Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Plaisirs Simples ~ Dogwood



My little Dogwood tree is blooming! For those of you in other areas this might not seem so extraordinary but here it is very special. This little tree has struggled mightily to bloom in my inhospitable zone 9-10 garden.
I mail ordered it a few years ago because I think that Dogwood trees are very beautiful and although it's growth has been slow, it is now about four feet tall, every year it consistently puts out more and more blooms. This year, perhaps because of all the rain is the best yet, and along with my little friends that you see here I am enjoying each and every flower.












Do you have any plants in your garden that really don't belong there but you try to grow? I suffer from a bad case of Peony envy.  I keep hoping that someone will hybridize a Peony that requires less chill to bloom, but so far no luck. Oh how I long to have peonies



This post has been linked to: http://alittleofthisandthat2.blogspot.com/, http://fishtailcottage.blogspot.com/, http://arosynote.blogspot.com/, http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Posted by quotidienns at

40 comments:

  1. Adrienne ShubinApril 13, 2011 at 6:56 PM

    "Peony envy". So funny!
    We have a dogwood in our front yard but I don't think it's doing much yet. I will have to check. Aren't they beautiful plants/trees?

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  2. hostess of the humble bungalowApril 13, 2011 at 7:03 PM

    How lovely Adrienne...

    We have one that overhangs our driveway, the Dogwood is also the tree for our province of B.C.

    I try to grow plants that thrive in our zone.

    I wish that Datura's would be hardy in our zone but they are very tender...as are some of the echeverrias which I adore.

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  3. HeatherApril 13, 2011 at 8:08 PM

    What a lovely little tree. I share your "peony envy". Another plant that I love but we cannot grow is a hosta. I remember seeing hostas in the midwest and finding them very pretty.

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  4. Jacqueline~Cabin and CottageApril 13, 2011 at 9:01 PM

    No Peonies here either! boo! They are so expensive to buy. I can only feel good about getting them once in the season. But you see them everywhere on blogs and magazines. IT ISN'T FAIR!! Your dogwood is very pretty! None of those here either! Thanks so much for your visits Adrienne!

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  5. ShandaApril 13, 2011 at 9:07 PM

    Beautiful. I love any color in my yard...even dandelions!!! I once planted a garden from plants I collected from the wild. I was so proud of it until my husband came home and told me they were weeds. But they were beautiful :)

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  6. Fishtail CottageApril 13, 2011 at 9:27 PM

    Thanks so much for linking up to Cottage Flora Thursdays! Excited that you love peonies ~ I have several to share w/you soon. I continue to divide them to spread them throughout the garden...love cutting them and bringing them inside! Your dogwood is beautiful! I have yet to see any flowers on white dogwoods and they've been planted for four years...I envy you!!! Xoxo, tracie

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  7. TrishApril 13, 2011 at 10:40 PM

    Your white Dogwood is beautiful!
    We have a pink one :-)
    They are lovely trees and add such a delicate beauty to Spring.
    blessings..Trish

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  8. Musings from Kim K.April 14, 2011 at 3:47 AM

    Your dogwood pictures are just gorgeous. We have several peony bushes that we transplanted from my grandmother's house and brought with us to our new house. By the end of May, I'll be sharing them on the blog and will think of you. We definitely have lots of CHILLY months in West MI.

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  9. AnonymousApril 14, 2011 at 4:01 AM

    These are beautiful images, Adrienne. Our dogwood is beginning to bloom. You inspire me to get a few photos this morning.

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  10. UnknownApril 14, 2011 at 4:19 AM

    I love your photo's of your garden. The clip with the birds is beautiful. You could win a prize with this picture. I'm sorry you cant keep peonies..I would be lost without mine and my Lilacs..I have to have many of these in my garden. We are just getting out in the garden here in the North East..the last pile of snow finaly melted away...

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  11. Mother NatureApril 14, 2011 at 4:41 AM

    I just love the little birdbath in the foreground and the dogwoods in the background.

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  12. AnonymousApril 14, 2011 at 5:49 AM

    Just lovely! Your garden is saying hello to the new season :)

    Mrs. M.

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  13. CindyApril 14, 2011 at 6:42 AM

    Gorgeous photos of Dogwoods....

    I like the peony envy...I was like that too several years ago and I finally got one to bloom and was in heaven...since then I have sold that home and now I am back to peony envy. :)

    Great post.
    Hugs,
    Cindy

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  14. Southwest Cottage DesignsApril 14, 2011 at 7:27 AM

    I love your heading photos, and the Dogwood is so pretty. I'm your new follower and look forward to visiting again to see more of your beautiful flowers and gardening ideas.

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  15. ClausApril 14, 2011 at 7:38 AM

    I try, and try and try to grow two things: lavender and a tomato plant! without - I'm sorry to confess - any positive outcome. Why?! I take really good care of things, and while they "start" to come out of soil, they eventually die. The luck.
    Lovely flower! I think I saw Martha Stewart make a craft with paper dogwood flowers. I got an idea from it! :o)
    have a lovely day!

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  16. OliveApril 14, 2011 at 7:46 AM

    I am so happy you have blooms on that tree. We have lost all our blooms and the yard is peppered with white. Dogwoods are so lovely. You must try a pink one next. ♥O

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  17. UnknownApril 14, 2011 at 8:47 AM

    OH so lovely and the little bird bath is wonderful! I have always loved dogwoods.

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  18. Nikki (Sarah)April 14, 2011 at 9:01 AM

    what great shots of these beautiful flowers....Spring is definitely in the air and love that little bird bath.

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  19. Life in RehabApril 14, 2011 at 10:19 AM

    I'm originally from NC, and I love dogwoods. I never thought to try one here!

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  20. ornellaApril 14, 2011 at 11:02 AM

    che bei fiori...non li conosco . Che tenerezza quegli uccellini ! Un Bacio Ornella

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  21. Ldy ~~ DyApril 14, 2011 at 12:40 PM

    Your dogwood tree is so very pretty!! Thanks for dropping in! Your photos are fab!! Hugs!

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  22. Dayle ~ A Collection of DaysApril 14, 2011 at 3:43 PM

    I do love dogwoods. I've never been brave enough to try them (I'm in the same climate zone as you). Maybe I'll give it a try one year. Yours is beautiful.

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  23. DebbieApril 14, 2011 at 5:26 PM

    I love a dogwood. I recently decided that a pink one was my favorite flowering tree.

    I smiled in memory when you said you had peony envy. My mother loves them, and they do not grow in our climate like they did where she was raised. She worked for years to get some peonies to bloom. It was one of her greatest simple pleasures to achieve that.

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  24. TriciaApril 14, 2011 at 5:30 PM

    Those flowers look so beautiful! I would love to have wisteria :)

    ~Tricia

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  25. Ms.DaisyApril 14, 2011 at 7:21 PM

    Adrienne,
    I think the dogwood is one of the most beautiful of the flowering trees and I am so happy that yours is flowering and flourishing. Thank you for stopping by and commenting on my Simple Pleasure.


    ~Jean

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  26. Pam KesslerApril 14, 2011 at 7:34 PM

    Beautiful photos. I do have peonies, so I can envy your dogwood (I kill them) and in a month or so you can envy my peony.

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  27. Connie in HartwoodApril 14, 2011 at 8:39 PM

    Want to know something funny? There's a lovely woman in NJ who has a nursery named "Peony's Envy". No kidding.

    I think it's miraculous that you have a blooming dogwood in your climate. BOTH of your thumbs must be green. It's in the nature of true gardeners to push their perceived gardening limits. Me? I planted two roses to climb the side of my house last fall ... knowing that they may not be the type that are hardy here. With the warm brick on the south side of the house, and protection from the winter wind, both of them made it just fine.
    Connie

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  28. TriciaApril 14, 2011 at 8:42 PM

    I'm back again Adrienne. I just wanted to say thanks for sharing your pretty pictures at Photo Feature Friday :)

    Tricia ♥

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  29. Valerie@chateaualamode.typepad.comApril 14, 2011 at 9:15 PM

    Lucky you getting that Dogwood to grow. I too live in the 9-10 zone and I swear nothing beautiful will grow here. I would love Peonies too.

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  30. BohemianApril 14, 2011 at 9:23 PM

    Oh how beautiful your Garden is... and your photography of it too!

    Blessings from the AZ Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

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  31. Barbara PilcherApril 15, 2011 at 5:03 AM

    Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos via A Rosy Note. Clearly, you have the gift of a photographer's eye.

    If it is any consolation to your peony envy, remember that compared to the rest of the U.S., you get a longer gardening season. I am sure you could make us jealous with the variety of things you can grow.

    Here in North Carolina, I don't get to grow lilacs and lupines and tulips and other things that like a cool season. Oh, well, can't have everything.

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  32. BohemianApril 15, 2011 at 9:52 AM

    Thanks for stopping by with such sweet words. Yes, I make Bohemian Bags and thank you for your compliment. I can't take credit for every bag photographed... some are my creations and others are a collection made by one of my fav Fabric Artists/Designers Robin Brown of Magnolia Pearl. I've loved Carpet Bags since the 60's and have some Vintage ones... making them and working with Vintage Fabrics feeds my Soul and my G-Kids love them so its a nice useful way to have them inherit the old Bohemian Bling too. *winks*

    Have a wonderful weekend... Dawn... The Bohemian

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  33. Linda (More Fun Less Laundry)April 16, 2011 at 7:42 AM

    Your photos of the dogwood blossoms are beautiful! The dogwood is our state tree here in CT and when they are in bloom we see them everywhere. I have a few in my yard, including a pink one which is in very sad shape as it is quite old. I love them! Isn't it funny how we all would like to have plants from other parts of the country. I think you are in California, and I am always so envious of your long growing season and the bouganvilla! (how do you spell that? you know what I mean! :)) We have peonies here too. They are difficult to grow but so worth it! Linda

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  34. Travel With LuluApril 16, 2011 at 9:26 AM

    I just love dogwoods - having them in the same garden blooming at the same time would really be something, wouldn't it?

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  35. Carola BartzApril 16, 2011 at 9:34 AM

    Adrienne, I love your little dogwood - and those birds as well. I can understand your longing for peonies. They belong to my favorite flowers and I'm glad to have five of them in my garden - the tree peonies are already in bloom and almost gone, but the bushy ones are still to come. I love them.

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  36. DonnaApril 16, 2011 at 10:43 AM

    Your dogwood tree is lovely, one of my favorite flowering trees. Beautiful photos.
    I'm still hoping my wisteria will flower (maybe I'm cutting it back too much??)

    Hugs,
    Donna

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  37. The Charm of HomeApril 18, 2011 at 3:18 PM

    Your dogwood is gorgeous! I love your photos. Thanks for linking it up!
    Sherry

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  38. Ann from On Sutton PlaceApril 18, 2011 at 3:29 PM

    Hello...I'm in Ohio and we have peonies everywhere...but it's still so cold here that none have bloomed. I don't personally have any...they are a bit too buggy (ants especially) for me. But I do love them. Thanks for visiting my blog...I so appreciate it. ~Ann

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  39. Liz @ the Brambleberry CottageMay 12, 2011 at 1:07 PM

    I love dogwood trees. The woods all around our farm come alive with dogwood blossoms for a few weeks each spring. It truly is a breathtaking sight. I'm so glad yours is a survivor. ;)

    Blessings,
    Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage
    http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogsot.com/

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  40. Sanghamitra Bhattacherjee(Mukherjee)June 28, 2011 at 9:01 AM

    Stunning blog...gorgeous pics and beautiful write ups! Happy to visit you :)
    Hope to see you on my site:)

    ReplyDelete

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