Spring Greetings ....from a favorite shrub

Happy Spring. Not sure how the photos will flow on this post, so bear with me as I introduce one of my favorite spring shrubs. If you don't have a Flowering Quince in your garden, please consider one. A hardy shrub in our Zone 7, but check for your particular area. This specimen is lovely even before it blooms. Tight buds will greet you in mid February as they slowly creep out and enjoy the first traces of sun and warmth. Pretty soon you will see tiny leaves emerge and then a full array of gorgeous blooms. I'm not sure if other colors are available; I have only seen the pink one I have. Cuttings are easily transplanted should you wish to expand.

Let me introduce my favorite plant to you

I love geraniums. I've never seen one I didn't love, want to bring home and nurture it and give it a home. This little gem was given to me as a gift from a good friend who had planted many annuals around her patio and had this cute specimen left over and had no place for it. I happened to be visiting her later the same day and she kindly presented it to me, knowing how much I loved it. I brought it home, enjoyed it all summer and when the late October nip in the air settled in, I brought it inside and placed it in the only available spot to receive light in our basement. It was meant to survive the high traffic area it was placed in and the occasional drink of water when I passed by and saw its drooping leaves. But I prevailed and all winter, watched the little plant take on a few new leaves and when March came around this year, I planted it in a larger pot and gave it a prominent place in my kitchen window. The first photo (if I uploaded correctly) shows the bloom as it emerges and the second shot displays the gorgeous color in full color. Don't you just love geraniums - they are so..........easy to maintain. Please try one.

What drives and motivates you??????????

My cousin Patty recently gave this MADE IN THE USA sign to me. She knows how I am about MIC purchases and I love it. While visiting her last week and exploring a host of thrift shops - she did include a couple of great shops at Tyson's Corner. Have you seen different sizes and shapes of clear glass with wheat growing? One high end shop had these for sale to compliment your decor but they also had the wheat seed at $4 a cup. We both purchased a cup and Patty planted hers as soon as we returned home. By the time I department on Sunday, hers had sprouted up and watching this stuff grow is so fascinating. I planted mine on Tuesday and this is the height in five days. It is so neat - seeing the little hair like roots growing down into the soil and shallow rocks makes an interesting conversation piece any place in your home. Of course, you need to water and turn it each day - place in a sunny window, but not directly in the hot sun. Enjoy - and you can proudly say to your friends "This was Made in the USA"

Second in line for blooming

Finally SPRING arrived bringing warm weather and longer days, especially after the time was moved up for one hour. I anxiously await the blooming of my two favorite bushes each year. These have been planted for over ten years but beautiful blooms as you see here don't come without a bit of planning and work. You have to be sure to prune just a little AFTER the blooming season is over. If you get busy and see a lot of green growth during the summer, don't think about pruning at that time. Buds have already set for the next blooming period and you will not have many or any if you prune. Just let the bush grow larger and larger - then enjoy the blooms the next time around. The white bush is a spirea - planted as a small one gallon plant, it takes up a huge section of the corner of our house. What a welcome this bush says to all who enters our driveway.
At the opposite end of the house sits my pride and joy - Lady Banks Rose which is simply gorgeous even without blooms. For those who have allergies to fragrances - this rose has NO SMELL and no thorns either, so it is a good choice for your yard. I've attempted to transplant a piece a couple of times, but no success.

Introduction to my favorite plant

If you have ever had the pleasure of purchasing or been given a coreopsis plant - you are special. This is by far, the most hardy plant in the world. I was first introduced to coreopsis in the early 90's when Gayle and I signed up for the local Master Gardeners class, sponsored by Virginia Tech. We were so proud to be in this class - we learned so much about gardening and often refer back to our notebooks as valuable resources. Check your local extension office to see if this class is available in your area. It is worth the small amount of money it costs and classes are only one night a week for several months. I was told that this was a perennial and all the info that comes with this species of plant. They were CORRECT. It is still with me. The seeds reseed and if you keep it watered just a little during the dormant months of winter, you will be visited again and again. I never tire of the beautiful yellow blooms and the foliage is lovely also - willowy and if you dead-head the spent blooms (this means to snip away the dead blooms) you will have a continuation of blooms until frost begins in late fall. I started out planting in the soil and was plagued with weeds and weeds and more weeds, because this is part of gardening. I'm a lazy gardener so I started placing my plants in containers several years ago - I love this method and the weeds don't bother me nor the plant and BEST OF ALL - I don't have to worry about Carl zapping them with the weed eater when he trims. Husbands don't seem to know a weed from a plant. Ask Gayle!!!!!!!!! Coreopsis - if they come in another color other than yellow, please let me know - they can become your favorite also. Enjoy

A few Spring Touches

Gosh! Time is flying by...it seems like ages since I've last posted and thank goodness, Bettie has found time to post some great topics for you all to read. My job is really consuming my time (hate that!) but I did have a few things to share with you today. Normally my house would be full of Spring decor but I've only managed a few touches here/there this year..too much to do...too little time.  I know some people will scoff at the faux flowers I used in this arrangement on my detached garage; but it's too high up to water (for me) and the flowers always look fresh and never wilted!

As you might have already guessed I LOVE watering cans and use them in my decor everywhere I can...here's one I used in my kitchen to hold utensils by the stove

First signs of Spring - says "Welcome" anywhere

Well, we finally made it. Spring will greet us in a few hours. Back in January when I was first counting the days and marking them on the calendar - it seemed a long long way off. Wow - where did the winter months go? So glad they are behind us and we can enjoy great weather and sunny days and long evenings. I always say "I've made it another winter" whenever I see forsythia blooming. This is my favorite early spring bloomer. Carl and I rigged up two nice clear milk jugs we found in the basement - he cut a deep board; hung the bottle with a galvanized bracket to secure in place and then hung one on each side of our driveway entrance. Living in the country has its perks - flowers can be changed as the seasons change and your guests will always feel welcome as they enter. Only spent $2.75 for the metal brackets - everything else, of course, was recycled. Happy SPRING to each of you. Thank you for stopping by.

Spring is On The Way!

Hello! it seems like ages since I've last posted. So much going on with the birth of my grandson, the trip to Michigan and helping our daughter and family move to NC. On the way back from Michigan we stopped by Cracker Barrel and I spotted this cute metal calendar...I thought it was perfect for Spring and found a spot in my kitchen to display. You move the magnetic circles to depict the Month/Day...how clever is that?