Friendly Gardens

I love my gardens but I love my gardens more when they remind me of people I care about...

My dad loved petunias so every year I plant some petunias somewhere in the garden. This year they are in the pots...they seem to like it there. They are purple (they look blue in the photo) because the day I went to purchase them...a friend said to make sure I got some purple flowers. When I look at my pots, I think of Dad and my friend, Steve.

My grandma loved roses. Roses are tough to plant here in the South but I got some David Austin roses that smell like heaven...and I am sure Grandma is in heaven watching over the roses because they are still here and haven't succombed to the diseases and pests of the South. (I have also named my roses Lady Macbeth, Hamlet and a friend named one Rose) Rose is the close up picture...

I was at the nursery and found Troy's Gold. Troy was a friend 3 decades ago and a new friend on Facebook...how could I not bring this little happy plant home?

Last year, I found a Phoenix Penstamon at Lowe's...Five of them went in the garden to remind me of my friend in Phoenix. The plants were supposed to be annuals but they were pretty and bloomed profusely so I was happy. Imagine my delight when two of them survived the winter and are blooming again.

Past gardens have always had plants that were given to me or cuttings...In Virginia, a friend from Bible Study almost provided my entire garden. She arrived with bags of day lillies, irises, black-eyed Susans and zinnia seeds. Not only did she provide the plants she helped me prepare the garden. Greater love hath no man than one who helps you do the hard work. Everytime I looked at my garden, I thought of her.

We always have to have hydrangeas because Roo and me adore them.

I love to have color, I love to have fragrance, but most of all, I love to be reminded of those I am blessed to have in my life.