixie's yard

(click to enlarge a bit)

Chris' yard

(click to enlarge a bit)

When we moved to this location, now 9 years ago, the greenest and most prolific thing on the ground was moss! While that's all very well and good in certain locations and situations, I thought perhaps it might be fun to expand the repertoire! Besides being a great learning experience!

There are wonderful sources of inspiration found in books, magazines, and on the internet for gardening in the shade. All truly helpful and informative.

However, it has been FUN to visit my neighbors. We may occasionally foray 'round the SE Iowa area in garden centers, and bring home a load of new plants. And we can comment, communicate and commiserate about our gardening successes and woes.

Early Forays

5/05/2008

5/13/2008

A little group of friends and I began a small, informal Garden Club several years ago. It has grown some each year. We all enjoy working outdoors. We enjoy learning more about gardening, from experience and each other. We enjoy creating whimsical projects from time-to-time, and we enjoy each others' company. We comment, communicate, and commiserate about our gardening successes and woes.

Plant Foray July 2010 A variety of iris to give away! A Second Plant Foray - July 2010

I completed my Master Gardener course a year ago, the continuing education classes and the forty hours of community service this summer. Yea! I'm a Master Gardener! ;-) There are quite a number of us that gather once-a-month, when we can. We also comment, communicate and commiserate about our gardening successes and woes. (I haven't visited most of their gardens, but it's something to which I look forward some day!!)

The local hospital garden completed in November, 2011.

It's like what we do on our garden blogs!! :-) And so it is that I consider YOU my "neighbor." I can visit you and you can visit me . . . as we've done these past 4 1/2 years!! And WE can comment, communicate and commiserate about our gardening successes and woes. :-)

Something besides Green . . .

'Strawberry Candy' Daylily Campanula 'Cherry Bells' unnamed Hemerocallis - Daylily

Tricyrtis 'Tojen' Anemone japonica 'September Charms' Sedum 'Bertram Anderson'

Ligularia 'The Rocket' Pasque Flower Anemone pulsatilla Phlox 'Laura' from Aunt MEA