The Power of White

Snapdragon
Kousa Dogwood

Meadowsweet

I took these pictures this year and thought it

might be fitting to post them today since we are

celebrating our first accumulative snowfall!

2" ~ and more to play in tomorrow!

Holiday Red

A very red Holidaylily!

Staying warm with pictures!

Seasons Greetings

Peppermint Get!

I have evidence that there was a shnapps or a liquor called Peppermint Get

I found a funky green glass bottle of it (empty in an abandoned house)

when I lived in Iceland. This flowers name reminds me of it.

I did have quite a lot of these pretties in my vegetable garden.

They really show off well with tall Swiss Chard and sweet corn as a back drop.

Teddy Bear Sunflower

Teddy got his picture before his prime but I

couldn't resist his lovely green center!

Going for a ride?

This shot really cracks me up!

It was a bit windy when I took this Sunflowers picture

and after I saved it and then looked at it again it's as

though the sunflower is riding down the road on a bike or in a

convertable letting the breeze blow though its petals!

I really should have somehow made a smiley face

of some sort on it!

Sunrise in the Sky!

This is an awesome sunflower! The contrast

of the muti blue sky is cool too!

Naked Ladies are back!

I love these flirty pink surpises that always pop

up when I have long forgotten about them.

The hot weather is soon forgotten about with just

one look at these in all their nakedness.

A slight breeze and ahhhh ~ cooled off!

First Sunflower

My first of the season that is! More to come

Cornflower Power

My dad told me that his mom use to grow these

in her garden when he was a boy.

I have always loved these blue puffs of calm

and have been growing them for years not knowing

that my grandmother always loved them.

I believe that we are drawn to

plants that our ancestors grew.

I think that the nastalgia is built right into us.

I wonder what my boys will grow?

Yellow Fluff

My son Samuel got me hooked on Yellow Marigolds!

I put a few of these in the garden to help keep the bugs

away and to add some much needed color. Boy do these work!

Seed Power

I love the flowering of these awesome perennials!
Columbine and Baptisia seed are so pretty to me.

I save them and give them to friends and family

as well as letting them self sow in any place

they wish.

Calming Power

This ever growing patch of Chamomile that I

have in my herb garden has always been a

constant reminder to me to take some time to

relax and take a moment to breath!

Breath too deep and I may fall asleep!

I love the wonderfully fragrant & calming

affects it has on me as a cold or hot tea.

Mix some peppermint in with it and then go get some sleep!

Flower Puff Power!

I don't know about you but I absolutley love Peonies!!

Next to Roses they are one of my faves!

It is one plant that I know has to work very hard to produce

amazing gigantic blooms like this. If someone develops a repeat bloomer

I will be one of the first to grow it!

If you adore peonies like I do try this relaxing aromatherapy

game. I do this with my kids & it is such fun!!

Lay down on the soft green grass or a blanket.

Take one large open peony bloom and pull off the petals

lay with your eyes closed and then drop them on your face or kids face slowly.

they feel so soft and smooth and smell so nice!

This will most likely become a plant of nostalgia when they grow up!

Spring Power!

This has been a record wet spring for this area.

After all the spring rains & few warm sunny days

the gardens here are loaded with color! (and weeds!)

I know last year was not like this!

I do love Bethlahem Sage the way the flower colors

keep changing. I need to look at calming colors

so I don't stress out about the weeding that lies ahead!

Sum & Substance Hosta looks prehistoric! Very cool!

Mixed Tulips I got from Breck's (the best bulbs I've ever gown!)


Sorry, no smell-a-vision! I've got big patches of these
Narcissus coming up all over. Talk about perky!

This handsome guy gets moved around my garden.

He looks so good next to anything chartreuce or yellow!

More Breck Tulips!

Half of these are gone for an arrangement!

Forget me nots!

I forgot about you! I don't even remember planting !

I am renovating a lot of my beds this year.

Need to consolidate. These learning gardens will be transformed!

Stay tuned.

Lenten Rose

This is my Lenten Rose and its first blooms in my garden!

I purchased 2 and they made it thru this blustery cold winter.

I wonder if it was the leaves and deep snow that covered it and

kept it insulated. Or if it was just meant to be!

These are so pretty to see in the late winter months.

Perfume Power!

Finally some fragrance in my back yard!

These Blue Hyacinths pushed out some nice big blooms.

I have some more coming up in my side garden (which I may have to move

because of exposure) pinks and more blues!

I spy with my flowery eyes

a picture perfect sky!

Easter was sunny, cool and beautiful!

David Austin Power!

This is a picture of one of my faves in my

garden - an oh so sweet lemon

scented David Austin rose

and the rabbits got to it and chewed

it down to a tiny stump. I am hoping I can

rejuvinate it this spring with a little TLC

and chicken wire! Wish me luck I will keep you

all posted.

Portulaca Power

Our trip to a Zoological Garden in Southeast Michigan

led us to a really cool castle surrounded by a naturalized

ampitheater-like area. Trailing on these rustic stone retaining walls,

spilled some of the most beautiful Moss Rose I have ever seen!

Power Purple!

These Grape Hyacinths are a

very reliable Spring Hello!

I love this tiny native Iris that seems to always be the first

of the flowering beauties I have in my garden.

It almost looks like a butterfly of some sort with

those 'eyes' of gold on the wings.

If I had a woods....

I would surely plant bluebells!

This is one of my favorite fairy portraits.

To look around while walking in a woods and be

completely surrounded by this electric blue....

my eyes go a little weird on me, but I love it!

Have you ever walked in a garden of bluebells like this?

The Power of Foliage

I created this garden for a friend of mine.

She had this one problem - could not get ground cover to

grow and frankly I felt that just adding gound cover to a back yard

was boring. "Let's grow color with texture" I said.

After installing the turtleback flagstone you can see the garden

pulls you right in. You want to go further to see more.

The variety of Hostas and Ferns gives a soft texture and there is

color without a lot of flowering here.

I love that about shaded pathways.

Some of the plants used:

Hostas:

Sum & Substance

Albo Marginata

August Moon

Frances Williams

Big Daddy

Hakone Grass

Autumn Fern

Ostrich Fern

Oakleaf Hydrangeas

Climbing Hydrangea

Circles of Power Flowers

At this time of year here in Ohio, not much flowering is going on yet in my garden!

I thought why not post a nice dried wreath of what was in my garden last year.

Blue & pink Larkspur, Globe Amaranth in shades of white, light pink & fushia.

Lavender and eucalyptus. ahhhh it smells as nice as it looks!

Our garden shop sells dried flower & herbal wreaths year round.

Flower Fairy Power

My friend Laura taught me how to creatively craft these cute flower fae. When the weather is condusive to not so wonderful ,I stay indoors with my boys and we make tons of these! I love making flower fairies to look like people I know or ethnic Fae. They are so fun to give as gifts!

Check out the Fairy Garden Festival pix on my other blog.