I have so missed blogging lately but my time designing, planting & maintaining clients gardens has my head spinnning! LOL! I try to spend as much time tending to my own gardens during these wonderful warm months too, so that doesn't leave me a whole lot of time for website work (which takes a little respite during the summer months) or blogging. Right now I am slowly starting to get covered in poison ivy & am a bit uncomfortable tonight. I thought I was home free & then jinxed myself by feeling pretty cocky that I hadn't gotten it yet this year so I probably won't & VOILA it appeared! AHHHH! I usually get it so badly that I have to go on a dose of steroids to be comfortable. We'll see how It is on Monday & then I'll either make the call to the dr. or tuff it out. I've been trying to get over to my favorite blogs & have noticed lots & lots of blogging about gardens & gorgeous photos of some really fabulous gardens! I would love to join in so I am posting some photos I took today after a completely enjoyable gardening day in my yard with my sweet hubby. He would much rather have been on the golf course today but decided to do some of the grunt work I couldn't do due to a sore knee! lol~YES! I do feel like I am falling apart right now with the posin ivy & the runners knees acting up! you should have seen me limping around the yard like a 90 year old!

Absolutely LOVE verbena, especially the lavender that looks almost blue! Don't you love this color against the black of the urn?!
My english inspired garden is really coming together this year. I bought a big cement urn for the middle, planted it with a small fir tree & underplanted it with white new waves, licorice plant & lavender verbena. It will be spilling over the sides in no time! I planted 4 small boxwood around the urn to make it look truly english.

A stunning salmon pink hibiscus sits on the vintage outdoor dining table. So does a vase of pretty light lavender rhodys!
A stain glass window hangs from the pergola.
Clematis~
Hostas give me a feel for the victorian era~I have tons of these all over my yard.
Birdbath planted with lavender & pink verbena~I love planting these! Don't worry I have other birdbaths for the birds! LOL!
Here's another birdbath for the birds. It's actually a tracy porter planter I use for the birdies.

Pretty soon this part of the yard will be a sea of pinks, soft yellows, white & lavender. My gardens reach their peak in july where the additional colors blend with all the blooming roses!
There is something so nostalgic for me to watch a sprinkler water the gardens & the lawn. It's what people did when I was growing up. I have never pushed the issue of irrigation with my hubby because I love putting on the sprinklers & listening to the clicking of the water going back & forth.
A very old toolboox planted with white & blue supertunias.
St. Francis watches over the herb garden~
This fabulous bloom ranks number 1 as an all-time favorite! What are your favorite flowers my blog friends? Next post may just be all about hydrangeas! I have quite a few varieties growing now. I think I'm partial to the "endless summer" variety that blooms all summer long & on new & old wood. Stunning! This was just what I needed to feel connected to the blog world again~I'm off to catch up on reading some more of your blogs! xoxo