Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Appreciating the Beauty

There's just so much beauty to appreciate with spring bringing color back to the landscape, flowers to the gardens, leaves to the trees, birds, bees and other critters, large and small to keep us entertained....
My camera has had quite a workout these past couple of months, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to squeeze in much time to post or read blogs. However, I want to share some of the beauty with you, so here is a look back at May.....

Just after Bloom Day these gorgeous pink tulips opened fully,

along with the creeping phlox,

and the combination delighted us from early morning until late evening for the rest of the month.

The last petals are falling now, and sadly, the show is over until next year, although the phlox are still blooming,

And so it the dainty Aubrietta.


I love this pretty pastel mix of colors. Posted by Picasa

The Dynasty tulips looked more orange in some lights, and in others, more pink. They have both colors in the large blooms.

Angelique gets the prize for the longest blooming tulips. She's still going, but is beginning to fade now.

Such sweet double blooms.

Down in the Rock Garden they paired nicely with the Basket of Gold perennial allysum. Posted by Picasa

Hannah was enjoying the morning tour of the gardens with me, along with Jasmine, who was just out of the picture.

These frilly blooms beg for close-ups!

I like the Basket of Gold against the rocks. Posted by Picasa

These dark Johnny Jump-ups popped up next to another rock.

It was hard to resist taking lots of shots of the pink and purple mix. Isn't that a beautiful blue sky?


May certainly was a month of purple! Alium is still blooming in several gardens, but the biggest clump is in the Driveway Garden. Posted by Picasa

It's a relative of the onion, but much prettier....clusters of purple stars!

I've seen it in a gorgeous deep purple, paired with this lighter shade, in a garden I pass on the way to work. It's someone I know.....I wonder if they'd be willing to share....maybe I have something they'd like.

Johnny Jump-ups (viola cornuta, aka Heartease) are just the right color to tuck in next to them.

Chives, a smaller look-alike, and another onion relative, are beginning to bloom now, as well.

Centaurea (perennial Bachelor's Button or Cornflower) is still going strong.

The white tulips bloomed with the lilacs.....

...up in the Top Driveway Garden..... Posted by Picasa



...along with a clump of the purple iris.


Isn't this the most delectable color? Posted by Picasa

You may have noticed that I find myself taking lots of photos of those peacefully grazing cows :)

We are so enjoying seeing them in the pasture! (click to enlarge any photo)

The Rose/Clematis Garden gets plenty of morning sun....

...and in this garden the iris are almost finished, but the peach colored Beverly Sills began blooming today. She'll have to wait for another post because I haven't tranferred her photos from the camera yet, and this post is already too long.

The lilacs really deserve a post of their own because they were so glorious this year, but they'll have to squeeze into this one. Posted by Picasa

My dear husband has planted a row of several different colored lilacs over the past several years, but they're still small. The larger ones are 3 varieties of the common color.


They're finished now after what seemed a very short period of time, but it was actually about 3 weeks. Posted by Picasa

This old lilac has been here for a very long time. My husband thinks it was here when they moved into this house when he was a little boy.


It was prettier this year than I can ever remember noticing before.
I'll have to save pictures of the bleeding hearts, and more, for next time.
I really am hoping to find time for blog reading soon, and hopefully then I'll catch up with you and see what you've all been up to. Meanwhile, I'll just wave at you from here, and assure you that I haven't forgotten you. In fact, I think of you often!
I hope you're enjoying your gardens as much as I am. Posted by Picasa

23 comments:

Tabor said...[Reply]

I get such good ideas for using perennials from your photos. My garden is still too new and sparse for such tangled beauty...but in a few years!

Cherdecor said...[Reply]

The pink tulips and the lavender phlox make such a stunning combination. Your pictures are gorgeous!

Roses and Lilacs said...[Reply]

Beautiful photos. I love those first pink tulips. What a graceful shape. I agree Angelique is the longest blooming tulip of them all and very pretty too. Mine bloomed for weeks this spring.
Marnie

sweetbay said...[Reply]

I love love love those purple iris. Your photos are beautiful!!

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...[Reply]

That's the cruel paradox of May - so many things blooming and no time to read or write about them. Your farm is lovely now. I especially like the photo of the Centaurea with the red barn in the background.

Lesley said...[Reply]

You've inspired me to post some flower pics of my own recently (see my posts of 27 and 28 May from my mother-in-law and mother's gardens if you're interested) but I always love checking your flowers out. Your a bit behind us in the seasons but so pretty and I'm even inspired to grow a few more in my own patch!!

Keep it up.

Lesley x

Lesley said...[Reply]

I meant "you're" of course....rats...

kerrynr said...[Reply]

Fantastic photos, the garden looks so beautiful

Vicki's Bit-o-earth said...[Reply]

I love your garden and view! Can I move next door? (:

Shelley said...[Reply]

Kerri! Your photos and garden are simply gorgeous!

--Shelley

Pat said...[Reply]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Not only do you have beautiful flowers BUT no can beat the background that you have.
Sooo inviting.

EAL said...[Reply]

What a lovely country property you have and of course the gardens are beautiful.

Marrissa said...[Reply]

I love your brilliant garden and excellant photography to match :) I always look forward to your blog updates.

Alice said...[Reply]

Many of the flowers in your garden look as good as those in the famous tulip gardens at Kuekenhof, Netherlands.....just not quite as many. The tulips, the irises and the aliums were all there. Those pink tulips are so pretty - I could look at them all day too.

My favourite photo of the whole post is the last one...I love its composition. I'm not surprised you've not had much time for blogging, but I'm glad you found time to share your beautiful garden with us. It ALMOST makes me want to return home to my garden....but not just yet!!!!

Commonweeder said...[Reply]

This is a beautiful post. You sure made up for lost time. I don't have any tulips, but I love yours, especially the doubles. And after seeing so many alliums in blogger's gardens, and local gardens, this spring I am putting them on my fall planting list. Thanks for visiting the commonweeder.

Pam said...[Reply]

Lovely! Fancy having bare earth in a garden; but I suppose you can afford to with your rolling acres. In my little city patch, I have to cram things in!

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...[Reply]

Very lovely pictures Kerri. I've always enjoyed viewing your beautiful garden flowers. You live in such a beautiful part of the country.

Giddy said...[Reply]

Kerri, your photos are worthy of a calendar! Simply beautiful!

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...[Reply]

those tulips....those precious tulips, Kerri.......they in their pink are so beautiful...........your flowers remind me of Iris Mudroch's quote that i just shared with another blogger friend too, “People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.”

hope you are taking good care of yourself and enjoying your weekend.....have a beautiful, FRAGRANT Sunday :)

and oh, I love those red barns of yours too....they form a perfect background for your garden :)

kylieps said...[Reply]

Lovely photos as usual Mummy! I've finished moving and painting and have been thinking of you because I just bought some red geraniums to brighten up the place. I'm doing an informal house inspection for a friend this afternoon! I'll call soon. Love you!

CP Su said...[Reply]

These flowers are indeed gorgeous and need I say more about the pink tulips :)

Gail said...[Reply]

Kerri, your garden and your entire property are gorgeous. Several photos made me sigh with delight...the alliums with the barn in the background was one!

Some of my favorite memories are summers spent visiting the farms of friend's grandparents. What an adventure. I think that the sight of lilacs and old roses are imprinted on my soul.

gail

LindaD said...[Reply]

What a refreshing walk through your flowers. Everything looks so neat and orderly and 'refined' at this point. I can hear the whispers that lead to that exhuberant, overflowing abandon when so much blooms and fills your gardens all at the same time. I could fairly smell the lilacs.. thank you - So looking forward to your peonies. I miss peonies, sweet william, lily of the valley.. delphiniums.. and lilacs... so its wonderful to be able to 'walk' through your beautiful gardens... thanks.