Pink and White Delight

Thanks so much to all of you who left comforting words on the loss of my dad. I appreciate each and every one of you. It never ceases to amaze me that this blogging community is so full of wonderful, caring people from all over this big, wide world. It warms my heart.

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I've begun this post several times, but one thing or another has kept me from finishing it. Finally, tonight, I'm going to get it finished...by hook, or by crook!

The Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra) began blooming in very early May, and are still showing a few blooms more than half way through June. This plant liberally sows seeds so that I end up with new plants each spring to move around and give away to friends. It's high on my list of favorites.

It hangs so gracefully, and has delicate heart-shaped flowers dangling from each stem in this wonderful rosy-pink shade.

And speaking of shade, it will grow in a shady spot, as well as in sun.

I've enjoyed this garden on the driveway side of our front porch more this spring than any preceding year. It's been absolutely gorgeous, and I've taken so many photos of it that I decided it needed a post of its own, even though I'm so far behind with my posts, and have so many other flowers to show you.

We've seen the lilacs bloom and the Oriental poppies, iris in several colors, columbines, Pansies, and many others, and the peonies are blooming gloriously now.

I plan to post photos of them all as soon as time allows.

The cats are never far away when I'm working in the gardens. Here's Toby keeping me company.

There were blue and white forget-me-nots sprinkled throughout the garden, entirely self-sown.

And this dainty Arabis (Rockcress) which is a perennial. You can see it between the bushes in the second photo.

This bush, which sits next to the porch steps, is the original plant, given to me by my husband's sister about 16 or 17 years ago. It has certainly multiplied well over the years.

This lovely dark purple pansy came back from last summer, and the Johnny-jump-ups are always willing volunteers. I've just (regretfully) pulled some out today to make room for some marigolds and ageratum.

I love the tiny forget-me-not flowers. They sow themselves every year with very little help from me. I occasionally move some around to fill in a space.

Such a lovely shade of blue!

They were spread all around the front of the porch, and filled the entire garden on the other side. It's a small area that I plant with impatiens because it's shaded by the big maple tree, so it makes a great spot for the Forget-me-nots to fill in during the early spring.

This white Bleeding Heart blooms later than the pink, and isn't such a vigorous grower, although this spring it has grown larger than ever before.

It doesn't spread as easily either, but I did end up with one new plant from it this year...it's the first time that's happened.

Chives and Snow-on-the-mountain grow next to it, with a dark colored columbine in the corner by the porch.

This pretty heuchera (Coral Bells) grows next to one of the pink Bleeding Hearts. There were several others but they got buried underneath the bushes as they grew bigger, so today I dug them up and will plant them somewhere else.

Finnegan is where he's not supposed to be, as usual. He loves to hide in the "jungle" :)

The columbine sows itself all over too, and often has to be moved or thinned and thrown on the compost heap.

The little English daisies bloom very early and are pretty reliable about coming back each year, and sowing themselves, if I'm lucky.

Murphy is sharpening his claws while Finn looks on. These two spend a lot of time entertaining each other, when they're not sleeping :)

This has been an eventful week, but I'll have to tell you about it next time because it's past my bedtime, and I must get up early for work tomorrow. Only 2 more days of school left before summer vacation. I can't wait to have more hours to work in the gardens!