grand rapids garden
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Feeling the Blues
I know that on my Blotanical profile I say that red is my favorite color in the garden. But I also love those blues. And the gardens are singing the sweet blues today. The Hidcote Lavender (lavendula angustifolia hidcote) is in full bloom and so is the Jean Davis Lavender (lavendual angustifolia cv. Jean Davis),… Continue reading
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A Rain Blessed June
Tuesday evening we got more than four inches of rain within about 30 minutes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that much rain fall so fast. But it’s been a rainy June and the garden is almost too lush. I’ve thinned some of the hostas already and no one would know. The New Dawn climber… Continue reading
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Can A Rose Choke A Rose of Sharon??
It has always lurked at the picket fence that divides my yard from the neighbor’s, and I though I thought it was pretty, I really didn’t pay it much heed. So, imagine my surprise yesterday morning when I saw deep crimson blooms in the rose of sharon. First the tree gets pink flowers. Second, it… Continue reading
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Rambunctious Roses
Last night I finally got the fountain up and running. It needed a new hose. And I have to sort of emotionally prepare myself to work in the yucky water that accumulates. Algae and birds do a number on still water. In the midst of doing that dirty little chore I learned that Callie the… Continue reading
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The Voracious Sawfly Larvae
It looks like a thin leaf in this picture, but that’s the little villain in the center of this photo. And that dark stuff that is sprinkled throughout the webbing. Ten guesses what that is. And the dark patch just above the little worm? That’s the remains of its dinner (and lunch and breakfast). The… Continue reading
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Memorial Day Flowers
For a number of years now a friend and I have gone to Countryside Gardens and Motman’s, two garden centers in Allendale. I didn’t buy too much this year. I needed another flat of marigolds to finish up one small bed. And I needed a few pots to fluff up various gardens. I noticed that… Continue reading
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New Treasures and a Catminted Cat
Part of the fun of going to the Leelanau Peninsula is poking around all the little shops. I found two fun items at a little shop in Leland. I knew I wanted the mustard colored box and only learned after I inquired about it that it is an owl box. It was the wonky heart… Continue reading
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Walzing into Spring
The first blush of blooms have faded and it is time for the next dance. This would be prime gardening time, but I am spending a few days in Glen Arbor, grooving on Lake Michigan, interesting shops, and rock hunting. I did take a few pictures before I left. The Pana’s were beginning to bud… Continue reading
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May 15, 2011 Bloom Day
It’s been a sing-y kind of day. I sang two solos at the 8:30 service, with the choir at 11:00, and then at a concert at 3:00. I almost missed Bloom Day! And while the gardens are full of promise, there isn’t a lot blooming today. Storms knocked the lovely magnolia blossoms to the ground… Continue reading
About Me
I haven’t always been a gardener, but I have always loved gardens. It has taken 16 years to get my gardens into the shape they are today. And, I’ve had help. I’m 74 years old, have rheumatoid arthritis, and had a late stage cancer six years ago. I am, though, intrepid. I’m the kind of person who plods along, tailoring my goals as I go. Last November I had a long overdue knee replacement surgery and I’m hoping this spring, summer, and fall will be able to maintain and find even more joy working in all of my garden beds. Full disclosure, though. I have a garden guy who comes once a week to work in my gardens.
Garden 337 