Knockout Rose's

BY SKEETER

 I only have a couple of rose bushes in my GEORGIA GARDENS. I do not like plants which bite back (thorns) and Roses can be fickle with humid summers.

A garden is not a garden without a rose. I do very little to maintain these beauty's. Low maintenance makes KNOCKOUT ROSE'S perfect, in the Garden... 

*NOTE: Tina posted about her bees recently and failed to add this link to that posting. Bee's are having a tough time these days.  If you are interested in Saving the Bee's in your area and gardens, Click HERE to see how you can help the cause...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Crimson Clover

BY SKEETER

 I have a new item in my GEORGIA GARDENS. Crimson Clover is making me smile with its bright red blooms. 

 I must give the Saint credit for this little beauty. He spotted some baggies full of seeds for sale at a little market store. He said I needed some and he picked up a bag for me.

 The small blooms are really perking up this otherwise, bland area. I hope these will reseed so I shall have more CRIMSON CLOVER, In the Garden... 

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

April Wildflowers in an Upper Middle Tennessee Forest and Bees

This is my last post on Mid April Wildflowers in an Upper Middle Tennessee forest--though I could easily continue as each day brings more and more blooms and it is really fun! Above is a picture of American Columbo. This is a monocarp in that it blooms once then dies. This is our third spring here and I have never seen so many columbos bloom as this year. It looks to be a great year for that wildflower.

Star chickweed, aka Stellata pubera (smaller white flower), and Rue Anemone, aka Thalictrum thalictroides (identification by Joanna at Tennessee Native Plant Society). The anemone is a pretty little plant that I had never seen before. I was intrigued because of the leaves shaped like redbud leaves.

A violet. I have no idea what kind as there are so many!

Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) and Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica).

More spring beauty. We have a lot of spring beauty in the forest. While this wildflower is quite small and not substantial it really shines on the forest floor when growing in great quantities.

More Rue Anemone.

Star chickweed.


And all of those wildflowers are hopefully helping my bees to build up and become strong. I purchased and installed two three pound packages of bees (plus their queen) on the first of April. Things seem to be going well as I see tons of bees entering the hives loaded down with pollen and it a very nice sight this spring...

in the garden...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

April Wildflowers in a Upper Middle Tennessee Forest

Continuing with our walk about looking at wildflowers here we see Fire pinks, (Silene virginica).

This is two of those transplanted wildflowers I was talking about in my last post. Here the tall shrub/tree is Blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) and the lower limey green shrub is 'Dream Catcher' beauty bush (Kolkwitsia amabilis).

Some kind of buckeye though I am not sure which kind. I noticed buckeyes were very nearly the first trees to leaf out this spring.

Dwarf Larkspur (Delphinium tricorne)

Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum L.)

Trilliums

Chokecherry (Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima). This is a transplanted shrub from my old garden.

One last picture looking down Wildflower Hill. This native dogwood is such a pretty sight in the spring that I find myself photographing it and sharing it each year. It grows right next to a taller tree; probably a wild cherry; but it does very well....

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

April Wildflowers in an Upper Middle Tennessee Forest Part I

This spring has been such an awesome spring! The trees are leafing out, butterflies are a flying, frogs are a croakin, bluebirds nesting and no late freezes! Who can complain? Plus, this is our first spring in our new home in the country. Country living is not for everyone but for Mr. Fix-it and I who are both nature lovers-it is the only way. To fully appreciate country living I think you have to live with nature and enjoy it. There is no better way than to take a walk around the woods and check out the wildflowers. I did just that for several hours, and I thought you all might like to see them too-tho virtually. Last year I also posted on spring wildflowers at Tiger Way Gardens but as I look at that post I see most of them are ones I transplanted to the farm. Most of the ones you see today will be wild grown wildflowers with the exception of two shrubs that I transplanted.

We have over sixty acres of rolling terrain that has wet springs, a natural pond, and is mostly all wooded with the exception of our homesite and Wildflower Hill. The soil is acidic having a pH in the range of 5.5. Wild blueberries, columbo,  and a multitude of flora live here along with the local fauna. We start with trilliums. It is ironic I transplanted several of these out here (which are doing well and have bloomed this year) but then found quite a few communities of trilliums. I believe this is perhaps a Sweet Betsy trillium (Trillium cuneatum).

This plant was hard for me to identify. It grows in the woods alongside a hill. Do you all recognize it? It is chickweed! Star chickweed (Stellaria pubera) is a native chickweed and NOT that pesky common chickweed found growing in lawns all across America in the winter. This chickweed has a very large and pronounced flower. My wildflower book, Wildflowers of Tennessee the Ohio Valle and the Southern Appalacians says common chickweed is a delicacy in Europe and "is a source of vitamins A and C". My chickens love the common chickweed but I am not going to be pulling the star chickweed to see if they like it too. This lovely diminutive wildflower grows right along with Spring Beauty and other wildflowers in the shaded areas of the farm.

This is the easiest wildflower to identify for me. It is Wild Bee Balm or Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). It grows wild in most areas of Middle Tennessee judging by all I see in the summer when it blooms. Here it grows on Wildflower Hill. It is quite happy on Wildflower Hill because Mr. Fix-it and I bush hog the hill and cleared the saplings which enabled more sun to reach the ground. Wild Bergamot blooms with Rose Gentian in the summer and is a gorgeous combination. My new hives of honeybees will love it!

Wild phlox (Phlox divaricataI) blooms all over Wildflower Hill and also in the woods.

This sweet little wildflower is Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium reptans) and blooms in the woods and on the edges of the woods. I was planning to move some out here but no longer since it is already here and growing well. It is right next to some beggar ticks (Bidens) which grow with abandon out here. No late summer walk in the woods is complete without a bunch of beggar ticks sticking to your clothes.

I believe this to be a native Maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum). It was a lucky catch for me because I was deep in a gorge with a wet spring when I happened upon it.

This mystery plant was also in the gorge next to the wet spring. I have no idea what it might be but I am leaning towards a wood lily. Does anyone know?

Fiddleheads also grow in the wet area of the gorge.

Coming up the hill the forest floor is absolutely covered with American Columbo. Wowser! This wildflower is stunning in person. I recently had some visitors and one of them asked me right away what it was and she liked it a lot. It is not a real common wildflower in my experience so Mr. Fix-it and I simply adore it on our land. 

The rest of the week will see more wildflowers and some bees....

in the garden.....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Another Photo Shoot

BY SKEETER

 My friends from McCorkles Nursery visited my GEORGIA GARDENS once again! They represent the "Gardeners Confidence Collection" for the nursery.

 

Here they are snapping photos of one of the many azalea's they left with me after their first visit.

 I was so happy the recent rains did not knock over the Phlox as it accented the Snowball Azalea well.

 Need to get that perfect view.

 I peeked over their shoulders and got my own shot.

Love the Gardeners Confidence Collection!

 Over to the Semi-Formal garden to snap some shots. I missed this action as I had an important phone call to tend.

 Peachy Keen did not do too well in this spot. The height was wrong with the green background. I liked it, so I snapped this shot.

 Peachy Keen made its way to the old stump of the oak tree. Yep, that is dead fountain grass in the background. I have yet to clean out this garden. It is next on my list. I am way behind schedule with way too much going on lately. I so wish issues would not pop up during my Spring Garden play time but life does give us challenges at times.

 Yep, the height shows much better in this spot.

 Sprinkles of rain started to fall so to the porch we went. Don't want to mess up that new camera.

 Love-U-Lots was pampered and tucked into place.



These poor guys have to get into some really strange positions for the perfect photo. I enjoyed their visit and they should return soon for yet ANOTHER PHOTO SHOOT, In the Garden...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Chorus Frogs in the Koi Pond

An unintended consequence of having the koi pond so close to the house is the noise. Noise you say? Koi don't make noise. True, but the frogs-OMG!

We had frogs in our old koi pond and really enjoyed listening to them and even seeing them. (For more on them check this post found here). And I really don't mind the frogs in the new koi pond; tho it has taken some adjusting on my part.

These babies are chorus frogs. They are in the same family as spring peepers; hence the puffed out chin. And while we do have some spring peepers in the koi pond, it is the chorus frogs that are most active right now. I would hear them each evening but could never ever find them during the day. One night as I prepared for bed I looked out at the pond and saw all these white dots swimming around the surface of the pond. I knew it was not koi so I took my flashlight and camera out and got quite the show.

Chorus frogs were swimming and walking all over the place. They were really quite the wonder.

 I was even able to touch one of them. They serenade each other day and night. Even as I type I can hear their song. You too have heard them sing and may even be listening to them now, but in case you are not sure what these frogs sound like check this link here....

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden 
 

Bloom Time

BY SKEETER

 The Snowball bush in my GEORGIA GARDENS has never had so many snowballs! I can hardly wait for them to turn completely white.

 First Iris of the year!

 The few Tulips that return each year have bloomed.

 Mama ducky has her babies lined in a row and enjoying the fresh mulching and blooming wild Violets.

 Always the first profuse bloomer in my little Rock Garden. 

And the Azalea's are ready to explode! Well, the ones the deer did not nibble are ready to explode. Yep, it is BLOOM TIME, In the Garden...

 

Happy Easter from my Garden to yours!

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden