Gardening . . . It's A Great Hobby

Gardening is really therapeutic for me.  I work in a fast-paced environment and interact with people all day every day.  I enjoy being able to go home and  spend an hour or so before dinner planting, watering, picking or pruning.  I find a lot of satisfaction in watching what we plant begin to grow and then produce flowers or fruits and veggies.  We have a variety of herbs growing in the garden too.  We've dried and bottled Basil, Sage, Oregano, Thyme, Chives, and Cilantro this summer.  We've used plenty of fresh herbs in dishes too.


Eddie and I started the spring with a really barren and ugly hillside on the right side of the driveway.  Early in the spring we planted creeping phlox and vinca on the hillside.  We spent hours trying to pull the constantly growing wild morning glories.  Then, one day it struck me.  I wasn't going to win that battle.  Mother Nature had other plans for that hillside.  I decided to let the wild morning glories and we had a hillside that become a sea of white flowers not only on the hillside, but all along the fence lining the driveway.  I thought it would be a great idea to plant red and blue morning glories too, attempting to make it a patriotic beauty, but the red and blue plants didn't grow.  I think I'll give it another try next year.




If you look closely in the photo below, you'll see a bumble bee in the center lower left flower.  The bumble bees love the flowering hillside.  The humming birds do too.

The front yard is full of quirky cuteness too.  There is a Hydrangea on the front corner of the house.  It actually wraps around the corner.  This crazy beauty blooms in varying colors depending upon which side of the house it's on.  Some blooms are blue, some blue and white, some pink, and some pink and green.  It is quite an amazing beauty.

 The photo on the left is early in the season when the blooms were entirely green.  The photo on the right is after the blooms in the front had turned to blue.  This was planted probably 10 years ago and this was certainly her most unique year.  I'll be sure to share more photos.

 The sunflowers in the flower garden in the back are growing nicely.  They are strong and healthy.  They will add quite a pop of color when they bloom.  I know the birds are going to love them.

These plants continually give me satisfaction.  I love to see all the colors of the blooming flowers.  We have such a variety front and back that there are new beauties to admire every day.  I hope you'll pick up a few pointers to use in your own yard.