Iris 'Happy Birthday'

This week's big thrill for me is the bloom of my German iris, 'Happy Birthday'.  When I was a little girl, I loved anything PINK, and when my parents bought their first home in 1970,  I was given a PINK iris, all of my own for mom's iris bed.  I'm not sure now whether it was the color, or the name that I loved most, but I waited for it's bloom each spring for many, many years before it finally died out.  A few years ago, I started searching for a piece of that iris, and a very, very kind member of  the Historic Iris Preservation Society gave me a piece from his own garden!   Perfect for joining Pink Saturdays third birthday party, don't you think?

This week in the garden May 24-Jack

Thanks to Candy at The Little Round Table for hosting This Week in the Garden.  We've had lots of rain this past week, which makes taking photos a bit of a challenge. So, I thought I might share one of my all-time favorite plants: Jack in the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum).  It's an easy perennial, and can provide a pretty dramatic display in late spring/early summer.  I love all the shades of green, from the lightest chartreuse to a medium true green...  I'd like to add another variety or two...maybe one of the purple or dark brown cultivars. 

Rednesday puzzle

Back in January, my friends M and C came to visit.  While I was at the train station, awaiting their arrival, i noticed this really nifty building across the street and snapped some photos. Just for fun, I thought I'd share a puzzle I made at jigidi.com from this photo taken in Staunton, VA that day:

Ok, so you've seen the photo.  Here's the puzzle!  Good luck and Happy Rednesday! Be sure to stop in at Sue's Very Cherry World for other Rednesday blogs!

Pink Saturday Porcelier Tea Set

I'm joining Beverly  for Pink Saturday with a little photo of a super sweet vintage tea set made by Porcelier decorated with pink flamingos.  No lid for the sugar, but that's ok... I use it for packets anyway!

Dots-n-Cherries

It's awfully dreary outside, so why don't we try to brighten the day from the inside out?   I pulled out a new-to-me vintage tablecloth with matching napkins, just covered in polka dots, and knew right away which dishes I needed to use with it.  Fiesta, of course.  The dinner plates are Fiesta Polka Dots (red on white), the luncheon plates are black with the Wild Cherries design,  salad plates are either solid red or Polka dots (white on red), and I topped it off with little Fiesta tripod bowls in black.  Flatware is also Fiesta, and the glassware is vintage red and white stripe.   I'm sharing my Dots-n-Cherries tablescape with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch, and the colors made for a perfect addition to Rednesday!

This week in the garden. Week 2, May 17

It's amazing how much can change in just a few days.  The antique rose bush from last week's bloom is now covered in blossoms, and the antique cameo pink climbing rose that Mom and I started from a clipping  20 years ago (from a bush belonging to Mrs. P.H. Zirkle) is starting to bloom as well.  We think it's likely a variety called New Dawn, which was the first plant to be patented in the US.  Blooms are small to medium, and the fragrance is just delightful, but wow...it grows FAST!   The hybrid tea climber 'Peace' has one bloom and several buds, and is trying to overtake my spirea bush.   There are more clematis blooming, more peonies, several spiderworts, and some other little treats, as well.  I hope you enjoy my garden, and will visit Candy at The Little Round Table, as she hosts This Week in My Garden each week, and add your own garden pictures to the party, as well!  I also joined Jean at It's Bloomin' Tuesday! Stop in and smell the roses!

 

'Niobe'

'Belle of Woking'

Viburnum 'Blueberry Muffin'   (and just wait til you see the berries later!)

Peonies 'Raspberry Sundae' and 'Bowl of Beauty'

P

Peony 'Karl Rosenfield'

Peony 'Sarah Bernhardt'

Thalictrum aquilegifolium (Meadow Rue, columbine leaf variety)

Tradescantia (Spiderwort) 'Lilac Frost'

Tradescantia (Spiderwort) 'Concord Grape'

Mixed Spiderworts

Baptisia australis (False Indigo)

Digitalis (Foxglove 'Foxy')

Happy Monday

All the foliage around my garden's little firefighter  is so pretty, but just wait until it blooms.  It's a Peruvian Alstroemeria, and the blooms on mine are a deep gold.  He's going to look like he's surrounded by flames.  How nifty will THAT be??

 

This week in my garden, a first peek

I'm finally able to get into my garden to do some weeding and spring cleanup... and there were lots of lovely plants blooming to make all the work more pleasant.  Thanks to Candy at The Little Round Table for being our garden walk hostess today via her new party, This Week in My Garden.

Here in southwestern Virginia,temperatures are mild, and we've had a lovely mix of rain and sun.  My very favorite peony,  Coral Charm,  had a number of blooms.  They start out a vibrant coral, fading to a soft rosy ivory in just a matter of  days.

I was delighted to see Red Charm opening up... this is the first time I've gotten to see it bloom! I'm so glad you could join me! (and yes, it really is a deep dark true red!)

 

 The Jackmanii clematis were also showing off a bit...

 

Even the chives make a pretty show... some 2nd year transplanted lupines are in the background.

This old rose hasn't shared her name with me, but she's going to put on quite a show when all those buds burst into bloom.

Bronze Fennel and varigated Solomon's Seal have filled in under the old treehouse and maple tree. All those greens and browns make for such a serene setting.

Happy Monday

 

No sign of  Jack in the Pulpit yet this spring, but check back tomorrow to see what's blooming this week...

Happy Cinco de Mayo

I actually used this setting last fall, but thought it was perfect for Cinco de Mayo!

The glassware is Mexican Confetti glass.  Flatware is by Cambridge, a Fiesta go-along.  Dinnerware is a mix of vintage and Post 86 Fiesta, as well as a Harlequin creamer.  The tablecloth is vintage Startex, which also comes in other colorways.   Napkins and napkin rings are from Pier One.

What's on the table today?