Choice Morsels

I have several photos today: First, my ceramic cat in a container garden out front, surrounded by a heaps of yellow Million Bells  So pretty in the last rays of the days sun. That Million Bells is just one plant that wintered over, a mere straggly stem when I planted it in it's own smaller pot, then set that in the larger container. It really took off! Million Bells is technically called "Calibrachoa" in a garden shop. I love them!  A Project Accomplished this Week: Re-Paint my Various Garden Objects d'Art These are various metal pieces, stones, pieces of broken block and concrete chunks, some Dollar Tree concrete stepping stones---things I use as accents here and there in my garden. The metal rusts and usually needs repainting every other year or so. I decided to use white paint because white objects are more eye-catching and more light reflective. Finally, a Toad: He tucked himself between into this little spot outside our sli...

A bunch of photos today! I walked out by the Bluebird house, since it's been quiet, but I could see Mrs. Bluebird's little face just inside the hole. (They build the nest high, so she could look out.) So, I think she's still brooding the eggs. Once they hatch, though, there should be a bustle of activity with both parents. ****** Goldfinches! I was delighted this past week to see a Goldfinch family in the feeder this week!  Two pair, one a lighter color male and the other much brighter. Most birds in this area nest early around here and bring there offspring to the feeder "restaurant," but I read American Goldfinches nest later then other birds, usually in June or July. So, I yet may see them bring youngsters to the feeder. Florida and a wide swath of the Deep South is the American Goldfinch's is mapped in the bird book as their "winter range." And I certainly do see them at the feeder in Jan & Feb in their winter-drab olive green colo...

Here in Florida it's time for spring yard work, even though snow is still falling elsewhere! We got a few bedding plants from both Lowe's & Walmart last weekend. Garden Pics today are some of the new purchases: Pictured below are Million Bells (pink flowers to left) and a   new Mexican Heather (to right) I'm particularly fond of the Million Bells. One of these is already planted in the large container garden out front. I had to add a new day lily to that same container this year and it has a orange-pink tone, so I thought the pink Million Bells would be a nice change. And New Hydrangeas! The photo really doesn't do justice to the beautiful range of pink to purple to dusky blue these heads are! I have just blue or just pink, so these will be different. If you remember, I mentioned two Azaleas out front died and I intended to replace them with Hydrangea's? These are them.  So Hubby dug out the dead Azalea roots for me, which were on eith...

It's raining today, so any of my plans for working outside got put on hold. We scheduled a A/C system check for today and a guy is here doing that. I'm sitting here, freezing with the A/C on, while he's doing that. Burrr. Also new is we added an ice-maker water filter to the back of our frig. Why? Well, the Pex pipe used to replumb gives the ice and faucet water a slightly plastic taste, kind of like water tastes after getting warm and sitting in a plastic cup overnight.  It doesn't smell. Just tastes. We hope it will wear off in time, but in the meantime--filtering.  The garden looks so pretty in spring, when it's fresh and so much is coming into bloom! So, I have 3 garden pictures to share today: First, this beautiful trail of sunny yellow & white Million Bells  in my front container garden: It's Latin name is Calibrochoa. Here in the Deep South, Million Bells can winter over. This plant did. They make an excellent "spiller" in eith...

Today, I mowed the front yard and put down some top soil in a couple places that needed it. I also planted the two Million Bell plants (latin name: calibrachoa) that I  purchased about 10 days ago. I'm trying a different location then in past years. They seem prone to mildew if overly wet from rain or watering, but I have a one pink one that keeps coming back year after year and even survived the 16 degree freeze. So they can be a very good investment for the perennial garden.  I also noted my Queens Tears Bromeliads that lost all their greenery to this winters deep freeze are showing signs of new growth along their root bases. (Mine live outside in a dry, shady location. The girl who gave them to me kept them in pots outside as well.) Shows just how tough a "tropical" plant can be! Today's garden pic is a rare & lovely picture of one of my German Iris that decided it wanted to bloom this year: Gorgeous! This one has been a no show for at least ...

I'm only posting 1 garden pic today, but after it I have a funny little story to share. Pic of the Day is my waterfall of orange Million Bells spilling from my large front pot garden! So pretty!  The red-tail grass in the back has put up it's first head. I hope get a nice pic, when it's put up a few more and is more developed. This pot is themed on oranges and red tones. The orange day lily in it is a re-bloomer, so I expect a repeat bloom from it in the near future and, of course, the purple and red petunias are thriving. Okay, now let me re-tell this amusing conversation I had. This was last Saturday and one of the guys in our ministry had invited everyone to his house to watch him set off some fireworks he's purchased. So, my husband and I are sitting in the living room, waiting for others to arrive. Taylor Kitsch We have 2 Randy's in the group and this conversation involves us and the 2 Randy's. For identification sake I'll call the fir...

Wednesday Garden Photos! Today I have a two views of some of my garden beds to show you: First my Hosta Lily and Ivy bed that runs along the shady north side of my house. These particular Hosta's are called "Giant Hosta's" because they grow into a wider spread then most----but they're not the largest Hosta you can get. There is a huge type. Mine are in bloom right now---3 foot stalks lined with pale lavender blossoms. Strictly an outside display flower. Not for cutting. The green stuff between the blooming Hosta's is a type of ivy for outdoors. It looks nice, but can be invasive. I have to use the hedge shears on it a couple times a year. This bed runs between the A/C unit and the back porch. The trellis you see at the far end of the picture has a red climbing rose on it, something I put in last spring. It's pretty carefree. I just snip the ends finished blooming. The next picture below is the bed that runs along the landscape block wall we p...