What A Show For Fertilizer Friday

Yesterday was pretty nice so I took a walk around the yard and was absolutely amazed at how much I saw poking up out of the ground. I'm a little concerned that the weather forecast is saying record lows for this time of year coming in a couple of days. What will this do to everything? Guess I'll find out.

The first place I went to check was over to the Helleborus Niger Lenten Rose because other bloggers are showing theirs and I didn't see any sign of mine. I thought I had lost it. I was a little disappointed because for years I haven't liked this flower. It wasn't pretty at all and I often wondered what made me buy it. Must have been a pretty picture on the ticket that is gone since I've had it so many years.

A pretty picture like this. I realized last year it must have gotten prettier with age.

Clementine Rose a pretty light pink Columbine.

Crocus

Brunnera Jack Frost

I had passed my new bleeding heart and didn't see any sign of life. Then I got to my older one Dicentra Bleeding Heart and saw life there so decided to go back and look at the other one a little closer.

I felt really bad when I didn't see anything because this Dicentra Bleeding Heart Burning Hearts blooms for a really long time and I had just bought it last summer. After getting closer and really looking I spotted some green coming up. Boy was I relieved. This little beauty is suppose to bloom from March to September!

My beautiful red and white Columbine Songbird Cardinal.

English Bluebells that my neighbor gave me.

White Bells from the same neighbor.

Narcissus also from . . . yup Marilyn gave me lots of bulbs.

Paper White Narcissus

The Clematis Jackmanii is showing lots of life.

And this I am really excited about - the beautiful hot pink Naked Ladies I showed a while back blooming in Marilyns yard, well she gave me some of those too. I only see one coming up with a big ole deer print right in front of it. Hope they didn't destroy the rest of them. I'll just hope the others are a little behind showing their pretty faces.

Pink Hardy Geranium

Sedum Autumn Joy

Tradescantia Spiderwort

Sedum Linda Windsor

Siberian Iris

Tall Phlox, are they called Garden Phlox?

Meadow Sage May Night

Pink Hydrangea I put in a pot to keep it that color.

I have another Hydrangea, called Buttons and Bows, and it has new leaves all over it but I just couldn't get a clear picture of them to save my soul. Hope it blooms this summer as it didn't last year. Every pink petal is trimmed in white.

Maybe this year I will get to see this bloom. I've had it for years. It was up back in a raised bed but critters kept chewing it down. I'm surprised it lived . . . but it did but never got to bloom. So fall before last I moved it closer to the house thinking the guilty party might leave it alone. They did and it grew and looked good but still no blooms. Maybe this will be the year. It is a Thalictrum Aquilegifolium and it says it is Columbine like. The leaves look like Columbines but the picture shows the bloom is totally different.

Here's the giant 4 ft. purple Columbine


I thought I lost this one last year in that horrible heat we had. It just disappeared. But it looks like it's coming back. I am REALLY excited about this one. Glomerata Superba Campanula, a tall purple one.

Here's a Yellow Flag that's going to Catherine's house, or maybe her pond? Glad it made it back.

I'm pleased that the blue Lacecap Hydrangeas I started a couple of years ago are looking good.

Daylilies

Sedum Purple Emperor

I found this Abelia Edward Goucher in the greenhouse that I started last year and it looks dead . . . but what is that little purple pinkish ball on it?

Fertlizer Friday Flaunt your Flowers-New Bloomers!

I'm joining my friend Tootsie this week for Fertlizer Friday/Flaunt your Flowers. I always enjoy visiting her blog and seeing everyone's weekly posts.


I am still "bloomerless" in my landscape and I desperately need to go buy some fresh flowers this weekend to cheer up my home.

These are some beautiful bloomers from a trip to California we took last year..they make me happy especially when snow is still on the ground outside.

I love these hot colored zinnas..they don't do well in my yard but I love seeing them in mass plantings.

This hanging petunia was so pretty and fragrant hanging under a metal arbor.

I love this fucshia...it get's too hot for these in Oklahoma's summer..another reason I need a greenhouse!

They were just bringing out the mums in September when we were there.

Vintage Postcards For Vintage Thingies Thursday

Today for Vintage Thingies Thursdays I have some old postcards that I purchased at an estate sale to resell. Sometimes I have to keep things around for myself. That way I can enjoy them for a while but don't have to start a collection to make room for.

One example is the top left card with the beautiful purple flower. It is all raised and has that fuzzy feel to it. It is from 1915 and made in Germany. A couple of them have butterflies.

A bird, some water scenes, but most have beautiful florals.
There are birthday cards, New Years, Congratulations .
A real variety . . .

A Collection Of Succulents

My collection of succulents is getting larger. I'm trying to get a variety of smaller to medium ones so I can make some living wreaths. I did a living basket but I think it was much harder to start learning with so will be letting my baskets sit until I do a few of the others first.

This Poppy Blew Me Away . . .

For years I have tried to start Poppies. I'd bring home seeds or plants from my Mothers gardens and they just would not live. But I kept trying - I don't know how many years I've been doing this. But last year for some odd reason they lived. I had quite a few and planted them in 2 different places. And miracle of all miracles they even reseeded and came back this year. Only in 1 place though which was rather a happy accident because they clashed with all of the flowers in the one spot I put them. They were just to orangie for all of my pinks. My Phlox looked horrible with that Poppy next to them. For some reason I didn't take a picture of all of these little miracle babies blooming but I did get a single one after a rain.

But that Poppy wasn't the one that really blew me away. I know nothing about Poppies, how could I? They never would grow here. But last summer I also got another one from a neighbor and I guess it's a Peony Poppy. It bloomed, a little sickly looking and it wouldn't hold its head up but it did bloom. And it even reseeded too. Must of been my lucky Poppy year! So you can imagine how excited I was to find out that not only did Moms Poppies come up this year but here comes this other one up from the ground. The plant looked pretty good but the bud was hanging over and I thought well, looks like it won't be holding it's head up again.

Then one morning I get up, look out the window and see this plant standing straight up with a big bud standing at attention. I couldn't believe it. I immediately went marching out with my camera to take pictures. My word that thing is a foot above the foliage. Straight up!
But no sign of anything to come yet. Just a big old bud.
I just kept watching it and took a picture when it showed signs of opening. This all happened in a matter of about 3 or 4 days I think.
Then yesterday I looked out and here was this gorgeous Poppy in my garden.

I am so thrilled to death with the little beauty and hope I have a kazillion of them next year. And look how the petals are all crinkled after unfolding. I had to touch it because it really looked like paper that had been all wadded up. Ok I knew it wasn't paper but . . .
Is this just absolutely gorgeous or what? And it has a couple more buds that are going to bloom. I think it's my new favorite flower - well for a minute anyway.