Rose Uproar, another zinnia from Parks.  This one's on the reorder list.

So Happy Together

Thanks to Laura for this picture from Clayton's collection.  Looking at Betsy & Kyle playing together now is like looking into a time machine from the 1980s.

Monday Flowers

Zinnia Time!

The zinnias are back!  They don't mind hundred-degree temps as long as they have enough water.  These little guys are called Swizzle scarlet & yellow from Parks.  They're really short, but so cute.

And meet Zowie!Yellow Flame, again from Park's.

Queen Red Lime from Park's.  This is the third season that I've had these, and I still love them.  I usually sow Envy, but this year I tried Queen Limes instead.  Several plants haven't bloomed yet, so hopefully they're on the way.

Strawberry Jam

Yesterday Rachel posted on my facebook wall:   So how did you girls make that yummy strawberry jam?  Kyle LOVED it.  He licked it all off his toast :)

That's why I love facebook.  Made me so happy to hear that my little Kyle boy liked our jam!  It is special jam, for sure.  For starters, the berries came from Grandma Peggy's garden and they were beautiful! 

PJ got onto me because I ate so many while we were picking.  She still believes in keeping the rule about not eating any berries while you pick.  I used to get in trouble for breaking that rule when mama and I went to pick at Mr. Faith's just off highway 60 in Paducah.  I've just adapted the rule a little bit--  pick two for the box and eat the next one. 

John wasn't worried about any rules--he walked right through the middle of the patch and held the box for us.  Laughing and giggling the whole time.  He is so cute!

My sister PJ is one of the funniest people I know--love her hair here :)  She'll be mad at me for posting her picture.  I think she's beautiful! 

So the recipe for the jam can be found in the Sure-Jell box.   Mama's jam is always good, but this batch was an extra-special good one because we had so much fun making it together.   She'll be so happy to hear that Kyle liked her strawberry jam.  Now I'm inspired me to plant a little berry patch here at Canada Garden too!  Let's keep the tradition going :)

Sweet Peas & Rose Bouquet

This year's sweet pea crop has been my best ever.  After all those years of trials and flops, I have to thank my friend and garden mentor, Gail.   She and The Farm gals don't direct sow their seeds.  No, really, they don't.  I was surprised too, but I'm definitely a believer now.  These sweet pea seeds were sown into individual peat pots and then planted in the garden in  May.  And so worth it.  Some of those stems were over a foot! 

I loved making this bouquet.  The spray roses didn't come from my garden, of course, but they set off my little darlings perfectly!

We're missing them so much already!  Can't wait to see them again in August :)

Happy Fourth

We had a lot of fun with Betsy & Kyle on the Fourth.   Kyle usually likes hot dogs, but he was into the cheetos here.  

He's the spitting image of his daddy, but sometimes he reminds me of Isaac too.   I called him Isaac several times.  Just like I used to call Isaac Judson.   

 Not sure what the issue was in this next picture--I love her different expressions!

 

Kyle wanted in on the badmitton game.

Betsy and her friend Rachel were so excited about the fireworks!  They could hardly wait.  Rachel was all about the sparklers and the smoke bombs, but Bets was a little more hesitant when the fire and the booms started happening.  She watched from the bench, sitting between me and Judson.

Judson:  Betsy, are fireworks scary?
Betsy (adamantly):  No, fireworks aren't scary!
Judson:  Betsy, are you scared right now?
Betsy (in a small voice):  Yea. I'm scared.

But of course, she loved it too and didn't want to leave even when it was way late past bedtime :)

Gift Topper

This design was made to top off a special gift that Greg made for his wife in honor of her Muni Guys and Dolls role this week.  I loved making it and I'm asking myself, why don't I ever think to put fresh flowers on top of a gift package?  Maybe because I rely on gift bags so much these days.  But I bet even a gift bag could be dressed up with fresh flowers--I'll have to make a practice piece.  Hmm . . . something else for my to-do list :)

Proven Winners Garden

When you see these pictures, you're going to see why I had to go feed my containers yesterday.

 This Proven Winners Display garden at Four Star Greenhouse in Carleton, Michigan is close to PJ. 

 

I wanna know their secret rabbit repellant, cause we didn't see one sign of a rabbit anywhere.  Unlike my garden, where alyssum is considered the perfect midnight snack by the neighborhood bunnies.

It's too late to have big daisies blooming on the driveway, but maybe a few  flagstone leaves for the patio one day . . .

These black & white petunias are really cute--I couldn't find any when I got back home, so they're going on next year's list.

Every mixed container was like a work of art. 

I could look at this foliage container all day

 So much for that old one-spike-in-the-middle design . . .

I think this was my favorite bed--a swath of orange & red that seemed to go on forever.  If we  had the time, I'd be talking to Mark about traveling all over Michigan in August for their state-wide greenhouse tour.    In the meantime, feed those containers!  :)

Feeding Morning

Lots of pictures to come from this fabulous Proven Winners display garden, but right now I have to go feed my containers :)

Orange

I came back from Michigan with hundreds of pictures!  I'm working my way through them--but in the meantime, this went to my boss who turned in his resignation last week and is heading out on a new adventure.

Michigan Trip

For the past few years, I've been going to see my mama on her birthday.  She looks beautiful here with her Monroe bakery birthday cake!  We always have a great time.

These are a few pictures from PJ's garden, where she has a fab new shed, built by Jeff.

Jeff fashioned the blue garden light from a garage sale find.  I want one of these too!

And I always mean to bring back some hens and chickens, but I forgot again!  Oh, well, there's always next year.  Looking forward to it already :)

Garden Tour

And The Little Gardens

Aren't these little fairy herb gardens sweet?!?  It was so nice to meet Rhonda of Growing Herbs for Beginners.

The Big Garden

This topiary garden was next door to one of the gardens we toured this weekend.  We couldn't help but peek over the fence at the incredible sculptures.

This last one was my very favorite.  Wonder if he has a name.  And at first I thought maybe it would be really fun to have him greet me everytime I drove up into the driveway. . .  But then maybe he talks to his gardeners like my plants talks to me all the time--mine say things like "weed me" or "water me" or "feed me".  I bet this big guy has a booming voice that tells his gardeners "PPRRRUUNNNE MMEEE" every time they look at him.

Check out this post on The Farm's blog of the Rochester Woman's Club garden tour yesterday.  V and I had a great time this weekend being garden tourists.   Watch for more pictures of the gardens we saw.  And just for PJ, there's a video coming soon :)

Touring

This is a weekend of garden tours.  Today was the Artist's Studio & Garden tour to benefit the Prairie Art Alliance.  

 It was such a beautiful day.  Seventies, nice breeze, low humidity--couldn't have asked for nicer weather.

 This lake home features a bonsai garden, a greenhouse, a potting shed, a ceramic studio with three kilns, a woodworking shop, and a painter's studio.   Whew! 

This is a piece by Ed Martin.  He's a well-known glass artist here in Springfield.  Several of his pieces were featured, but this one in Wanda's garden was our favorite.

This is what you can do if you garden on a corner.

Such a cute paint job!

Tomorrow is the Rochester Garden Club's tour.  And it's garden walk time here at Canada Garden too.  Jordan & Ruta stopped by today, Phyllis is coming tomorrow, and Gail will be here on Monday.