Readers, Welcome to my blog (formerly Birds, Blooms, Books, etc). I'm entering a new decade taking on the challenge of moving from Maryland after living there 46 years and learning about my new home here in New England in the Live Free or Die state - New Hampshire. Join me as a write this new chapter of my life.

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Meeting Up with a Fellow Blogger

My husband and I have been traveling these passed two weeks.  Our first trip across the Atlantic to England.  We enjoyed exceptionally fine weather as we walked for 7 days from town to town in the Cotswolds.  Our feet were our form of transportation and we covered almost 50 miles.  Photos to come of that trip.

At the end of the trip we spent three days in London and Saturday morning met up with fellow blogger, Marie of 60 and the Next 10.  We spent a good two hours talking over tea about London, hiking, education, and our granddaughters and then she got us started in the right direction on the Tube for Heathrow.  Thanks, Marie!

Marie and me



Thursday, June 26, 2014

June Garden Tour - The Perennial Garden

Welcome to the Perennial Garden, the last stop of the June Garden Tour.

I am so happy to have the pathways redone in flagstone and river rocks.  It's such an improvement. 


The clematis has climbed almost to the top and is blessing us with flowers.




The creeping thyme is thriving among the rocks and blooming too.


First day lilies.


Astillbe starting to show color.



Sundrops.


An Asian lily blooming.



Knock out rose loaded with blossoms but needing some help.  The rain has drenched the blooms and the weight of them has bent them down.



Hosta are loving the moisture we have had.



I may even have liatris blooms this year.


Day lily with promise to come.



A final view.


Monday, June 23, 2014

June Garden Tour - The Glen Garden

There are not many blooms in the Glen Garden at this time of year.  Since it is a shade garden I like to think of the leaves of the ferns and hosta as the interesting feature.  Don't you agree?  There are some astillbe in the back of this photo just beginning to bloom.


The heuchera will bloom at some point I hope.


These large hosta are putting up buds.




The seeds of this fern are its blooms.





The Perennial Garden will be featured in the last Garden Tour post later this week.


Friday, June 20, 2014

June Garden Tour - The Pond Garden

Here's the pond full to the brim because of the inches of rain we have had.  Love that the cattails are gone (for now).  The water iris have mostly finished blooming.


The fish and frogs are active.


A water lily that has never done much is now showing some life.  It's confined to a pot in the pond.


Joe Pye weed is adding height.  I have pulled some volunteers from spots around the pond but I know there are still some from self seeding.  They don't seem to transplant very well.


On the house side of the pond the stella d'oro day lily is just opening blooms.  The hosta behind is a nice contrast to it.


Look at this color combination.


Close up it's even lovelier.  The orange is the butterfly weed that is food for monarchs.  The blue is ?  I can't recall what it is called.  It blooms in the morning.



Pots of sedum on the pond deck.


A view of the pond from the deck.


The garden tour will continue in future posts.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

June Garden Tour - Mom's Garden

Mom's Garden (formerly the Front Garden) is doing well with its transformation.  Here is a walk about with narrative.

Heading out the front door.  The black eyed susans are fully green.  Notice the dead branches?  The winter was very hard on shrubs and this butterfly bush didn't make it.  Hydrangeas died back to roots.


Looking towards the front door the liriope, Autumn Joy sedum and new lavender are a lovely contrast.  Two of the five new pink muhly grasses are visible there in the foreground on the left.


Zooming in on the lambs ear in bloom.


Lavender is lovely.  I even harvested some to dry.




Here's one of the butterfly bushes that did survive and grew from its roots. The orange flags wyou see there mark trees from Arbor Day Foundation.  I plant them here to see if they live then will move them to their final location in a year or more.  Did that with the crepe myrtles behind the wall.


This hydrangea is looking good only because of the treatment of a systemic insecticide.  I do need to spray it with Liquid Fence to keep the deer away.


These crepe myrtle had die back too this winter and need trimming at the base.


I've given up on annual flowers in these pots.  They need so much watering and then get eaten.  The creeping jenny wintered over and I added the fountain grass.  I like the color contrast.


The hydrangea will not have as many blooms as previous years but here is one forming.



The tour of the gardens will continue in future posts.  Stop back by.







Thursday, June 12, 2014

Harvests in Early June


Bok choy.

spinach

snow peas and garlic scapes


more snow peas

lettuce