We are having friends over for dinner tomorrow, and the weather will be perfect for an al fresco meal of grilled goodness. Everything is greening up, the azaleas are close to being in full bloom, and I needed to get the veranda ready to enjoy. This time of year it is covered in pollen, so the first thing was to give it a good wash, scrubbing down the boards and rails. Here is the culprit, the oak tree pollen is rampant. This picture came out so well, I might enter it in the fair this year.
I have tried for days to get a photo of a goldfinch in the redbud tree, and I did manage to snap several. Unfortunately, they all came out like this one, fuzzy because of the extreme zoom I had to use. So, not good enough for the fair, but I do love the golden color of the bird with the purple-pink of the redbud flowers.
The little tulip bed has some pretty pink blooms.
Ajugas grow wild here, mostly purple like these. They grow in big clumps and I like seeing their pretty color on the lawn.
I think this is a wild phlox. One little plant is blooming its head off next to the driveway. They mostly come in blue, but white is fairly common. I need to dig it up and transfer it to the flower bed before the guy comes to mow the lawn.
While working on things outside, I noticed the bluebird inside the house. Can you see her head and eye? She is hard to see inside the entrance hole.
I waited, patiently, for her to come out. I’ve waited a long time in the past and she wouldn’t come out, or she flew away before I was ready and didn’t come back for a long time. But this day, I was lucky, and caught her poking her head out and giving me the stink eye. I took her picture anyway.
Later, My Sweet Babboo called me “come see” and pointed out the window. Two deer were grazing on the mountainside behind our home. Not the greatest photo through the window and screen, but at least you can see them.
Out front, the azaleas are beginning their spring show. We have a lot of them, and this stand with three shrubs is usually the first ones to bloom.
The stunning candy pink is just beautiful. This is my favorite of the pinks.
My absolute favorite is the white. There is a bit of freeze damage from low temperatures after the buds formed, but most of the flowers look pristine.
Big bumblebees were visiting the flowers.
The darker pink is the largest shrub in this stand. We have more in the circle island, and going down the driveway.
There is a second smaller light pink behind these three.
I let a few plants stay on the veranda through the winter, and some didn’t make it. The avocado trees died as I thought they might. The two spike dracaenas died as well, which doesn’t break my heart as they were part of a bargain collection and I never really liked them all that much. My seeds did well for the most part, except the impatiens. Not one of those seed pots germinated. I was hoping to have these up by now, and not have to buy plants. I put the seedling trays on the veranda to harden them off for a couple of days before transplanting them.
A trip to the garden center yielded lots of annuals and some bargain plants to fill the veranda pots. The white pot was half price, and had 7 plants! They are getting too big to stay together, and this will allow me to fill several pots.
I pulled the root ball out, and broke the plants apart, setting them into new pots and taking my time deciding what to put with them. I have begonias, and impatiens I can mix with the ferns and ivy plants. All these are shade loving plants, perfect for the veranda.
The spider ferns went into a pot with some begonias. The pot is the biggest that the birdcage can handle. I arranged the little cascading shoots through the bars.
The pothos and ivy went into a pot with some pink impatiens. All total, I got five pots from the one combo pot plus a few extra impatiens and begonias.
Next, I decided that the little pink miniature rose would go in this decorative white pot. It will make the perfect centerpiece for the tablescape I have planned. Then, I set up the pots for the tile tables. This year I found white impatiens for them. I love white flowers.
I planted the white pot first.
Petunias were purchased for the hanging baskets to attract the hummingbirds. I wish they would grow these by color instead of all mixed up. I did my best to find purple and deep pink. I just don’t like the salmon-coral color.
They look small now, but these will grow quickly, and soon be cascading down the sides of the hanging pots.
Several plants weathered the winter well in the Carolina room. This white begonia is doing really well.
The geranium did really well too, and is blooming nicely now.
These plants also survived the winter well. That is another geranium on the top shelf, with a begonia on the lower shelf.
Several hours worth of work later, and the veranda is looking like spring has arrived. You can see the white impatiens in the tile table pots next to the rocking chairs. The pillows on the bench came from blogger buddy Jenna’s Society Six shop. At the far end is my lemon tree, repotted into the biggest pot I have. The veranda is looking fresh and clean, ready to receive guests and have a lovely meal on the outdoor table.
I forgot to show you the vegetable planter, all full of tomatoes, squash and herbs. I hope the parsley survives being transplanted as we needed to add a lot of soil to the box. It wasn’t happy about it, and I hope it perks back up again. If it doesn’t, I’ll just have to pick the leaves and freeze them. I still have empty pots, but this will do for now.
What is happening in your garden?
From My Carolina Home 
Thank you Carole, for all your stories. I appreciate them very much. Learn a lot about the other side of the world !
Some time ago you showed pictures of a Sunday-trip and the blooming Peach-trees. I had never seen that. So beautifully. And how sad the next week all was gone by the frost.
Sometimes I think your days are twice as long as mine. What you can do…..
Cooking, making foto’s , gardening, quilting, outdoor-trips and , not to forget, quilt.
Life is a little lonely at the moment so I enjoy your stories . Thank you !
Marjolein
Your garden is looking lovely. So good to see all the plants flowering and adding colour.
Love your verandah.
I enjoyed gardening with you & peeking at the wildlife. That bluebird will be reporting the Peeping Tom to the avian authorities.
makes me smile, great comment
your veranda is looking so good. I have not started to get mine in summer shape I am moving slow. I did start some veggie plants and they are not doing well my tomatoes stayed so tiny – I might just go ahead and toss them and buy some larger and give up on starting plants I just don’t do that well. Your azaleas are beautiful two harsh cold winter spells for two years have played a number on my old azalea’s and they do not look well – I lost 3 bushes last year and the ones left are not as pretty as they used to be. Have a fun party
I love reading the above comments.
Your gardens and porch look super for your dinner guests! Yay hamburgers. And the bugs are not as bitey yet.
Our bird house has been invaded by the sparrows. all of the naughty birds are in our yard, blue jays, mocking birds, they are like a gang and make the place really inhospitable for the blue birds. Oh well. The robins are the only sweet birds, and the finches.
I planted 120 tulip bulbs in my gardens last October in honor of my mom and dad. They look massively amazing. They were all supposed to be yellow but they came up sporting their own thing and it looks so sweet it makes me cry.
Hubbs and I are ready to move out of the house this year, or January? Either case, the yard work is enjoyable but it is great to have our mow guys too. I hope you have a lovely rest of the week
Thank you so much! I love reader comments too! Your tulips sound amazing! Please share a photo in our facebook group, we’d love to see them.
Enjoy your guests. Everything looks lovely. The azaleas are stunning. We are having the same oak pollen issue here. Everything outside is covered.
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The azaleas are stunning and make an amazing splash of color for spring! We are behind with buying annuals. Our weather has been unusual to say the least. Happy Gardening, Carole!
Things look so springy and what a delightful thought of a grilled dinner alfresco with friends. We are brighter and warmer, but still require jackets here in Maine. I love the bluebird poking her head out and the goldfinch in the blooming bush. I hope you can get a better picture…but they do flit about quickly.
Everything looks so pretty! My wrap around porch was covered in pollen this morning, as are the chairs and rugs and tables and screens……sigh. Going to l get busy with the blower first today and get as much off as I can, while wearing a mask (maybe 2). I think this weekend I will have to borrow the pressure washer from my daughter and really give the porch a scrubbing.
Spring has sprung..weeding continues and a few tiny bulbs planted in mass..we will see how that works. You, as always are doing great and I love your mountain yard.
I enjoyed reading about so many of your plants. I’ve had family here for three weeks and haven’t looked at the garden area.
Your spring garden is lovely. I adore your bluebird resident and your verandah, too. I hope you share your dinner menu! I’m sure your guests will have a marvelous time!
Gorgeous! LOVE the photo of the white bowl and petunias. Hope you can use that at one of the fairs – Purple Ribbon Worthy! Thanks for sharing the riot of colors!!!!!
Your guests will be thrilled to dine on your Veranda. The plants make it so welcoming. Loved seeing your little Bluebird checking you out! The Azaleas look fantastic, what a sight! I think it’s exciting to see the wild animals that visit your garden. Deer, bears, squirrels……………
My garden is being put to sleep for the Winter. I plant green crops and dig them in before they seed. Am coaxing some Tomato stragglers to get ripe rather than putting them to chutney. Might be lucky 🤞🏻
Mary :))
Lucky you! Despite the fact th
I love viewing all your gardening…..where i live in the High Desert of California, only my Rosemary and Star Jasmine grow well. I had some luck with Lantana (they went wild and grew to 6–7′ high. My Iris did well in my side yard but outdoor gardening is very hard with temps so extreme I rather stay indoors and quilt. This is my latest from Modern Welsh designs. It is called Cupids Target and is 96″ square. Tested me greatly trying to get my goose beaks nose to nose lining up perfect. But I love most of her designs. Zelda’s BOM called Milliflure will be spectacular.
So much to see in this lovely post Carole, all bright, beautiful photos, full of sunlight! It gives one the feeling of a breath of fresh air.
Thank you also for helping me find the author of my recent post on Life’s Lessons. I really appreciated your help very much!
Your azaleas are beautiful! We’re in Tennessee this week and I think I saw azaleas blooming here, too – they don’t grow in Colorado. Looks like your veranda is in summer form! Good luck with the veggies this year, and hope you see some baby bluebirds!
Your porch and spring gardens are just lovely. You have many talents.
Love seeing the bluebird and your blooms, Carole! The candy pink azalea is beautiful. I don’t like the duller coral petunias either (persimmon), but there is a brighter one called Bermuda Beach that takes on a pinkish look that I think is beautiful.
Sorry your impatiens didn’t germinate. That’s so frustrating! Glad you found some deals to work with.