Wednesday, May 9, 2012

On Again, Off Again, On Again....

Sunrise from the airplane
How did this spring get to be so busy?  Will the early summer be just as busy?  Probably.  For those who are still around, reading my words, thanks!  With hope I will have you coming back again and again.
Just what has been going on over the last three (!) weeks? Covering a lot of ground!  Or should I say, air?
Very early in the morning, a few Fridays ago, we made our way to the airport in Greenville to fly to Oklahoma City for a family wedding celebration and baptism.  Would you believe on the way to the airport we saw an Armadillo??? Here, in South Carolina!  Right outside our back gate!!  I had heard that they were here, but this was my first sighting since we lived in Texas.


It was wonderful to see all the family members present in OKC.  There is a ten month old great-nephew, four year old great-nephew  and a 5 month old great-niece (the one getting baptized).  They grow so fast.  Since we had some time to kill Saturday afternoon, we went downtown to the Myriad Botanical Gardens.  What a beautiful place.  OKC has really done a lot of work in its downtown area.    This is the Crystal Bridge, spanning the water.  All around the grounds are beautiful garden areas.

As we walked around the grounds I had to keep reminding myself we were in downtown!  Just beautiful!
 The banks are richly planted with grasses, Oakleaf hydrangeas, Itea virginica Virginia Sweetspire, and azaleas.  Love how the grasses swayed in the breeze.

 The upper levels have walking paths lined with lots of blooms.  The pollinators were busy at every spot.

 From a distance you see the banks of the gardens, so inviting!

What about this Crystal Bridge you might ask?  It houses a large conservatory.  One end had very tropical plantings and at the other end, it was more arid.   There is a catwalk across the top, giving you a wonderful overview of this magical garden.
 
At the floor level there are so many beautiful plants to see, many colorful foliage plants.

At this point I had to stop taking plant pictures, forgot my battery charger and still had family events to photograph.

Our trip home was longer than expected, flight got cancelled and lines were long to get re-booked.  So very glad to be home!!
It was good to walk through my own garden as many blooms had opened in my absence.
Amaryllis, first time blooming outside

Amaryllis, from one of my York County Master
Gardener friends.  Thanks John!

Kalmia latifolia 'Carol', moved from the front last fall as it
was almost dead.  She lives!!

Kalmia latifolia 'Sarah', had two tags on it, 'Sarah' and 'Carousel'.  Had
to wait until this year's bloom to know which it was.
Off in the woods the Blue-Eyed Grass is blooming.  
Sisyrunchium sp.
 Spring is the time that Spirea 'Goldmound' shines.  The yellow foliage accented with the bright pink blooms.

Home on Monday from OKC and then off again to Seaford and parts north on Friday.  Was able to make a quick stop at Freda's house for a wonderful visit and a nice lunch.  Her driveway curves around to the far side of her yard, so the mailbox with the house number wasn't seen yet, but as I drove by her house, I saw a very familiar garden....just like in the pictures on her blog.  Beautiful.
I was up in Virginia for my daughter's bridal shower in Manassas.  Drove my mom and Charlie's mom to the shower.  Great day!
A few shots from the shower, was too busy having a good
time to take a lot of pictures.

Came home with a few plants, courtesy of my mom and my friend Linda.  From my mom's yard I collected a few ferns, Woodwordia virginica 'Virginia Chain Fern' and some hostas that my mom had collected years ago from her mother's garden in Pittsburgh.  A few Lily of the Valley, Convallaria majalis, were tossed in.
Once the shed is painted (primer coat on now) I will plant most of these babies in the shed garden.

My dear friend Linda gave me a couple of her Yorktown Onions from her yard.  Mine are missing after a hard rain, tiny foliage was covered with silt.
How lucky am I??
Allium amperloprasum
 I brought my mother in law home with me for a visit.   Since the weather has been so nice we went over to Park Seed for a look around.  Well, yes, I did buy a couple plants.   We looked at the gardens in the front area.  Love the purples all together.


Pretty Clematis in the Rose garden area, no label.
 I love the blooms on Borage, had some last year, but the bunnies ate it. So I bought this one!  Will sow some more seeds around the plant I bought.....hoping to have lots next year!  Doesn't the bloom look like a tomato bloom or a Shooting Star bloom?  Same shape. .....except BLUE!!
 In addition to the Borage I bought a couple Foxgloves.  Last year I bought a purple one, so this year, a couple 'Camelot Cream'.
Digitalis purpurea 'Camelot Cream'
 Charlie took his mom home this week and I took another stroll through my garden, the Mountain Laurel blooms are pretty even when they are on the ground with a bed of lichen.


Finally, in the family garden Clematis 'Prince Charles' is in full bloom.  He has grown past the trellis and is nestled in the Gardenia shrubs.

I will be around your blogs to get caught up with what you have been doing.  Sorry for the absence....life, it has a way of getting in the way of things.


©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

42 comments:

  1. I enjoyed your visit so much! I hope you'll stop by again.

    You've really been on the go! That's a lovely garden tour you posted.

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  2. Welcome home! I've missed your posts! It sounds like you had wonderful family time. How soon until your daughter's wedding? You are a very busy woman!

    Your photos, as always, are lovely! I'm having serious "Prince Charles" clematis envy!

    Look forward to finally meeting you in person next week! Hooray!

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    1. Julie, thanks! I have been having lots of family time. Her wedding is the second weekend in June.
      See you on Thursday!

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  3. Always good to take time out for life, it's important! Glad to hear you had a wonderful time and made it home safe and sound with so many wonderful treasures for the garden.

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    1. Marguerite, yes, it is important to enjoy life, and it was a good time. I sure miss my gardens when I am gone.

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  4. Wow! You've been busy, I didn't realize. Welcome home (just in time to catch your breath and then head out to the Fling). That Crystal Bridge is the coolest thing.

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    1. Alison, thanks, nice to sleep in my own bed for a little while before we head out again. I thought the Crystal Bridge was really cool.

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  5. You were just a few miles from my house!!! It's always good to get away and see people you love. The bell shaped clematis is called Roguchi. I have it in my garden. :o) The next time you're up this way and want to get together, let me know!!

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    1. Tammy, Sorry I didn't know I was so close to you last Sunday. Will have to remember that when I head north again. Thanks for the ID of the Clematis!

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  6. You have been very busy! So glad you got to visit Freda. I visited them a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed my visit. Hubby and the Jimster did as well. Freda and her husband are well remembered here due to their hospitality and the dear Charm who charmed Jimmy. Can't wait to meet you next week! May is the time to be busy. Gorgeous amaryllis!

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    1. tina, she told me how much she enjoyed your visit with her. I am really looking forward to the Fling! Will be lots of fun.

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  7. Sounds like you've had a whirlwind of a time. I don't have much of an excuse - just too much landscape work, but that's a good thing. LOVE that foxglove and the borage. I assume the deer would eat it here. My clematis are doing great with all this rain we've had. Your Prince Charles is stunning.

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    1. Diana, it had been a bit of a whirlwind. Too much work is a good thing! I keep taking lots of pictures of the borage, think it is so interesting.

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  8. You have been very busy! What a surprise to see an armadillo in SC! I have never seen one in Georgia (like you, only when we lived in Texas). I didn't know Park Seed was still open...I thought they went into bankruptcy a few years back and closed. We went there once years ago. One of my very slow growing Japanese Maples was purchased there. I was planning on going to the Spring Fling but just got busy and never registered to go. I think it is too late now and my children are finishing school on the 18th and I can't miss their award ceremonies. Are you going? I think it would be great to get together! We are only 2 hours apart. My daughter is at Clemson so I am out that way off and on.

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    1. Karin, Sorry you won't be at the Spring Fling, I understand when the kids are younger and in school, lots to do. Park Seed was bought by a company out of bankruptcy and will be here for three years (as per the agreement) after that is anyone's guess. We are about an hour from Clemson, so maybe one of these days we can get together.

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  9. Janet,
    We missed you! Next time in our area please stop and visit us! Thanks for sharing the Crystal Bridge, it is pretty amazing. Wow an Armadillo in SC, next thing you know they'll be in NC. Now slow down and enjoy your garden.

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    1. Randy, I know, I should have stopped. Will next time! I enjoyed seeing the Crystal Bridge and thought it was worth sharing. Will slow down after the Spring Fling and the wedding .....and the other one's move to Nashville.

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  10. You have been one busy lady on the move! We too have armadillo here in GA. The only ones I have seen thus far are on the roadside, sigh. Poor things but I do not care to see them in my gardens as they can be so destructive. They will make a Mole seem like a friend. Ha… My mom has reported seeing them on the roadside in TN as well. So they are on the move from Texas for sure…. While living in TX, I held a live one while visiting Luckenbach. Ooooh weeeee, that thing was smelly. Your blooms are beautiful…

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    1. Skeeter, I hope I don't see any armadillos in my garden, grrr. You are right, they would make a mole seem like something to enjoy having in the garden.

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  11. Hi Janet, First thank you for your warm comments on my blog post. I am feeling better now that I've had a decent night's sleep. And I'm forging ahead.

    You have been very busy, haven't you? I love all your photos, even the airplane photo. I can't believe the Verbena bonariensis is so tall already. We're way behind in these parts. I hope you can get the shed painted and get those cool newbies planted. That hosta is especially breathtaking. Cheers.

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    1. Grace, Glad you stopped by. I have been on the run...will be again soon. I liked that sunrise shot out of the plane window....kind of fun. I am assisting in the painting of the shed, it took two days to get the primer on. Lots of ladder time as it is on such a slope.

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  12. You have been busy. The gardens are beautiful and the glass bridge is so amazing. It is so much fun visiting different gardens. I like those goodies that you brought home with you.

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    1. Lona, it was a lot of fun visiting the gardens in OKC, had no idea how wonderful they were.

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  13. Never apologize for living life! You've been doing plenty of that Janet ~ so exciting. The gardens in OKC look lovely. It's great to know so many beautiful places are scattered across our country. Now if I could only get to them!!!
    Very nice to come home to blooming Amaryllis too. Both are beautiful. Your garden is moving along ~ love the mountain laurel ~ I remember them from living in Virginia. Glad you're back ~ but looks like you'll be gone to the fling soon?
    p.s. I did not know Carter & Holmes had a catalog ~ that might be dangerous! Although none of my orchids purchased from them have ever bloomed either. I have luck with all my others (bought elsewhere) but not theirs ~ isn't that strange?

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    1. Kathleen, Ok, but I did miss being on the blogging circuit. I thought of you with this Amaryllis... still waiting for Papillio to bloom a second time.
      Yes, C & H has a catalog! Orchids are making me crazy...but I will get one to bloom!!

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  14. Hi Janet, Sounds like you had a wonderful trip. And how nice that you were able to bring home a few family treasures to plant in your own garden. The Mountain Laurel blooms and the amaryllis blooms are so pretty. I used to have some borage, but it seems to have disappeared. They are such a fantastic shade of blue. Have a great weekend Janet!

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    1. Jennifer, I did have a nice trip, thanks. I am glad to have these treasures from my mom's garden and my friend Linda's garden. I am hoping my borage doesn't disappear!

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  15. What a wonderful visit and I love that bridge...your garden is looking lovely and of course we are all back waiting to see what wonderful sights to behold in your garden!

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    1. Donna, you are most kind! the garden is filling in and soon I will have to do another year update to show just how much is has been filling in.

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  16. The Crystal Bridge is fantastic! Sounds like you have been very busy the past few weeks, Janet. How nice to come home to such a lovely-looking garden. Looking forward to meeting you in Asheville!

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    1. Rose, I had a busy couple weeks, a slow week and now we are off to Asheville!!! Looking forward to meeting you!

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  17. Yikes, an armadillo in South Carolina! Hmm, times are changing. Your photos are lovely, as usual, and it sounds like you had a great trip.

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    1. Lisa, I thought the same thing! Hard to believe I saw one.
      Thanks! Looking forward to seeing you this week.

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  18. I love seeing all the purples in the garden as well. Your garden flowers are beautiful.

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    1. Mary, I love purples. Had a lot more in my garden in Virginia, but slowly but surely I will add more here!

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  19. One of the great things about blogging is getting to peek into others' lives as well as their gardens. Thanks for taking us along on your journey.

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    1. Ricki, that is true! We can see the world through our fellow bloggers' eyes.

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  20. Wow! You've been busy, Janet! A lot of pictures with wonderful plants! Purple Meadow Rue (pic #6 from the bottom) caught my eye. I want it badly, but couldn't find plants or seeds in our local nurseries. I visited Freda's garden last June. Beautiful!
    P.S. I'm glad your niece was able to see Cape Flattery!

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    1. Tatyana, she told me of your visit. You are really one who travels far and wide! I am sorry I missed you in Virginia.
      The purple you are seeing in that picture is Verbena Bonariensis, verbena on a walking stick. Also in the picture is Salvia 'Victoria Blue' and some Homestead Verbena.

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  21. That's great that you got some quality gardening visiting along with quality family visiting!

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