Gone Fishing

Rusted metal ornament
boy fishing
at the pond

Paisley
studies movement and activity
in the pond!

"Oh brother not that pesky cat again!"
Dalty stares back
from the pond

She is bored with the birds and butterflies
she finds leaping
after frogs great fun!
*not into the water but across the pond

a gal has to get her kicks in somehow!

Solitude

Everyone needs some time on their own

Solitude can be a luxury!

Away from the crowd you can make time
for quiet and constructive thinking
reviewing your problems
refreshing your mind
and getting some perspective.
With a meandering path I'd been here before

It led me to this
dazzling ornate birdhouse
adorned with flea market finds!

*I visit this peaceful woodland garden
when I feel the need for solitude.
see post of
June/06 "Woodland Tranquility"

Gifts of The Sea

Life begins in water

The sound of moving water
is highly energizing....
it helps soothe the mind and
promote deep relaxation

*fill the screen with this image
by double clicking

It becomes a playground

*taken from the bow of boat
off the coast of British Columbia Canada
Thank you Ian

Peaceful life

*WATER is life!

PINK

an airshow

double impatiens
geraniums

pink double impatiens
resemble a rose
my favorite annual

La Vie Claire
magazine
filled with pink inspiration!

pink Queen Elizabeth rose
constantly blooming!

Transient Beauty

This is not just a pot of parsley
Here sits a treasure to behold
The transitory beauty of a "swallowtail butterfly!"

Butterflies undergo a complete metamorphosis
in which they go through
4 different life stages.
It takes a month for the egg to mature
into an adult!
Presently in its caterpiller stage
it is eating parsley leaves
almost constantly!
* see the stems chewed down

Soon to turn into its pupa resting stage.
As the body transforms into a butterfly
it will neither eat or drink.

Butterflies
should be encouraged into the garden.
They are a sign that there are few pesticides
in the area and can be used as an indication
of the condition of the land.
They are associated with
JOY CHARM and SUMMER!
++++++++++++++++++
* I feel the butterfly fairies allowed me this privilege
to observe closely the "transient beauty"
of a swallowtail butterfly!
Since taking this photo it has tripled in size!
It is absolutely fascinating to watch it feed !
++++++++++++++++++
*THE ABOVE PHOTO OF BUTTERFLIES
WAS THE FIRST I HAD EVER TAKEN
AND HENCE MY LOVE OF
BUTTERFLIES!
+++++++++

Container Gardening

I like the idea of a collection.
The wonderful thing about containers is
that you can move them around.
Sticking to one color
may help give
some sort of unity to the collection.

on bench.. baby tears... hen n chicks
basket filled with lavender shades..
ivy geranium.. verbena..heather
small basket.. pink dl. impatiens
planted in * hypertufa trough..various
sedums & dwarf evergreen
*hypertufa troughs are a mix of cement perlite & peatmoss
Click to enlarge to see details

pots of herbs
easily accessible from kitchen

I have 2 of the above urn
planted out front filled with
ivy geranium and verbena
* potentilla cinquefoil... in front

I have 2 of the above *chair
with a pot of pink double petunias
I move the chairs around the garden accenting
and filling in the various areas
with seasonal annuals
*one of my purchases when I visited the enchanted forest
a previous post in June "Woodland Tranquilty"
about my visit to Winter Wheat!

Silver Wings

Butterfly Bush

I purposefully set out to make my garden
an ideal haven for wildlife!

I entice them to visit often by planting
a variety of perennials including a
"butterfly bush"

Dancing floating butterflies
bring an inspiring joyful life
to the garden!

Mud Puddles for Butterflies

Butterflies love mud puddles where they can
soak up some water. You can attract them by
leaving a small shallow puddle of muddy
water in the garden and even adding a
bit of salt every now and then.
Many butterflies "mud-puddle"
gather in groups around a small
pool of water to drink...
adding a bit of salt helps meet
their need for sodium.

*The monarch butterfly photo I captured in my daughters garden.
Each time I saw one land on my bushes they had left
by the time I ran in for the camera!
I find them VERY camera SHY!
The above photo took me an hour of waiting..
with each attempt they would FLY AWAY!

The Magic of Nature

This space calls me to its embrace
to the magic of nature!

*corkscrew willow branches

A tree whose twisted branches cascade

towards the earth covered with
curly leaves.
Its energy helps me remain connected!

I stand so still within my "secret garden"
surrounded by peaceful pleasures!

I dare not leave this small enchanted santuary
I am surrounded by
feathery plumes of astilbe
and gentle sounds of birds in song!

They sway in the breezes and strain to greet me
I am among good neighbors of
Rudbeckia and Monarda
my summer delights!

Shh... the magic of fairytales
I dare not disturb them!

*In my last two posts
I hope you enjoyed my favorite space
my "secret garden!"

My Secret Place

A stone path and turtles lead to a
secluded tranquil magical space!
~My haven to escape.~
I am whisked away eliciting
fond childhood memories
and joyful thoughts!
*to feel the magic of my secret click to enlarge

A~secret garden~ behind the pond!
A quiet place with the sound of trickling water
and the leaves rustling in the breeze.
A garden of contrasting textures of
hostas. ferns. astilbe. moss. and
various ground cover all sprinkled with
fairy dust!

Small discoveries and pleasures the essential elements
that make~my secret garden~ a peaceful place
and my personal sanctuary!

~Butterfly fairy~
as bright as jewels!

When through my garden blows a breeze
Fairies dance beneath the trees!

My ~secret place~ where fairies do exist
dancing and hiding and
shhh.... sleeping !

"Peace is a word that engages heart and head
we feel it with our emotions as we
understand it with our intellect"
*author unknown

The Passionate Gardener

Our gardens express our own individuality. We can show excitement, originality, creativity,
and sometimes a bit of whimsy with our personal choice in ornamentation and embellishments.





We create a balance in our interpretation of where the rightful
place is in planting of plant material.
We are inspired differently creating a form of art. Beautifully executed with patience and
dedication of digging, planting, weeding, pruning, and an enormous amount of energy but most of all PASSION!

"Green Fingers" are a fact and a mystery only to the unpractised. But green fingers are the extentions
of a verdant heart!"
*Double Click on photos to see detail!

Balance and Energy

Every molecule is linked to all others
in a chain of connections.
Connections balance and energy
are the keys to life!

My resident frog Dalty
has a friend
I name Finnegan!

My friend and neighbor Bernie
provided me with this photo
of a cutey he saw in his garden space!

I name him Wally

"Gardens direct human energies into
the essence of self and self-lessness
and to provide a golden thread
with which to weave a dream...
a garden expresses our heartfelt desires
and conjoins us with the soul of life."

Pond Perennials

My pond creates a mood with it's sound
texture and color!
Surrounded by tender water perennials
I feel relaxed and energized!

Sweet Flag an attractive vertical accent
with sword shaped leaves
top of photo.
Zebra Rush bottom right
swaying and rustling gently in a breeze.

Hardy water lilies Colorado
a showy aquatic beauty!

I consider my water lilies as the pond's
"central" or "structure" plant.

*tag misplaced to identify above beauty.

Water Hyacinth
shade the waters surface
reducing algae by consuming
excess nutrients in the water.