Occasionally, I see someone on a street corner with a sign that reads "Will work for food". Sometimes I see a bumper sticker that reads "I'd rather be golfing". Well, if I had a bumper sticker, it would read "I'd rather be gardening". Even more accurate would be a sign that read, "Will work for blooms".
Spring has finally sprung, and my garden is starting to fill up with blooms. I run out to the garden every day just to see what new blooms will be there. It also makes all those hours of work worth it. Want to see what's blooming for me now?
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| Christopher Marlowe rose |
Christopher Marlowe rose looks divine with a calibrachoa (million bells) in the same shade of pink. You can find out more about Christopher Marlowe rose by clicking
HERE.
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| Japanese irises |
Pretty, pretty, pretty! These are the irises I wait anxiously to see blooming every spring!
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| James Galway rose |
James Galway rose was the first David Austin rose I ever purchased for my garden. We go way back. And I'm still thrilled to see his face every spring! You can find out more about this rose by clicking
HERE.
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| Gaura |
I absolutely love guara, and the way it sways in the breeze. I always forget how beautiful this plant is, until it blooms. Then, it is a cloud of petals. It's also a big hit with the butterflies. You can find out more about gaura if you click
HERE.
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| La Marne |
La Marne rose is just starting to bloom. I look forward to it blooming all summer long. And when I mean all summer long in Texas, that's a mighty big claim! You can find out more about La Marne rose by clicking
HERE.
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| Prosperity rose |
Prosperity rose is just beginning to bloom. I have fallen completely and madly in love with this rose. I can see it out of my bedroom window, and it thrills me to see this beauty first thing after getting out of bed. The photo would be much prettier without those dead twigs. They are not part of the rose. The twigs are from the
Chinese indigo (
indigofera decora), and I need to cut these dead stems off. There's still much work to be done in the garden!
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| May Night salvia |
Salvias are blooming. I just love these plants! So, too, do the bees.
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| Koko Loco rose |
What can I saw about Koko Loco? I just had to have it when I saw it. Something about its soft color made me swoon, and every time it blooms I fall in love with it all over again.
Hooray for blooms! And it's just the start of another wonderful gardening year! There's lots more to come.
I'm joining Tootsie Time for
Fertilizer Friday. Have a great weekend! I'll be outside - working for blooms.
Isn't spring nice???? I love it too--but it means LOTS more time working in the yard. BUT--after a long winter, THAT is good for me!!!! ha
ReplyDeleteGreat blooms!!!
Hugs,
Betsy
I enjoy it, too, Betsy. Don't know what I'd do with myself if I didn't have my garden!
DeleteThe time had arrived, finally I can sit back and watch some new roses from your garden every day! I'm glad to see your garden has exploded with blooms!
ReplyDelete"I'd rather be weeding than golfing".....
Alberto
I like your bumper sticker! :)
DeleteSuch beautiful photos...gives us all hope. Love Love Love Gaura's but our past 2 winters haven't helped, maybe 3rd time lucky :-)
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty, but I'm not sure I'd keep growing them if they weren't hardy here. Still, their blooms are quite enticing!
DeleteOh, you are miles ahead of me by now!!
ReplyDeleteMy roses have no signs of buds at all, in fact, they are still struggling putting out leaves, some of the leaves are still just unfurling. Last year I had my first roses in flower at this time, pretty normal for my garden, this year nothing is normal. Your garden looks so pretty with everything coming into bloom, that Koko Loco rose is a stunner, I agree, I would just have had to have it too, it looks like porcelain!
You are right - this year nothing is normal! I'm so happy that finally, finally (!), things are starting to bloom and it's really looking like spring has arrived!
DeleteDo I recognize those deep purple irises in the last photo? Did I send them your way?
ReplyDeleteYES!!! They are just starting to open and they are SOOOOO pretty!
DeleteIf you lived closer I'd put you to work and you could have all the blooms you want! I have such a big garden to move and am willing to share but can't really find anyone who wants blooms badly enough to work for some-except me. A good amount of my plants have been received through my hard work. I like your pairing of the rose with the same color million bells.
ReplyDeleteIf I lived closer to you, Tina, I would help you. You have a big job ahead of you. I hope you can find someone that is new to gardening and would love some free plants - for a bit of work in exchange.
DeleteBeautiful photos--those are some of my favourites. That little Japanese Iris is exquisite! A person can just keep on acquiring more and more Irises. They are so captivating.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Irises can easily be squeezed in between plants, and they are always so beautiful when they bloom. I like their foliage, too!
DeleteIt looks like your work is paying off... The flowers certainly look great, and I am now deeply jealous and can't wait for my own irises to spring into action - not to mention the roses.
ReplyDeleteHappy spring-time to you!
I have been surprised how late the irises are blooming. But, I guess, everything is blooming a bit late this year!
DeleteThe James Galway is a lovely rose, and I am like you popping out every morning, in my dressing gown, to see what has made its appearance in the garden. Spring is magic.
ReplyDeleteSpring really is magic. It amazes me how beautiful the garden can be in spring.
DeleteThose are my kind of plants ! I am completely obsessive about roses, especially the David Austin ones, which I must have about a dozen of now. Mine are just coming into leaf and I can't wait for them to bloom. I have just planted a hedge of the old Gallica rose 'Charles de Mills' and am excited for that too. The colour of Koko Loco is amazing, so unusual. Your garden looks lovely.
ReplyDeleteYour hedge of Charles de Mills sounds like it will be stunning! I hope your roses bloom for you soon.
DeleteOh my gosh, I just love Koko Loco. Wow, there is just something about the coloring that grips my heart.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy and thanks for sharing ~ FlowerLady
I like the color, too. It looks almost antique or something. Hard to explain, but it is pretty!
DeleteYour garden is beautiful this spring and a nice payback for your work. I love the color of Koko Loco.
ReplyDeleteAnd it changes color, too! From this soft sort-of peachy color to a light lavender. It's a very interesting rose.
DeleteI planted La Marne last fall. I planted a lot of roses last fall. So I've been waiting and waiting to see if the pictures in my head match what is coming up in the garden! I'm so excited. La Marne is covered with lots of lovely small blooms. And it is visible from my side double doors. I can see it from my computer. :)
ReplyDeleteI planted Princess Alexandra of Kent (a David Austin Rose) and it is lovely and is fragrant. I hope it likes where it is parked/planted. It's near La Marne.
I'm heading to RoseDango tomorrow and hope to see more blooms. And irises? Head to Martha's Iris garden to check those out! I love spring!
I'm so excited for you! I would love to go to RoseDango! Unfortunately, I can't - but I hope you have a great time, learn a lot, and buy some great roses! I think you'll be very happy with La Marne. I have been quite impressed with mine.
DeleteWhat is the name of your Salvia? I found Mystic Spires Blue Salvia the leaves are beautiful. They stand straight up, bees and humming birds love it. I could only find 7. However,because a limb broke off I found I could root it. It does not multiply by the roots. It is really hard to find. The only place I have found it is Garrisons in Shreveport, La. You garden is lovely. My roses are about a month late. I am finally getting some.
ReplyDeleteJuanita - this is 'May Night' salvia. It's fairly popular, so it should be easier to find than Mystic Spires. I know how anxious you are to have your roses blooming! I've been anxious, too, and go outside each day to see every new bloom!
DeleteWe know and share your sentiments perfectly, not so much for the blooms but for the general reward and sense of fulfilment out of gardening. Have a fab weekend! :)
ReplyDeleteGardening is such a great hobby! We get exercise - and have so much to show for our efforts, too.
DeleteI agree I'd rather be playing in the dirt and I would work for blooms as well....
ReplyDeleteI hope you get to play in the dirt a good bit this weekend!
DeleteSo many lovely blooms! That Koko Loco is very striking, I'm not sure what you would call that color. Your gaura is so nice, I have held off planting it because it is only marginally hardy here.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what to call that color, either. It's unique. I am lucky to live where gaura is happy to return every year. Mine have gotten quite large!
DeleteI think I would love Koko Loco rose for its name alone! It is a stunning rose. Happy spring! It's what I work for, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm so thankful spring has finally decided to show up his year! It's been hard waiting for it!
DeleteI'm a big fan of Gaura and I also have May night salvia. Both are great plants for summer heat. Love all your roses!
ReplyDeleteScabiosa is also a great bloomer, and mine blooms almost all year round. It's wonderful to find those dependable plants!
DeleteOK, your Koko Loco rose is gorgeous! Great color. How do the calibrachoa do in your garden? Mine have always passed out in the heat. Do you have any secrets?
ReplyDeleteMine pass out in the heat, too, but they are quite lovely in spring and again in the autumn!
DeleteNow that April's here and May so near, every day there's some new blossom to discover. I forget from year to year just how exciting Spring can be.
ReplyDeleteI forget, too! It's amazing that every spring can bring such anticipation!
DeleteI would rather be in my gardens than anywhere else!!!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that I had some time to pop over here today and see what you shared! It is great to finally be able to flaunt some of my own spring blessings and get inspired by some of the best gardens online!
Thank you so much for joining in on my little party this week! I hope to see you again soon! Have a great weekend!
Your post today has been shared to the Tootsie Time Facebook page!
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`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
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(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
I loved seeing all the plants in your greenhouse. I know you must really enjoy having one, especially when there's snow on the ground!
DeleteKoko Loco, what a stunning colour, shame I cannot seem to find it in the UK. I am a great D. Austin fan and have around 20 in my garden, they are only just breaking into leaf so you are providing me with "the shape of things to come". Thanks
ReplyDeleteKoko Loco is fairly new here, so hopefully it will be available there soon. I love David Austin's roses, too. This time of the year when the roses are coming into bud is such an exciting time!
DeleteRoses seem so far away here although they all have beautiful leaves right now so I have high hopes for beautiful blooms.
ReplyDeleteThey will come! I was worried mine would never show up - but they finally did!
DeleteJapanese irises are my favourite flowers in this post :) I love them!
ReplyDeleteI love them, too. So delicate and fragile looking. I love their thin stems. I'm hoping mine will multiply well.
DeleteHi! Your blooms are just spectacular!! Your roses look so healthy and beautiful! I really like Gaura too because it's so wispy, it fills in a space quickly and it's so easy to care for! I can't wait to see more!
ReplyDeleteI have several gaura in my garden, but the ones in the east bed are very happy - they have grown quite large. I'm thrilled!
DeleteI was wondering what my bumper sticker would be, then I saw your Koko rose ... Will work for chocolate.
ReplyDeleteLove that bumper sticker! I work not only for Koko but also for regular cocoa! :)
DeleteHey Holley! I'll work for blooms too. Your blooms are all just beautiful! 'Koko Loco' takes the cake for me. How gorgeous! Guess what just went on my wish list. All the best! :-)
ReplyDeleteIt really is an unusual color for a rose. I love it!
DeleteThere is so much blooming for you! We still have tulips blooming here. Gorgeous, as usual!
ReplyDeleteI thought my spring bulbs were never going to quit - or that nothing else was ever going to bloom. Such a long spring this year. But, finally, I think winter has decided that it can't stick around much longer!
DeleteYour garden is off to a beautiful start Holley. I certainly worked for blooms today. Finally we have nice weather that makes you want to go outside!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how that hard work can feel so good!
DeleteThe Koko Loco rose is simply stunning! The colour looks almost vintage and faded, I've never seen anything like it.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly how I see it! Vintage and faded. Good way to describe it.
DeleteHolley, You have fabulous Roses, definitely not a Spring plant here although they look great with us in mid Summer. You actually see people with a sign saying (I will work for food) Some people have a hellish time of it no matter how it may have come about.
ReplyDeleteI do feel sorry for the people that have that sign. It's a sad state, as you say, no matter how they got there.
Deleteholley, all the blooms are lovely, but koco loco rose is to die for.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be the most popular one in this post!
DeleteEverything looks so pretty!!!! I love that Koco Loco Rose- never heard of that! Love the name and the color!!!!
ReplyDeleteI do love the color. It reminds me of a color I painted my bathroom once. I loved that color.
DeleteLove that Koco Loco!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for this rose to get a little older in my garden. It will be interesting to see how well it performs for me. I do love the color of it.
DeleteSome wonderful plants in bloom there, but I'm with the majority, that Koco Loco Rose is amazing. Such a fabulous name for it too :-)
ReplyDeleteYou're right - it seems to be the favorite!
DeleteYour garden is so coming alive! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteIsn't spring wonderful?!! :)
DeleteBy the way, I can not comment on your blog because I have to comment through Google plus, and it and I are in the middle of a squabble right now. Is there any way you can change your blog to accept other ways of commenting?
Fantastic blooms. Wow! you can participate in any garden competition. Lovely.
ReplyDeletehaha - No. They would have to have blinders on so they wouldn't see the weeds! :)
DeleteThat James Galway rose is a real beauty, it has quite stolen my heart. I definitely work for plants - pretty much every penny I earn (well, of my share of it anyway) goes towards the garden one way or another. Which is fine unless I suddenly need new underwear...
ReplyDeleteJanet! haha - The good thing about gardening is we can just about wear any old rag outside - but I guess we all need new underwear every now and then!
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