Author: Sharman Burson Ramsey

 

END OF APRIL COLOR

Pippa's Song

Robert Browning

THE year 's at the spring,
And day 's at the morn;
Morning 's at seven;
The hill-side 's dew-pearl'd;
The lark 's on the wing;	5
The snail 's on the thorn;
God 's in His heaven—
All 's right with the world!

The poppies and Larkspur bring beautiful color to the garden. I love planting seeds and watching them grow. The anticipation builds as the green begins to burst forth from the earth. 

The David Austin Roses have begun to  color my world. Coming from the arbor with chicken wire to help the Generous  Gardener grow up over the arbor to join the Confederate  Jasmine growing from the other side. Starting with the Generous Gardener growing up the arbor and going left you see Thomas a Becket, Gabriel Oak, Benjamin Britten, Raould  Dahl,  Jude the Obscure, Winchester Cathedral, Lady of Shallot, Olivia Rose Austin, Queen of Sweden and Ancient Mariner. 

As soon as they arrived Molly and I removed them from the box and placed the roots in water. I organized the double seater baby buggy that I use to help me organize things I will need in the yard with chicken manure in one seat and biotone in another. Each hole got water, manure and biotone. Most recently I  fertilized with rose tone around the drip line of  each rose, spread chicken manure over the fertilizer,   and then with the pitchfork, a tool I had never had any use for before, I worked it all together.  Severe arthritis has one finding lots of ways to do things differently. 

I planted this area of seeds from a Burpee packet of perennial seeds plus some Shasta Daisy seeds and Coneflower seeds. They are in front of the poppies and Larkspur. I can identify some Yarrow there, but what else pops up will be a surprise. I must admit that I am not really sure what is now or will be coming up. Also in that bed are a peach tree, two satsuma trees, two blueberry bushes, and a fig tree. A lemon tree is in front of the pergola along with the mini garden and an olive tree grows next to the patio. 

My statues and fountain came from Arts Concrete Yard Ornaments 

25 Nathan Rd, Daleville, AL 36322. 

Where's Lola? 

The Butterfly Garden now has a butterfly beach made with sand and cow mature. The strawberry jar has a cherry tomato planted in it as well. Yarrow prospers there as well as coneflower, Mexican petunias and lantana. The cobalt blue strawberry jar has mint planted in it because mint is hard to control.

This was once the playhouse. I had Tex Rankin and his son add the French doors and Pergola. Notice that the steps are shallow and wide. I have VERY bad knees and serious arthritis so this helps immensely. 

Meet Claudine. She spoke to me at Home Goods one day and so I brought her home. Molly and I planted snap peas and lettuce in this little garden. We also planted hollyhocks, spinach and green beans on the other side of those cobblestones. 

Lavender grows on one side of the David Austin rose garden. I planted Yarrow and sage on the other side, but I only see yarrow growing. The sage must be harder to germinate. 

Notice the arbor over the lady at the well statue. New Dawn rose and Confederate Jasmine are blooming  well together. Lilies of various kinds meander around to the gravel path. Some of those lilies are daylilies that came from In the Neighborhood Daylilies in Ozark, others are beautiful pink lilies that were given to me by sweet Mary Kirkland who took care of our family for many years. 

Meet Gigi.

I find pittosporum a necessary element of flower arranging. Looks like the Boston ivy likes the basket. 

Meet the Professor sitting on the bench with a cup of coffee. These are limelight hydrangeas. I planted Formosa Azaleas under/between the ligustrum that show up beautifully when they bloom.