Trinity Church decorated for a TV wedding

One of our local churches here in town was recently used for a wedding reality show. The church was completed at the end of the War Between the States. It is a beautiful building with a small but active congregation. I have no idea how this site was chosen for the show. The decorations included wreaths on the gate, garland on the handrails and all around the front door surround.



Sunny Border June 2012

 We have had rain the last six days in a row. Now with the sun coming out the Sunny Border is bursting with blooms.

 Echinacea Green Envy is blooming.

 The blue Salvia I moved from the back yard is doing great out here. I hope the Shasta Daisy and Echinacea don't choke it out. It should be tall and beautiful all Summer long.

 The White Mandevilla are filling in fast. The rain really helped them along.

 I know a lot of people don't like the Knock Out Roses, but I do love the pink. Plus I have never had any luck with any other roses out here.

 The Arctic Queen Clematis continue to grow and now have several flowers budding out. These are a great addition to the White Garden.

 Out near the gazebo on the Front Porch the gardenia bushes are still blooming. i wish you could smell these photos. Warm, sweet, and buttery, like some kind of baked dessert.

Have a great weekend guys!

What i did today

During the warm months I have to trim the hedge row once a month. If I do it the job is really not so bad. I call it my hobby.

 First I trim along the long edge at the top. Then using long curving arches I trim the sides from the bottom to the top. The last thing I do is bring out the rolling scaffolding and flatten out the top which is no easy task.

This last photo shows the final product after I rake up all the debris and I also had to cut the grass in that yard. This photo really doesn't do it justice. The hedge is at least 50 feet long and trimmed and finished it is 6 feet tall on our side of the fence.

Pickerel Rush and Mophead Hydrangea

The Water Garden does not get much attention. The plants in the pond have taken over, but the pickerel rush is bigger and pretty than ever before. The mophead hydrangea behind it is slow growing, but it doesn't get much light here in the shade deep in the corner of the garden .

Memorial Day in the Front Yard

 The Gardenia at the back corner of the house is really putting on a show this year.

 Here is a view I don't normally show, from the driveway looking back to the porch and on to the Sunny Border in the back ground.

 Here are two shots of the Sunny Border from the sidewalk.

 The Red Knockout is reblooming. Behind you see the Shasta Daisies and Yellow Daylilies.

 Echinaceia Green Envy.

Shasta Daisy Becky.

White Mandevilla beginning to bloom.

 This is the third year for the peonies, next year hopefully they will bloom.

 The Clematis Snow Queen is coming back quickly from my hard pruning.

Here is the gate going from the White Garden into the Gondfish Pond Yard. The local photographer recently used this setting for a bridal portrait. I was really pleased that she liked it, and the picture was beautiful.



English Pillars added at the White Garden

 Here is the front yard from the sidewalk. At the rear is the entrance into the White Garden. Below you can see the new 7 ft tall English Pillars that I have added for the Artic Queen Clematis.

 Isn't there a saying about planting Clematis..."face in the sun, but feet in the shade." They seem to like it out here and I think they will show up great from the street.

Below you can see the buds coming back quickly from where I bit the bullet and pruned the plant back.

Here is the bloom that I had to prune away. I think the pillars are much nicer than the tomato cages I was using. We have a friend - the local photographer - who uses the yard for engagement and bridal portraits. I am hoping she really likes the White Garden.

Sunny Border May 2, 2012

 I squeezed in several blue Salvia plants that were in the back yard and kept reaching for the sun. We've got alot of sun out here ladies, good luck!

 I pinched them off hard in hopes they will fill out and be lush and cool looking come this Summer.

 The white mandevilla are growing like gang busters. I can already see some flower buds forming. They should be beautiful.

 The Shasta Daisies are just about to pop. May is going to be their month. the close up below shows it, they are ready.

 I still love the pink Knock Out rsoes. they don't seem to do as well as the yellows or reds, but i still love them the most.

Finally, my first Peony bloom. I cannot wait.