GARDEN VIGNETTES ~ ~ ~

The garden is so pretty today so instead of working in the office ~ I ran out and took pictures to share!! I've already been to a wholesale market this morning and stopped on the way home to plant memorial flowers on my parents' graves ~ my mom always did that for my dad as I grew up, so I keep up the tradition ~ I almost got in the middle of a funeral!! Yikes!

The Adirondack chair in the above photo is an antique that we acquired some years ago ~ it's came with many coats of worn-of paint but still looks great! This is one of the planters that I planted last week ~ it's looking pretty good already, although I do buy pretty mature plants!

This is the center of the courtyard garden ~ it's a jungle, people!! From afar, it's quite appealing ~ close-up ~ it could use some work!! The tall plant in the center is false indigo ~ wish I would use it to dye wool ~ maybe someday! I'm not sure if you use the roots or the pods after the plant blooms ~ I tend to think the pods because they are a blue/black as they dry!

I planted nasturtiums and lantana in this beautiful clay pot ~ the pot was my mother's day present from son, Ted, and family! It's very pretty! And a little basket of pansies and garzania!

Baskets of pansies and a white airy plant, that I don't know the name of, adorn the middle of the tables on the deck ~ and I love heart-shaped rocks!

These stone steps take you down below the deck to the small yard below. There are trillium ~ what's left of them ~ Japanese fern, ivy that suffered greatly this winter, and brunnera (false forget-me-not). Down below is a horsey for the kids made out of old tires!!

This is just a combination basket that I set on a stump! It's surrounded with some type of wild ~ and I mean wild ~ geranium, primroses, and another little woodland plant that the name escapes me!
These next two shots are also combination baskets that I buy and take the hangers off and set them in the wooden barrels on the deck ~ it takes all the work out of it and they do look beautiful!! These are the ones that our dinner guest last week commented on and I was able to say that they came from their garden center!! Yippee!
These pictures will have to hold you for the weekend ~ I won't be posting till after the holiday! Lots going on ~ we are so lucky! I hope you all have a good weekend doing what makes you happy! I hope to get some hooking in and some fun!! The fun is almost a given ~ and I'm going to try to hook on that stair riser that I showed you last!! Now, it seems I better get that office work done that I started out to do an hour ago ~ hope you enjoy the pictures ~ and the summer weather that's ahead of us!! Ta ta for now ~
Alice