Whats blooming in your yards or gardens picture thread (butterflies, backyard, weeds)

[J&Em]

Thanks for the kind words. It's my first attempt at combining 2 hobbies. I'm still very new to photography.

Originally Posted by aussie_rachel

J & Em,
Gorgeous pics!!! Please post more!!!

With a request like that I'm going to have to go look for a few more good shots to post. LOL I love your enthusiasm!!

Originally Posted by 2cold

Nice pictures! I live in Maine, not a whole lot blooming in my yard right now, a stella d'oro, a small bunch of pinks, a few yellow daylillys along the edge of the woods. My annuals are still pretty small, not interesting yet. But, my fairy roses are just beginning to open, one bud here and another there. I must remember to take pics.

I've got all the sympathy for you. It's so hard to wait for things to green up. I hated hearing from friends or family about daffodils blooming and fruit trees blooming as I looked out at brown sticks and fresh batch of snow on the ground. Those fairy roses were my favorites at my first house. I loved the little bouquets they made, vase ready!

My old garden in NY was supposed to verge on being in Zone 6a but most often the microclimate made it a zone 5b with some winters more like 5a. I learned never to put out an annual before Mother's Day and that Memorial Day was even safer. A local farmer there would always advise me to wait until after a full moon to avoid late frosts in certain years.

The new home is in Zone 7a although our elevation puts us right on the edge of 6b. It's been a big change for me as far as when to start gardening and learning to work very early in the morning before the sun gets too hot. I used to be able to work most of the day on summer days! So there's your advantage... longer time to putter in the garden once you get out there!

[PJSaturn]

J&Em - Beautiful photos! I especially love the composition of the top one. Your gardens are way ahead of mine. Mine won't be in full bloom for a couple weeks yet, although it's looking better each day!

Keep the pictures coming, everyone!

[2cold]

Fairy roses started blooming in earnest yesterday.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/ruhappynow/IMGP8186.jpg (broken link)

[J&Em]

Thanks for posting the picture. The setting (the white fence) makes them look even prettier. The roses look exactly as I remember them being and I want one! Now to figure out exactly where I'm going to do that. LOL Are the red ones in the background Knockouts?

[2cold]

Thanks.
When I ordered them some years ago it was a choice between pink and red. Since I couldn't decide, I got 3 of each. There's 2 pink and 1 red in that space.

Towards the end of last season, a few of the red roses turned out red with white stripes, and a few were even white. I've had them for at least 5 years, I guess, and they never did that before.

[J&Em]

2Cold, I didn't realize they came in red, I had only seen them in pink! I wonder if you have a new variety in the making with that changing colors version?

Well I haven't had too much time (or energy with the heat here) to take any pictures. There's not that much more of interest but here are a few shots I didn't put up the last time for Aussie Rachel :

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/EmJWilson/Garden%20Flowers2010/IMG_4297.jpg (broken link)
Little Gem Magnolia blossom.

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/EmJWilson/Garden%20Flowers2010/IMG_4305.jpg (broken link)
Hens and Chicks (lots of chicks!)

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/EmJWilson/Garden%20Flowers2010/IMG_4419.jpg (broken link)
Some of the Echinacea do strange things! I had read aster wilt (last years' scourge) can cause petal malformation so hopefully this isn't the beginning of something bad.

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/EmJWilson/Garden%20Flowers2010/IMG_4392.jpg (broken link)
Most of the hydrangea has been blooming a light blue color but here and there one ball of flowers will be more pink, or mixed like this one.

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/EmJWilson/Garden%20Flowers2010/IMG_4618.jpg (broken link)
Cape daisies, aka African daisies (Osteospermum) with a white Echinacea that flopped over. Would have been nice if I had dead headed before not after, right NoKudzu?

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/EmJWilson/Garden%20Flowers2010/IMG_4650.jpg (broken link)
Good luck gnome hiding in one of the Echinaceas behind one of the Gerbera Daisies.

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/EmJWilson/Garden%20Flowers2010/IMG_4565.jpg (broken link)
One of two stands of daylilies from the original six plants 2 years ago. There are 3 types of verbena, two spirea and a mystery aster all in front of the lilies. I don't have the tag and it has very small pink/purplish blooms, some of which have already started. It looks like a landscaping bush without any pruning.

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/EmJWilson/Garden%20Flowers2010/IMG_4668.jpg (broken link)
Not the best picture of my latest acquisition; it native to Tennessee and is Echinacea 'Rocky Top' next to it are some of the many dianthus that have found their way into the garden. Behind it to the right is one of several Encore Azaleas. Right behind is a mauve Angelonia, blue scaveola, and further back 2 types of dwarf Shasta daisy. Way back on the left and very out of focus is a Mexican heather. Many of these plants are annuals here, but you never know what might survive.

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/EmJWilson/Garden%20Flowers2010/IMG_4573.jpg (broken link)
Two forms of bloom just before they opened on Liatris.

Next time I'll try for some real close ups on a few of the flowers.

[FLPL75]

I planted a peach tree 2 years ago in memory of our greyhound that passed away

This is the first year we got peaches, they are saying because we had such an unusually cold winter the trees went nuts

I just "harvested" my first bunch



There are tons still on the tree so hopefully they will ripen a few at a time

[tasmtairy]

Rose of Sharon tree other one hasn't bloomed yet.



Butterfly bushes!

[Sweetie Pie]

I can't take pics worth a fig but here is some of mine!




Lantana & white salvia



Esperanza & purselane



White Yarrow



Lantana & artemisia




Old bucket with lantana, artemisia, sage, skull cap

[Rickers]

My backyard garden is the entire state of Montana.
The wild roses smell great. I took this picture yesterday in Sanders County.


http://lh6.ggpht.com/_9a8nDInPVGE/TCrGeGJL_5I/AAAAAAAABpc/wNHzB1Tbz5Q/s512/IMG_0557.JPG (broken link)