may flowers

what a gorgeous day here in middle tennessee.

the sky was blue and 

our black locust tree is in bloom.

it has been a very cool, wet spring here so planting has been put on hold until today.

it is still very moist around here so it is slow going.

we did get our purple mustache beans in the ground.

dave used his new dibbler. we planted on three of the four corners of our old wrought iron bed in our front fenced in are or as we call it the victory garden, the potager, our raised beds...we call it different things at different times.

our native wisteria that was planted last year is starting to bloom.  it is on the two outside corners of the front yard white picket fence that houses our potager, raised beds, also known as our victory garden. 

 just inside that white picket fence flanking our iron gate is two clematis in the most beautiful hue of lavender.

    these are very large blooms with wide open faces.

we haven't really started our summer edibles yet but most of what is growing in our raised beds are herbs, annuals, garlic and onions. we have finally managed to get the grass removed and have pine straw as our base in that fenced in area.  i have begun to plant ground cover and it will take some time to get it to fill in.

ajuga reptans, chocolate chip is one of the ground covers i have chosen. this ajuga is a low growing, narrow leaved ground cover with compact variegated foliage: dark green splashed with chocolate, with burgundy highlights.   

i have also planted a low growing vining verbena.

 i find these charming little plants are fairly carefree. the fact is, the main problem is paying too much attention to them by over~pampering, overfeeding, or having them where they get too much water. 

the fact that they are purple makes it an easy choice for this girl.

i have also found some native grasses that bloom and have been adding them around special features like the cast iron urn and pedestal. this grass(and the name eludes me right now) has the most delicate little blueish/purple flowers.

our wild strawberries are blooming and green strawberries are appearing under the large rick/rack leaves. it would be nice if we get to eat them before the birds get them.

two barberry bushes flank the side entrance of our white picket fence...i love the contrast it gives up next to the fence. it has an ornamental element as well has the fact that it is deer resistant, helps with erosion control, and the wildlife love it. 

it is thorny but i love the colour and the way the branches   cascade away from the center of the plant. 

i did remove several of these that were planted by the previous owner too close to the front steps that led up to the front door. they had become a nuisance.

we replaced them with two large containers planted with boxwoods, sedum, and a dark leafed heuchera,obsidian.

also in the ground another heuchera(i believe it is venus) with variegated lighter green leaves and a fabulous new to me bush...the reblooming lilacs.

 vivian is my constant companion while i am outdoors.
  i love her keeping me company plus she is adorable.

ethan has been a big help to us this spring there are so many chores to do on the farm. here he is filling the sock feeders for the finches.

i found a couple of eggs while gardening...tiny, fragile, i'm not sure what to do except admire them. 

     some curly parsley coming back in a terra cotta pot.

the view of the porch from the garden.

newly acquired decorative tin 

shapes hanging from the porch.

i put this sign up a few years ago for christmas and haven't taken it down since. you can see it as soon as you turn into the driveway and it speaks to me. the bust of marie antoinette was a local acquisition several years ago. i love antiques in the house, in the garden, and on the porches. this little stroller came from an estate sell a few years ago.

              the finches are happy to be eat
              as much niger seed as we put out.

 our apple picking ladder greets our visitors as they arrive with a basket of greens...the old seeder is usually filled with some kind of annual...right now pansies
and cat grass.

 these bright fuchsia clematis are so plentiful this year...they are in the back yard attract some beautiful

       pollinators...it's fun to watch them buzzing around.

   

  peonies are getting ready to burst out...i

      love there big ole blooms with so many petals. 

 it's feeding time around here and everyone knows it.

dave with beatrice.

our black locust tree blooming against the most beautiful blue sky and green tree line.

the sheep know it is feeding time too.

pebbles growing like a weed.

 bam bam II is almost as big as pebbles even
           though he is almost a month younger.

 renny gets his food first but first a hug, always a hug.
           next the sheep get their food and
 then the babies lambs  get their special lamb pellets.

           bam bam...such a beautiful little ram.
              he always looks to be smiling.

fred our ram loves to get his head rubbed.

the dogs wait patiently to get fed after the pasture animals.

               rowan sitting handsomely in the sun.

 after the day was done we had a nice long chat around the fire-pit burning all of our newly trimmed branches.

when the weather is nice...you can really accomplish so much and that makes for a great day on the farm.
happy may days to y'all.
marmee

vintage container planting

there is something very satisfying about using something unexpected as a container for plants.  besides "upcycling" which i have been doing all my life as a way of being fugal  because i had to be, it is visually more intriguing. thus when i am out and about, antiquing, at the farmer's market, thrifting, or stopping at a yard sale, i am constantly thinking would this work at a planter in my garden.

the wrought iron bed was bought from a local estate sale of a woman that is in her nineties...she had been collecting all her life. i had been looking for the perfect iron bed for my garden for years. honestly i didn't want to spend a fortune since i knew it was going in the garden. this bed was the right one for me.  it was smaller than a twin and larger than a crib size. on one corner of the bed it is  planted with a vining black eyed susan that comes back every year. the other three posts are planted seasonally with beans of our choice for that year. it is stunning in the summer when everything is growing. this is located in the front fenced in potager off the front porch next to our 5 raised beds.

this was a temporary planting in my bike basket until bike riding season comes around again. 

which is right around the corner. yippee!

my garden as well i am sure your garden is always evolving. it changes as my perspective changes.  

i found these great olive picking buckets a couple of years ago at a local antique store city farmhouse...the minute i saw them i thought what great containers these would make. i lined them with some older burlap, added soil and voila' the perfect welcoming containers at my backdoor patio. i found the carriage wheels at last years franklin main street festival from a local vender...i love how it elevates the second olive picking bucket and has room enough for the beautifully aged watering can.(which i got at the old  tennessee trails yard sale.)

i found this rusty old wheel barrow a few years ago. it had a few rusted through the bottom holes already in it and seemed the perfect choice for planting some pretty petunias. i placed in it in the front fenced in potager right next to the raised beds of veggies and companion flowers. it adds some depth/height and texture to that area.

the same can be said for this lovely ole' coal scuttle.

 it was rusted thru in a few places making it great for

 a container. so cheery little yellow pansies found their home.

this beautiful old wine crate with handles in a purple stand was purchased at silo studios benefitting snooty giggles dog rescue. as many of you know rescuing is close to my heart. just planted this week with delta pure rose pansies, suncatcher pink lemonade petunias, dwarf sweet flag grass, citronelle heuchera villosa hybrid. i plan on hiding some easter eggs in there as well. 

 back in the day i collected many longaberger baskets. i use them all constantly and they have stood the test of time. they are hand woven in the u.s.a. i placed plastic inserts inside the baskets then filled with fafard complete container mix.
 during easter they seem appropriate to plant with
some seasonal herbs(peppermint, english wedgewood thyme, & greek oregano) plus flowers just outside of my
kitchen backdoor for easy snipping to use in my cooking.

i found this sweet little lamb just yesterday while i was doing some easter basket shopping at another local antique shop

scarlett scale antique boutique

she already had a pint sized pansy in her back. i couldn't pass her up seeing as we just had our first lambs of the season born last week. 

so go out there and look for the unusual, not the typical container to add visual interest and something more personal to your gardens. 

happy gardening~it's spring.

marmee

pebbles and bam bam

    the first two lambs of the season were born today.

 this is pebbles the girl...mostly white with black legs.

in the middle of momma, wilma and sister, pebbles is the little all white boy, bam bam.

                dave loving on the new momma.

               we are supplementing the babies.

   new momma with her beautiful twins...a boy and a girl.

we are so excited here at dash home farm with our new little baby lambs.