Home Sweet Home

BY SKEETER

The Azalea's have been beautiful this Spring in my GEORGIA GARDENS. The best I can tell, we are about 2 and half weeks ahead of normal bloom time after a very mild winter.

The front woods are filling in with green leaves making our house just about hidden from the street. To the right, you see our driveway.

 We have 60 Azalea's scattered throughout the woods and garden's of our property. This one is my favorite as it always shines. I feared it would be harmed with our latest tree cuttings. If you go back to the first photo, you will see this bush in the middle just to the right of a tree stump. That was a very tall damaged tree that had to come down. But as you can see, Miss Azalea is just fine.

 I like the red color to this one but the deer always get to it. Can you tell with the missing blooms?

 This makes for a great view as we pull into our driveway. 3 large bushes that greenbrier likes to try and strangle. I have to dig that mess out every year it seems. Just when I think I have won the battle, one tuber seems to escaped me thus, more greenbrier to curse and pull. 

 The lighter pink ones are pretty but wish the planters of the bushes would have chosen a different color.

 I am not that crazy about Pastel colors but do enjoy them mixed in with the brighter pinks.

 The Pine trees and Azaleas compete for space and I like that look.

 The bright Pinks are my favorite.  

 Lucky for me, these Azalea's were all planted by the previous homeowners to this house. They were well established when we move in here 15 years ago. I wonder the age of these beauties.

 The entire street front to our front woods is filled with these large beauties. I wonder if the previous homeowners ever drive past to see them in Spring time in their full glory. I wish I could snap a photo of the entire row of Azalea's but it is impossible. My camera is not that smart nor is the operator of said camera. 

 Lets peek into the Semi-Formal garden. The dogwoods did not do well this spring. They pretty much went to leaf before the blooms could shine. But pretty just the same. Swamp Jasmine Exploded with blooms before the Honeysuckle. 

 The Jasmine is on its way out and the Honeysuckle is just starting to shine.

 The newest Azaleas to my gardens do not bloom simultaneously. Deer nibbling in the Winter when I let my guard down does not help this garden. 

 Aguila is spreading and I am loving it! Not too crazy about all those pine needles falling from the trees above though.

 St. Francis has a nice pathway of Creeping Jenny around him.

 Tina, do you remember picking this plant out for me at McCorkle's? Tangerine Beauty seems to be happy.

 Phlox is starting to really bloom now. I spotted a lot in the Garden Center's today and thought about adding some more as I love this little spring bloomer. Reminds me of my childhood as my grandmother had a huge planter full of phlox.

 I was surprised to find the Fox Tail did not completely die out from our mild winter. Happy treat...

 The Red Knockout Rose is blooming.

 Not all of the Muscari I have planted returned but the few clumps that have, I assume will be fine in years to come. This is the 3rd year for it. Bulbs other then Daffodils do not do well in my gardens.

 The Rock Garden has been under soggy conditions since last August. I feared loosing the Fringe Bush to the left of the little girl statue but it seems to be okay for now.

 Crimson and Clover are filling in and look really nice with the wild purple violets. Mama ducky looks like she needs a coat of white paint though.

 Iris are starting to bloom. Soon there will be iris all over the gardens as I have divided many and scattered them verses keeping them in an iris bed like most people do. Only problem with this method, I must keep the mulch away from the iris and all the beds are mulched.  

This week is Spring Break here in our area as a little tournament called The Masters is in swing (yes, pun there). When most local people escape the hoopla, there is no other place that I want to be then HOME SWEET HOME, In the Garden...

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

Georgia Pine Pollen

BY SKEETER

It is Azalea time here in my GEORGIA GARDENS! These two are always the first to bloom for me.

They are a bit early this year but to be expected with all this abnormally warm weather we have been having. The past 8 days have been in the 80's with some record breaking days!

I could not resist picking up a few Geraniums for the bicycle planter. The garden centers are starting to fill up with pretties in our area with this awesome weather.

With this warm weather comes pollen from the tall Georgia Pine Trees. Even though my gardens remain a bit soggy from past rainfall, a nice rainfall would wash out all this yellow mess. Hopefully we will not a repeat as the year I did another posting on Pine Pollen. Click HERE to see that blog. (Note: DO NOT become confused with the contest as this posting was made in 2010.)

A great surprise to me, the Crimson and Clover must have reseeded from last year! Happy day to me as I love this sweet red bloom and the fact that The Saint gave me the seeds  last year.

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY!

The double daffodils are now blooming.

I really do need to get them divided for more throughout the gardens. But even with the time change, there is only so many hours in a day. And with my large garden area to clean, daffy dividing is not high on the priority list.

The double daffodils are so pretty and full. 

I put one of the geraniums in with a Candy Tuft that did fine over winter in this pot.

I have a fern for the stump but it is on the front porch for now. We are expecting one more cold snap and I fear loosing it so I shall wait a bit. The stump is becoming hollow and this may be the last year I can put a Fern on top. I had to place a stone to keep it stable last year.

 I have also been doing a bit of painting. Giving some of the outdoor items a fresh coat of paint such as this little bird bath atop a milk can.

While out in the garden weeding today, I had a little friend. Well, if you look closely, you will see two little friends. Although, the snail is not really a friend of the garden. But I left it alone. Mums are starting to pop up from the ground.

Of course, I had to pick up and talk with the little box turtle though. It was so stinking cute. Just look at that little face. All together now, Awwwwwwww... The last I saw of this little friend, it was burrowing under the mulch of the small lilac bush.

As I called it a day and headed back into the house, I spotted this on the decking around the pool. Looks as though Ghost Footprints but not so. Just my footprints from the GEORGIA PINE POLLEN, In the Garden...

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

Sunny Delights

BY SKEETER

We have had beautiful weather the past few days here in my GEORGIA GARDENS. Daffodils are in full bloom and I cannot get enough of them.

 The center of the same flower. See the touch of orange?

 I do not know the names of my little pretties but I have many different types. Although, not as many as our Master Gardener Tina.

 The Yellow glows in the sun.

 This is the one I recall as a child growing up in Tennessee. I called them Buttercups as do most every one I know from Tennessee. That is, all that were born in TN...

 These things give me great cheer in the spring.  

 I do not have many of these but after dividing them a few years, I should have many more.

 Just look at the pollen within. 

 Little rays of sunshine I tell ya.

 Wow, look at this pollen. More than the other bloom and just waiting for something to flutter along and pick it up for transfer.

Wait, correct color but wrong bloom. Of course with Spring comes those pesky dandelions in my grassy areas.

 I have been taking advantage of the nice weather to start cleaning out my gardens. Here the planter full of Liriope is about to be removed. Last year, I left the old grass but this year, I have decided to remove it for a nicer look.  

I took the hand clippers to this planter so as to not disturb any critters taking shelter under the dormant grass. Some times, we get a baby bunny or two. I did not find any bunnies but a big toad which was happy I did not take any type of electric device to this grass. New growth was already popping up from the earth.

I raised the patio umbrella for shade while sipping ice cold water.

And look who was on top of the umbrella. Charlie the Anole visit me as I rest.

 Okay, I became sidetracked a bit. Back to my pretties. These are a smaller variety. I call them Narcissus.

Did you know that Daffodils are in the Amaryllis family? Click HERE to learn more about them.

 Here is one that has yet to completely open.

I find it fun to observe blooms in different stages. I tell you, I just cannot get enough of these little SUNNY DELIGHTS, In the Garden...

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