Saturday, April 12, 2008

A Thank You and Photos

Hello everyone! I wanted to catch you guys up on all the progress. What’s happening in our garden is absolutely nothing short of amazing. With all the help we have received from everyone in our garden clubs and our friends, the garden is absolutely coming together. I never would have dreamed that we would have recovered to the point we are so rapidly. I haven’t posted any pictures because everything is so small it doesn’t really show up. But, I can already see in my minds eye a beautiful garden developing. We’ve only made one boo boo with some maples trees we planted, that can be corrected by moving one or we may leave it just as it is. We thought we had two different types but they turned out to be exactly the same and they are planted side by side. So now in the front yard we have two dogwoods on the left and two red maples on the right, which was our intention, just not the same ones. I’m just not feeling it… Jamie likes it, but to me it looks a little like poor planning. At any rate, considering how fast everything is coming together if that’s the only mistake we’ve made we are doing excellent.

A gardening friend of ours from down south that hasn’t seen us since the storm came up and spent the weekend with us. There was a huge sale north of us and she wanted to go and buy us some plants to help with the process. She was so amazed at everything; all she could do was just stand at the kitchen window looking out. She was with us through the entire process with the previous garden and now just a little over two months later everything has completely changed and she was having a hard time processing the new view. It is the polar opposite of what it was, from shade to full sun. On top of all that there is practically a new garden already in place. It has a long way to go but you can see a plan is being executed and something wonderful is being born. I’m telling you guys, you just wouldn’t believe it. In a couple of months things will be getting large enough to photograph. Now of course all the foliage from the bulbs is truly adding a lot of interest where there really isn’t much, so I hope it all hangs on awhile.

I just wanted to share my excitement with you all. Our garden is being reborn. It’s absolutely 100% completely different than it was before, we have a long way to go, but we have no doubt we will be walking thru a place of enchantment in no time. I’m feeling so incredibly positive right now! Jamie and I want you to know how grateful we are for all the help you have given us, both mentally and with your gifts of generosity. I don’t think we can adequately express the feelings we have about all that everyone has done. We do want you to know this. With out all of you, this garden would never be happening and we have been truly blessed by your kindness.

Here are some of the things that are currently blooming in the garden. I hope you enjoy the pictures.


'New Gold'

New Gold


I need a name for these next two, Annie I know you can help me out here. :-)

DSC02410F


Purple Trailing


Lady Banks Victorian Rose 'Lutea'

Lady Banks Victorian Rose 'Lutea'

A Purple Japanese Iris.

'Bethie's Iris'

Purple Japanese Iris


'Peace'

Peace Rose


Pink Iris


Purple Iris


'Don Juan'

Don Jaun Bloom


'English Dogwood'

English Dogwood


Lady Banks 'Alba Plena'

White Lady Banks 'Alba Plena'


'Whisper White' Diascia

Whisper White Diascia

9 comments:

Phillip Oliver said...

So glad to hear that your garden is coming along nicely. I can't wait to see the photos. Hooray for spring!

Robin's Nesting Place said...

I'm so glad you are encouraged and that your garden is growing.
I had some of the 'New Gold' lantana last year. I enjoyed it as did the butterflies.

Anonymous said...

It is just great how well your garden is coming together. My heart really went out to you all when I saw all the damage from the tornado. I am so glad things are improving, esp. your spirits, but a garden will always lift the spirits, won't it.

Jan Always Growing

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photo of the yellow Lady Banks rose. And the lilac iris stands out nicely against the dark foliage of the Japanese maple. Your garden is really coming together.

Annie in Austin said...

Thank you for sharing the tale of how your garden is being reborn, Randy and Jamie - and it sounds pretty wonderful! I kind of think you may someday be glad you have two pairs only two kinds of trees in the front yard. That could give a more serene effect than having different trees.

But I can't help you with any lantana names - I tolerate lantana because it puts up with Austin weather, but the only ones I really like are the little white and lavender trailing varieties.

It's fun to see the pale lilac iris in front of the new Japanese maple foliage! I think we grow the same Mock orange, too - the one nicknamed "English Dogwood". It appears to be the scentless Mockorange Philadelphus inodorus. My neighbors have a huge stand of it and some sneaked under the privacy fence to be welcomed in my garden.

Happy Spring!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Wayne said...

They may be small, but it looks like you've got a lot of variety.

Anonymous said...

I am really inspired that you are out there making it all happen again...what an inspiring story. Thank you for sharing it (and for that gorgeous photo of the iris with the cutleaf Japanese maple behind it--wow).
Margaret

chuck b. said...

My neighbor has Rosa 'Peace' in bloom right now too. I'd never seen it before and, geez, I cannot believe how big that flower is! It's like a melon.

Amazing pictures--I also want to say "oooh!" and "aaahhh!" to the iris + Japanese maple.

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