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Grandma’s Blessing

Last week I went to some garden centers searching for a particular rose for my daughter-in-law’s new garden.   I didn’t find the one she wanted, but I did find one that I needed.  It is called “Grandma’s Blessing” and is an ‘Easy Elegance’ rose.  Last week, I had the pleasure of seeing my two grandchildren meet each other..one is nine years old and one is 6 weeks.  They are truly Grandma’s Blessing.

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We are still in drought, so succulents are doing well since they require little water.  These wonderful “Talinum” add color and texture to this planter.  They are hardy and expand each year.  The lovely blossom opens in the afternoon and is surrounded by yellow and white portulaca.

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I put my orchids outside for the summer,  and they seem to enjoy the weather.  The tillandsias I brought back from Florida last winter also love the humidity.

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Today’s hoped for rain missed us, so I will be out with the hose again tomorrow trying to keep all the other plants going.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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September

Well that was fast.  Summer scooted on by without too much posting on my part.  I guess some of it was the drought.  There were still some little pockets of loveliness but they were hard to come by, so I just didn’t take as many photos.  We can only hand water with a hose now.. no sprinklers… and that takes a long time.  My goal at the moment is to water just enough to keep plants alive.  Many plants are stunted, dull in color and putting out fewer blooms, but most are responding to the water.  There should be much more color in this photo, but the rabbits continue their nightly visits.

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The Brugmansia usually puts on a show this time of year with multiple blossoms.  This year I have one.  Its a beauty though.  I love the color changes as it matures.

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The dahlias have a few blossoms – and those too are lovely – just scant in number.

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Sunflowers are happy

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The bees have found the sedum

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I love the softness of this Hibiscus blossom

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The zinnias are wonderful this year..

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A fading Echinacea will bring in some goldfinches soon

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All in all not too bad.  Asters, mums, sedums, fall anemones and grasses  will bring some beauty to the garden as the weather cools off , and perhaps we will have a good rain again some day.

 

 

 

 

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August

There’s a new “blossom” in Gramma Penny’s garden.  My grandson was born last night.  Here’s a beautiful blue Agapanthus to mark the occasion.

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The drought continues to be a challenge.  We have had a few showers here and there but not enough.  Watering bans are in force.  A deer showed up in the field the other day and dined off the wild roses.  All the hips on my roses have been eaten by some varmint or another.

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The garden is quite neglected.  It has been too hot to get out and weed.  Thank goodness for daylilies to provide some color.  One of my favorites “Techny Spider”  was moved to a new site last year and it is putting on a show.

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This old pot and some new foliage from the variegated sorrel I cut back earlier make for a nice vignette.  There were some other color combos planned for the garden this year but the rabbits did away with that plan.

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I did manage to catch a hummingbird enjoying the hosta blossoms…not bad for a cell-phone shot

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I can’t wait to share the secrets of gardening with the new little guy in my life.

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July

Gardening is a challenge this year.  Drought, chipmunks, rabbits, heat…the list goes on.   We were away for 2 1/2weeks (trip to Ireland) so the garden had to fend for itself.  Now that we are back I have been watering, fencing off some areas and otherwise letting nature take its course.  Many plants are stunted or were eaten or succumbed to the heat.  The rabbits did not eat the daylilies though and they are in their glory now.

Early morning after a shower

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Summer colors

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“Matt”

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“Flamenco Christmas”

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“Barbara Mitchell” and a photobomb from “Gentle Shepherd”

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“Glistening Bouquet”

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“Bold Marauder”

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And the bold marauder himself!

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Stokesia with “Rhinestone Kid”

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Lavender in a pot by the back door

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June

Rabbits are everywhere.  They are nibbling every night. I have tried fences, sprays, granular stuff, and I have a dog.  The rabbits don’t care.  Here’s what is surviving. I hope they don’t eat the daylilies.

Columbine

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Columbine and poppy

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Azaleas

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Iris

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Peonies

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Pink and white gas plant from friend Peg

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Mom’s gas plant

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Bush Clematis from friend Peg

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Globe Allium

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Allium bulgaricum

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Allium bulgaricum and Heuchera

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Lupine in the meadow

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Saxifraga in a trough and Baptisia

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May…

Posting has been light due to many other obligations – chairing our garden club plant sale, organizing and hosting a baby shower for my grandson-to-be, helping our son and daughter- in-law move into their first home, and breaking my kneecap.  I managed to take a few photos of the garden and finally downloaded them.  The cool spring has allowed a long season for the early bloomers.

Trillium pusillum is a miniature trillium

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Iris koreana

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Epimedium

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Primrose

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and other spring beauties

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The bog I planted last year did well over the winter, and I was delighted to see the Butterwort – Pinguicula primuliflora blossoming.  This is the plant with the lime green leaves and purple flowers. I saw it growing wild in Scotland and fell in love with it.   When I saw this plant at Cady’s Falls Nursery in Hyde Park, VT last summer, I had to have it.   Here it is with a beautiful Epimedium  – ‘Wildfire’

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These pansies reseeded themselves in the front walk .  They had been planted in pots by the steps last year…

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I’m battling rabbits and chipmunks at the moment… but the rock garden is looking pretty right now.

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Assessing the damage

“April is the cruelest month” said T.S. Eliot.  This year my garden concurs.  I returned Saturday afternoon from a three month hiatus in the south.  The forecast was for snow and cold so I went out in the garden with my son, and we covered as many daffodils and budding plants as we could with wastebaskets, pots, laundry baskets etc.  Here is the garden before the snow.

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The new daffodils I planted last fall were beautiful.

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The snow came and with it two nights of temps in the teens. Darth Vader invaded the garden.

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Pots over plants

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Some flamingoes showed up.  They don’t look happy either.

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The snows have mostly melted now, and this morning I uncovered my treasures.  The daffodils I covered are fine .  The hyacinths were not covered and are mush.  I covered the Mukdenia but it still looks terrible.  Epimedium buds froze whether they were covered or not.  They were my favorites.  My tree peony was covered but looks terrible. The plants will probably make it, but I will miss those lovely spring blossoms.

Gardening in New England is always a challenge.  I guess I’ll just have to see what Ma Nature decides to do now.