The greenhouse ~

In the back of the garden sits this little green house. I use it mostly to store extra pots and wicker baskets. Years ago a friend offered it to us if we could find a way to move it from their property to ours; obviously we did.

So here it sits, tucked away covered with this glorious climbing rose, making it almost hard to find this time of year.

The rose, Rosa Banksiae 'Alba Plena' is  the lesser known variety of the famous yellow form, Lady Banks (which happens in my garden to be growing right along side her sister; it was planted here many decades ago by the former owners of the garden). I planted the white one a few years ago when I first came across it and it has done quite well in this location.

The flowers bloom in multiples down long, slender, torn-less  stems. It is once blooming and has little scent, but in my opinion the lavish abundance and beauty while in bloom makes it worthy of a spot in any garden.

There are some things that make you realize the changing of the seasons, when I walk out and see this rose in flower I know that spring is at it's peak and summer is soon here.

As cute as the greenhouse is, as soon as the rose finishes blooming and I can cut it back a bit, I want to do a few minor repairs, re-glazing in some windows, and definitely, a new coat of paint. There is always something to take care of in a garden!

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Today I finally planted the last of the new dahlia tubers. I went a little overboard with purchasing too many and did that thing that obsessive gardeners do - walking around the garden searching for a spot to plant. It took a while but they are all planted and with care should thrive and grow.

Thank you for visiting.

Adrienne

Looking out ~

"It is not possible for a house to own a spirit without owning windows with flowers."

Mehmet Mural Ilclan

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One of my greatest pleasures is being able to look out a window and see my garden. I am fortunate in having garden views from almost every room in my house - some of course better than others.

kalanchoe "flap jack" and ivy geranium

I took these pictures one afternoon from the windows in my entry hall and living room. The sun was shining, the roses were starting to bloom and in my opinion it looked quite lovely. The bonus from this view, all of the imperfections, notably weeds, were unnoticeable and the flowers were glorious.

roses and golden euronymous

Actually in a design sense this is a good thing to do, as it gives you an opportunity to see and judge a garden from a completely different perspective. I have made several changes in my landscape based on observations made this way.

But the best part is just to be able to enjoy the beauty of the plantings. We talk about borrowed landscape in garden design, well I consider windows with garden views as borrowed enrichment to interior design.

Bewitched hybrid tea rose

I love to bring flowers into the house for bouquets and often do so but it isn't quite so necessary when right outside the window you can see this!

I hope that your day is filled with glorious views.

Thank you for visiting.

Adrienne

Needlepoint pillows ~

While I am watching television I like to have some type of needle work to do, crocheting, knitting, or my favorite: needlepoint. I like needlepoint the best because it is so mindless and takes little concentration other than occasionally changing yarn - no counting of stitches or following a pattern.  It was once described to me as, "idiots delight".

I always make the finished canvas into a pillow, like the cat pillow below; it is one of my favorites. I can't quite decide where to put the other two finished pieces above but eventually I will find a spot.

 

My latest needlepoint project has been this rose pillow. It will be a pillow for a chair in my living room. I have almost dreaded getting it finished because I didn't have a new canvas to work on. I prefer buying kits, they come imprinted and with all of the yarn. But I think because of the lost popularity of needlepoint, kits with pretty designs have become hard to find. I had had this one for quite a while before I started it

So I was really thrilled when I saw this pink hydrangea at JoAnne's. I think is it lovely and the colors are perfect for several rooms in my home. I ordered it on line and it came yesterday; tonight I can get started on it. They take quite a long time for me to finish but that's okay this is one activity where I don't mind a slow pace. Meanwhile I will be keeping my eye out for another kit...or maybe next time I will try buying a blank canvas and designing my own - who knows. 

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"Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses,

A box where sweets compacted lie..."

George Herbert

(April 1593 - March 1633)

I has been a lovely spring day for working outside but I have had tree trimmers here all day making noise and a mess in the garden. The result is that I have had to stay inside, going out occasionally to check on what they are doing. I heard lately of a gardener who left home for a while and came back to see that the wrong tree had been cut to the ground. Horrors! Actually, they are doing a really good job and the results are going to be positive.

Thank you for visiting.

I wish you a wonderful Spring day!