For 20 years I've been working on my gardens. Planting, fertilizing, ripping out, transplanting . . . I think I could work on them for 20 more years and still not be totally satisfied. Do you feel that way about your own garden?
And let's not forget, perfecting a garden is not cheap! I have always tried to buy my plants at the end of the season. I swear I've saved so much money, but every once in a while I see something that I cannot resist, like my Roses, or an amazing Hydrangea, so I suck it up and pay full price.
My poor husband, he's the one who usually has to dig things up while I give the instructions. Right now I'm on a kick to totally redo my shade garden and expand it, which involves a ton of work! That particular garden has become rather overgrown, especially by my enormous 7'-8' Hosta. Not sure I'm going to get my wish though.
This is the first year we've planted Zinnia's. My husband and I started them from seeds. Although they seemed to have a late start, suddenly they're taking off in full technicolor! Next year we will definitely be having more Zinnia's, but larger.
The above flower is a little deformed but of all the different colored Zinnia's coming into bloom, this particular color is my favorite. Like a simmering sunset on a hot summers evening.
It took 2 years before I finally had a bloom on my Josephine Columbine. This year I'll have five blooms.
I'd wait again
And today, the Monarchs showed up. Oh sweet summer, how I adore you with all my heart.
Linking up with Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday
60 comments:
Sharon, you rock. Your garden is stunning!
Let me say this. When I retire, I will be one of those little old ladies who will wear a bandana and a long sleeved blouse to dig and dig and dig all day. A wide brimmed hat would be a requirement, too. I have a large area of my back yard that needs me. The pond will be larger and I will make garden paths. I just purchased some very elegant wind chimes today. :) Ahhh, the music to my ears.
And oh, at night, I will wear spandex and lipstick for my Hip Hop class. LOL!
I really don't know any woman who doesn't love flowers, gardens, growing vegetables and all that. They all just give so much back. I love hydrangeas the most. But, in my home I have orchids which live for 3-4 months and keep opening new blooms.
Lovely post. Although, here in Texas we have waaaaay too much summer.
You still have so many pretty flowers in bloom!
My flower beds are worse than pathetic - only thing left blooming is in pots and they are on their last leg. :( Have kept them watered, but the heat has just been to much. if it had not been so hot today, I would have gone out, cut back and made a trip to the garbage.
Such a beautiful garden and if it is as large as the photos suggest, you have a lot of work to do. Absolutely beautiful photography!
No, let me rephrase that... You do a lot of work. Your garden looks very well loved and well tended.
Your garden is a summer daydream, Sharon! So many lovely colors and blooms. I'm impressed with the zinnias grown from seed – I have not been successful with seeds. Twenty years? Yes, I could spend 20 on our garden. I wonder if there will be a day that it's "done"? Probably not, but it's a never ending education in nature's wonders, isn't it?
Hope you are staying cool. xo – g
that picture of the full bloom of the josephine columbine is stunning!! I try to keep my garden to a 15 foot radius circle, and my pathetic side plot towards the street and a small garden bordering the front of the house. I am always killing plants, buying new ones, learning the right ideas after trial and error. This year I kept my Queen Annes Lace in the round garden! I posted about my garden earlier also today, must be in the July air.
Beautiful! I just posted some garden photos Friday. These are lovely!
Thank you so much for sharing your gorgeous garden - loved my tour of all your beautiful flowers!
Sharon, your garden is gorgeous, and so are your pixs!
Oh my, how I covet your garden! I sacrificed a plot of country land for a beautiful ocean view, but someday I hope to have both my loves together (fingers crossed). Gorgeous photos - I do love the butterflies and hooray for the zinnias! I'm so happy I stumbled upon your blog today. Thank you so much for sharing your piece of paradise :)
The garden of my dreams ... sigh... Donna
Your gardens are so beautiful. Mine are so full of weeds and other overbearing plants, some of which I inherited with the ground because I never would have planted these invaders. I may just spray them all with weed killer and take my chances on losing the good guys in the process. I need you to come fix my gardens. I'll trade you the black wrought iron set if you come fix my gardens?
Cindy
Oh how beautiful your garden grows, my dear. So jealous that you have monarchs. Just not getting butterflies here this year for some reason. I miss seeing them flutter by.
Di
Like you my hubby is the digger! I have a bad ankle and it makes digging difficult! Hubby's cousin recently gave us a small cultivator/roto-tiller which we just had serviced, I can't wait to use that sucker!
Like you I also try to buy my plants at the end of the season, except this year I broke down and bought 2 little lamb hydrangeas and white chiffon rose of sharon! I also bought 2 white lupines and a white peony at the farmers market. There's a theme here . . . my white garden or moonlight garden! I can't wait until it's in full bloom!
Love your photos, especially the monarchs! They are an amazing little creature! Have a wonderful day!
Definitely a long term project.
Sharon your 20 years of hard work has paid off. Your flowers are so beautiful. I love zinnias too and sometimes buy them but we've had a serious earwig problem here and they love zinnias. So far, the earwigs don't seem as bad this year. Yet! Have a delightful day!
Pamela
wonderful gardens and photos of your flowers Sharon. My wife and I also have a long work in progress. It's fun and rewarding
dan
Love your garden! The woman that lived in our home before us planted flowers all around our home that are amazing. She clearly worked hard. The flowers bloom with each season and when one begins to die another sequence of blooms take over. We've had flowers constantly since mid-May. In fact... I was planning on doing a post featuring a few of those flowers myself!
I was also wondering.... if I just keep putting in new mulch so weeds don't take over will this gardens keep flourishing?? I am not much of a gardener. I tried to add my own touch and plant some hydrangea but the plant died :(
Cabin Fever in Vermont
Since I don't have a garden, I'll just enjoy yours. I love all the photos of the flowers....thanks so much!
Wonderfull garden, best regard from Belgium.
Sharon...you have passed expectations in your garden and your photography! Your flowers are lovely and I am glad I got to see them. Yes, gardening is a lot of hard work but it is SO worth it. Thanks for sharing this great post!
Susannah
Your flower photos are fabulous! Wonderful!
Your garden is fabulous! I admire your efforts and hard work! You're lucky your husband likes to help in the garden, mine just leaves me to it. Which, in a way, is very good as I can do what I want with it. I think it's time to rip up and redo the side garden now. Isn't it fun?
I second your last comment re: summer! Love your garden. I can't wait to get my hands into some soil. Soon, I hope, very soon.
all so so stunning
such a fabulous garden
filled with color and
yummy delights for
butterflies
Oh Sharon, how beautiful!!! I think it is so sweet that your husband digs the holes for you... :) I've been gardening here for almost 30 years, and it looked a lot better when I first started. I'm so discouraged by the deer eating everything! But I did a family photoshoot this morning at a private garden that was glorious! ANd that has inspired me to try harder... :) xoxo
Oh how fantastic. Every one of these images is just fantastic. Your garden is gorgeous. Carol
Sharon, your flower garden's can be compared to a summer's dream, so very lovely.If you would like some help in the planting department, I have a flock of hens who can rearrange a garden in a split second...oh and they work cheap too! Hope you are enjoying your summer, your photos never disappoint.
I enjoyed my time hanging in your lovely garden. I must sy the yellow of your cone flower just caught my eye. I have pink and my sister has orange, I just for some reason think its such a gorgeous flower. I also just love zinnia for their strong stems and they carry themselves very well. Thank you for sharing your natures beauty with us.
Hugs,
Ellen
That black eyed susan is stunning!!! My favourite shot!
Such beautiful flowers and photos! I usually buy my plants on sale too, but some plants are too pretty to wait for!
Kat :)
Nice pictures:)
I've always wanted to have a garden but have had nothing but small ones due to the fact that I don't own my own home. I have a few little spaces but nothing like I really want. Yours are gorgeous!
Gorgeus, gorgeous, gorgeous!!! Your entire blog is full of gorgeous garden photos!!!
Oh yes I know what you say about moving things around, and around, and around.
smiles...
Sharon this is just gorgeous and your photography is as always just stunning.
I love flowers and my garden. I always start veggies from seed but not flowers.
Lovely Lovely Blog
What stunning flowers! I admire your gardening skills. Somehow, plants always die if I'm left in charge.... something about forgetting to water...
Everything looks lovely...I especially love the Josephine Columbine...beautiful color! I think this has been a great growing season, everything has gotten so lush this year in my area.
I'm very jealous...I have no yard! :( But at least I can come visit yours..hehe! Portsmouth is lovely, I have been there twice myself- and I would definitely recommend a trip to Portland just for some of the scenery! I have to say, zinnias are some of my favorite flowers, but yours are stunning- they have these layers in them that I have never seen before! No wonder the monarchs are flocking to your house...:)
Stunning! Your garden is beautiful and I am in awe!
both your flowers and photos are gorgeous...I have been so behind in reading blogs so am trying to catch up...glad I stopped in tonight...!
Oh Sharon you have such a beautiful garden! I can only hope that one day my garden will look like this!
Wow your garden is amazing! love the colors and butterflies!
Beautiful flowers...all that hard work payed off!
You're so right about plants being cheaper at the end of season. We have had such TERRIBLE weather this summer that nobody was doing much planting. Very odd for the westcoast here. Last weekend, i stopped into my local plant shop and got so many great plants super cheap! End of season soon and they want to get rid of them. I went home and planted and as I was embracing the beauty of my little patch, I had a thought of you and your lovely garden. Enjoy!
I've never seen a Josephine columbine before; it's quite stunning, as are the rest of your gardens!
~Andrea
Truly some of the most beautiful flower photography ever- the columbine is breathtaking--
Vicki
Wow, you have quite the green thumb. Your garden is awesome! Love the varieties of flowers you have.
Me, I kill things, I mean plants.
I'm good with animals.
I just discovered your lovely blog. I look forward to popping by again for some more inspiration! I'm just new into blogging this year & have put together a daily blog on design, fashion, food, travel and anything pretty.
http://scrapbook-melissah.blogspot.com/ and one on everything coastal
http://coastal-style.blogspot.com/
I had a lot of fun putting them together maybe you would like to check it out if you have a spare minute.
x
Melissah
Sharon, your gardens are beautiful. Mine are the worst they've ever been between lack of rain, voles and the deer...I've about given up for this year.
I think those 20 years have paid off because your garden is beautiful!
Your garden is so beautiful
I'm melting over the absolute beauty of your garden. You have quite a green thumb and are very talented. And I agree, summer is definitely sweet.
Your garden looks beautiful Sharon! I don't think a garden is ever finished ... it's constantly changing. Last fall we did a major overhaul and took out or moved over half of the plants. This year I've left everything alone so I can see how it fills in before I add any more to it.
Those zinnias are really pretty! I'm going to look for some for next year. (See? I'm already adding plants I don't have room for! lol!)
You have a beautiful garden!
beautiful!
Just so beautiful. !!!!!!
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