flowerful friday - flashback to summer

I think for those of us who love to garden, in the off season months we dream of next year's blooms and remember last year's beauties. I looked through my garden and flower photos from this past summer and came across this June bouquet that I particularly loved. 

Nothing like some summer colors to cheer up a grey day!

flowerful friday

We've had incredibly warm weather this fall making for a unusually showy November garden. Colder weather is forecast for the weekend, and I *think* these are the last of this year's blooms. 

Summer colors even into November!

sunshine, tea, and a garden - a holy trinity

After being sick for a few days, this morning, I was able to sit out in the garden and enjoy a cup of tea. The sun was shining and the birds were singing, and everything felt right for a few moments.

sunshine, tea, and a garden -
a holy trinity, in my book

flowerful friday

We moved from Madison to the Milwaukee area almost 2 years ago. The first year in the house we didn't have a garden, and I felt like a huge piece of me was missing. So this year when I was able to get a garden going I was so thankful. 

We've had incredible weather this autumn so the growing season has been especially long. I just cut what I think are the last of my dahlias for the year. Bittersweet, but beautiful. 

from the garden -
red dahlias, blue borage, and orange nasturtiums 

my garden...

It's that time of summer when my garden is going strong, with bright blooms everywhere in sight. Here are a few photos I took a few days ago. So happy it's summertime!

various shades of green

wispy cosmos

I adore these sweet smelling phlox

lots of variety

colorful geraniums

snapdragons

~all photos by Inside the Pomegranate~

a tour of olbrich botanical gardens

Let's take a little tour of Olbrich Botanical Gardens today...

Care to join me for a walk?

Their gardens have so
many colors and textures

and a beautiful reflection pool

let's not forget the impressive herb garden

Shall we take this path? 

The gorgeous view from a look-out tower

~ all photos by Inside the Pomegranate ~

flowerful friday: clematis in bloom

Clematis are in full bloom, and these flowering vines add so much color and interest to garden spaces. There are so many varieties of clematis, so it's not unusual to see a wide range of petal shapes and colors. On a recent visit to Olbrich Botanical Gardens here in Madison, the clematis were blooming most beautifully. I snapped a few photographs of these stunning climbers. Did you know that wild clematis are native to China? By the 17th century, they could be found in Japanese gardens, and they reached European gardens by the 18th century. I'm happy to have a few clematis in my own garden. Do you have them growing in your garden too?

Happy Friday!

~photos by Inside the Pomegranate~

flowerful friday: lavender from the garden

With its delicate and relaxing scent, lavender is one of my favorites. I've never had a lot of luck growing it here in Madison, but happily this year my lavender plants came back and are flourishing. There's nothing quite like just a few sprigs of fragrant lavender to bring indoors to enjoy.

flowerful friday: (more) peonies from the garden

The peonies in my garden this year seem to be doing especially well. Perhaps it's the cool start to the season or all of the rain, regardless, the results have been lovely. I couldn't help but having another peony post since these top heavy beauties won't be blooming for much longer.  

Happy Friday! And, a very happy anniversary to my mom & dad!

flowerful friday: peonies from the garden

Another joy of springtime are when peonies open up their full and heavy blooms. They lend so much color, texture, and fragrance to our gardens. No wonder they are at the top of so many of our "favorites" list.

flowerful friday - irises from the garden

It's now time for irises to show themselves off. With their frilly petals that waver in the wind, they are so pretty, and their fragrance is so light and gentle. Here's a few apricot and purple ones I photographed.

flowerful friday

Last fall, my mom and I split a huge order of tulips, and now we're reaping the benefits of digging all of those holes. They're a multicolored variety, which brings so much cheery color to the garden. I cut a bunch for a bouquet, but since our allergies are so bad I haven't been able to bring them inside. So, they're sitting on our screened-in porch for us to enjoy. Aren't the colors beautiful?

Happy Friday!

my springtime garden

The springtime garden is such a happy place for all of us who love to garden. Every which way we look we can see new growth and new buds and blooms. I'm slow to get my garden going this year, but this morning I was able to spend a good hour or so doing what I love - pulling weeds, tidying up the space, and planting a few new items. Here's a little glimpse into my springtime garden.

allium, close-up
I planted these bulbs last fall, so I'm
excited to see them bloom for the 1st time!

another shot of allium

cherry blossoms from our fruit tree

tiny grape hyacinths with lavender,
mint, and chives scattered here and there

one of my favorites - the lilac in our front yard garden
the scent is divine and the petals are beautiful!

not the showiest of flowers, but these lungworts
add so much to my little shade garden
on the north side of our house

flowerful friday - from the springtime garden

The bulbs in my garden are continuing to bloom, adding lots of little bursts of color here and there. I picked these four - checkered lily, daffodil, leucojum (aka spring snowflake), and grape hyacinth - to cluster together for a cute, informal arrangement.  

Happy Friday!

flowerful friday: a spring bouquet from the garden

I picked these from my garden, and I love the mix of cheerful spring colors. The fragrance is heavenly. 

Happy Friday!

flowerful friday - daffodils

What says spring better than daffodils? Along with chirping robins, daffodils are quintessentially springtime. 

I love these cheerful flowers. They're blooming in my neighborhood now, lending bright bursts of color to gardens. 

Happy Friday!

flowerful friday: crocuses from the garden

Well, spring is here and while it's been rainy and cool, the crocuses in my garden are blooming. What a welcome burst of color they bring to the early spring garden! I snipped a few to enjoy indoors. Isn't their purple hue so bright and brilliant?

1st day in the garden

On Sunday it was the first day this spring I've worked in the garden - cleaning up dead branches, pulling out old growth, and tiding up for the long awaited new season. The sun was out, the birds were singing, and it was so nice to be back in my garden. We've gotten lots of rain today and more is in the forecast. I can't wait to see what these April showers have in store. Meanwhile, here are a few photos of incredible garden spaces.

~photo credit unknown~

flowerful friday: english roses

Rose season is still a ways off here where I live, but as I was cleaning up and organizing my photos recently, I came across these shots of two English roses I have growing in our garden. Their fragrances are so perfectly scented. 

flowerful friday: hydrangea

My husband brought home the loveliest bouquet of hydrangeas a week or so ago. With their flowerheads full of paper-thin petals, they lent a little burst of summer to our home. Here's a close-up of one I snapped. 

Hydrangeas are native to southern and eastern Asia and the Americas. I can't wait for the hydrangeas in our garden to bloom.

Happy Friday!