Despite a rather cold and wet weekend, we did manage to take the loveliest walk yesterday. I came home with an acute case of garden envy.
I am in awe of people who have figured out how to make it so that there is always something blooming in their garden- cherry and apple blossoms in the spring, roses and peonies in early summer, bluebeard shrubs and butterfly bushes in late summer, and multi-colored mums in the fall. My garden is getting there...but I haven't quite figured out the seasonal blooming rhythm yet.
I have found, through careful observation, that I love gardens that are a bit wild, a bit untamed. They somehow seem more enthusiastic their manicured counterparts. You can always spot them- they're the ones spilling onto the sidewalk, and tumbling into the neighbors yard.
Perhaps one day soon, I will just throw caution to the wind, rip up my entire front lawn, sprinkle wild flower seeds and watch to see what happens when we step out of the way and let nature run its course.
If you are as intrigued with shaping your yard as I am, might I suggest picking up Dominique Browning's
Around the House and In the Garden? The depth with which she writes about our ties to home and garden resonate deeply with me at this moment in time. I am building, day by day, a home and garden for my young family, to give them memories filled with beauty and comfort...which is no small task. I will take all the guidance I can.
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beautiful! I also love admiring the flowers around the town when im out for walks.
www.saffakate.blogspot.com
Beautiful. I love a bit of a wild garden, as well. Last year I started my flower beds....I did just what you said. I bought a huge bag of wildflower seeds and sprinkled them everywhere, and also planted lots of sunflowers. This year I was so happy to see that they germinated themselves and all came back...including a giant patch of sunflowers.
My small bit of advice (I'm still working on my own green thumb) is to really look for perennial flowers and plants that will come back, as well as flowers that are known to drop their seeds (like wildflowers and sunflowers). Bulbs are also wonderful. Look into dahlias, large elephant ear, cannas, and irises. I planted my bulbs once, and every Spring they come back. I believe you have much cooler weather than us, so you might have to dig your bulbs up in the Winter if snow is on the ground for most of the cool months. But there are also tricks to get by that...you can cut back the plants in the Fall and cover them heavily with mulch to keep the bulbs protected under ground.
Happy gardening :)
http://www.babycenter.com/408_when-can-my-baby-eat-berries_1368508.bc
Stunning gardening set up. These places look like heaven. The live experience in these places will be like memories.
Beautiful photos! I too have great difficulty figuring out how to balance my garden so that something is always blooming. I just discovered my green thumb last year, so my gardens are very much a work in progress!
Gorgeous collection of florals! Do you by chance know the name of that tree with all the white petals bursting forth (fifth photo)?
Gorgeous photos, and I love Dominique Browning! (I also recommend her "Paths of Desire", also great.) I just found a garden center that sorts their perennials by bloom color and clearly identifies bloom time - the answer to my prayers, I tell you. Happy gardening and thanks for sharing!