I very much enjoyed my trip to Millstone Meadows Daylily Farm in Morganton, NC. I’ve made a slideshow for you–please enjoy!

Mark and Sara Hord welcomed me and others this weekend for a delightful tour of their Millstone Meadow Daylily Farm. It was a grand feast for the eyes and I shot more photos than can fit in one post so this is the first of the series. They book special parties and events. You could [...]

Here I am standing beside one of my ‘Incrediball’ hydrangeas. Just look for yourself! I have written lots about this hydrangea…use my search at the end of the page to find them all. Just amazing! These photos were taken June 26th, 2010.

I’m so pleased with ‘Snow Princess’ lobularia. Here she is keeping company with a cucumber vine and Mexican Petunia. Look at how I’ve layered the arrangement. It has been so hot and humid in the 90′s with over 50% humidity. I tested ‘Snow Princess’ last year and purchased it for myself this season. Just magnificent [...]

Just had to share a few alliums growing in the flower beds of downtown Blowing Rock.

Enter your caption here and I’ll pick a winner. I don’t even know what I’m going to give away but it will be good. I have a lot of cool connections.

I can’t make any promises but after a recent suspicious encounter with Tomato Blight, sprayed my Bloom Mix by Flowergardengirl on the affected areas and it’s gone. Bloom Mix by Flowergardengirl doubles as an insecticidal soap and will kill bugs. Bloom Mix by Flowergardengirl is engineered with microbial parts and will absorb through the cell [...]

Just thought you might like to see the blooms on my ‘Invincibelle Spirit’ hydrangea. It’s hugely popular this year and a portion of the proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I love this shrub…Grows a bit slow the first year but really takes off the second.

I must as always have coneflowers! Above you see it with agastache ‘Golden Jubilee’ and the hydrangea ‘Invincibelle’ Especially contrasting with the daisies. And she looks elegant along side ‘Miss Ruby’ buddleia The bees are impressed. And in their life, they display so many different shades of pink.

The first day of Summer 2010 found me out in the garden and it was 94 degrees. One of the reasons we garden bloggers like to blog is to document our gardens. Above is the Spring and Autumn of 2008. Summer 2008 was the year of the Supertunia Vista Silverberry. Some people prefer my gardens [...]

‘Azurri Satin’ Rose of Sharon by Proven Winners Plants is a repeat performer in my garden. In fact, all the Rose of Sharons are doing well. They are blooming now with the ‘Incrediball’ hydrangea. Take a look at the varieties gowing in my garden. White Chiffon Sugar Tip Blue Chiffon

One look at the massive blooms on the ‘Incrediball’ and you’ll be wide eyed and mouth gaping open. I’ve grown a lot of hydrangeas with ‘Limelight’ being my favorite. This comes in a close second with ‘Invincibelle’ following in third. The blooms are approaching 12″ in diameter which is what they are advertised to do. [...]

Won’t you come with me and sit on the porch? It was so hot today but I was out enjoying the garden and pulling weeds like mad. Then I got something cool to drink and sat in the swing. We gardeners and those who pay someone to do it for them live for this moment [...]

My  flower gardens are organic and this year I’m seeing a lot of bee activity. Thought you might enjoy a look at that for yourself!

This is the kind of deer you don’t mind having in the garden. And there is something about rusty items that is so attractive. These deer don’t seem to be causing any permanent damage. I like the contrast plantings–especially the lambs ears. The two deer are grazing in the front corner of The Hemlock Inn [...]

I remember this before it was a museum piece. Be it a hot date or a family night out, the big old cars of yesteryear are very desirable today. I’ve had fun in the front and back seats. In the late 1950′s drive-in theaters were all the rage. You could pile a bunch of folks [...]

Update July 24–my Pretty Much Picasso did not make it. The heat and humidity of this summer were too much for it. Actually, I’m getting reports from all over the country that they are having trouble with this plant also. Most folks say it shrivels up and the blooms don’t open all the way. I [...]

When I was a little girl, I use to say–gots lots of….so it was fitting for my recent trip to Blowing Rock with Mary and Dave Morris from Front Porch Ideas and More. They came to visit and I loaded them down with North Carolina porch living. Mary and I paused for a pose in [...]

Doesn’t the Nigella flower look like it came from outer space? When it is done flowering, it closes up and forms a seed pod that is equally as odd. I have quite a few of these seed pods around my garden and I don’t mind the thoughts of them spreading one bit. I’ve enjoyed having [...]