Life in the back garden!

 Above, the one and only tulip is flowering.

The PJM Rhododendron has new growth and flower buds.

This peony doubled in size in one day!!

Ah, there you are!  Endless Summer Hydrangea died right back this winter.  Here she is making her way up and out!  Welcome!

One Evening Scented Stock seedling (an annual) came up from last year's planting.  I love this Matthiola!  

The fragrance is heavenly!

The delphinium is growing by leaps and bounds.  I better get out and dust it to prevent delphinium worm problems!

One clematis, east side of the fence, is showing signs of life.

Forsythia is blooming, somewhat.

Gold Barberry, Summer Wine Ninebark, cedars, and a juniper fill this corner.

A view of the pond with topiaries, maple, and spirea in the foreground.

A view through the branches of Amur Maple.

Above and below, Three-flowered Maple.

A planting of reeds in the pond.

Three-flowered Maple to the left, Tolleson's Weeping Juniper in the background, and Mint Julip Juniper in the front.

This just goes to show how resilient the European Mountain Ash is.  This seedling was left in a pot over winter, just a six inch pot, and it is growing!  Talk about tough.  (zone 3 here)

A close-up on Northern Gold Forsythia.

Teddy in the garden, above and below.

Trost Dwarf Birch is leafing out, above.

 Young's Twisted Weeping Birch above and hostas below.

My son's car floor matts are drying on the deck stairs above.   Funny, I didn't notice them there when I took the picture, just when I transferred the photos to the computer!  

Oh, well.  Utilizing every space is practical, if not aesthetically pleasing. 

Shadows in the garden.

Bridal Wreath Spirea, aka Renaissance Spirea, above and below.  These photos were taken Mother's Day.

Columbine above and Jackmanii Clematis (if you look close you can see a couple shoots) below, with iris in front.

My Mother's Day roses from my husband.  XOXO

Taken yesterday, the same spirea (Bridal Wreath) now blooming her heart out!

The tulip has faded from butter yellow to white but is still very pretty.

What's growing in your garden?

Once again linking up with Tootsie for Fertilizer/Flaunt Your Flowers Friday.  You have to see the creative ingenuity she puts in her garden!  Be sure to check out our other garden pals as they flaunt their gardens too!

Taking it Outdoors at Enjoy Gardens

You may be getting tired of this tour, after all it has lasted a few days now;).  This is the end of my visit to Enjoy Gardens, May 2012.  Above are three water features.  Note the colour combinations of turquoise and orange.  Trends in decor colours are not limited to the interior.  Embrace the outdoors and bring the beauty of a water feature into your garden.  Big or small, water in the garden is a natural relaxing feature that I truly enjoy.

Above, Azalea.  

Below, Rhododendron.

Snow Day.  If you have to have snow this time of year, this is the only way to do it!

Perennial pansies, just the cheeriest blooms ever!

Above, "Princess Diana Clematis" and 

below, "Rosie O'Grady Clematis".

Above, alpine clematis "Helsingborg" is looking extremely vigorous and healthy!

Above and below, the tree and shrub area.

Above, the Sweetheart Mayday in bloom.

Above, a variety of Norway Maple.  Similar to Crimson King and Crimson Sentry, this is another variety but I cannot remember... Crimson ....

Above and below, Double Flowering Plum grafted on a standard.

More Double Flowering Plum Standard.

Above, shrubs and below,  apple blossoms (next two photos).

Above and below, the perennial portion of Holes.

The Gardeners' Prayer on a tablet.

Above, weeping crabapples.  When you see these in full bloom, you'll understand why they sell out so fast!

Above, Nannyberry Viburnum.  

Below, hostas.

Don't you love the colours of this dwarf columbine?  It reminds me of a sunset!  Stunning!

Above, Ligularia.  I still recall seeing Ligularia in person for the first time.  It was love at first sight.  Look at the leaf shapes, sizes and colours!  And they flower too!  I have yet to add it to my garden, though.  I'm just not sure where I'd put it.  

More perennials.  Coral bells, Heurchera, are one of my all-time favourite shade plants.  Some can be grown in sun, but for shade I love Purple Palace!  This last winter, mine had virtually no die-back.

Bugbane - not just a good architectural perennial.  Did you know this tidbit about rattlesnake bites?  I'm afraid I don't want to attempt it though.  I recall a story my grandfather used to tell about the time he was out on the road by the farm, heading out to move irrigation pipes, when he spotted a rattler crossing the road in front of him.  Since he had a shovel handy, he thought he'd put this one away, so to speak.  Wouldn't you know it, though, the darn thing shot straight up the handle of his shovel!!  He wasn't bit, thank goodness, nor did the rattlesnake live to tell the tale.

Bugbane, a handy perennial in rattlesnake country.  I advise going to the hospital, though, if you get bit!

I was telling K how I find myself attracted to the white flowers.  Iberis, aka Candytuft, is a nice little front of border plant.  If any of you know Brian Gluckstein, a wonderful interior designer in Ontario, he once featured his back garden on CityLine TV.  The only living colours in his back garden were green and white.  He had chosen only white blooming plants for his garden and it looked lovely on the perimeter of his swimming pool.

Lastly, another view of the columbines and a few perennials.  As it is early in the season, not every table is full and I overheard an employee telling a customer that a shipment of hydrangeas was expected any day.  There's a lot to see now, before the big rush that commences May long weekend, but imagine it multiplied by say 10?  What enormous satisfaction the local gardener will derive from a visit to Enjoy Gardens!  Start your Gromance today!