Saturday, April 20, 2013

Plum Cottage blooms, etc. ~ April

Good morning Folks,

I do hope you all have a nice weekend and that you remember to count your blessings. Let your loved ones know you love them.

These next three photos are after weedwacking and mowing.  This was done the next morning after tree trimming and driveway work the day before.  Weed wacking always wears me out.  I have an electric wacker, and DH always told me to take breaks, and yesterday I realized when I was done that I really need to take more than just one break. I always feel weak, and my left arm shakes. It’s just that when you get going, you can’t seem to quit. I enjoy mowing, have since I was a girl.

In the foreground little square in patio, you can see the newly leafed out Queen Crepe. We’ve had this almost 6 years I think. It was about 6’ tall at the time we bought it, if that.  Got it for our anniversary in September. I look forward to it blooming every year.

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This is the ‘secret garden’.

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St. Francis garden

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Unknown orchid

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Confederate Jasmine.  I ‘really’ look forward to this blooming every spring.  The scent is wonderful and the little flowers lovely.

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Garlic vine growing up over my shed.

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Unknown hibiscus

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Spicy Jatropha

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Dwarf White Orchid tree ~ lightly scented blooms

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Caravan and clothesline garden

04-20-afternoon

Spiderworts.  Morning are the best time for these and I just love going out and seeing them all over.  The bees love them too.  This is the main garden, workshop in the back.

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St. Francis garden with spiderwort in bloom

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Vandas ~ These grow all by themselves with no help from me.  I just break them off with some roots attached and stick them here and there and everywhere.

04-20-vanda

Have a wonderful weekend.

FlowerLady

30 comments:

Shirley said...

Lorraine, your garden is lovely and the spiderworts en masse are delicately beautiful. Have a terrific weekend!

Balisha said...

How tidy everything looks. You have done a wonderful job trimming. I had to laugh at you saying your arm shakes after weed wacking...I use one of those things too. Once I sat on my bench and rested after weed wacking for a long time. I went to scratch my nose and couldn't hold my arm still enough to do it.Now, with arthritis...I can't do it anymore...ours is a gas one and very heavy.
Your flowers are so pretty and healthy looking. Love the St. Francis garden...I wonder how many have a garden dedicated to the clothesline?
Have a nice weekend.
Balisha

L. D. said...

All of your gardens look great. The variety of plants that you can grow because you live in a tropical world is just amazing. Weed wackers can turn you numb for a long time because it is not a set of muscles that you use everyday. I try to switch hands once in a while to keep from messing up my back too. You need to rest now that all the grass and weeds are wacked.

Sheri - Creative Spaces Landscaping said...

You have done an amazing job making everything so nice and welcoming Lorraine! The panoramic photo looks like a part of Miami where I grew up back in the day. Ahhhh those were the days when it wasn't a concrete jungle, lol. Hope you have a marvelous weekend!

Happy Gardening & Best Wishes,
Sheri

www.pompanobeachgardening.blogspot.com

Terra said...

Oh Flowerlady, your green thumb ability shines through in all these photos. I like your Saint Francis garden, I have Mary in my garden. The golden yellow orchid is fabulous. I subscribe to Terry Hershey too.

Sunray Gardens said...

Everything looks lovely but I so love the Orchids.
Cher Sunray Gardens

Heather said...

Lorraine, you certainly have a beautiful little garden, I love the "nooks, crannies and turns in the road"! For some reason your posts have not been coming through my reader, I thought maybe you were on a break, then today this one showed up and I see several others I've missed... just know I have read your posts and am so happy that you are well and your spirits sound like they are still "up"! Cheers~

Nancy J said...

A truly beautiful garden, colour, harmony and peace. Do you have a shoulder strap for the weed whacker?Ours has one, it clips onto the pipe part and goes over my left shoulder, even then it is such HARD, work!! Rest often, do a little, and leave some/lots/ most of it... for another day , and as always I so enjoy your words and photos. Greetings from Jean

Jane said...

Everything looks so pretty, Rainey! Love your picket fence. We are going to install one this summer, so I've been studying them. If the ground ever thaws!

Unknown said...

Lorraine-I feel the same way after weed whacking.But it always looks so nice when I'm done,I don't really mind.Your gardens look incredible. I,especially,like your garlic vine and dwarf orchid.Where did you find those?
Have a great week!

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Such beauty
In my area
they call them a weed eater..
Cannot use anymore
Take care
Thank you for your online
care.

Rose ~ from Oz said...

Charming! Creative! Beautiful! are the words that come to mind as I tour your garden through your lens Lorraine.
(I have an electric one too, and it does similar things to my arms and shoulders!!) I look upon it with utter disdain. :)
x

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

The garden is looking good! Love that orchid. I understand about the weed wacking. I have to stop and take breaks when using shears. That constant jolt when the blades close makes my wrists hurt.

Ruth Hiebert said...

You have a lot of flowers on your yard.I like that.hope you are able to take a day or two to rest,after all that work.

jerilanders said...

Won't that roof be stunning when "unknown hibiscus" covers it! Every part of your garden is a sweet and cozy haven. But you really must pace yourself with that weedwacker girl!

Lynn said...

Lookin’ good, Lorraine. We have had wonderful spring weather here in the southern states ~ just the right amount of variety to keep us moving and taking a break. You have made good use of the time. Happy weekend.

Julie said...

Are the Vandas a type of orchid????? Beautiful gardens you have there! Thanks for all the lovely photos!

Kit said...

Everything looks so lovely! You are doing a great job. :) Kit

Masha said...

Beautiful blooms, Lorraine, and so many lovely garden vignettes. Thank you so much for the tour. I can't believe orchids grow with no care for you, I tried a few times, and they died despite my best efforts... You are lucky.

Morning's Minion said...

I understand that feeling of not wanting to lose mmomentum when I've tackled a job in the garden. Sometimes the next day I have to wonder what I was thinking to keep at it so long.
I'm clumsy with tools and feel a bit anxious at the thought of you tearing about with the saw and weed whacker--do take care!

Sandra said...

Your gardens are looking lovely, as always :)

I've started growing a mix of flowers in my front yard and they are all starting to bloom, they look great and I always think of you when I look at my flowers :)

Hope you have a wonderful weekend,
Sandra
xoxoxoxo

flowerlady said...

As usual your photos are all lovely and it wonderful to see your beautiful garden,I love all the different areas especially the caravan.I am not quite sure what a weed wacker is and I am probably one of the worse at this bit of advice,but taking your time and looking after yourself is really good for you in the long run.So now have a good sit back and smile at what you have achieved and have a well earned rest.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Your yard/home looks wonderful, Lorraine. I love the st. Francis Garden. What a neat place to go out and enjoy.

My favorites are always your orchids... AMAZING... Thanks for sharing and have a blessed Sunday.
Hugs,
Betsy

Deanna said...

I love it all. A beautiful garden is so sweet and lovely!!
I am just starting out and blooming where I am planted.
Blessings & Peace:)
Deanna

Autumn Belle said...

It's a lovely day in Spring and so interesting to look at your "little gardens and secret garden" within the bigger garden. Nice job!

Leslie Kimel said...

The St. Francis garden looks beautiful with all the spiderworts in bloom. I love them too. They are so dewy and cool-looking in the morning.

And I can't believe the Vandas will just grow on their own. That is too magical! I am so fascinated by South Florida!

tina said...

The St. Francis garden is quite lovely with all that spiderwort blooming. I am really wishing I could grow orchids! They are so pretty in the garden.

Rebecca said...

I'm SO glad I don't have to pick a FAVORITE garden of yours. My-O-My, Lorraine. It's all SO beautiful. We saw quite a bit of spiderwort in the Huntsville Botanical Garden on Saturday. Makes me eager to get home and see what stage ours are at...

I ♥ that caravan (as you know....)

sweetbay said...

So many beautiful tropical flowers! The orchids are gorgeous.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I'm glad I made it here for this post. These are the shots I would love to see through the season.