Flower Power

 

It occurred to me that I've hardly taken any garden photos this year, which is a shame since I ended up missing a truly spectacular display of roses. Luckily there are still lots of pretties left to photograph and share. Click to enlarge and enjoy!

The morning glories are just starting and once again I'm reminded of why they're among my favourite flowers:

 

This morning glory was just starting to wilt (which they do when the sun gets hot) and I thought it looked lovely:


 

These ones were enthusiastically visited by a bumblebee before I watered and left them covered with droplets:


 

Their flowers are similar to morning glories but these are plain old petunias (in desperate need of some deadheading, I'm afraid):



 

When my mom was in the hospital she was given a potted mini rose. I ended up bringing it home with me and once the weather warmed up a bit I planted it outside in a large pot on our deck (mini roses are hardy and now that it's established I'll leave it outside permanently). The plant is thriving and the flowers are so pretty. Every time I look at it I think of my mom:

 

I don't know why people think geraniums are boring. I always get a couple for the deck but I should get more:


 

After years without them I decided to plant nasturtiums again. They're finally starting to flower (for a while there I thought I was going to get nothing but leaves)! Once I have a few to spare I need to remember to throw some into salads:



 

At last I have achieved a blue hydrangea! It only took two years to acidify the soil enough to get this colour and I'm thrilled with the result. You can get aluminum sulphate at any garden centre and use it to change the colour of your hydrangeas as well (a little for purple, a little more for blue but don't overdo it):






 

These photos were a happy surprise. I intended to take a couple of shots of one of my onions gone to flower when I noticed the white spider and its lunch ant on the left-hand side. Not only that but I never realized how beautiful these seemingly simple flowers are:





 

These last two shots were taken in full sun:


 

My other hydrangea (along with more morning glories). I've been adding aluminum sulphate here too but because the plant is in the ground it's taking more effort to acidify the soil enough, so these flowers are a mix of pinks, purples, and blues. Very pretty:



 

My jackmanii clematis and a cluster of 'William Baffin' roses. The rose + the clematis are proving to be too much for the supports holding them up. I'm not sure what I'm going to do but I may have to resort to cutting the rose all the way down and starting over with it:



 

My poor 'The Fairy' rose is overwhelmed by the William Baffin. At least it managed to find an open spot and put out some blooms:




 

Still pretty as they fade:

 

Photos by Whimsy Bower

[Edited for formatting and update attribution. Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com]

Promises of Spring

Spring is back! And with it the promise of warmth, renewal and new growth. The problem is that it also comes with a lot of waiting. Around here there's not much to look at besides sprouts, buds, and a few very early blooms (like crocuses), and the tantalizing warmth alternates with teeth-chattering cold. So in the spirit of inspiration and looking forward I thought I'd post a few photos from last year's garden. Enjoy (and click to enlarge)! 

Nothing says sunshine like dahlias: 

 

Canna, just before blooming: 

  

One of my favourite roses, 'The Fairy." Mini flowers (and tons of them) on a regular-sized plant: 

 

Note the tiny visitor on this sunflower: 

 

My first onion braid (and my first homegrown onions)!: 

 

No, this photo is not sideways: the hollyhock grew this way once it reached the top of its support: 

   

Of all the tomato plants I had in the garden last year this one was probably the most prolific. It's also the only one I didn't deliberately plant--it just sprouted on its own by the roses and I left it alone. Go figure:

  

Climbing rose, 'The Viking'  

Rose of Sharon:  

Hollyhock, 'Creme de Cassis':

   

'Heavenly Blue' Morning Glories totally live up to their name: 

   

Not Heavenly Blue but equally pretty (and self seeding!):

 

One of my tomatillo plant with "balloons" (the fruit grows inside them): 

  

I know I post a lot of photos of raindrop-studded Lady's Mantle leaves, but I just think they're so beautiful. Here the leaves are shaded by the fringe of hosta flowers:

 

'Limelight" Hydrangea and hosta flowers" 

  

Hosta flowers are underrated, imo; they look beautiful and smell lovely too:

  

Some of the poppies from the seeds my mom collected from her own garden: 

 

Look closely in the foreground to see the web and the spider in the centre: 

 

One of the few things whose arrival I'm not looking forward to-- the crazy-big slugs that seem to live around here (and at about 4 inches long that's one of the smaller ones I've seen): 

 

Couldn't resist sharing these photos (he and the orchid both like sitting next to the window, and I'm sure he can't wait until it's warm enough to open them again): 

Photos by Whimsy Bower

[Edited to update title, and for formatting and clarity. Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com]