Monday, January 2, 2017

Year in Review Part II: The Flowers

Happy New Year, Friends. What plans do you have 2017? We are hoping to do a bit of traveling. In March we'd like to go to Kearny, Nebraska to the Sand Hill Crane Festival when the great birds migrate. It is something that we have long talked about. Another short trip will take us to Eastern Colorado where the Northern Cardinals live in the tamaracks along the Platte River. We will take the camp trailer and camp somewhere in hopes of finding the red birds. We don't have them here in this part of the state, so a trip east is called for.

The gardening catalogs will soon start arriving. We have already received White Flower Farms, my favorite, I am now creating my wish list. Right now everything sleeps in the cold soil underneath left over snow from Christmas--with more on the way this week, so we won't get too serious about gardening anytime soon, but here are some of my favorites from last summer:


A few years ago, I attended the Denver Botanical Gardens annual plant sale held each May. One of little finds was a 2 inch pot of For-Get-Me-Nots, along with other little pots which did not do well, including the water lotus that died. These little blue flowers have seeded and reseeded to the point that they are taking over this little garden. Late, late into the fall they were lush and green, so I am hoping for a profusion of blue at the back step.


Ever a favorite, we planted more daffodils, but didn't get all of them in the ground. They rest of the bulbs are stored in the cool garage, so I am hoping that I can get them potted and they will grow in pots this spring. The spring flowers are always favorites.


Both water gardens provide a lot of joy, as much work as they are. The little waterfall in the front courtyard leaks and we have never been able to find it or fix it, so this year I may have the water fall removed and go for a different look. We worked on the landscaping on the south side of the big pond out back in, so I am excited to see what it looks like this spring. 


Always my passion pink, this gorgeous peony made me smile every time I looked at. The peonies have really taken off, to the point the they will need be divided.



We have a nice variety of trees here at the Garden Spot. The acreage had an established yard with many of the trees already in place. The pine trees, a variety of them, have now reached maturity, the ash are still growing, an the aspen sucker like crazy, so our tree planting plan focuses on the deciduous  trees focusing on shade, color, variety, and hardiness. We have a professional arborist is the family who always offers sound advice on what to buy. One risky tree here is the Eastern Red Bud. I've killed everyone one that I have planted, but look at this beauty, what a bloomer it was last year. Fingers crossed this year that we don't have untimely frost to kill the blooms. 

I have indoor winter projects that I am working on, too. Right now I am cleaning out closets again. I cleaned out the hall closet to make room for seasonal dishes, filling a tub with junk that is now sitting in the guest bath. I have to sort through the stuff: throw away, keep, donate. Ugh. I decided to redecorate the guest bedroom too, changing it from the red Lady Bug theme to a pink floral shabby chic. I ordered new bedding from Target that has already arrived. Now I need to find a picture or two to replace the reds. I have always wanted a pink room. 

Immediately, today, I will tackle the downstairs room which becomes a dumping area for the Christmas decorations as I dismantle Christmas. It is all stacked in a pile. I still have to take down the village, a worse chore that putting it up. So my day is filled, or two days. 

And so a new year begins, always hopeful for a pleasant year, knowing that there will be challenges and changes, but we will roll with the punches, as they say, and take life day by day, making the best of each day. 

And you? Do you have any special plans for the coming year? I look forward to reading all about them.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Linking to Normandy Life with Maggie for Mosaic Monday. See you there.


10 comments:

  1. I went and requested a White flower farm catalog!had one several years ago. Ready for the flowers to bloom! long wait

    ReplyDelete
  2. You have such lovely flowers and really do have a green thumb. We plan to take out some old azaleas that look awful and plant more knock out roses this year. Happy New year sweet lady! Hugs, Diane

    ReplyDelete
  3. PS I tried to make a banner with pinecones....not as pretty as yours though! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello, your flowers and pond are beautiful, lovely review. It is hard to believe the Cardinals are not everywhere, I guess I am too used to seeing them. I hope your red bud survives, they are pretty. I wish you all the best in 2017, happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your travel and gardening plans sound wonderful. Have a great year ahead!
    All the best in 2017. Happy gardening!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy New Year, Ann and may all your projects grow well!
    You seem already so busy, we are still in 'limbo' mood. I wonder if you all take your Christmas decorations down immediately after New Year's Eve? We always keep them until 6th January or even longer. Having had the first snow last night, it seems even less important to take it all away. As we want to sell the farm, there are no planting/gardening plans for this year here. I will be looking forward to what you will show on your blog. xxx, Anke

    ReplyDelete
  7. My year end post was more about the lessons I learned, than what I had planned for the next year. I don't really start my garden dreams till January and February, after all the holiday debris has been cleared away, and the house is clean. Then the seed catalogs come out, and then my plans begin.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You get excited about gardening much earlier than I, Ann. It's usually March before the bug hits me and I already have my gardening/seed catalogues. I suppose because there's no room left to plant anything new so I drag my feet but may renovate a couple of the theme beds.
    I'm helping to plan our first Seedy Saturday for the community - a seed swap with vendors and speakers held at the library on April 1. It should be fun.
    I look forward to the bird photos you'll have from your two excursions.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy New Year from Normandy, Ann. You have created some wonderful mosaics as a tribute to your garden of 2016 and I an tell you're getting all geared up for the coming seasons. That pink peony has stolen my heart!
    I already have daffodils flowering in a sunny spot in the garden in front of the house. I think that it will be a while yet though before the other few hundred bloom, so much to look forward to in the coming weeks, I just hope that we don't get any snow this winter!
    Maggie

    ReplyDelete
  10. Such lovely flowers, dear Ann! I hope you will have a happy and healthy new (gardening) year.
    I have ordered some seeds... even though we seem to have another winter that doesn't really encourage to grow anything. :) Well, the local plants are always the best.
    This will not be a dollhouse year, unfortunately. There are some health issues in the family, always becoming worse, and the "surplus of energy", if there is, will be used for taking photos and blogging. :) (I have also for example deactivated my Pinterest account.)
    Looking forward to reading your beautiful posts about gardening, birding and miniatures! Big hugs!

    ReplyDelete

Back in the Swing of Things

 Well, hello friends. My only post for the year was in March when I declared, "I'm Back." I really didn't go any place; I ...