Church Gardens

My church's building is a fifteen sided structure with expansive garden beds. I've been delegated the entire responsibility of planting and caring for them. Recently, I transplanted a large amount of volunteer Coneflower/Echinacea plants to more appropriate locations in the beds. It's looking better and better!

A Trip to Thie Farm

Fresh Eggplant?

Plants to satisfy any Green Thumb's wishes.

Need a red flyer wagon from this fleet to load all those goodies and plants? 

Chatting with this farm worker he instructed me, "If someone asks you if you want to dig sweet potatoes. Say no and walk away".

Nothing like some fresh cherries.

Well, maybe these ginormous blackberries would come close.

Thanks for sharing this experience with me, Sis!

Captivating Gardening History

Redeemed Amazon.com points result in educational gardening books. Oh me! Oh my! It's Christmas in June without spending a dime.

Delphinium Stars at Last

I have worked at growing delphinium more than once from seed to no avail. I gave up and purchased this fabulous delphinium start. It exceeds my expectations in vibrancy of color. Added with a little Russian Sage it's showcased even more.

The spiky Russian Sage set towards the back near the Spirea bush, Salvia on the left and Delphinium on the right are a very pleasing combination. It's going to be an array of feathery lavender and white blossoms next spring! I hope this encourages you to garden a little more....

A Pathway Begins

A good hour and a half later and here the pathway is shaping up nicely. On either side of the larger rock is Moneywort which creeps along nicely and will fill in between the rocks. Very excited.

Herbs in an Unexpected Place

While visiting my brother who is actively serving in the military, my Mum put together an herb box for his wife. It just happens to be in an old ammunition box.

First Peaches

The dwarf peach trees are producing for the first time this year. Let's hope they are good.

Welcome, Spring Blooms

What is your favorite season? If it's spring, I'll have to agree that you. Seeing the crocus push through in early spring and later daffodils and tulips budding on brown lawns gives me a great feeling that new life is on it's way. During the haste to keep the lawn and flower beds looking healthy, we sometimes forget that our treasured blooms also belong indoors for enjoyment.  Victoria Magazine's, 'The House in Bloom' has heightened my awareness of incorporating blossoms indoors.

Garden Plans in Action

An inexpensive graphing notebook can be purchased at your local office supply store. Well worth the investment as it will become helpful in developing plans and documenting those that have already been implemented.

Library Bed #9, first design.

Sperry Church design.

Cutting Flower Garden - All perennials

Small Space Gardening

As a country girl transplant, I value the space that is afforded me to garden in the city. When I happened upon this book last year in my favorite antique store, Promiseland Antiques in Pawhuska, Oklahoma; I snatched it up. Read cover-to-cover. Love it! You can't go wrong purchasing this for yourself and sharing it with a friend.

Best Gardening Videos

England's, Alan Titchmarsh's, "How to Be a Gardener" seasons on YouTube are a delight for new and seasoned gardeners.

Fresh Herbs

A few herb sprigs from the backyard beds are a fragrant arrangement in the main bath.

Joshua and David Time

Little acquaintances of mine along with their mother, bestowed upon me this lovely bouquet. It was such a surprise and joy to receive. Yesterday Joshua and David (who also likes to be called "Daddy"), their mother Glory and baby Shannon and I gardened in their backyard. Little Shannon felt exhausted and soon fell asleep in her walker on the patio. The boys worked diligently with shovels. After several hours we cleared a 3' x 12' approximate area of Bermuda grass, dug five holes and now happy pepper and tomato plants reside in the backyard at Joshua and David Daddy's home.

Gardening at Betty Gram and Fredpa's

After a record breaking amount of successive days of rain...we have sunshine again today and Betty Gram and I have squeezed every possible hour into her garden. Things are really shaping up and as soon as I can I will share photos of the latest plantings.

Sunshine at Last

I've lost count how many days of rain we have had lately...I do enjoy the rain and how it makes the grass and trees green! It's especially nice to live where Northeastern Oklahoma is actually called "Green Country". Today the sun is shining great beams from white puffy clouds and an azure sky. A few neighbors are out in their yards. And how I yearn to be outside planting a passel of veggies and herbs. The old saying still applies..."Make hay while the sun shines."

Art.com:

Home Garden, Adare, Ireland
Photographic Print by Kristi Bressert

Peak into the Garden

April showers have brought May flowers. Come down the pathway and you can see what is blooming in Betty Gram's garden...and since I've given her much help, she says it's mine too...sadly it's on the other side of town.

Miss Citronella

Citronella

A visit to one of our local garden nurseries, Green Thumb, I discovered this lovely little plant and had to try it out. Miss Citronella found her way into a quite large planter and sits just outside our back door and under the light...I hope she works her magic and scares off any naughty little summertime insects. Fingers crossed.

Abloom in the Garden

Just outside Mum's Window

Clematis

Irises

Coral Azaleas

Tiny Herb Starts Coming Soon

I garden for my friends, and for the community. But in the last few years I have done very little for our own back yard. However, this week-end Mum and I decided to spend the whole day as a focus on yard projects.

We made numerous trips to various garden centers, bought many plants and 18 bags of cypress mulch! Mum mowed and I weeded, mulched, split some hostas and re-planted them, watered, hoed...etc.

But most of all I am extremely excited about a future herb bed. I found these little pop-up peat planter cups that swell when soaked in water. I anticipate a great little crop of herbs. Mmm...lovely spring and summer coming! Fresh mint tea coming up.

Have a Great Labor Day!

Daisies, Fern and Ivy
by Amy Newton
from an issue of Ladybug Cottage Companion