July 11, 2010

Garden Party



Rod and I just came in from sitting out on our deck, where we enjoyed the fading summer sunlight as we each savored a dish of Blue Bunny Double Strawberry and Bunny Tracks ice cream. A perfect ending to another busy weekend.

As we sat and chatted, I gazed about the yard, admiring our pretty potted plants and garden. Then I remembered I'd taken some pictures after getting all my planting done a few weeks ago. I wish you could all drop over for cocktails, ice cream and a garden tour. Since that's not possible, grab a cool drink and follow me!

I love hibiscus, but have never planted one in Nebraska since they're a tropical plant and won't survive our harsh winters. But this summer I decided, What the heck! and got one for one of our large pots. So far, so good! There are usually 3-4 blooms every day and the color is so cheerful. This is my most favorite addition to the deck this summer. Love it!!

Nothing says summer quite like geraniums. I love the fuschia color of this one. It looks so pretty in that pot, don't you think?

This is another favorite. Lobelia and impatiens. Not sure what the little white flower is. My mom gave me that pretty oriental pot a few years ago; I'm not sure, but it might have belonged to my grandmother.

More lobelia. I prefer the darker blue, but this still looks pretty and delicate.

Lantana and lobelia. The lantana never fails me! It loves the heat and attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and the occasional wasp. I wrote about it a few years ago here, here and here.

Patriotic plants. :)

My herb garden does very well in this large pot and the critters leave it alone. I have basil, rosemary, flat-leaf parsley and dill. The dill is the only one that seems to struggle. I wonder if I should dead-head those yellow blooms. Guess I could always read a book on growing herbs.

I hope you enjoyed our stroll. Please come back next Sunday and I'll show you what's blooming in my backyard. Maybe I'll even whip up a batch of these!

Cheers!

For another garden visit, stop over at Nan's. Her Farm & Garden Weekly is such a joy to read.

16 comments:

  1. I wish I could drop by for cocktails, ice cream, and the garden tour, too. Your deck looks like a lovely place to spend a good many summer evenings! =)

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  2. Thanks for sharing your beautiful backyard space, Les...it is wonderful!

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  3. Anonymous9:44 PM

    The blue Asian pot did belong to your grandmother. Your Aunt Alison has its twin!

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  4. Anonymous9:44 PM

    And your garden looks beautiful!

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  5. I am envious of your deck and gorgeous plants!

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  6. Anonymous6:14 AM

    This is so lovely and inviting. I wish I had a green thumb - mine is black. LOL

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  7. I love the tour and now I want a margarita. Yum!

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  8. What a beautiful deck!!!

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  9. What a lovely scene this looks...

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  10. LOVED your garden tour! You should really hop over to Heather's (Capricious Reader) and sign the Saturday Farmers Market post. It's open to anything garden-related.

    I'm a HUUUUGE fan of the lantana. It's one of the few that can handle this Texas heat, after all. I have a Dallas Red one that I simply can't get enough of.

    Beautiful!

    Oh, and I can't grow dill to save my life. I think you are supposed to 'deflower' it. Ha!

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  11. Beautiful!!! I especially love the ornamental pot your mother gave you. Gorgeous! The best part? Those look like some yummy drinks! Thanks for linking over :)

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  12. Thank you for the lovely tour..that Hibiscus is gorgeous. I love that pot you got from your mom. the drinks look delicious!!

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  13. I'd love to drop in and share a cool drink with you!

    I need to learn some gardening basics. We have a nice size backyard with some flowers but I'm afraid I don't know what to do with any of them!

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  14. Megan - Thanks! It's a wonderful place to sit and relax, either with my hubby or good friends. Come on over! :)

    Wendy - Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, it is wonderful. All it needs is a view of the ocean and then it'd be perfect. ;)

    Mom - I thought it did! It's my favorite flowerpot. They garden is still looking very nice, thanks to all the rain we've had. I think we've only watered with the sprinklers twice this summer! Unbelievable for late July.

    Pam - Aren't you sweet! You have a beautiful garden, too.

    Kay - I think my thumb is somewhere in between. It's pretty much luck when it comes to a successful gardening year for me. The rabbits are a constant battle. Now they're eating one of my new shrubs. Sigh.

    Christina - Glad you enjoyed the tour. You should try one of those margaritas. They're fantastic! Oops. I guess I should include the recipe. Go here.

    Cathy - Thank you! I love my comfy outdoor furniture.

    Hannah Stoneham - Thanks so much. Nice of you to stop by here.

    Andi - I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the reminder. I signed up on Heather's SFM post. Need to go back and add my recent tour. I've been away and am just now catching up around here. Leave again tomorrow, though.

    Isn't lantana great?! I planted for in the ground and one in a pot and they're all doing very well. Just wish they'd survive our harsh winters.

    I deflowered my dill. I'll let ya know if it worked. :)

    Heather - Isn't it a pretty pot?! It's my favorite, especially filled with impatiens and lobelia. Yep, those would be the yummiest drinks. :)

    Staci - I think the hibiscus is my all-time favorite plant this year. I may have to get a few more next summer.

    Iliana - I'd love for you to drop by and share a drink, too. Wouldn't it be fun to get together here with all our mutual blogmates?!

    I'm not very knowledgeable about gardening. I pretty much just plant stuff where I think it will survive and then cross my fingers and hope for the best.

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  16. Very odd. I posted my original (long) reply to all of your comments, but got an error message. So later this evening, I decided to respond once again, only not in one long comment. After posting one set of replies, I noticed my original reply. Sigh. Sorry for basically sending a duplicate response to your lovely comments.

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I may not answer your comments in a timely fashion, but I always answer. Check back soon!