life is just a bowl of cherries

Almost three years ago, on my husband and my anniversary, we planted a cherry tree. It's a beautiful tree in the springtime with delicate cherry blossoms and then full of fruit in the summer. What a great anniversary gift to ourselves!

freshly picked

~photo by Inside the Pomegranate~

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

I snapped this photo this week while on a walk. Isn't springtime beautiful?

Happy Friday!

lilacs in bloom, part 2

I headed back over to the University of Wisconsin Arboretum yesterday so see how the lilacs were coming along, and sure enough, they were incredible. Now, at their peak, their fragrance wafted through the air and their frilly blossoms danced with every gust of wind. It was lovely! Here are a few of the photos I snapped on my little walk through the lilac grove.  

down a path, so many lilacs to enjoy!

double petaled and lavender in color

double petaled, with various shades

beautiful!

a true pink lilac

star shaped petals and lavender in color

a few varieties...

perfection.

aren't they lovely?

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!

lilacs in bloom, part 1

It's one of my favorite times of year - the time when lilacs bloom! It's hard for me to pick a favorite flower, but if I absolutely had to chose, lilacs would win out. I took a nice stroll through the UW-Aboretum yesterday, and I snapped some of these early lilacs. The Arboretum looked gorgeous; with late blooming magnolias still going strong, crabapples & redbuds in bloom, and lilacs entering the mix. I think the full lilac grove with be in peak bloom in a few days. If you're in Madison, it's a must see. And, the fragrance is divine. Allergies be damned, lilacs are too beautiful to miss!

a lavender colored lilac with a
teeny white rim around the petals 

four petaled, pink - classic!

a pinkish lavender with some opened
and some closed blossoms

this one will be a beauty in a couple of days!

double petaled and more saturated - I love this one!

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!

magnolias in bloom, part 2

I can't seem to get enough of the beautiful magnolias in bloom at the University of Wisconsin Arboretum, just a mile or so away from my home. Yesterday I was back at the lovely grounds, and  here are a few photos I took. 

While the star magnolias were in full bloom last week, many of the stunning saucer magnolias are now at their peak. It's wonderful to be able to enjoy springtime!

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!

magnolias in bloom

Spring, though very late this year, is finally here. At the top of my list of spring favorites, are the magnolias at the UW-Madison Arboretum where the quantity and variety of these lovely trees is quite impressive. The star magnolias are blooming, with all of their showy petals dancing in the warm breeze, sitting underneath these beauties is a perfect way to spend part of a spring day. Here are a few I photographed. 

Click onto to the photos for a larger image.

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!

pretty in pastels

Maybe it's because springtime is here, but I've been drawn to pastels lately. These softer hues fit the season of new growth and new blooms perfectly. 

a grove with springtime blooms...lovely!

I love this dress from Anthropologie -
perfectly suited for warmer days

aren't these beautiful?

cool powder blue -
reminds me of all things Jane Austen!

delicate maidenhair fern - spring green & one of my favorites

~unless noted, photo credits unknown~

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~