The Blooms That Were

Because I've been Madame Lazy Bones about updating my blog, I thought I'd dedicate at least one post to the flowers that came up so beautifully this spring. Although it's July, I couldn't resist highlighting a few of the ones that really brought wonderful color to our back yard early on.


This Iris was given to me by Johnnny's aunt Grace from Fort Collins, CO. Actually, she gave me 3 different bulbs, all of which have spread like crazy, but this pink and purple combo has to be my favorite. I've never really been an Iris grower, but I have to say I now understand why people get so gaga for them. This guy was just incredible, and came up in a clump of about 20 flowers. Soooooooo welcome after our cold & wet spring.

Hello again, my insane chives. After growing for a good 20 years in sandy soil at the lake, this plant never really reached adulthood...always weighing in at about 12 inches tall by 6 inches wide and kind of scraggly. Transplanted into the rich compost of my back bed, it seems to be what my husband would call post-cocious...thriving like a weed now with these giant lavender blooms in the spring.

Finally, I have to pay homage to these columbine. They were so vibrant this spring and just bloomed and bloomed forever it seemed. Although they are gone now, they were the stars of the show a month ago...take a bow, columbine! Also, a BIG thank you to Beth for telling me to center-justify these pictures...made everything so much easier!

Some of my favorite garden pictures

These Chives went totally nuts! I transplanted them from very sandy soil to very rich soil. All of a sudden what was a tiny spindly plant is a crazy bush. The flowers were so great in the spring

I just love my scabiosa...they are so reliable every year and have that beautiful sublime blue color. Also, the bees seem to enjoy them.

Here is one of the prettiest moss roses...I just loved how they crawl over the rock border, and that pink - to die for!

This
is one of my favorites...the monarchs just love the verbena. They rarely even bother to go to any other flowers.