Good Morning!

Category: Morning Hodgepodge | Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 3:09 pm

I saw lots of these little Heavenly Blue MG's this morning. I didn't plant any this year, but they are growing better than any I personally planted. Lots of perky little volunteers from last year, but they are COVERED in buds! They are kind of just climbing over whatever, but you know what? Who am I to want to get rid of pretty flowers? So they will stay in their chaotic twining happiness.

Here is how my butterfly garden is growing in. I think maybe I should have mulched but I wanted a very natural look so I like a bit of grass stay and plan to remove it if it gets too pushy. The red shrimp plant is more evident in this picture....oh please hummingbirds come visit ME!!!

This was my first time with snapdragons and I have to say that I am really liking them. They have such vibrant velvety looking flowers and they are getting so full. I guess what really attracted me was the colors...I got two that are deep red and one that is this lovely coppery orange....hmmmm....might need to get some more of that one for the violet/orange bed.

On that note my sundown echinaceas arrived yesterday, these were an ebay purchase, and I am THRILLED. They look great and even have buds--they are better than plants I've purchased from a major company. I have bids on some purple echinacea, and white (for yet another bed), but I am about out on the white...bummer. This is what the sundown are supposed to look like:

AND, they are supposed to be fragrant!

This morning while watering I was taking pictures and I got the inspiration to make a little movie of one of my cocky male brown anoles. He was doing a little dance for me. I put it on youtube.com . It is pretty lame I guess, but I enjoyed it. My kids got a big kick out of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNFpQX5xnQM

When I was clearing my area for the butterfly garden I found that the hens and chicks that my grandma gave me are still alive! I don't do very well with this type of thing, and they haven't grown much. I put them in a container and they do seem happier. I'd like to make a big hypertufa bowl and fill it with these guys!

I am hoping maybe SOMEDAY they will fill in the back of this cat planter. Then my cat will have it's hair raised...haha. My kids keep bugging me about when it will have chicks...I DON'T KNOW! I am just thrilled that they are living and not brown! They don't typically do well where I live.

Well caterpillar #2 DID shed his skin as well. I am thinking they are on their 3rd or 4th instar. I looked it up and that was the closest from what I could see. I have never seen one this big out on the vine so I don't know what happens to them. I think something (Maybe Mr. Lizard) eats them when they are still small.

I am working on making a "gem" encrusted bowling ball for my yard, but the trick seems to be finding the right glue. Everything I've tried seems to want to slide right off....grrrrr. I am using a large, clear iridescent glass and I think they will look quite mystical out in the yard.

I am also planning to start making some hypertufa stuff. I have been wanting to for YEARS, but the messiness of the project seems to always hold me off. I want to make a big half sphere planter (exercise ball big), something like this:

and also a few garden grots. I want to put the grots in dark places to add a bit of mystery.

I've decided I want to have an "enchanted garden". I know I want it to be very fairy friendly, and my trees will have faces. I want it to be very subtle so it looks natural--not cartoony. I saw some hypertufa mushrooms and I think I'd like some of them as well.

I love the natural stone look, ecpecially if it has moss growing on it. I also like a look of a forgotten garden (kind of Secret Garden like). This fall we are expanding out fence to enclose more of our property so that will give us a lot of room to really create. We want to build some kind of play equipment for the kids. Hopefully something that complements the yard as well as provides the kids with fun.

Well, now I have to get to work...I actually make glass beads, it started as a hobby, but now it is work...but I do enjoy it!

~as requested by Eileen, here is a link to my online gallery:
http://www.beadartists.org/Gal1897_Anna_Duhame_s_Gallery.asp

Have a fabulous day!!!

Last edited: Fri May 25, 2007 7:58 pm

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eileen wrote on Fri May 25, 2007 3:24 pm:

Anna I'm a sucker for blue flowers and you MG is fabulous!!!

I really enjoyed your anole dancing. I wonder if he has a girlfriend nearby? You did a great job in managing to track him around the garden as they are soooo fast.

Your butterfly garden is certainly filling out well now and those snapdragons are a glorious colour. I love 'hot' plants in my garden.

It sounds as though you're going to be busy with all the new projects you have in mind. You must share the results of your labours with us all.

Can you possibly show us some of the glass beads you make as, I for one, would be interested in seeing them.

hummingbird3172 wrote on Fri May 25, 2007 4:18 pm:

Thanks Eileen! I wasn't even planning for them, but they seem to be doing so well, even if they going to climb on top of my gardenia bushes, I'd hate to mess with them.

I am a cool color kind of person, but I also like a lot of flash in the garden...adds just the right zing!

I added a link to my online gallery so you can check out some of my past beads. :-)