Meet me in the Garden: April 2014 blooms

Can I share a few photos of what's blooming in my yard as of a week ago? I like to keep a photo journal of my yard for three reasons. Number one, I can go back and look at the pictures for pure enjoyment. Number two, it's helpful when I want to divide things later in the season when things are not in bloom. And number three, I love photographing flowers! Even before I discovered my passion for food photography, I was snapping pictures of flowers.

I wasn't born with a green thumb but over the last several years, I've learned so much just by trial and error. If you're new to gardening, or want to experiment with it, rest assured that most flowers and plants are so forgiving. Most of what you see here, I consider to be very low maintenance varieties. And of course if you have any questions, I am happy to help where I can! Also, at the end of the post, I'll be sharing a special invitation from Home Depot and Southern Living so please scroll down and enjoy the beauty!

The bearded iris are gorgeous this year!! They love cold winters and Georgia gave them one this year. I've got a variety of bulbs that my sister gave me when she divided her yard a few years ago. The bearded iris are one of my favorite spring flowers because the blooms last a long time and they make great cut flowers for gifting. You also don't have to bury the bulbs very deep so they're easy and quick to plant.

This is one of two peony plants that I have. These can be a little trickier to grow in Georgia but it's absolutely possible. Just be sure to give them enough afternoon shade and good soil. Like the iris, they love cold winters so the I they have lots of blooms this year. This article will give you more tips and tricks for growing peonies in the south. 

Salvia..the bees love it and I do too! It's such a tidy compact plant that also has a long bloom time and makes great cut flowers.

If you don't have a few knockout roses in your yard, RUN to the closest nursery and pick up a few. I know some people find roses to be a little too common but I adore them. This knockout rose variety blooms all summer, grows quickly and is so low maintenance. I like to prune and fertilize mine early in the season (around March) and then sit back and watch them GROW!

I also have two Lady Banks Rose bushes (one white and one yellow) blooming out back. I planted them last year to help disguise the chain link fence on the back of our property. This is a very aggressive rose bush so be sure you have lots of space for them to run and prune them regularly. They are stunning on fences and arbors!

These hostas (3) have been moved several times around the yard but I think they've found their final resting place in this shady corner with some creeping phlox. The bright lime green really brings life to an otherwise dark spot in the yard.

And finally...this is my sweetest little garden helper who loves to play in the dirt with me. And yes, my hair has looked like this far too often lately. 

Okay, here's the invitation! If you live in the area, Home Depot is cordially inviting you to the "Spring Made Simple"garden party this Saturday (May 10) from 10-4pm at their Acworth, GA location. While you're there, you can check out the new Southern Living plant collection  and pick up a variety of gardening and planting tips from the experts. I attended a few weeks ago at the Atlanta location and it's tons of fun! Happy gardening fellow peaches.

Meet Me in the Garden: Fall Gardening Checklist

Fall is right around the corner and while I love pumpkins and cozy sweaters as much as the next girl, I can't  deny that being in the garden is also tops on my list when it comes to fall favorites. There's something so therapeutic about preparing for winter and planning for spring. And being outside when the temperatures start to drop is just heavenly. A few days ago I got together with my sister and a friend for our annual gardening meeting which consists of breakfast at the coffee house, pouring over gardening catalogs and placing a bulk order of bulbs to share among us. After leaving the coffee house, I quickly made a fall checklist to do over the next month. Now, let's just hope the weather cooperates! 

Plant spring bulbs - These bulbs need to get in the ground before it gets too cold. Be sure to spread a thin layer of mulch over top to keep them warm all winter. There is nothing more thrilling than seeing little green tips of tulips, daffodils and iris peeking up at the first sign of spring!

Store tender bulbs - If you live in cooler climates or further north, you may need to store tender bulbs like dahlias, cannas and callas. I actually do not do this here in Georgia because it doesn't really get too cold and they've seemed to survive thus far.

Divide and cut back perennials - Fall is a great time to dig up and divide perennials like hostas, iris, black eyed susan and lilies. Here's a helpful guide to dividing perennials if you've never conquered this daunting task. One of my favorite things about doing this is sharing with friends! My sister and I love visiting each others houses and looking at all the perennials we've traded over the years.

Plant trees and shrubs - If you're dreaming of planting new trees and shrubs, now is the perfect time. The plants have time to take root before the harsh winter and will later enjoy a gentle spring before the scorching summer. 

Clean out rose beds - Fallen rose foliage can be a haven for diseases that set in next spring. Give roses a healthy start by removing this debris now and laying down a fresh layer mulch.

Top dress garden beds - Now that I've removed much of my summer vegetable garden like my tomatoes and cucumbers, I plan on adding some compost for the next season. Last fall I didn't have much luck with my garden but I'm gonna give it my best try again this season and hope the animals don't host their Thanksgiving dinner at my expense!

How do you prepare your space for cooler weather? 

* image credit 

Meet Me in the Garden: Azaleas Tips

The past few days have been emotionally exhausting.  My heart aches for Boston.  Like many of you, I've been glued to the news for answers.  Why? How?  I had to step away from the talk radio and the TV for a break and it feels selfish saying that since so many people don't have that luxury.  To just turn it off.  To step away.  They're mourning and grief stricken and my prayers are with them.

I've found some solace in my garden the past few days.  We've been working on some landscaping projects which include two new trees, six new rose bushes, three hydrangea and a handful of azalea.  It seems the Masters always encourages me to throw a few more azaleas in the ground.  I gathered a few tips for planting and caring for azaleas and I thought I'd share them today.  That's the thing I've come to love about gardening.  You share, you grow and you leave the world a brighter place.

• Plant azaleas with the top of the root ball just slightly above the soil level.
• When watering, wet both the soil and the foliage since azaleas absorb moisture through both the ground and their leaves.
• In spring, after blooms fade, fertilize with acid-forming fertilizer like Hollytone.
• Don't worry about mulching in the fall.  It might cause heat to remain in the soil, delaying dormancy and increasing the chance for winter damage.
• Azaleas enjoy filtered sunlight and regular watering.
• Prune time is critical! The best time to prune is within 3 weeks after blooming so that the plant has plenty of time to make buds for next year.
• When planting azaleas, create visual interest by layering colors and various types.

*pink garden bag and tool set // hollytone // image

Meet me in the garden: Plant now

Allium

Daffodil

Tulips

Iris

Oriental Lily

It's hard to think about spring blooms right now when garden mums are being sold everywhere in mass quantities. (Yes Home Depot, I'm talking to you!) But the more I garden, the more I learn that I have to anticipate the future.

Sure, I love a gorgeous mum as much as the next girl and can never resist potting a few for the front porch but now is the time to focus my attention on spring blooming bulbs and shrubs that need to get into the ground before winter arrives.  Here are five of my favorite spring blooming bulbs that I can plant now and enjoy later!  After a long winter, there's nothing that makes me happier than little tips of green peeking up in the garden come springtime.

* photo credit: allium, daffodil

* other flower photos are from my yard

Meet me in the Garden

Hi fellow peaches! I'm so excited to introduce a new series to you called, "Meet me in the Garden."  

I am definitely a beginning gardener.  Anything you see on this blog from my garden, you can certainly do too!  This series is intended to be motivating and I really hope that those of you with a green thumb will weigh in with your expertise too.  I know you're out there!  

I also love the idea of keeping dibs on my garden's transformation through the years.  However, you may see some "inspiration" photos in this series, just for good measure.  

Most of my experience is with flowers but I hope to take the plunge into vegetable gardening this year using the "New Square Foot Gardening " method.  Have any of you tried this?  If so, I'm all ears for tips and suggestions!  

Today I'm highlighting my tulips which just finished blooming. I planted them last fall in hopes of some bright spring color.  I simply threw the bulbs in with some potting soil using a simple bulb planter and wa-la!  My only regret is that I didn't plant more.

What's your favorite spring bloom?