Good afternoon Folks ~ This morning I was going through some old pictures and came across an instant photo DH had taken of me in March 1982. This is the start of my main garden. It had rained and I was out there trying to save little beet seedlings, and whatever else I had. I didn't have a clue about gardening really and I think someone had given me these seeds. I had a flesh colored bareback top on, and a jean skirt, and I was much younger and thinner then.
Here was this same space in April of this year.
28 years later, my garden has grown from one to several,
and my love of gardening is still growing strong.
This morning I got outside and worked in the main garden for the first time in weeks. Other things have been going on, so it really felt good getting out there today. There was even one lone crepe myrtle bloom opening, along with new leaves coming out.
Below are more pictures I took this afternoon.
This is a pot of Coleus on the northeast side of our back screened room.
Here we have a Bleeding Heart
Clerodendrum thomsoniae
The next two pictures are Russelia equisetiformis,
Firecracker Plants.
I've had the red for years and got the yellow a couple of years ago.
The next two pictures are of two Bougainvillea that I have. The reddish one grows happily with Louis Philippe (Florida Cracker) rose up and over my shed.
Louis Philippe rose
Begonia blooms.
St. Vincent Lilac ~ Solanum seaforthianum
Plumbago
La Marne
Pink Pet or Caldwell's Pink
"From December to March,
there are for many of us three gardens -
the garden outdoors,
the garden of pots and bowls in the house,
and the garden of the mind's eye."
Katherine S. White
Zone 10 ~ s.e. FL
21 comments:
Your garden is beautiful. You have so many flowers.
The photo of you working in your garden is precious. Your husband captured the true beauty of your garden.
Beautiful as always. I especially love
the lilac. Love the sweet picture of
you tending your garden.
Hope your day tomorrow is peace-filled.
Blessings,
Sandy
How wonderful to have a picture of you in the garden years ago.Winter is here and I do miss my flowers...but I can see yours anytime I click my mouse. Balisha
That is a precious picture of you gardening 28 years ago! That just reminds me that I took tons of picture of my garden, none of them has me in it :) Your have so many beautiful flowers in the garden. I never saw that St. Vincent Lilac before. Does it have nice scent as well? I have the same white flowered begonia as you, and it also recently started growing flower buds. I love its scent.
Sounds like you had a great time reliving those memories. Great to see a "before" picture. I remember my early gardening days and how clueless I was.
You have beautiful blooms right now. Of course, I love the 'Louis Philippe'--my all-time favorite plant. I also love that yellow firecracker. Don't think I've seen that one before.
GORGEOUS Blooms as always - you garden is a treasure to be sure.
Becky in SC
The first picture is very special. It looks almost like a painting. Your love of gardening resulted in all those beautiful flowers that you show us. Thank you FlowerLady!
What a huge difference in your garden! You have some beautiful blooms.
That Pink Pet is always in bloom!
That picture of you caught my attention; I thought you were from that hippie era and were gardening in the nude! Glad you explained.
I just heard that Florida may get a frost next cold front that is due down from Canada. I don't know if that will affect your area or not.
What a treasure that picture of you in your first garden is. It would be a beautiful watercolor art piece. Your present day garden seems to be enjoying the cooler weather of this time of year. Sure hope you don't get the freezing temps predicted for my area this next few days. Love the quote at the end of your post. So true. The garden in my mind's eye, especially true.
I can only imagine just how beautiful your garden is! It just goes to show that beauty is a work in progress and to never give up.
What a lovely picture, fantastic before and after photos! I love trips down memory lane and only wish we had taken more of us working in the garden when we were younger. I used to always avoid the camera's gaze, but now I don't. I love all of your flowers you have so tenderly cared for all these years. Thank you for sharing your blooms with us all!
For me, these months ARE dedicated to the "garden in my mind". So happy to have gardening friends such as YOU to keep me in flowers throughout the winter :)
Your garden is so beautiful! It's very cold here and everything is dead, so I really enjoy sharing your lovely blooms!
Hi FLowerlady...I do hope that your garden will do okay in tonight's low temps. It's such a shame what one or two chilly nights will do. Stay warm!
What a treat to have blooming flowers all year long although I imagine it's a lot of work. The garden sure has come a long way over the years. Do you pinch the flowers off your coleus?
I miss my garden already, it is 14 degrees outside this night! Ah, I know what you mean about being thinner, back in the day.
Gorgeous flowers and wonderful picture of you in the garden all those years ago.
I see you have updated your top picture. Can't wait to see the rest of your latest stitching. So pretty.
Chris
How wonderful to find an old photo of you and to post it. It will be safe here forever. The garden sure has changed and is filled with all your lovingly planted blooms. It looks like such a nice place to be!
How nice to have a picture of yourself in the garden! So many gardeners don't. And I love your new banner at the top--the "peace" embroidery/bead piece. Lovely. :)
I loved the tour of your truly beautiful garden! Isn't it great to be able to share our treasured spaces with others on the internet. We have a lot of plants in common, you and I.
I also have a purple/red bleeding heart. Did you know that Busch Gardens is using them now as ground cover? They are gorgeous! Soft and billowy, about two feet tall, and chock full of blooms. I'm trying to duplicate that in my front gardens.
Post a Comment