GRACE:

noun...1. seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement, form, or proportion.

Grace Gardens is...

This blog's purpose is for me to keep a garden journal of sorts. To detail some of the things that I accomplish in the garden and a little of what I do in my home as well. It will also be a place where I will post the photos that I love to take so much. Maybe a place to post my overflowing of pictures that I particularly like or find artistic. Some posts will be wordy...and some may have no conversation at all. Just a post to bring back to mind a lovely day or a meaningful memory. I have disabled the comments on this blog, but feel free to e-mail me for any questions about what you see here. My e-mail address can be found in my profile.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Hydrangeas


and other fluffy things.
The David phlox is blooming now.



It is a late bloomer in my garden and I love that about it. 
It gives the garden a much longer blooming season than all the other garden phlox
that are now almost bloomed out. 




This hydrangea below is 'Limelight'



I will have a lot of it to dry this year. 
My problem is that it takes so much space to store it, 
before I can use it in arrangements and wreaths.







The riverbank grape that grows on the arbor has a tendency to hinder it's growth. 
A few weeks ago I started really cutting back the vine and I noticed so much bee activity around it and 
even got stung and then noticed there is a huge hornet's nest in the middle of it.

I have got to get rid of it because the children play around the arbor all of the time
and I can't risk them being stung too. I have a grandson that has to keep his epi-pen with 
him all the time because of his bee allergy.





These Limelights grow next to the pergola over the front patio.



 The lavender hydrangea here is planted in an urn on the patio. 
It isn't winter hardy here so I plant them as an annual planting in the pots.




 I have hydrangeas all through the gardens here and love how they really show off in the Fall. 




They are such a great companion to roses in bouquets.


They give them such a beautiful, soft look. 
I can hardly cut a vase of roses without adding the hydrangeas to them. 




The pots are all still blooming beautifully too.






 These little violas are all volunteers from last year in this urn.
Sweet little things saved me some money.
I just had to add the coleus and sweet potato vine.




I LOVE this color combination!


I have been so pleased with the way the garden performed this year even with the late start it got.

The vegetable garden is now giving us plenty of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and  squash.

We are eating so healthy it's ridiculous!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Late Summer's garden.

One plant in the late Summer garden that I can't have enough of is
the oriental lily.
I have many different varieties and am always looking for more.
They can be costly however, so I have to keep myself reined in a bit.

These are the Stargazers.










My favorite is the Casa Blanca.
It is my favorite not only because of it's pure white bloom, but
also for it's fragrance. 
These are planted along the walk and the scent follows you all the way to the front door.








Now is the time when the garden phlox bloom.
They have actually been blooming for about two weeks, 
but I am just now getting around to posting the pictures.


I can't think of the name of this particular phlox, but I love the color.




This phlox is 'Bright Eyes'.







More of the phlox in the garden beds this season.



















My mother gave me the rose below and it is one of my favorites.
It's name is 'Moxie'




The shrub below is 'Ivory Halo' dogwood. 
It has a variegated leaf and is the right size to place in a mixed border.




The sweet peas are still keeping the garden full of their wonderful sweet scent.








A gorgeous late blooming daylily.




Amazing color and scent!



 Because the garden will not be blooming forever, I am soaking all this beauty
 in and enjoying every bloom.
Still, everyday I feel so grateful to have all of this out my door
and never ever take it for granted.
Gardening is such a joy!