Warming days means digging in the dirt and our flower season is revving up, too. Last week I got out and made a lot of progress in my planting. There was a lot going on in the garden, so get ready for a picture heavy post. In the flowerbed, the tulips are still going nicely, such a pretty pink!
The redbud is lovely, and alive with pollinators.
Looking closely, Jack is sitting in the bottom with his snack.
My Sweet Babboo brought my potting bench up so I could work on getting the plants from my recent haul at the bargain rack into pots.
I started with the hanging baskets, putting sweet yellow and red pansies in them. I had enough of these for four plants per pot. I hope they grow well and will give me color all summer.
I put the lithodora in a little pot that usually goes inside the birdcage.
I’ve had this birdcage for several seasons. I got it at an auction, and painted it – Upcycling an Iron Birdcage. I didn’t think the top could be removed, but when it was blown over in the wind earlier this year, it displaced the cuppola shaped top. So, when I was looking at it, I realized that the top could indeed be removed, which will allow me to put a larger planter inside.
I decided on the green pot, and put a golden celosia with some miniature violas in purple and white in it. The pot was lowered into the cage and then the top was replaced. I put it near the front door, along with another iron stand with two colors of little pansies. I was going to replant those in other pots, but it was so nice just as it was, so I just removed the broken hanger and left them as they were.
One of the geraniums that was overwintered in the Carolina room had a lot of space in its pot. So, I put some burgundy violas with it.
Now that pot is full, it’s the one on the right. On the top left is the bleeding heart.
It put out another sweet spray of pretty pink hearts with white teardrops. It looks like even more are on the way.
The lone female wild turkey stopped by, so she got a few bites of bread.
Some of my seedlings were planted in this planter this year. Last year I had them in pots on the veranda. This planter box gets lots of sun and will help my tomatoes and squash, basil and parsley grow nicely.
The pot on the edge has golden celosia and little purple violas.
Rain was coming, so I cleaned up and put everything away right as it began to sprinkle. The next morning, fog was heavy in the valley, creating such a neat view out my kitchen window.
The azaleas are beginning to bloom. My favorite white one is pristine this year with no frost damage. So pure and pretty, with lots of bees taking advantage of the pollen bounty.
Next to it, this intense pink one is coming out.
I love this lighter pink one, too.
Lots more buds on all three of these, so the coming week will see them explode. And there are azaleas all down the drive yet to bloom as well.
Our local Bullington Gardens is having their annual plant sale this month. This is the place I did the Dahlia Quilt for last summer. So, I’ve ordered a few more things to add to the garden.
I also think I saw the little fairy moving his home again, and it remains to be seen where he’ll decide to live this year. So, the veranda is coming along, with more green to celebrate the warming days.
I looked closely in the area inside the circle on the driveway, and I found the two lady slippers again. It looks like the fairy has touched the ground here again, and they are putting up buds to bloom. This is a real thrill as they are impossible to cultivate. They need a particular combination of sun and shade, plus the action of a particular soil fungus to propagate and survive. To have one was special, to have two is magical.
What is happening in your garden?
From My Carolina Home 
Oh, it looks like you had a fun day in the dirt!! Your plants and gardens looks beautiful!
I loved my visit to your yard and garden this morning Carole. It snowed here last night, so everything is white this morning. Under this light blanket of snow, I see my daffodils, some crocus, snowbells, and the beginning of tulip leaves. It will be a while before much flowers here except for the crocus and snow drops.
They are so beautiful, love the Spring time and love Pansy’s
I loved reading through the story of how you planted out your pots. They look lovely already. Super photos of plants in your garden. Those azaleas are stunning!
Carole, your azaleas are beautiful! I do love the birdcage with it planted. We worked in the gardens all day yesterday and accomplished much. We are supposed to have lows in the 30’s later this week, so strange for the Deep South. Happy Gardening!
Not much is happening here, yet. The trees are just beginning to bud; a few more days of warm weather and the leaves should begin to pop. A few things are greening up in my yard, but it will be a bit before we do our plant shopping and planting. Do you have to worry about snakes while you garden? Just curious. The azalea are just gorgeous!
well everything is growing so well here although I held off on planting my tomatoes and so glad I did as the weatherman said it is possibly most of Arkansas well have a freeze/frost on Tuesday night and possibly Wednesday night – breaking records of cold temperatures – I will be busy Tuesday covering what I can and bringing all the porch plants back into the house and find spaces to keep them inside for a couple days – I will lose some plants for sure
Oh Carole your yard is just gorgeous! I sure wish I had inherited my mother’s gene for gardening but I hate yard work! Luckily my husband likes to do it! Love your turkeys and squirrels. Can you really tell those squirrels apart or is it the location where they eat?
You live in such a gorgeous area, Carole! Lots of green and so many things blooming – lovely! We are much slower than you are out here in Colorado. I have tulips almost ready to bloom, and some trees are leafing out. Lots of birds lately, though, and hopefully the Spring Snow Crabapple tree will be blooming this year!
Beautiful! We celebrated spring yesterday by cleaning and rearranging the firewood pile. Not so glamorous, but needful.
Thank you for all the inspirational pictures of your gardens. You are about a month ahead of the Northeast which received a dusting of snow last Friday and freezing overnight temperatures. Today is starting out as 50s.
Love the birdcage as a flower pot holder.
I especially love the bleeding heart plant. Two of mine survived the winter. Last of the daffodils are now blooming and hyacinths still pretty. I am keeping my store bought geraniums inside at night. Weather is too unpredictable. Mulching day for me.
What a lovely spring you are having! Thanks for sharing your beautiful flowers with us and that wonderful view! What a window to look out of while doing dishes!! In Delaware the forsythia is finished, and the azaleas in my flower bed are just showing their color in the bud. My sedum is up and nicely mounded and I see a couple of hosta emerging. We came home to only a few daffodils left, but the tulips are in bloom. Our last week has been in the 50’s and 60’s, so we are looking forward to warmer spring days. That birdcage is a fantastic find!
Another lovely with you, Carole. You’re so nice to share all the plantings & visitors with us. Flowering trees were spurred on by the unseasonably warm spell we experienced & are blooming beautifully in the city. Not so much in my rural area, however the spring bulbs are lasting longer in the chill.
Inspired by everything 🙂 I am working on a 2nd hand quilted dahlia panel for a cousin right now. TY for posting your gorgeous creation again – lots of great ideas for patterns to work with. The color pattern is different for this one but may 1st one was the same as yours and I just think it is glorious and a true ode to spring/summer.
You have a beautiful view from your home!! What a pleasure it must be! Thanks for sharing😄
Love your flowers. The warmer weather has me outside planting too.
Your azaleas are show stoppers! Absolutely gorgeous! Think you put together some winning annual flower combinations. Thank you for sharing such beauty!
Our baby red bud tree is just starting to bloom. I planted hardy greens, radishes, carrots and lettuce.
I decided to plant marigolds from seed as I noticed that they just shrug off the autumn cold here in zone 5 and are drought tolerant. Thinking they may be just right for the cemetery. .
Enjoy your week!
Everything is looking wonderful. The redbud is so pretty and I do like the planter in the birdcage. Our son gave me a birdcage filled with succulents and that looks great, too.
How beautiful your garden and drive are looking! All those gorgeous azaleas. We’ve had a week of frosts which is a shame as many Magnolia blooms have been browned but thankfully the white blossom on our little cherry bush is only just opening so not many have been affected. The temperatures are lifting through this week so I’m planning to construct my mini pop-up greenhouse and sow seeds.
The azaleas look beautiful. My only one up and died a few years ago. I don’t really have acid enough soil. Around here the flowering trees make the roadways so cheery, but we’re supposed to get snow and lows in the 20 Tues and Wed night. It’s much too early to put tender plants outside here. But spring is trying hard to push it’s way forward.
I was dazzled by every single bloom, every single “sound” of joy in your words to be in the garden. And oh, they were all so lovely (as is your cute potting bench!). But I stopped cold when I saw that dahlia quilt. You did that? I am simply blown away. It is unbelievably fabulous. And that is selling it far shorter than it deserves. I know you are a marvelous quilter — but that goes above and beyond anything I could ever imagine. I never thought I’d ever say this but nature pales compared to this.