GLADS!!!

I went out today with my camera and made Dan show me how big the peaches are getting (and they're getting some color, too!).

Then I got a picture of my little red lilies. I think they're a siloam variety -- very small blooms.

Then I was looking up onto the porch at my Mona Lisa and I noticed --

MY GLADS ARE BLOOMING!! Just the one so far, but I have a few buds on another plant up in the sedum garden. EEEEK!

I skipped around the garden and screamed at Dan to come look and basically almost hyperventilated. I had given up on them, hoping they only needed another year before they'd bloom. Yay! Oh yeah, and here's the pretty pot with my nemesia (going crazy) and the pink New Guinea impatien.

Four blooms on the Mona Lisa! I just love how I always smell it when I go in or out the front door.

My little clearance Sarah Bernhardt peony is getting bigger. Slowly.

I bought Granny this gorgeous pink picotee dianthus for her birthday, but it didn't do well inside, so she asked me to nurse it back to health.

A distant shot of the glad.

This Twist and Twirl coleus is going nuts.

And this wee small thing got a bath the other day. Then sat like a person in her towel. Barely long enough to get a picture. ;)

Champagne Supernover

I believe the name of this lily is "Little Italy," because it resembles the one I saw in a catalog. Anyway, that's its name from now on. Isn't it breathtaking? I love the ruffles and the huge color contrast.

And there are lots of buds!

My snaps are reblooming.

This is called a Lysimachia. The variegated leaves are pretty enough on their own, but it's also starting to bloom with little yellow flowers! (Although it's also getting little brown spots on the leaves on that branch... I need insecticide.)

Millions of peaches, peaches for me.

Hosta blossoms!

Such happy little petunias. I'm definitely getting more of these next year.

Happy Returns. Did I mention it's a close relative of Stella d'Oro?

And right next to Happy Returns is this little guy. Is it a poppy?

I have simply GOT to plant this sedum. I can't stand the idea that it might not come back next year if it's in a pot.

Portulaca. Also going to make a reappearance next year.

So will the New Guinea impatiens.

CAAAT FIIIGHT!!

RAAAWR!

Once again, Dan finds a small place that Elphie will fit into.

He also gave her a treat. (It's empty -- she's just licking the leftovers.)

O hai!

Hey! Hey! Hey. Hey! Whatcha doin'?

Poor, long-suffering Ginger.

Snugglin' with Dad.

Cornholing?

No, really! It's not as bad as it sounds!!


Cornhole is actually just a bean bag toss game. And it's totally fun. But you can imagine my surprise when I came into the library and opened up the computer and PlayCornhole.org was up in Firefox. Um, what?

But all cornholing aside, our barbecue was a blast. The shish kabobs were delicious! And the rain didn't even last all night.

My lisianthus is falling over, but it doesn't seem to bother it any.

These Exotic Impatiens are just so pretty!

Grape Crush New Guinea impatiens and nemesia.

Salvia and Dusty Miller are making themselves perfectly at home.

These, I think, are dahlias coming up from the tubers I planted a few months ago in the petunia garden.

And speaking of dahlias, my highlighter dahlias are making a comeback!

The Indestructible Thyme is blooming! (Keep off it.)

There are still a few flowers on my columbine.

But most importantly, yesterday my first lily opened! Say hello to my newest addition, Happy Returns.

Typhoon!

Well, we had some crazy weather. And we were lucky enough to be at its mercy, unable to escape it. Yay us!

My poor irises are just pooped after dealing with all the wind and the rain. They just wanted to lie down for a few minutes.

But this is my New Guinea Impatien in a precious new pot that I bought. Actually, it's a watering can. And not intended in the least to be a planter. But Dan and his handy power drill gave it some drainage holes.

Same with this big bucket.

My little white potted petunias are reblooming.

These Outbacks are just so unusual looking! I can't get enough of them.

My dianthus is finally blooming this year! I'm so excited. It was really looking dead there for a while, but then one day I realized there were little buds on the ends of some of the stalks, and then the next day there was a little pink at the tip, and then this was today!

Aren't they happy?

Just take a gander at all the buds on these lilies! I can't wait for them to open!

The thyme is TAKING OVER!! Anna, will you do a garden marker for me sometime this summer at the Glaze that says, "Keep Off the Indestructible Thyme"?? I would love it!

This is the stuff that we thought was moss rose.

Thank goodness for this $30 garage sale find! Yay for not sweating to death!

Look at these sweet girls! Right after I snapped this picture, Elph started trying to nurse and Ginger kicked her. She was probably like, "What the heck are you doing down there! Get out!"

But they continued the bath anyway.

And then, for some bizarre reason I don't understand, Dan felt the need to wrap Elphie up in his shower towel.

Look at that pitiful little thing!