Best Wishes!

to Wills and Kate.

It's all very exciting and I sure would love to be in London for the big day, even if my invitation did get lost in the mail.

I well remember getting up very early to see Charles and Di tie the knot, and would love to do it again tomorrow, but have to be at a client's office at 5:30, so will miss all the good parts. Thank goodness for the DVR.

Meanwhile I will trust you all to watch for all the details and to raise a glass for me at the appropriate times. Best of luck, you two, I think you might need it!

It's Coming...

The storm is coming. A big one. The news is calling it a Super Cell that has already wreaked havoc in the deep south. It's well west of us, and headed for Jane - hope it misses you! - but we are getting the outer reaches of it and expecting rain in the next couple of hours.
But there are good things about it, too. The fresh breeze smells clean and is driving leaves ahead it it covering the deck. All of the garden scents are concentrated and carried to the house - most of all the lilacs that bloomed yesterday.

I hope that we will get just enough rain to bring a needed drink of water to the garden, but I fear that we will get so much that it beats down all the wonderful iris that also bloomed yesterday.

I cut the blossoms off the first-blooming peony to keep them from being beaten up, and to bring a little something living into the house.

Which brings me to a question; one I want to ask Jane, Marie, Belinda, Denise, and all the rest of you who really know something about arranging flowers. When should I cut the peonies? I usually let them open fully on the plant and then use the "full flower". I have noticed, tho, that you all seem to include tight and nearly tight peony buds in your arrangements. Should I cut them before they really open? What does that do to "vase life"? anything? Will they continue to open, or are you going for the "ball" shape in your arrangements? Thanks!

Stay dry!

Monday, Flower Day!

Thanks for stopping by to check out the Flowers in the House! Altho I am not actually in town today, there's no reason why I can leave a little something to entertain you.
Most of what's blooming right now is azaleas, wood hyacinths and a pretty little white iris - background and name unknown, so that's what's in the house today. I never thought of azaleas as a flower for arranging before, but they last a week or more in a vase and I have been enjoying them this spring.

I'm looking forward to what everyone else has, so will be stopping by Jane's to check on all of you. Happy Monday!

Happy Easter Day!

It is a lovely Sunday morning in Central Virginia, full of peace and warm light! The perfect opportunity to snip a bloom here, tuck a blossom there and just enjoy the day - or eat breakfast on the deck. So I did all of that.
The very first - but definitely not the last clematis opened this morning. If I had to pay tax to the county based on clematis buds, I would be poor indeed this year. This one is Clematis hybrid 'H.F. Young', and loves life twined around the mailbox post.

I have been meaning to share the native honey suckle with you. This is Trumpet Honeysuckle [Lonicera sempervirens] and seems to love its spot because it gets larger every year. It vines some, but is easily controlled and provides not only lovely color, but green nesting places for various birds. Have not seen any particular activity around it this year, so we probably don't have any baby birds.













And, finally our newest azaleas that we just planted last month. After a hard winter and a hot dry summer I lost a large barberry in this corner, so we decided to bring some light under this tree with white azaleas. I think they will be lovely in a few years, when they are less ball-like

Trevor likes them!