Last Summers Blooms ~

Spring will be arriving soon! I've been looking back at a few blooms from last years gardens & trying to assess what changes that I'd like to make in the gardens this summer. These were a few of the blooms from last summers gardens ~

                         ~~Azaleas ~~
       

            ~~ Forget - Me - Nots ~~

                                       ~~ Daffodils ~~

                  ~~ Columbine ~~

                  ~~ Spiderwort ~~

 

                       ~~ Phlox ~~

                 ~~ Jacob's Ladder ~~

                         ~~ Foxglove ~~

                 ~~ Mountain Bluet ~~

                        ~~ Lupines

                      ~~ Fall Asters ~~

 

 

             ~~ Pin Cushion Plant ~~

                    ~~ Soapwort ~~




                  ~~ Bee Balm ~~

                   ~~ Coreopsis ~~

                  ~~ Pink Hollyhocks ~~

                       ~~ Ganzia ~~

                       ~~ Bee Balm ~~

                   ~~ Bleeding Heart ~~

                    ~~ Coneflower ~~

 

                 ~~ Flowering Kale ~~

 

                         ~~ Yarrow ~

                    ~~ Yellow Hollyhock ~~

                   ~~ Coneflower ~~

Nature's Art

We enjoy watching the birds in the winter time. I have feeders placed throughout the yard with a variety of different types of seeds, nuts and berries. At Christmas I received a couple new feeders for the birds. So I set about to find places to hang them in the garden.

 

I used a large easel that I found at an auction and a wooden picture frame to create a space to hang the barn feeder. The easel was placed in an area of the garden that is close to a hemlock tree so the birds would have some cover. I consider the birds and other little critters in my garden as  part of nature's art so to have them framed seems somewhat appropriate!

The birds aren't the only ones who love the  feeders! I caught this little guy helping himself to a snack.

Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal perched in the hemlock tree.

The top of the easel has become a popular spot for the birds to perch while waiting their turn at the feeder.

I loved this gift my husband got me for Christmas.....two new feeders, four different types of bird seed and  Birds & Bloom magazine! I must say that the birds are loving it too! :-) 

I hung another bird feeder from the hook of the old potato plow that's in one of my gardens.

After placing the feeders, it takes a little while for the birds to find them. When they do, the news travels fast!

I used this small metal bird bath to hold seeds, nuts & berries for the birds.

The cardinals bright color really stands out against snowy backgrounds.

This sweet little bird was enjoying the snow covered buffet.

The squirrels are like little acrobats, climbing and hanging from branches to reach the feeders.

This Blue Jay and Woodpecker helped themselves to the discarded walnut pieces that the squirrels left at the base of the tree.

The birds loved the seed Valentine I left for them! Watching the birds is a pastime that makes being snowed in a little more bearable.

Saying Goodbye To Winter In The Garden

As Spring arrives and we say goodbye to Winter... it's time to take a look back at the beauty it brought to the gardens. Winter can be very harsh here in the Northeast. It sometimes seems to be never ending! The cold, snow & ice is at times very hard to deal with but it does have one redeeming grace ~ It can be so beautiful! I really miss the flowers of Summer but nature has it's way of adding color and interest to the garden in Winter. These are just a few photos of nature's winter beauty in my garden...

Early one morning I watched as this beautiful Sparrow sat in the crab apple tree just watching the snow fall.

Even the hornet's nest that's been hanging in our maple tree since summer has a dusting of snow on it.

I sprinkled some bird seed on top of one of my snow covered urns and a Cardinal stopped by for a bite to eat.

The bright red berries on the Crab Apple tree were coated in ice.

 

A male Blue Jay perches atop a pedestal in the garden.

Ornamental grasses add drama and interest to winter gardens.

I found this Pileated Woodpecker searching for insects in one of our trees.

The snowy sundial in the garden

This adorable little Junco was sitting in the crab apple tree enjoying the winters day.

Another beautifully marked woodpecker on the walnut tree.

Sometimes (usually about the middle of January :-) ) I wonder...just briefly...what it'd be like to live where it's warm year round. I know though, that I would dearly miss the changing of the seasons. Nature provides a special beauty to each season ~ winter...spring...summer & fall!

Pink Hollyhocks ~

Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are an old fashioned cottage garden favorite.  They grow to be quite tall so they make great background plants in your beds. Mine are  planted around a birdhouse on a tall column in the middle of an island bed. They're easy to grow and they have a long blooming season. These are a few pictures of my pink hollyhocks from last summer ~

 

 

 

Decorating for Christmas Using Vintage Pieces ~

 

 

Oh my, where has December gone? I meant to do a Christmas post but  things got really busy around here and as they say "Life happens!". Even though it's a little late, I thought I'd at least share a few pictures of how I used some vintage pieces in my decorations.

 

 

 

 

 This old scale, hanging in my window is filled with greens, pinecones and pomegranates.

 

   An old Dietz lantern is displayed as part of my holiday decorations .

~ Old enamelware pieces & jars filled with greenery & dried fruit ~

I used an antique tool box to display a small tree in a crock. Old keys and locks were hung by twine on the tree.

 
The antique telephone box was filled with  pine, fruit and a star to dress it up for the holidays.

          ~ ~ Old crock filled with holly sits in the window ~ ~

I like to dry apples and oranges to use in my displays and garlands .

 Some of the dried apples and oranges were strung on twine to make the little garland, hanging on the back of the toolbox.

 

My husband surprised me with some branches of holly that he cut from his Uncle's bushes. I had fun spreading them throughout the house. I hung this branch of holly on a door of the  Shipwright cabinet.

Cranberries were added to an old canning jar and placed along side a sprig of Holly on the window sill . Such an easy way to add holiday color to the room!

Old mason jars on a vintage enamelware tray with cranberries and holly, to add a little color.

One of the wreaths I made using the dried fruit, pine cones, berries and burlap ribbon.

~ Small milk bottles filled with cranberries ~

The old Coca~Cola crate was turned on it's side and used it to display my Santa & Snowmen. I attached a candle ring to the crate to use as a wreath.

 

 

Branches of berries were added to the old milk can for the holidays.