Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Garden Party!

Rhoda at Southern Hospitality was kind enough to a Garden Party at her home. I would like to invite y'all into my garden. Come on in, ya'll.....
We'll look around......

Oh! Look at that basil. It's so hearty and delicious in so many dishes!

This is my little patio garden.This pot holds some cherry tomatoes. My kids will go out and "pick and pop" them right off of the vine and into their mouths. Also in there is banana peppers, green peppers, lemon balm, cilantro and dill.

This peace lilly sits on my deck. It is shaded, so it is happy. The blooms are popping up everywhere. The lily was a gift from my friend Janet. I think of her when I see it.

My mother bought my this plant. It used to have little white blooms all over it but I almost allowed it to get away from me in the heat. I hope they will return. I planted it in a fountain that my sweet cousin Beckie gave me. I think it looks so pretty in it! Beckie was so kind to give it to me.

This plant was a gift from my friend Deborah. I loved it's little curly leaves. And to my surprise, it even blooms these sweet little dainty pink flowers.

A geranium. The pot it is in was used in mine and Big Daddy's wedding reception. We had several that held ferns. They sat on the buffet tables. Now I put the geraniums in them because where they are receives alot of sun.

This massive tree is a Jade! Ok, this really is an unbelievable story, but it is the honest truth. Big Daddy's great grandmother immigrated to the United States from Italy/Croatia region. She came by boat. Taking with her to the new country, she brought over a jade plant. This jade plant is a direct descendant from that original jade. Grandpa, as mentioned before, has a green thumb. Apparently it was inherited. Grandpa had several jades (as do most all the family members). If you take a single leaf from the jade plant and stick it directly into the dirt, it will grow, as this one did-from Great grandma's jade. We have had this one for 12 years. It was one of Grandpa's. There is no telling how old it is. I need to repot it. But I love it's history.

Thank goodness this little guy has a smile on his face. I was frowning when I saw that the chives growing out of his head had received to much water. I had to give him a haircut. Doesn't he look Hawaiian? He reminds me of that dreaded tiki from the Brady Bunch episode. Remember, it caused alot of trouble? But I like this guy. He makes me smile too.

This is a flowering cactus. Big Daddy's grandfather gave it to us about 8 years ago. When it blooms it has huge star shaped pink flowers on it. And that chair, my friend Deborah gave it to me. Her husband Phil made it. I have good friends. And good family.

I do not know what this is called. My mother gave it to me a couple weeks ago (already in the pot). It is gorgeous with it's green and pink leaves. Hey Mom, if you are reading, look at the middle left, there is new growth or a new plant coming from it.
And I adore my bird girl. I am really quite obsessed with her. My infatuation began about 10 years ago after I read the book, "In the Garden of Good and Evil". Which is a great book, BTW, and it does tie into the theme of gardening.....

Yellow mums. They bloom in several times a year. I got them at Sams in the fall. They came in huge pots for 15 bucks.

Hibiscus. They have huge blooms, about the size of an average plate. They feel so tropical. But I have to take care of them. The beetles like them too.

This pot has a variety of things in it. On the ground blooming all around it, is fresh mint. I love fresh mint in my lemonade, on strawberries, mojitos...and it smells so good.

I don't know what this is called, but I like it's red leaves.

Gardenia Bush. What a glorious smell!

Sage. That little yellow and brown butterfly likes it.

Double Flowering Japanese Karia (I hope I didn't misspell that). It is like forsythia in that it grows like mad and has yellow blooms. I wanted one because as a child my mother had one that grew by my childhood home. I think of it and how pretty it was.

Leigh's Blue Berry Bush. My favorite varieties are Climax and Premier. These varieties seem to be the sweetest to me. I love to go pick at Petals from the Past because you can try the varieties and decide what your favorite is.

Holly Hocks. An heirloom flower indeed. I love these flowers, lifting their mighty heads to the world. They seem so confident, yet still so delicate. Don't they look like a flamenco dancer?

a "garden bunny" hiding amongst the hedges (Wow. They need trimming...)

Purple Salvia (I think it is what it is). Oh, no-needs weedeating....

Lantana. It is so easy to grow. As with everything in my garden, If it isn't easy. I don't grow it.

Portulica (perhaps misspelled). Also called Texas Rose. Oh, these little flowers love the heat. You cannot kill these flowers. I like that!

Hummingbird Love..... For they help my little garden grow.

And that my friends, has been a stroll through my little garden. I hope you enjoyed yourselves. I did. I have said it before time and again, that love is like a garden. If you tend to it is grows and flourishes if not, you have a patch of weeds. That can be said of any relationship.
As I walked through my garden today, I realized that my garden is a simile of my relationships & friendships. And in my garden are little reminders of the special friendships that I have been blessed with. And how they continue to grow and florish. Indeed, I am blessed!

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Consider yourself blessed too! Oprah and KFC have teamed up giving everyone in America who responds before tomorrow a free meal from Kentucky Fried Chicken! Perfect for a outdoor garden picnic. Click Here to take you to the coupon. Don't give up. It took many clicks on my end for the link to finally work. It kept saying broken link but it did finally work for me. Problems? There is an email address you can write to if you experience problems trying to get your coupon.

Be sure to join me tomorrow for Thrifty Thursday!
Details Here.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!

11 comments:

Kelly said...

Loved the tour! I did a similar post a week or so ago on all the heirloom flowers I have in my yard. I love the pot from your wedding. That is so cool. Oh, and BTW, do you like Mark Knopfler, you know, from Dire Straits? He sings a song called Our Shangri-la. It's a great song, kinda beachy, surfy. I bet you'd like it.

Glitter & Bliss said...

Absolutely amazing!!! You put my little garden spots to shame.

KBeau said...

Your garden has some beautiful things in it. That plant with the pretty red leaves is a variety of coleus.

Chandy said...

Oh my, Leigh, I love your garden! Such beautiful plants reside there! I hope to add more to my plants as well as dh wants a tropical theme to our patio, but we're undecided as we are also moving again by summer 2010. (sigh)

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

How pretty, Leigh! I think you've got it all covered. Is all that blooming right now?? If so you are way ahead of me. I've got a pretty hibiscus, but it's barely out of the ground yet. I love the story of the jade tree, that is so cool.

I'll link up to your Thrifty party tomorrow too.

Mari said...

I'm a little green over here - and not because of my garden! Yours is making me jealous!

Keetha Broyles said...

Oh I LOVE the smiling chive jar head!!!!

PS - - - did you know that you don't have to buy the colored sugar water for your hummingbird feeder? 1 part table sugar to 3 parts water will work just fine - - - better even as the food coloring isn't very good for the little jewel birdies. We've been colorless around here for years and years now, still get tons of hummers as long as there is red on the feeder.

Tammy said...

Your flowers are all so beautiful!! I am WAY behind on my flower beds this year. And the weeds have made themselves at home. But this weekend I am kicking them all out.

I had NO idea you could put a peace lily outside in the shade. I thought it would kill it. Mine need a bath!

Jadehollow said...

Leigh.. Everything is amazing.. You have so many wonderful plants. I'm jealous that you have cherry tomatoes already and Basil!! The red leaf coleus is getting huge.
Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Debbie

Carla said...

How wonderful! And thanks for the hummingbird reminder, its time to put mine out for my little friends:)

Anonymous said...

I love the story about your jade. We have lots of passed down plants at our house too but none have stories as good as this one!

I am pretty sure the plant your mom gave you is called coleus. There are many different kinds of coleus & I don't know which one this is. The red plant is also another coleus. I have some just like it.

I love the Texas rose too! We call them moss roses here. Great post. Jen