Once Christmas is over, my mind quickly turns to the garden. The gray, blustery days we've had recently have lent themselves well to Lazyboy sitting and picture gazing. I should probably be running a vacuum, but there is plenty of time for that, I only have a few days left of my Christmas vacation! I certainly don't want to ruin it all with housework! I had a lot of good in my garden this year, and one REALLY bad thing. Lets start with the good!
I loved this combination of evergreen, salvia and iris. It was a real winner.
I have a few lilies, and they were lovely, blooming at the same time as the hydrangeas.
This was the first year for the blooms on the daisy. I had grown it from seed about 3 years ago. My daylillies all bloomed as well as they will in my shady garden. This is my first year with a deer repellent spray, and it worked beautifully. The year before the deer ate almost every fat bud in the garden.
The petunias were wonderful. I'm always surprised at how well they do in my shady garden! I lost a Moonbeam Coreopsis that I had had for years, but simple marigolds gave me the yellow I wanted, and several of them came up from seeds, so I didn't even buy them!
The bad this year was that I got some kind of disease on my impatience and lost all of them. I was so disappointed, and a little scared, too. Impatience are the mainstay of my garden. I get so much color from them and enjoy the pastel colors they come in. I had to replace them with begonias that I had in pots. Luckily, the begonias had some good size on them by the time I used them for replacement, so the garden didn't suffer big holes.
This coming spring, thanks to the deer spray, I am expecting tulips! I have not grown tulips since the year the deer came through and feasted on about 200 of them! I didn't plant nearly so many, but I am hoping for a beautiful spring!
I am joining Mosaic Monday at Little Red House. She has a beautiful winter mosaic, you should pop over for a look! Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you have a great New Year celebration!.
You had a beautiful garden (first time visitor so I'm really glad you did a review!). I agree with you totally about not wasting vacation time on housework (of course I'm on a permanent vacation now, so...).....Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI just stopped by to wish you a happy New Year's and to let you know that I included a link back to one of your posts today. I included it because I had been so touched by your post about your Mom. I hope you get some traffic from it too. Here's my link in case you're interested. http://gwenmossblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/in-pursuit-of-life-that-matters.html
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Leslie (aka Gwen Moss)
Ahh, thanks, Leslie! That's so sweet of you. I'm glad you were moved by my post about my missing my mom. I hope 2013 brings you many of the personal achievements you hope for!
DeleteI too know the joys of deer repelent. I want to wish you a healthy and prosperous New Year! I enjoy you blog and look forward to seeing your achievements in 2013.
ReplyDeleteLeslie, you did have lots of good things in your garden. I have a few shady spots in my backyard, maybe daylilies or petunias will work there since it looks pretty bare. Sorry to hear about your impatiens. I'm glad the begonias pulled through for you. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteIsn't is wonderful to have our journals of garden images to perk up our spirit when a gloomy day appears. I sit at my PC for hours looking back and am always in awe at the sheer beaty and innocence of a flower!
ReplyDeleteLeslie I feel blessed have met you through blogging and look forward to the year ahead following your journey of images and words. Wishing you the Happiest New Year filled with many wonderful surprises! love and light Anna
Beautiful garden photos - the first one is amazing! Glad to hear the deer repellent actually works! I may have to try it this year. I hope you have a wonderful 2013 - with tulips! :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with another visitor... on my first time here it was lovely to see hyour garden in review... absolutely gorgeous!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is just beautiful, Leslie. I'm glad you found a way to keep the deer away. I can't wait to be digging in the dirt once again.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year.
You have a beautiful, colorful, garden. You have planted some of my favorites, lilies,iris, and hydrangeas. I'm jealous, I live in a condo and no individual gardens allowed.
ReplyDeleteLeslie girl I am working backwards here ! LOL
ReplyDeleteI love your header picture .. it is perfect !
You have a beautiful garden and having the woods close by is such a peaceful addition (I have neighbors on all sides of me .. I long for privacy !) .. I would have been heart broken to have all those tulips eaten by the deer .. I am glad you didn't give up though .. so fingers crossed you have some beauties to see!
I am more a daffodil gal .. I planted a load of them in the front out lining the main garden, in between all the day lilies I planted in the same outline .. I am hoping to see a wonderful show of flowers there .. again fingers crossed because you never know for sure right ?
Happy New Year and lets have one of our best garden years possible ! LOL
Joy : )