Now a memorial plant for a long term friend....

This year our treasured dramatic peony is absolutely fantastic as it blooms reminding us of a dear friend who left us earlier this year having struggled with Parkinson's Disease for so many years.

Reggie shared this plant with us many years ago and from the size of it I think it is time to share ours with others soon!  His last years were spent on a feeding tube and not being  unable to clearly communicate with his voice but  he never complained or lost his sense of humor.  Our friendship spanned 47 years sharing so many wonderful times and several heart breaking times in both of our families lives.  

This beauty of this plant this year is assuring us he is now free of his body which was so challenging to cope with.

Another dear friend remembered.....

This striking iris reminds me of Bonnie, who always seems to have several to donate to our Garden Club Plant Sale! 

Yep, I just had to buy a pot of them one year and now have them three places in my garden beds!  It is such fun to think of Bonnie, with her smile and hugs always greeting you!  Actually, I find myself smiling every time I admire this plant all gardening season long!  It's Bonnie on my mind!

The lovely miniature home was also a purchase at one of our annual plant sales from our section of "Country Store Items", gently used garden accessories!  It is solar lit so the windows are lit up at night!  I need to be sure to park it in a sunny spot so it charges up during the daylight!

Iris Palida Verigata, the foliage is a eye catcher all summer!

And, the bonus is the flowers are that awesome grape fragrance!

Peony Time

First we enjoy our Fern Peony, which is earlier than the other peonys!

This plant is another reminder of favorite friends!  This time it is a couple, Chuck and Becky, neighbors from our cabin life!  They had a plant that just seemed to expand and expand no matter how many times they split them up into more plants every few years!  I had lots of fun sharing them with garden club friends at bargain prices for Chuck and Becky!  They gifted me ours about 5-6 years ago and it appears we should be splitting ours this next year!  The blooms are short lived, especially when they seem to open up during a rainy week!  But, the ferny textured plant is a lovely accent in green all summer!  It is such fun for me to have great memories of people and good times spent with them whenever I tend their gift plant!  

I went to a neighborhood meeting.....

A month or so ago I decided to check out our neighborhood group.....  little did I know what I was getting into!

The announcement was they had received a $1,000 grant to add something nice to our neighborhood and what can we manage to do with $1,000 that will have some impact!   Well, someone suggested we have three neighborhood parks and how about a Pollinator Garden Bed in each of those parks might fit the $1,000!  Would you believe I agreed that was a super idea?   

Well, next thing I knew I was scouting out a location for one of the beds in one of the parks along with two other gals!  Next step was submitting the locations to the park department for their approval, etc.   Next thing I knew I was researching pollinator gardens and native plants!    Native plants I knew nothing about but I sure came up the learning curve thanks to the internet. Perfect project for this safe distancing and stay at home lifestyle we find ourselves in right now!   Long story made short, I have 150 plants on order for the three garden beds.  Finding the resources for obtaining the plants was an experience of highs and lows as it seems they are very popular this year!  And not many growers in our SE MN area!  But, they are on order!  I will have native plants galore within three weeks!  Hope I get my own plants I have collected to plant in my own garden beds by then!

Next step, is to wait until the team to prep the garden beds has them ready for planting!  Then we hunt for neighbors who want to have fun planting and taking care of our new garden beds this summer!  

Here is a picture of the spot in Judd Park that I plotted out!  We'll follow the journey in future blogs!

Yep, just imagine what a few flowers can do for this spot!

Carley State Park Bluebells!

Finally, I made it to Carley State Park to view their Bluebells! Only 18 miles from home and still in Olmsted County!  It has taken me years to finally get there!

Thursday night Denny suggested that in the morning we head out for a donut treat with coffee to go and take in Bluebell viewing in the morning!  Needless to say I agreed!

Tons of Bluebells in their native habitat with some white native Anemones sprinkled in was an awesome sight!  The clear water in the North Branch of the White Water River was refreshing to hear and see!

Fairy Garden Time

Yep, I am getting ready for my fun Fairy Garden Time!

My favorite place to shop for the tiny plants to use is Hillside Nursery on the edge of Chatfield, MN.  I was there the second day they opened for the season to scout out what they had this year!  

Needless to say, I look forward to their huge fairy garden creation that takes up a rather large area inside one of their greenhouses!  Inspiration indeed!  They change the scenes every year so it is fun to see their new ideas.

Special Plant Pots!

My non-gardener daughter, Kari, does have a tiny bit of gardening in her!

She is fond of Basil with tomatoes and a very special reminder of her Daycare career!  She was self employed for many years in a home daycare business and often received gifts from her kids.
This pot was a joint artistic project of her kids to surprise  her with their footprints decorating the pot!

Now it sits on their deck each summer with a basil plant growing in it to feed her love of basil and fresh tomatoes along with special memories of the many kids whose lives she shared!