Choice Morsels

Two Garden Pics today: First, my one Gardenia bush is blooming again! It seems to be a variety that blooms heavily in spring, then again less heavily during fall and winter. It's flowers are not as large as the other I have that strictly blooms just once a year, but I have  to give it kudos for enthusiasm! Next, New Garden Art: I kept back a few mugs from my purge in July for charity give-away that I thought would be nice additions to my garden. This one is a very large Cracker Barrel mug that I put in the front bed by the mailbox. I planted Chinese Stonecrop in it and planted sprigs of Golden Creeping Jenny nearby. Both are ground covers that like sun and both winter over. I like the red lava rocks and add them here and there as accents. In the shady spots, being porous, they become homes for moss.

Welcome back! I have several pictures for you today: First, our Gardenia bush with it's new hair-cut!  I finished that up yesterday. I cut about 3 to 4 feet off all around. Don't worry, it likes it. It will leaf out in by fall with a bunch of fresh growth and set up for bloom next year! Next, an amazing shot of a metallic green Sweat Bee on my Cone Flower below: And finally, the interesting orange blossoms of a spikey succulent in my double pot front that sits by the tree just in front of that Gardenia shrub. The stalk is about 20 inches tall. Also I caught a great shot this morning of a Tree Frog that apparently has taken up residence in one of my bird houses hanging in a low tree in back. I was about to take a peek inside, to see if it'd been used by a Wren, when a Tree Frog crawled up and perched himself in the opening. I plan on adding it to my Critter Calender for 2014, so I won't be posting the photo here, though is was sooo funny!...