Friday, July 23, 2010

At the risk of repeating myself...


This picture sums up the weather! 
 I found the statue above, broken, lying in a local dump years ago.  It was Mother's Day and I had just come from church.  (What does it say about me that I would go to a dump on Mother's Day??)   Hmmmm....not sure, but anyway, I saw the statue and had to have it.  So, there I was, teetering in my high heels, trying to hoist this heavy cement into my trunk along with a basin and incredibly heavy pedestal (for this was a fountain at one time) and hoping there was no one around to see a crazy woman.  So much of our 'decor' around here is cast-off stuff from somewhere else but I'm still glad I risked a hernia getting this one.
Volunteer Rudbeckia (thru a foggy lens, lol)
Foggy!! 
A little better....?

Yes, I know, broken record here, but things are soggy.  I went out with the camera this morning to take some pictures for Fertilizer Friday and the camera lens kept fogging up.  After I carefully cleared off the lens, I still couldn't see very well, and realized my glasses were fogged up, too.  The humidity must be at 2000% out there or something and the mosquitoes are lovin' every minute of it.  I had to speed through the pictures as a chorus of whining was ringing in my ears and my hands were getting bitten up. We got another 1 1/2" of rain yesterday and today is just dark, gloomy and super-humid.  I guess the old adage, 'be careful what you pray for' rings true.  We asked for rain, and we got it.

Echinacea 'Fragrant Angel'
Since it's so dark out I had to try to hold perfectly still so the pictures aren't so blurry, but between trying to swat off the vampires and not wanting to kneel on the wet grass, and hold my breath all at the same time, well, this is as good as it's going to get, sorry!

'Dry' riverbed
The area above used to be a small pond but we took it out after we built the quarry garden.  Anyway, one of my bright ideas was to leave the area lower than the rest of the yard since we spent days digging out the dirt for the pond and turn it into a dry riverbed. Not the best perspective, I realize, so moving on........
The rudbeckias are coming into bloom already, hope they last a long time!
Would you look at the water in the pond??  Wow, this is July!  Normally it would be way down.
The new east berm is filling in pretty well with Dahlberg daisy and 'Imagination' verbena
The hill behind the quarry, if it weren't for the volunteer rudbeckias, there wouldn't be much happening.
Despite the rain, the new clematis are still blooming.
 A bit bedraggled but trying
Darker than ever in the hosta bed, the white shows up!
One of Rosehill Gardens daylily cultivars
My swan planters from Mom
'Kyushu' hydrangea
The front garden
Hemerocallis 'Persian Ruby'
'Magnus' echinacea with 'Baby Blue Eyes' spruce
'Magnus' and 'White Swan' echinacea and oh, yeah, rocks!

This used to be a fountain too-a gift from Carl's folks
The basin is in rough shape, so we decided to just put her in the garden.
Our newest lily, 'Robina'
Russian Sage - due to the wet weather, kind of tired
Old-fashioned Tiger Lily
Loads of Tiger Lilies in bloom
We need an army of dragonflies and frogs to eat the mosquitoes!
Not sure on name here, might be 'Stargazer'
'Kyushu' hydrangea
Screech the Kitty
Ok, with that, Screech Kitty and I say goodbye and thanks for visiting!

Karen

10 comments:

Sandy said...

This is your garden?? Oh my, I would be in heaven there.. and never leave!
Thank you so much for your visit to my blog today.. and your sweet words about my handsome son... yes, proud momma here!
I can not even imagine living in the same spot for my lifetime.. I think I've moved 30 plus times over the years.. (military brat and now wife)... would be nice though! I am in one spot now and will die in this house,, (if I can.lol)
I'll be back to sit in your garden...I might become a permanent fixture!
Sandy
thewondersofdoing@blogspot.com

Darla said...

I with Sandy here. Your place is jaw dropping gorgeous...wish I could snoop around in person. So, I'll just snoop around your blog and your are so going on my blogroll and I'll be following you!

Darla said...

Before I realized some of your photos were foggy, I thought how did she take those photos underwater? lol

Diana LaMarre said...

Everything is so beautiful! I love the new east berm with the verbena and daisies.

I enjoy seeing what people do with cast-off stuff. I would have saved that piece even though I was wearing heels, too!

Karen said...

Thanks to all of you for your kind comments and for dropping in to visit! I love visitors and was getting the feeling I'm writing to myself as much as I talk to myself (ok, not just to myself but to my plants in the garden) which is a bit scary...lol.

Sandy, yes, you're right, it is rather odd to live in the same place for 52 years (maybe that's why I talk to myself??) but I love it here. I am in awe of people who can move and have seen so much of the world and doubly so when they are military families.

Darla, we had another thunderstorm last night, so taking photos under water may soon be the only way I can take them, this puts us almost over 12" of rain for the month of July! Thank you so much for adding me to your blog list, too!

Zoey, 'As the crow flies' we don't live that far apart really--just have a pesky lake in the way! How has your weather been? I have never seen such rain! Do you have rocks, too? We can't seem to get enough of 'em, but they are very easy to maintain. ;-)

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Karen, your garden is gorgeous! That Wisconsin weather certainly produces lush gardens. We were in Wisonsin yesterday and without care, it looks as good as the garden back home that I spend every day tending.

Eileen

Karen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Karen said...

Thank you, Eileen! Yes, the rain we've had has made watering obsolete, which cuts down on the work tremendously. The flowers (and WEEDS!) are doing quite well despite being submerged at times, but my poor vegetable garden is dead in the water, literally.

The next time you're in Wisconsin, feel free to stop in!

Karen

Tootsie said...

OH WOW! This is just breathtaking! what a wonderful place you have created!!! I am just in awe of all the beauty you are sharing! I also loved the little toads in the flowers in the post I just read before this one! How sweet is that?
Thanks for linking in for my little party...I hope you will share with us again...what a gorgeous place!

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