Wordless Wednesday - Jubilé du Prince de Monaco

Jubilé du Prince de Monaco

Bloom Day - May, 2015

On the 15th of each month, garden bloggers from around the world post photos of what's blooming in their gardens.  I'm a day late this month, but the garden is starting its explosion of roses.  Unfortunately, we've had 4 days of 95-100ºF temps.  The blooms are opening and falling fast, and I'm enjoying the first flush while it lasts (which won't be long).

The entry garden is abloom with roses, sage and thyme.

Parthenocissus tricuspidata covers the top of the wall. 

The Shepherdess and Salvia officinalis 

Abraham Darby and thyme

 

William Shakespeare, my favorite red (ish) rose

The side walkway looking towards the front garden

Clematis vitalba on the left, Lady Banks and Teasing Georgia on the right.

Another view of the front garden

Not everything is photo-worthy.  The front garden still has lots of holes to fill... for next fall.

I'm linking with Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Wordless Wednesday - Poppies

In a Vase on Monday - Versigny

It's been a while since I participated in Cathy's In a Vase on Monday meme.  My garden has just been too bare.  All of the plants in my garden are 3 years old or younger, and sometimes I just cannot bring myself to collect cuttings from my wee babes.

But, we had a dinner party for my eldest son's 15th (15!!) birthday this weekend, so I threw together a vase (well, actually, a water pitcher) with Versigny and Philadelphus.  Plunk-and-go is still my style of arranging, so please forgive me.

Look who else stopped by for the party!

Happy hunting, my little friend.

(Athene Noctua, "Little Owl")

Garden Gone Wild

Behind our property, there is conservation land with streams and a reservoir.  In fact, the back of our property is part of a protected "green" zone, so we are not allowed to build on it (which is fine with me).  Because of this, as you take a walk through our yard, the further you walk, the wilder the garden gets.  In fact, it is my intention to leave a buffer of native plants so that nothing blocks the view and the garden seems to flow into the countryside.  Well, that is the plan, anyway.

Another reason for a transitional area is, well, would you want to weed this?

It's a good thing that stipa is fashionable right now because I have plenty of it!

At the base of the stipa are these purple-blue flowers that no one seems to know the name of.

I do have some plantings along the side fences.  Right now, photinia is in bloom.  

(Yes, that is rebar construction mesh patching up a whole some robbers made 

a few years ago when the house was being built.)

Madame Alfred Carrière, also on the fence

Not exactly wild, but definitely a toughie

(Thanks to Chloris, who recommended Cayeaux irises to me.)

And I also have to sneak in a photo of Versigny, but you don't mind, right? 

What about your garden?  Has it got a wild side?

The first roses

Things are starting to happen in the garden this week.  We've have a fair amount of rain, and now lots of sun, so the logical end result is... roses!

Lady Banks, in her third year 

Madame Alfred Carrière

Abraham Darby, the first of my Austin roses to wake up

 And, of course, there's the sage.

No, let's not forget the sage.

Look!  My friend the running toad is back.

Are your roses waking up?