YELLOW ASIAN LILIES

Good  Morning Sunshine.  All this yellow makes me feel butter, I mean better.

I get so excited when there is a new burst of color in the garden, and this is definitely "bursty."

 

 

 

These lovely Asian Lillies are two years old.  They are planted in full sun and love it there.

I read that lilies need to be divided every three years or the bulbs begin to grow abnormally.

 

I think I have an Asian Lily growth on my body, but that's another story.

 

 

This variety is only sixteen inches tall.  Others grow up to four feet tall.

 

After they bloom just pull off the wilted petals.  I make a wish and throw them over my shoulder for good luck.  Or you can collect them all and bury them in a safe place for no reason at all.

 

                           That's the beauty of gardening - you can do whatever you like.

                                 On the left is a Harakah shrub.  I love the silver leaves it has. 

 

 

                                                                 X-TRA LARGE!

 

 

Here I trimmed back the spent Iris that bloomed last month.
The stalks will nourish the roots until fall, or longer, or until Turkey Day, or even the first blue moon of Kentucky............

 

Gosh, I have not blogged in a few days due to my work schedule.  I really missed this.
It's hard to hold in my excitement, so I'll just fade off into the sunset. 

                                                      Bloom where you are planted.

 

MIRACLE GROW

 

I was behind in some lawn maintenance.

 

April and May is usually when we apply Crabgrass Preventer in Illinois.

2013 has not been usual.

 

We had record rainfall and the temperature stayed cool into June.

I just did not get around to doing my lawn care until now. 

I am a failure, a putz, an agricultural abomination.

 

Even worse, I use the cheap stuff, but this works really well.

I only apply it in the front yard.  The dogs run the back yard where we do not spray or treat.  Now I can check this "to do" off my list.

 

 

 

Miracle Gro is an amazing product.  Best of all it is reasonably priced.

Second, it is a beautifyl color.  Third, it works!

 

If you don't have flowers just fill a vase with it and set it on the table!

It looks great with a yellow table cloth!

 

Mix 5 scoops into a 5 gallon bucket and stir, or swish,

I measure into a can first so I do not spill.

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

 

This looks like toilet bowl water................hmmm.

 

I use a watering can to pour it onto my flowers.

Just pour it into a can or two.

Walk around the garden visiting all the plants and asking if they might like a sip.  These herbs are very excited to try some.  They have been a little droopy.

 

 

I swear on my great uncle's thrice removed grave, that Miracle Grow works overnight.

The next day the petunias were dancing and singing and growing.

OUR POND IS THREE YEARS OLD

Happy 3rd birthday to the rustynail pond.

It feels like it was just yesterday when I was digging and sweating.

 

I'm serious, I still feel every sore muscle from digging the three foot hole, as if it was yesterday.

Alas, I am pretty stubborn and was determined to do it myself.

 

We love the pond, the water rippling, the fish and frogs, water lilies, the dogs splashing in it.

It is good therapy for the mind (not so much the body).  Unless perhaps, you float in yours, or do yoga on the dock, or your masseuse comes over and gives you a Swedish massage on the bench.

That would be nice.

 

 

 

 

At dusk the colors are rich.  I however, will never be rich.............oh well.

We have several varieties of ground cover.  Some given to me from pond club members.

Yes, it is hard to deal with algae, which makes the water green when the temperature rises.

You just dump in more algae eater.

 

July 13 & 14, rustynail pond is on the pond society tour.  Tickets are available for purchase and you can tour some marvelous ponds and tranquil settings in the surrounding Peoria, IL area.

She's here!  I gotta go.  Time for my massage! 

Namaste. (I bow to you)

Ommmmmmm.

  

See more on pond at http://prairieland_pond.tripod.com/

HUMMINGBIRD NEST

 

Twice a week I take an arthritis swim class at the local YWCA.

Our teacher mentioned she has a Hummingbird nest in her maple tree.

We chatted after class and made arrangements for me to stop by after work to take pictures.

 

 

 She noticed the nest because the mother bird was flying up to the branch so often. This picture is magnified. The actual nest is the size and color of a walnut. It seems to be made of threads, and fine material such as dryer lint. There are no birds visible today, unfortunately. However, I was thrilled to see it and now I know what to look for in our trees.

Her back yard was such a surprise.  She lives on a busy subdivision road but the back yard is paradise.  There was a doe eating grass in the back of the yard.

Her grand kids planted this with toys from their toy box.

Look at this twisted vine with two old porch railings to the side.

Gnarly branches. 

Perfectly shaped.

Her husband built this wheel barrel for her.

Nice guy!

Kniphofia, also knows as Red Hot Poker, or Fire Stick.

GOODWILL

My friend and I love to browse through the Goodwill store.

Today I was looking for summer hats.  I like to place them on a bench or hang them near the flower garden.

 

JACKPOT!  Today I found a Red Hat Club hat, a handkerchief sun hat, blue glass pebbles and a cute, green watering can.  Plus the little table it is sitting on.

 

 

The glass beads will go into a tipped over clay pot, the table will soon be a bright color, and the hats are already on benches. 

 

 

 

 

What a fun little shopping spree and I got change back from my $20 dollar bill!

 

 

My friend found an antique, metal, flower pot stand, 2 pictures, and a blue watering can.

 

I think I have never outgrown playing dress up.  I dress up the dogs, the benches, even tie bows on my watering cans.  It's the inner kid that never grew up.

 

Be creative.

 

 

 

 

HOW MUCH MORE WILL THIS HOSTA KEEP GROWING?

 

 

We are trying to find the name tag for this hosta, and I just know it is here somewhere.

I save all the tags.  Plus, when I purchase a plant I write the name in my Garden File on the computer.

If I'm really with it, I write down where I planted it and the date.  However, I'm not sure about these two hosta names.

 

 

This one is Big something.  Big Foot, or Big Daddy or Big Big.

I'm just not sure.  But this picture was taken in early May about a week after it began to erupt from it's warm earthling bed.

 

It is about a foot tall.

 

 

This week the leaves are THIS BIG!  It is at least 3 feet tall.

My fingers are 3 inches long so this hosta leaf is over a foot in diameter (or 4 fingers)

Here is the current view and Big Big is on the left of the shed.  The hosta to the right of the shed is pictured below when it was a week old in May.  It is now close to 9 fingers tall.

 

 

This was the 3 feet tall one as it began to grow in May.  Just sprouts.

 

 

 

This is a transplanted hosta that is more "normal normal" than Big Big.

It is 2 1/2 fingers wide.  Doesn't everyone measure this way? 

 

 

 

So the 'rule of thumb, or thumb of rule, of measuring hosta is to use your fingers and toes and a foot or two, or a shin bone.  Just wait until we start to measure 'grasshoppers'!

 

Cha cha cha.

 

 

 

 

 

PICKING CHERRIES

Today we went to my dear friend, Patty's, to pick cherries.  We packed up our plastic containers, some white trash bags, and the 6 foot ladder and drove to her house.  Patty and I have been friends for 47 years.  My gosh can that be right?  2013-1966, 6 from 13 is 7 and yep.......it is correcto mungo.

We go way back to the Monkeys, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and go-go boots.

She and her husband planted this Montmorency Cherry tree when they moved into their home over 25 years ago.  It produces nice cherries every other year.  Lucky for me, my friend has a  cherry tree.
I planted one but it is just a baby right now.  It had three cherries this year.

Just look at the beautiful cherries.

 

 

 

This is my cherry picking buddy.

 

 

Why are the best cherries always at the top of the tree?

 

I am deathly afraid of heights.  I set the bowl on the ladder and when it got full I dumped the fruit into the white bag.  We started at 1:50 pm and finished at 2:30 pm.  It was fun.  We got to talk, and the birds dive bombed us, and there was a nice breeze.  And I did not fall off the ladder.

 

Patty has this cool play house in the back yard.

Her kids are grown but her nieces play in it.

Notice the cool swinging bridge to the left.

 

 

 

My bowl is full, my feet hurt, this is plenty of cherries.

 

 

I can't wait to make a pie.  We should buy ice cream on the way home!

 

 

Here comes Max.  Want a cherry Max?

 

 

 

I noticed this awesome pot on their front porch.  Love the angel with a wand in her hand.

 

If I get time tomorrow, I might run over for more cherries.

I would like to freeze some.

 

We passed by the DQ as we left town.   2 Root Beer floats please.....slurp.

 

 

 

 

GARDEN TOUR PEORIA, IL PART 3

Traveling from house to house on a garden tour you become familiar with other nature lovers.
I love to stroll and pick up conversations as they evaluate and enjoy the gardens.  I always learn a few things too.  Like where they just had lunch, or why she is mad at her husband.  You get the picture.

Speaking of pictures.  Here is more garden art from the local artists.  Very unique.

 

Love this covered corner of the deck.

 

A rivulet on a hillside.  I love this word, rivulet.  I feel so knowledgeable when I say it.

Another cool word is 'rill'.  A rill is the beginning of a rivulet.  That's not much help is it?

You might want to google this, or you might not.  I learned of it in a stone landscape book.

I'll give you a hint, it has to do with water, and drainage.

 

Love this deep gorge in the river valley.

 

Butterfly house.

 

 

This garden was very formal with beautiful stone planters and pathways.

 

In the back yard they built this wonderful pergola.

As you walk the paths there are speakers playing lovely music.

I want this!

 

Their boundary line of natural fence.

 

Up lighting.

 

Nice color combinations.

 

Cross pieces on the pergola offer more shade and an architectural element.

Have a seat, let's talk about your husband.  Lie down if you like.

 

 

One more garden to visit.  This home was nestled in a valley well hidden behind established subdivisions.  Very Zen.

 

 

Unique trees.

 

The monster from the bottom of the sea.

 

This bubbler adds to the serenity.

 

 

Another bubbler.

 

 

 

 

Driving away we saw this beautiful landscape at a neighboring home,

 

                                                          along with the life size deer.

 Time for a mocha latte at our favorite coffee shop.

It was a mini vacation today.  We loved the tour.