In The Garden

By Skeeter

While recently visiting my family in Tennessee, I was able to get out to our very own Master Gardeners neck of the woods. Tina wanted the Hibiscus that I talked about giving away with another post. The plant made the trip with me and to Tiger Gardens it went. Hope it gives you lots of blooms to enjoy. I loved the plant but not bringing it inside each winter as the cats were not happy with it being behind a closed door.


It is always fun going to Tiger Gardens even if for a quick run in and out as on this day. Tina's front walk is always so inviting.

I never know what to expect at Tiger Gardens as Tina always has something new for me to see. Such as the made over shower door she created with freebies from freecycle! She showed us this Mosaic Masterpiece a while back but seeing it in person was so much better. The colors are so vibrant and just glow when the sun is shining through. Tina, you outdid yourself on this one girl. You could sell them and get rich one day as they are that awesome!
My favorite flower blooming at Tiger Gardens this day had to be the beautiful Angel Trumpet's.
I was totally drawn to their glow and size!
Yet another Mosaic by Tina on the front porch. These are such works of art.
How pretty is this beauty? Ah, so so pretty....

I am so glad I took Tina the Turtles Plant as it now has a new home and I have more memories from being IN THE GARDEN...

In Nina's Garden

By Skeeter

I left my Georgia Garden for another week long visit with my family in Tennessee. This go round Tina and I were able to squeeze in a visit with Nina. Upon Meeting Nina on previous TN visits, I found out that Nina grew up in a house next to some of my mothers relatives! Amazing what a small world it is out there. My mother has been wanting to meet Nina ever since. It was my Mothers Birthday and I decided it would be a perfect day to take her on a Mother Daughter Day out in the country to visit with Nina and Tina.
Nina and her husband Gene, live on the most serene spot one can imagine! I could sure wake up to this view in my front yard every morning. So peaceful and relaxing.
As you drive up the driveway, you are greeted by this beautiful patch of color.
At first glance, I knew this would be my favorite garden within Nina's paradise.
So much color, full and lush just calling out to butterflies and bees to drop in.
Our eyes were captured by this Red and Gold beauty. Nina tells us this is one plant. Or is it two plants? Hum, this beauty is Helen's Flower or Helenium Autumnale, red-gold. You tell me, is it one plant or two plants? Quite impressive and all coming from the same root!
Nina has one of the Tipsy Pots that Lola inspired me to make this past summer. They are such a fun touch of whimsy in the Garden.
This Cypress Vine caught my eye with lots of activity from the Hummingbirds. Nina says this plant is very invasive but I must have one in my garden! I was enjoying all the Hummingbirds and it would go great close to the Saints Bald Cypress Tree! The camera focused on the foliage instead of the blooms but you can still see the star shape of the red blooms. Nina, I will be looking for those seeds as this is a must in my garden. :-)
Then I spotted my new favorite garden in Nina's yard. The gold fish pond! I have always wanted a pond but the Saint has not taken that bait as of yet. "Too much trouble to fight off the wildlife" and he is probably right. So for now I enjoy other ponds such as this one at Nina's house.
The goldfish are so happy swimming around and I was about ready to jump in the water with them as it had started to heat up by this time. Gotta love those Dog Days of Summer...
A blink of the eye and I had another favorite spot! Nina is not happy with this area of her yard. She says it needs work but I found it very inviting with being such a natural type spot to view.
Little touches such as the fallen pot spilling greenery make this a very interesting place in the garden. Nina, we are usually our own worse critic so don't fret about this spot. I found it wonderful.
The Cosmos were blooming to beat the band! Yet, another Southern Term out of my mouth.
See the tiny bee having a sip of nectar?
I then spotted this special planter in the garden. This lunch box belongs to Nina's father who carried this to work for many years. At this point of the Garden Tour, I stopped looking for a favorite spot. How could I chose just one with so much beauty surrounding me? Instead, a favorite memory of Nina's Gardens, found in the love and care with these little touches throughout.
What would normally be a blank wall on my house has become a cute work of art in Nina's Garden. I found this to be a great way to display a window and pan from the old house Nina once called home.
I forgot to ask if this wagon once belonged to Nina's children but for now, it holds plants and makes for another great focal point.
I don't have this plant but I think Tina and Nina called it Joe Pye Weed. It was in full bloom and the butterflies were having a feeding frenzy.
Here you see three of the flutterbugs busy at work.
My mom does not know too much about flowers but she enjoys viewing them. She says the flower bug skipped a generation with her. Her mother was an avid gardener and belonged to the Clarksville Garden Club. But one thing is for sure, my mom knows her Air Conditioners! She retired from Marketing at Trane Company and she was most impressed to see the newer model in Nina's Garden. Okay mom, that is not a flower so on with the Garden tour now....
I was in awe of the ivy growing up the tree trunk along with the ferns below. More little touches of whimsy with old candle holders used for color amongst the ferns.
I like the way Nina used old dishware to create a nice little statue to brighten up a spot. If only I had known of this while working 3 days at the Cats Are Us yard sale in June! They had lots of things for me to use to make one of these. Note to self: Keep Nina's dishware creations in the mind...
Ah, one of my favorite statues of all times. The little Savannah Girl made famous with the Book and Movie "Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil" I did not care too much for the movie but the statue is adorable.
Hosta looking healthy and with so many woods around. I know there must be deer in those woods. How do you keep the deer away?
I was baffled by this bloom. Does anyone recognise it? I have seen Rose of Sharon before but never have I seen a Double Rose of Sharon.
The bushy tree looks like a Rose of Sharon for sure but the blooms are so not Rose of Sharon as I know them. I learn something new in every Garden I visit!
The silhouette of the bird was familiar to me. That is because Tina has posted on this spot before with a previous visit to Nina's Garden. This little bridge has been painted white since Tina's posting. It makes me want one ever so more now. Saint, are you listening here? Ah, Magnolia trees make a perfect front drop to the woodsy backdrop. I spotted signs of the Yellow Belly Sap Sucker (woodpeckers) on the trees. I hope they leave them alone as they can do massive damage.
A shady spot but still hot day as the humidity was starting to take its toll on us by now.
Beautiful planters on the walkway to the front door where air conditioning awaited us.
Nina was a great hostess and had us a wonderful lunch prepared. We sat and ate lunch (a simple Sandwich my foot) while gabbing up a storm. As usual, the time flew by and it was time for us to head on down the road. Thank you Nina for a wonderful time and we must get back out your way again some time when the weather is cooler for a longer visit outside in the garden.
And Thanks to Gene for letting us ladies take over the house for a few hours. We don't bite and with the next visit, I expect you to join in on the fun. We do talk about more then just flowers you know. Gene gets credit for the beautiful trim job of this evergreen! Gene, I have a hedge you can clip if you ever get to our neck of the woods...

We said our goodbyes and Tina took off to greet the Jimster from school. Nina gave us some backroad directions to the old homeplace so we took off in that direction.

A beautiful curvy drive through the woods and we were at the old Church where my grandmother and her family gathered for events and worship.

Mom and I spent a little time walking around visiting with the family members buried on the chuch grounds. I learned more family history and here you see my mothers Grandparents stone.

We drove up to the old homeplace spot and also past the creek that I would wade in as a child.

It is nice to slow down the fast pace of life and go down memory lane at times. We must never forget where we came from and to occasionally go back, stop and smell the wildflowers growing along the creek or roadside.

We sure enjoyed our stroll IN NINA'S GARDEN...

Virginia Beauty

By Skeeter

The Saint and I left our Georgia Garden for a few days in Virginia over the 4th of July. One stop we made along the way, was in North Carolina for lunch.

We took a special route in order to try out the Barbecue that Cameron, of Defining your home garden talked about on her blog a while back. If you would like to see that BBQ Blog Click HERE. I wish you could smell the scent coming from the smokers as it was awesome to our hungry bellies. The chopped and sliced BBQ were yummy but we were both disappointed with no chicken or ribs on the menu. Cameron, it was worth the visit and thanks for sharing this BBQ tip with us.

The Saints mother is a wonderful gardener and has taught me much about plants in the 23 years I have known her. We arrived to two beautiful pots full of pretties by the garage door. What a welcome mat indeed to two tired travelers.

The Front door had another pot to greet us.

Here is a beautiful shade bed of hosta in the front yard as well as a great spot for a bird to take a bath.
Ah, Look out birdies, Missy may be looking for a snack! She is a good Vole catcher.
On the deck sits this interesting pot of flowers. The tropical looking palm tree is a Spike Plant that is over wintered each year in the house. I love the way it has been trimmed up each year and how it looks like a tree!
This Mandevilla was a gift to Mom B by the Saints sister. What a beautiful plant and full of blooms trailing over the deck.
I could hardly keep my eyes off it when I was on the deck.
Ah, look up to the sun pretty Shasta Daisy.
Not sure of this name but interesting bloom don't ya think?
Oak leaf Hydrangea, I do believe. Such a beautiful bloom on the hydrangea.
Here is where I discovered Butterfly Bush. In Mom B's back yard! I just love it and am so happy she planted it as now I have a Butterfly Bush Island in my yard. Thanks for showing me this plant Mom B!
Queen Annes Lace was in bloom all over Virginia and in Mom B's yard as well. For years I have called this Milkweed but now know it is Queen Annes Lace! I also found out that my Butterfly Weed is a type of Milkweed, after posting on it last week. I noticed where many had mentioned the word Milkweed when I never mentioned it. I googled Milkweed to find out my Butterfly Weed is indeed one of many in the Milkweed family! Queen Annes Lace is also Wild Carrot! Ha, learn something new every day!
I was so envious of the yellow Gladiola as the few I had bloom had black spots on them as if molded.
Look closely in the above picture to see a Japanese Maple tree. Mom B said it came up voluntary as she did not plant it. She thanks the birds for the gift. I love the natural look of this garden.
The Lilies were in full bloom and so pretty while in Virginia. It is so much fun to travel to a different zone to see what is blooming that has already past in our zone. Kind of like extending the season for me.
A Mum popping open.
Liatris or Gay Feather and Lily by the lake front.
A round planter by the lake front. Close-up of the Shasta Daisy in the round planter.

I did not catch the name of this purple beauty in the round planter but it sure is interesting.
Spirea bush below the deck.

Close-up of the Spirea bloom.
Oh no, Say it is not a Japanese Beetle on the Lily! Don't worry, this one will do no more harm. I took care of him...
The planter with the Spirea continues around the corner to this Hydrangea that I showed you last week. It has lots of pretty things to keep it company. Don't you just love that rock wall that Mom and Dad B built?
Creeping Jenny keeps the set stone in place to make for a beautiful walkway to the boat. Mom and Dad B worked really hard to get those in place. See that Mandevilla peeking through the deck rails?

This is only a sample of the yard that the Saints Mother has created since moving into this house back in the year 2000. When they moved to this house, she said she was going to retire and not do much yard work. And with the yard being full of Red Clay, well, that would make sure of little gardening. Ha, I had to laugh at her as I knew she would not be able to keep out of the dirt. The yard is full and I do mean full of Red Clay and we have no idea how she was able to transform it to this beautiful setting.

Tomorrow, we will get on the boat and see what kind of VIRGINIA BEAUTY, we can spot, On the Lake...