Busy Bumblebee

It's not so much how busy you are,

but WHY you are busy.

The bee is praised.

The mosquito is swatted.

~ Mary Flannery O'Connor ~

My Flower Garden in May

May has seen more than her share of stormy weather.  My flower gardens were often a muddy mess, but most of the flowers fared well from the inclement weather.

An Eastern Black Swallowtail checks out the Lantana

Can you see the tiny Skipper on this bloom?
(Wish I could remember the name of this plant- my amnesia is kicking in)

Lovely Red Pentas

A busy Bumble Bee buzzed from flower to flower

He is particularly fond of the Foxgloves (I am too!)

Buzzzzzzz

My Asiatic Lily is now blooming and the size of it has quadrupled since last year!
 Time to transplant this one.

My first Hibiscus plant.  The huge, gorgeous blooms convinced me to bring it home.

I planted a few Double Tiger Lily bulbs back in February.
They're now gorgeous!  Wish their blooms would last longer!

I love this shade of pink.  Pink Verbena.

The first of the Liatris Spicata plants has bloomed.  
Several stalks are coming up and will soon bloom as well.

Several of these tiny insects (some sort of small bee?) are creeping about on the Gaillardia blooms

The young and the old, side by side

It's About the Small Things

Thank You to those who kindly commented on my blog post yesterday,

and all days...

your thoughtfulness and encouraging words are deeply appreciated :)

Have a Wonderful Sunday!!!

Million Bells & Petunias

Through trial and error, my thumb has become a few shades greener over the years.  At least I don't kill all my plants now- only an occasional one that becomes intolerable of our intensive summer heat.  I purchased a couple this year with tags that stated "heat and/or drought tolerant" and they already appear to have suffered a heat stroke!  And it's still early July!  You can bet I'm taking notes so I'll know which ones to avoid for next summer.  

Some of my favorites so far this year have been the Million Bells, or Calibrachoa, and Petunias. They are thriving, even after being in my care for a couple of months now!  :) These plants were small when purchased, and now they are spilling out of the containers and trailing down the sides.  The colorful beauties make a welcoming addition to our front entrance and several visitors have complimented them. Million Bells, which resemble small petunias, come in several colors- violet, blue, pink, red, magenta, yellow, bronze and white.  They look great arranged in groups of a single color or blended using 2 or 3 shades together. The bumble bees certainly enjoyed them during early spring.  

The Petunias that I planted in late April grew super fast- the photos below were shot six weeks apart. Petunias are pretty, low maintenance and tolerate the heat fairly well...definitely my type of bloom :)  

When I saw this hanging basket of purple flowers with lime green borders in the garden center, I knew it would be coming home with me.  I knew the flowers were Petunias, but I had never seen this species before. I loved the color combination and the prolific blooms!  About 3 feet in diameter when I purchased it, the plant covered much of my trunk space.

A brief research online informed me that they are Pretty Much Picasso Supertunia, a vigorous growing Petunia hybrid which trails up to 3 feet.  In only two months, the blooms had already trailed just over 3 feet from the center- a beautiful plant which sits so perfectly on the wooden rail of our front porch!

It's a little too early to add these lovely plants to my "I Survived Summer With Susan" list, but it's looking hopeful ;)  We'll see if they continue to thrive through the blazing heat of August...

Azaleas, Bees & Butterflies

There are beautiful living things that are here for us to enjoy only a little while.  They grow into beauty and perfection, summon our attention and heighten our love for spring. then...they gently fade away.  Why is that? What lesson have we to gain from such temporary joy? It seems some of the most beautiful of His creations are destined to oblivion all too soon.

On the other hand, would we appreciate such beauty if it lived forever?

There are many wonderful memories that surround early spring with its Azaleas in full bloom.  Old photos remind me of long ago Easter Sundays, when our daughters were dressed in pinks, purples and whites with their lacy socks and hats.  They posed for photos, standing near or in front of the colorful Azaleas, usually with their Easter baskets near.  Photos of our daughters standing close to each other, or all three of our children together, or the three of them with their PawPaw before going to church, or with Me in my Sunday dress.  Sweet memories....

Not only are Azaleas beautiful while they last, but they serve an important purpose- their pollen provides nourishment to bees, butterflies and other insects.  Although Azaleas bloom only for a short while, the adult trees usually bloom profusely, depending on weather conditions.  They produce a significant amount of pollen, therefore, they provide a huge boost to growing insects.  

Butterflies are destined to short lives too.  Most butterflies live from about 2 weeks to one month.  However, there are a few species of butterflies that live from 6 months to a year, max.  It's sad, but a part of the scheme of life and nature.  We must enjoy beauty while we can...here today, gone tomorrow. 

Love the beautiful things that are free.  Appreciate the harmony of nature.  

Look. Listen. Feel.