Spring on my mind

I just can't seem to stop thinking about spring! Please excuse me if you've traveled to and fro on Calico's sister blogs only to discover spring topics there too.

That picture was taken last spring, summer of one of my flower beds.

The twig ladder was a handmade gift from Lennis. Isn't it cool? I love it! When he first presented it the steps were covered with English ivy, naturally sweet that guy of mine.

I usually plant lots of flower seeds and I sow seeds more often then purchasing ready established plants. It' not only cost effective I get a genuine great feeling monitoring the tiny seeds transform themselves into beautiful buds. If the weather is good that transformation happens quickly and before you know your landscape is bathed with colorful blossoms.

I'm pondering serious spring thoughts. This season I'm experimenting with everlasting flowers. I've grown them before but it's been many moons ago so I'm anxious to bring back those happy flowering thoughts.
Straw flowers, baby's breath, statice, larkspur and a few different varieties of lavender so that I can make wands. All of those varieties dry nice. Cant' forget hydrangeas. I have a row planted on the north side of our home.

Straw flowers and vintage blouses. Kind of go together nicely don't you think?

Old fashioned Bachelor Button welcoming a favorite friend.

Another favorite flower, the delicate tiny blooms of a forget me not. I was thrilled when this single bloom sprouted a few weeks after I planted the seeds. Very unusal, because they usually don't bloom until the following year. A forget me not blessing, I'd say.

This is a hydrangea cluster from last season. It too somewhat of a sweet surprise as I had beautuful blue blooms directly next to the pink ones without treating the soil.

By the way, this is when you pick the flower heads to dry. After they've bllomed and beginning to turn a pretty shade of green with dense heavy heads. Simply stick the stem in a vessel to dry. No upside down action needed. The same techinique should be used for the other everlasting buds too. How easy is that? Love it!

Before the hyrdangeas bud out the peonies and mock orange bloom. Usually around Memorial weekend on my side of the pond. If you've never seen mock orange it's a very old fashioned bush type. The blossoms are white and they carry a lovely scent quite similar to orange blossoms, gardenia, or jasmine.

The sweet lacy like allysum. Another favorite. The perfect ground covering flower or low growing layering bloom.

The wild wood violet. That's what I call her.  When I was a little girl I remember seeing her pretty purple face in the woods. She'll be arriving soon!

 Miss Lilac too.

The edible flower, nasturtium. She prefers being started by seed. Her tender young brightly colored blooms arrive almost over night.

Part two of spring on my mind coming next.

Warmly,

Jill 00