First Snowfall

Our first snowfall arrived on November 22nd this year. As always, it prompts me to pull on my boots and venture out for a few photos. After all, it is an event! We have had several snows since then, adding up to about 6 inches, and it is softly falling even as I write.

Heritage Rose, with the mountain as a backdrop.

A snow-laden rose bud.

Black-eyed Susan seed head....food for the birds!

Autumn Joy Sedum.... still looking good!

Orange Calendula....bravely blooming beyond the frost.

A pair of Black-Eyed Susans......yellow petals still intact.

There is much to appreciate about the flowers that hold on, to give us a spot of color...... long after the Petunias and Zinnias have disappeared!

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"He giveth snow like wool....." Psalm 147:16

It is compared to wool for its whiteness, and its softness; it falls silently, and makes no more noise than the fall of a lock of wool; it covers the earth, and keeps it warm like a fleece of wool, and so promotes its fruitfulness. See how God can work by contraries and.... can warm the earth with cold snow. ~ Matthew Henry

Helenium Mardi Gras

This was my first year to order a few plants from Bluestone Perennials, and Helenium Mardi Gras was among them. Helenium also goes by the name Helen's flower, or Sneezeweed.

The flower petals are mainly yellow, splashed randomly with red. They have a sort of tie dyed look, which.... for some reason, I seem to be attracted to. (See this previous post.) The brown center cone on some of the flowers appears as though it is wearing a delicate crown around the outside edge....as seen in the bottom flower in the above photo.

This second photo shows some of the tightly packed flower buds, which are attractive in their own right. I look forward to this plant growing into it's full height and stature in the next couple of years. It it quite winsome, and has definitely secured a place in my perennial garden.

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Since Helenium also goes by the name Helen's Flower, I am dedicating this post to Helen...
my sweet sister-in-law. :-)

Tiger Swallowtail on White Phlox

I was able to capture this photo a couple of weeks ago when this butterfly landed on the white phlox in my front flower garden.

More often than not, the butterflies in my garden "flutter by" so quickly it is difficult to get any decent photos. But this one was obviously enjoying the phlox and stayed for nearly a full minute, while I quickly snapped several photos.

Here you can better see the colors and markings of the beautiful Tiger Swallowtail..... no "raggedy wings" here, like the one I photographed earlier in the summer.

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"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." ~Maya Angelou

Anticipation....

I have been carefully watching my new 'Sundown' Echinacea for the first bloom. It was a birthday present from my husband this spring, which I described in an earlier post.

Here the flower is just starting to unfold. The petals have a two tone effect, as the color on the top of the petals is orange, but the backs are more mauve-ish, like it's purple coneflower cousin. At this stage, I am hoping it will be as beautiful as the picture on the nursery tag.

A couple of days later.... in full bloom! I like the color and way the ends of the petals look....sort of like they were cut with a pinking shears. I doesn't seem to match very closely the photo or description on the nursery tag which reads "coral petals tipped in salmon," but is what I would describe as a soft orange. Never the less, it is pretty and it may still color up a bit as it matures, as flowers sometimes do. It has bloomed ahead of the purple coneflowers, which are still in the bud stage. This in itself is a reason to smile! ;-)

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Coneflowers are the backbone of my Summer flower beds
and they are just delightful .... such HAPPY flowers!

Old Faithful Poppies

Before we made my Cottage/Kitchen garden in our front yard, I used to garden on our 1/3 acre plot just across the road. Many years ago, I started some Oriental poppies from seed and planted them there. Even though the plot is now covered in prairie grass, the poppies still pop up every spring, and each time I am still a bit surprised by the brilliant burst of color in the landscape! It usually prompts me to take a closer look and then wander around my old garden 'ruins', looking for signs of what used to be. I found Oregano and Lemon Balm, still bravely emerging from a former herb bed, Shasta daisies, Horseradish, and some tough as nails Comfrey at the edge of the garden. Although I really enjoy my present garden, it is always a bit sad and nostalgic to visit the old, where memories linger of Scarlet Runner Bean tepees and Sunflower houses....planted for my children, now grown and gone.

Old Faithful poppies, amidst the grass seed heads.

Lovely Lupines

Lupines are the classic spring flower. The only thing that could be improved about them is if they had a longer bloom time!

I love this shade of blue, which has been rather elusive for me. Many times I bought plants labeled 'Gallery Blue' which turned out to be pink instead. I will save seeds from this one!

A luscious baby pink! Notice the one in front just starting to bloom.

Here is the same baby pink a couple of days later, with the flower in front revealing it's color.
I like planting at least two plants together for this effect. They look nice together and if I don't happen to like one of the colors, I can pinch it out and let the other remain. I do this with snapdragons, also.

Bi-color twins, against the morning sun.

Next year I hope to have some new Lupine colors, as I started seeds this spring of variety called 'Russell's Prize Mix'. I am hoping for some yellows and whites, but will have to wait until next spring for the flowers. Check back then for an update!