The Backyard Jungle

Back to Blogland- Sunday was the last day of my commitment to this years VBS Day Camp Kids Program and boy am I exhausted! what a great time we had and no rain!!!!
We have had such a great growing season that the garden looks like a jungle. Literally!!!

I have always loved that tropical look and have tried to get a taste of it here in my zone 4 garden and this year Viola!!! Here I am under the Castor Bean plant which gives shade to some Cannas and several Elephant Ears.
 I am taking an online photoshop course so let me know when my photos start to get better. Hubby took this one so it doesn't count! LOL

 I am working on getting my booth ready for Brimfield. Sometimes I think I just go from one high energy situation to the next without a breather in between and then I remember the long New England winters and how much time I will spend just staying warm. And suddenly I am energized again!!!!

I will be back soon to share more of the show and the blessing of our new family addition. But until then Blessings to you. Fondly Meg

Bloomin in the Rain

Greetings from my garden home,

There are many many things in bloom right now but this is peak garden-work time so I don't have as much time to blog or take pictures when I am pulling weeds and watering, although looks like we will have day 7 of rain this week. When it comes to color, I am not an orange lover but this particular begonia really caught my eye and then I saw the name "Million Kisses, Devotion" you know I couldn't resist.

 I do wish it was hot pink though.I am going to go over and join the folks at Bloomin Tuesday with Ms Jean Green Thumb.Come on over if you want to see some gardens and flowers. And just is case it is raining where you are, here's an umbrella to keep you dry.

Have a wonderful week as you prepare for the family picnics, parades, and fun. Blessings Meg                                                                            

Peonies

Greetings from the Northeast,
I very rarely cut my peonies because my hubby can't take the smell of them in the house. But I made an exception today knowing the temperature would reach 90, they will be short lived. These are in front of the house in a border garden so the people passing by get to enjoy them more than I do. I want to transplant them into the garden room but the fall chores take precedent and that hasn't happened yet. They are huge, dinner plate peonies and it doesn't get much pinker than this.

 Also thought I would throw in a more subtle pink foxglove which started of white and slowly turned into this gorgeous shade of pink.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend and be sure to get back to  Beverly's at How Sweet the Sound and peruse all the other pink posts from around the globe. Blessings to you and yours. Meg

Welcome to our garden home and the third pink Saturday in May.

We have not seen the riot of the color that is going to come when the peonies begin to bloom so right now we will settle for the more subtle pinks like the crab- apple blossoms on my header or my not to subtle garden gloves which will soon not look too pink.

                         I may have showed you these petunias last season but they are a wonderful new proven winners introduction called Pretty Much Picasso and if you can find them it is worth the effort.We have purchased several to sell after we had a trial last season, they grow like crazy and I think that this urn has only one Pretty Much Picasso in it. The pink surrounded by the green edges is a show stopper.

When I had my store full time I had very little time for gardening and  I became quite indulgent with container gardening only to find they are just as much work to keep them looking good all season.Please head back to our host for Pink Saturday Beverly's How Sweet the Sound to see all the other Pink Saturday posts and have yourself a wonderful weekend. Blessings Meg

Jack Frost Nipping at Your Lilacs

Hard frosts every night!!!!!! I had hoped that the damage would not be much but unfortunately the perennials showed up before it was their time and Consequently we have loses. I thought to myself last week, as I counted the lilac buds that "I should bring those lilacs in and force them" since this is their third year and finally enough for a bouquet. But He who hesitates looses................Here is what the several nights of low 20 degree weather has done to my not quite open lilac blossoms.

     They pretty much all look like this and what a shame as every May I so look forward to the lilacs and their heavenly fragrance and now no blossoms till next year.

And then there are the 45 or so Hostas that look like lettuce that was too close to the freezer! Only good thing is they will come back this season and finish up splendidly!

Gardening is like Life, victories and loses / ups and downs / sunshine and rain /joy and sorrow always making the most of the many blessings we have and trusting God to make the difference when the path is difficult.
We had tried for several nights to cover everything and then just surrendered knowing that the Greatest Gardener has everything figured out after all He created all this beauty and aren't we reminded
"Every branch that does not bear fruit, He reserves the right to prune."
I would rather be pruned and live then be left to my own devises and die on the vine. 
God is in control even when I am out of control!!!!!!! 
So back I go to the greenhouse to do some transplanting and contemplation about how I am growing in His Grace and His Love.I think the test right now is patience! Be Blessed in the Son, fondly Meg

Blooming in May

Greetings from my garden home,

Let's wander around and see what is blooming, I am really not a yellow flower person but it seems that in Early May that is what is blooming here.Or are those blooms?  Well what we think are blossoms are really leaves because this is a spurge, one of those plants  like the poinsettia that actually has tiny little blooms and what appears to be yellow blossoms are actually bracts, which surround the tiny little flowers. It is only beginning to show its color.

Then here is where I enjoyed my coffee today. My poor husband, with this early spring he has lost me to the garden a month early. It's not my fault honey, honest!

 This is one side of my garden room. The space is approximately 25 x 40 ft and surrounded by a 6 ft stockade fence, unfortunately we are only 8 ft from the road so the fence helps make for a very private sanctuary where we spend lots of time.

 Since I am in the process of removing the Monarda, I thought I would show you what this exact space looked like last year on the 4th of July.

There is a small deck and a slider that opens into this space from our kitchen so everyone enjoys this space.I love my garden room and have been working on it since 1996, before then it was a wasted side yard too close to the road to use at all, but now we have trees, bushes, herbs and lots of flowers and once in a while dinners, parties and grandkids learning about nature and gardening.

 To see what is blooming at some of the other flower gardens around the world, click the Bloomin Tuseday and visit Jean who has the list of everyone that is participating today.    Enjoy your day.I'll be in the garden!  Sincerely Meg

Eating from the Garden

Greetings from my garden home,

Today I am sharing my lunch with you! Every year I grow collards in my garden but because there is always so much else to choose from in the summer, we don't eat much of them till after the frost, which is when they are at their peak or so they say. My favorite time to eat them however is NOW when they are preparing to go to seed. I think if they were strong enough to make it under all that snow for 4 months of freezing weather they deserve a bit of glory now when they are beautiful ready to be harvested greens that resemble  broccoli rabe.

  So how do I cook them you ask? My favorite way to cook all greens is sauteed with garlic and olive oil. Only today I needed it to be my whole lunch and since I skipped breakfast, I was really hungry so protein was in order.

Upon remembering the great baby bella mushrooms and the baby zucchini I bought at the vegetable stand yesterday, 3 cloves of garlic and of course an onion and I'm thinking there is one chicken sausage left from the other night, yes I know a great lunch is at hand. Then I assembled, washed and chopped everything and now I was ready....

 This is cooking, smells so good..........and looks delightful... just a little time and patience and then ..... it is done! Here is a  shot of my delicious very nutritious lunch in the making. Thanks for joining me and come again soon.                                           

      Bon Appe'tit !From my Garden

                                                                   Blessings Meg

Greenhouse Progress

Greetings from my garden home,

I had been trying to get seeds planted for our open house but we didn't get the heat situated on time so I was only able do a small amount since I have to bring them in every night to avoid the below freezing evenings we are having.I did however get the elephant ears divided up and they are on their way to stardom.The other seeds that are started here are the castor bean, a favorite of mine for a stunning exotic display.

More seedlings although not to far along.

 

 Now I thought this would interest some of you as you work out in your gardens in the warm fresh air. What you see is the last of yesterday's snow melting on the north side exterior wall of the greenhouse and the next picture is the thermometer showing the temperature in the greenhouse with the doors open, keep in mind that this is a very cool windy day with the high to be about 48 degrees. I am so blessed to have this greenhouse to enjoy but hubby is sure hoping that it turns a profit after all the cash we've invested.

   Isn't life grand. Thanks for stopping by, 

Meg

Pink at the Auction

Welcome to my garden home,

Today is Pink Saturday, well at least that is what some of us bloggers call the Saturdays that we choose to participate in Beverly's at How Sweet the Sound pink posting extravaganza!

So here is what I am sharing today two recent purchases from the local auction.This first one is probably going to be used to contain flowers and plants for an outside display at the garden shop. I paid $4 for it and just love it. Now do you think that any of you would resist this little gem.

When the auctioneer held up this little piece, I think he thought the roses were on both sides so the side we saw had no flowers on it, but since I was the one who requested it , I knew what both sides looked like and was the lucky bidder to get it for $5. It is German and in excellent shape except for one little pin chip that I may actually have done. Peruse around the blogs and visit all the other pink participants by clicking on Bev's name above. Happy Pink Saturday to You! Blessings Meg

Early Spring

Hello Girlfriends

I don't think that an early spring changes much, except maybe I will worry more about whether my early flowers will survive a hard frost that we are sure to get this being only the very beginning of April. Heck we could easily get a foot of snow between now and Mother's Day. But all that being said, it is sure awesome to have garden flowers in bloom and these few warm sunny days to enjoy.These pictures are my garlic bed. Last year at this time I was wondering if the garlic [still buried under snow]  would come up or not since I had planted them when the ground was frozen right after Thanksgiving and literally buried them with chunks of frozen ground and leaves. But I had a wonderful harvest and just used the last bulb a couple of days ago.

  They kinda look like daffodils at this point but that will all change as spring gives way to summer and the days get warmer and warmer. If you have a garden, you just must grow some garlic.It is the last thing you plant in the fall making the gardening season a bit longer and then it is harvested sometime in late July or early August.Everyone around here brags about the scapes that are like little baby garlic treats we fry up with a bit of butter several weeks before the final harvest. It is a bit mysterious the way garlic stays under the ground all winter and then comes up super early in spring

We only do organic gardening here and have had great success with garlic.Knowing we have prepared ahead and now have good fertile soil assures us we have done our part for a good harvest. My favorite parables that Jesus told were about sowing and reaping and the good vs the hard soils, things we have control over both in the natural and the spiritual. So much of our spiritual life can be paralleled with gardening, we will reap what we sow both now and throughout eternity. Spending a bit more time in preparing the soil of your heart and then planting good seed will reward you with a great harvest.

                                Enjoying time in the Son, blessings Meg

Garden Bean Pole

Here is our beanpole on July 17, considering that we usually get a frost the end of August first week of September these plants know they have to be fast growing.

This picture was taken on August 17, we are beginning to pick beans and the neighbors are sneaking in the yard to see what we are growing!!! Hah Hah!!
I can see now why the story of Jack and the Beanstalk was almost believable. My husband made this pole this spring from a pattern I found in a garden decorating book. The pole itself is 10 feet tall but the plants are already a foot over that!! I hope to fill my freezer with beans or maybe go and see the giant!!!