What Do Friends, Tea, Flowers and Conversation Have in Common

Click on the photo above to find the answer.

Green Thumb Sunday - It's Spring!!

It's not my thumb that's Green.

Spring's growth is called "New Life Green"
(especially after a seemingly long Winter).

Join Green Thumb Sunday and/or see other posts
by visiting As the Garden Grows!
After you create your post, click on the "home" tab
at A.t.G.G. and leave a comment so we'll be able to visit you, too!!
(You'll also want to see HER post for GTS today!)

It's those Spring Beauties in the lawn!

A variety of grape hyacinth - muscari
(are these the 'azureum? I'm not sure...)

muscari 'valerie finnis'

and pink grape hyacinth

Leucojum vernum
'Spring snowflake'

Today's early view of the front beds

Dicentra spectabilis 'Bleeding Heart'

and a view behind the driveway.

Nothing 'Shady' here.
(Just me!) ha. :-)

Native Plants in My Home Environment - oops forgot the May Apples, now corrected

Mr. McGregor's Daughter inspired me to look around in my yard for native wildflowers!.

This is what I've found:

I have provided links to an Iowa DNR site, with an exception of two, showing photosand giving information about each of these plants, as well as their U.S. distribution.

Erythronium albidum
also called 'Trout Lily' (it is of the lily family)
or 'Dog toothed violet' (not of violet family)

(These little fellows are waiting for sunshine.)

Trout lily with Spring Beauty

Spring Beauty

(my photos show several variations)

Not only are they in the woodlands and flower beds,
they're in the lawn! :-)

Dicentra cucullaria
also called 'Dutchman's Breeches'
of the poppy family

Blood Root
courtesy of my Aunt MEA
Podophyllum peltatum
May Apples
(in the back, backyard)

Polygonatum biflorum
'Solomon's Seal'
is of the lily family

Lily of the Valley

Thalictrum aquilegiifolium
'Columbine Meadow Rue'
(This is not an Iowa DNR link.)

Asarum canadense
Wild Ginger
also courtesy of my Aunt MEA

Trilliam Recurvatum Beck
Bloody Butcher
(I'd earlier misnamed this trillium as Toad Trillium.
This particular plant has an interesting history
in my garden... I'll post that later!)

And last, but never least...
It may not be native,
but everyone has it.

Everywhere!

Nothing Shady about that plant! ;-)

Quietly, Quietly... See for Yourself!

I've not yet set out a plate for Cookies.
('Anonymous' predicts it might be Keebler elves
behind that door!)

As I rounded the corner with my Camera,
(Always on the lookout for whatever might be
living behind that door...)

I happened upon a wee fellow with a Cart,
(It appears as though there's a fellow gardener
residing behind that door!)

At the very most, I must admit, he's Cute...
(I wonder if MMD would join in this asssessment
of the resident behind this door?)

And what are YOUR feelings of this small Cousin
of a fellow we might love to hate? FYI, I'll be watching
this little squirt that lives behind the door!

I really think he's sort of cute, and too small to do too much damage -
don't you think?
Plus, if it's carrots he's carting... he won't be bothering mine!

You might consider this
a 'shady' subject! ;-)

You Must See This!

I WISH I'd continued my piano lessons!
Click on these words to see something very special!

YOU deserve this Award today!

You are my friend.

I have met an amazing number of wonderful gardeners and garden bloggers during this past one and three-fourths year. I'll be celebrating two years of blogging towards the end of May. :-)

There's no way I can pass out this Friend Award to only eight of you.
So, I'm going to say Thank You to each of you for how you have inspired me, challenged me, and rewarded me. And thank you for being a friend! I know this isn't the proper method of presenting the award... but I want you each to have it.

Is that okay, Rosemary??

In the meantime, check out the lengths to which
this garden blogger goes to get the inside scoop
on a certain hellebore blossom!
ha!

It was overcast here,
but not Shady! ;-)

GTS Post - Quick Before Midnight!

Green Thumb SUNDAY
(is NOT Green Thumb Monday!)
To join and/or see other posts, visit
As the Garden Grows!

Without further ado... I've some Spring blossoms for you!

(Front) PJM Rhododendron
(I have a tiny one in back that I planted 4 years ago)

Grape hyacinth

Azure hyacinths planted last Fall

Heartleaf Brunnera

Dutchman's Breeches
Hellebore (wish I knew the variety)
'Majeste' Pulmonaria (planted last Spring)

'Trevi Fountain' Pulmonaria is 5 years old

The Virginia Bluebells look better every day!

Vinca Minor

I have planted a variety of daffodils...
all unnamed.

Believe it or not, my thumb is on the top of the petal,
and my index finger is touching the other petal...
There are several of these large blooms -
different color combinations (obviously different varieties!)

The hyacinth in front has divided.
There are now two of them here.
Crowned Imperial
photo taken April 17, 2009

close-up of the flower buds

Today's photo shows a change.

Isn't this time of year wonderful??
I'll keep you "posted!" :-)