IM Spy Something Yellow...

These miniature daffodils don't know whether to keep blooming or pause with this crazy East Tennessee weather... 

Soon, very soon, these lovelies will be popping, as the temps are predicted to warm up considerably in the coming week.

Daffodils are one of the first signs that winter is losing its grip...

NOT Frost On The Pumpkin

So here it is November 20 with overnight temperatures dropping down into the thirties!  Actually, last night we were down to a very chilly 28°, BRRR!

 Believe it or not I still have some Black-eyed Susan's, in the pool area, that are alive and well and still blooming!

They're not in the bestest condition at this point of the year but I'll take it and I'm thankful for their persistence and uplifting blooms.

This should help - I'm having tiny coats made for each of the flowers to keep them warm and happy, with the understanding that they keep on flowering -

#Blessed

My Sad Sedum

Is it just me and my Sedum plants or are others experiencing the same?!

Seems this year each of my sedum plants are thin, lanky and ununiform, see examples below - 

If my memory serves me correctly, in past years, they've typically been a fuller plants and much more symmetrical and with bigger flower heads.

It's been a weird summer around these parts weather wise, hot and humid and not much rain. I'm sure this has something to do with it.  I'm noticing it elsewhere too, smaller blooms, smaller perennials in general and blooms that just don't last too long or as long as I remember.  Perhaps, this is contributing to the lack of honey bees and other visiting insects and critters this year.

Suppose time will tell if things bounce back.

Pretty In Pink

 I planted an old favorite this year in the pool area, Cosmos, and they've done great!

The flowers are a variation of pink and there are oodles of them.

The bees absolutely love these flower and I'm guessing they come from near and far to enjoy them.

I love how the plants and flowers in my yard pop and come alive, and how they attract SO many bees and insect, including Hummingbirds!

#Blessed

Why Can't We All Just Get Along?!

Harmony

My Platycodon

My Balloon flowers are in full bloom and the bees are in their glory!

I have both white and purple AND they've crossed over the years to give me some interesting and unique color combinations.  Really, no two are the same.  I've seen pink balloon flowers on the Google machine too, which would be a nice color to add to my garden one day.

Here is how they got their name -

Here's one opening but not quite there yet -

Tada, fully open and ready for "beesness" - 

Here are some pics of the random and cool color combinations - 

Some folks, my kids when younger, liked to "pop" these flowers, which made the gardener very upset...

#Blessed

What's That In The Road Ahead?

Nope, not a turtle. Not a snake.  Not a critter. Rather an attractively arranged bunch of flowers - a rose bouquet!

On my way back to the post office this afternoon, after a long, tiring day of delivering mail to two different routes, UGH, a bouquet of one dozen white roses was in need of rescuing -

They were awfully dried, not sure how long they were laying on the hot asphalt but hoping a small stem trim and a vase of fresh water, with a cup full of hydrogen peroxide, will reinvigorate them -

They certainly look much better sitting on my counter than in the middle of the street!

Another roadway save -

BIG Flowers - Dramatic Flare!

I deliver to this Norfolk, MA condo association when doing route 10.

I usually deliver their incoming mail to the Cluster Box Unit (CBU) located at the entrance of the facility.  However, large packages will not fit in the CBU and need to be delivered to their respective front doors.  So, while delivering larger packages the other day I walked into the courtyard and the daylilies were in full bloom and looked terrific! 

What struck me with these daylilies was the size of the flowers, each about the size of my open hand. These pics, although beautiful, just don't show their actual size. I have a variety of daylilies here at the ole homestead but honestly the flowers are "normal" (about half the size of the ones below) in size. 

Clearly, the landscape architect knew what they were doing when they chose these plants, well done!

Asiatic Lilies A Plenty

These are the beautiful colors the Asiatic lilies I have planted in my yard.  I have white ones too but failed to snap a pic before they passed -

The orange ones are the most prevalent ones I have.  They're spread over the years and do very well, perhaps because they're planted in the pool area with gets direct sun for most of the afternoons.

The other colors are planted in more shady areas and although they faithful bloom, they tend to be smaller blooms and smaller plants.  Supposed I should transplant them to the pool area to see how well they do.

Just wish the flowers lasted a bit longer than they do...

Pretty in Pink

My neighbor gave me the below daylilies last fall when she was thinning out her flower beds.

At the time I had no idea what these would flowers would look like but VERY pleased!

They're plant itself smaller than the typical orange daylily I'm used to and have throughout my yard and the flowers are SO much bigger too - guessing some ~5" wide -

From what I've been able to find, I believe these are called "Pretty in Pink"!

They're a beautiful and fragrant flower that have been attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Blooming Memories

Here are several plants from my folks yard in Westwood that I transplanted here in my yard years ago before we sold the Westwood house.

A nice reminder each year of my folks, the house and yard I grew up in and a time gone by but NOT forgotten.

My mother's Poppy -

There are a couple and they comes up faithful each each with beautiful blooms too -

My mother's Dutch White Iris -

Originally a small clump that has grown and spread over the years.  A nice contract to the oodles of the similar purple Iris I have all over the yard - 

My dad's Rhubarb -

It's been in a couple different locations over the years but has taken off here in my main garden.

#Blessed

Let The Show Begin!

Here are some of the recent planting I've done around my yard -

This clump of Cannas are one of two that I over-wintered in my basement this past year.  I chose to plant it in the same spot I had it in last spring\summer, as it did very well there -

Added some Marigolds to add some color along my driveway -

These two flower pots, with "Main Street Abbey Road" Coleus and "Daybreak" Gazania will adorn my front stairs -

These Cosmos came from my farmer friend and have oodles of blossoms coming -

A current pic of how well all (33) of my fall planted garlic is doing -

Now, if only the sun would come out and stay, all my plants would surely take off!

Million Bells

Dodging raindrops I was able to pot up another outstanding annual - a Tik Tok Crystal Calibrachoa -

Calibrachoa, commonly called million bells, is a reliable and awe-inspiring annual that produces a prolific amount of petunia-like blooms all spring and summer long -

I can't get enough...