Against the most beautiful shade of blue, the outside world has come alive.
In the form of a perfect bloom on the banana magnolia tree.
Dogwood and cherry blossoms are awake once again
and the azaleas from both the front garden and the backyard gardens are showing the prettiest shades of pink.
In a nod to the "roots" of our town and the peninsula that we live on, the azaleas and other blossoming trees are a bit of history. Before there were houses built in this area there was a very large nursery owned first by the Hance family and then sold to J.T. Lovett. You can find the most remarkable specimen trees on some of the estates around here, but it is the smaller specimens that often catch my eye. Knowing that they have been here for more than a hundred years.
In a house where restoration projects never seem to take a vacation, my husband is enlarging our backyard veggie garden today. We have been kicking around this idea for a while.
The horseradish plants which are growing in the lower right picture of the mosaic will take over that entire corner in another month. The lettuce plants are perfect for salads right now, and the brussel-sprouts hopefully will hold their own in the corner. The asparagus are pretty much done for the season.
Like an outdoor room, the entire garden will need to be "decorated".
A gift of gladiola bulbs will add lots of color around the yard.With flowers trimming the outsides of the fences and maybe some garden statuary...I would still like to include a buddha in there somewhere. Now there is plenty of space for the tomatoes, peppers, cukes, green-beans and all other forms of vegetable that we will be planting. Stay tuned for what is coming up in our garden next.
This post is being linked to Little Red House for Mosaic Monday, Smiling Sally for Blue Monday, and Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.
♥, Susan
Wowza. Daddy really went all out in the garden today! I love it! The cherry blossoms look beautiful, too.
Posted by: Jenna Ericson | April 15, 2012 at 04:25 PM
Lovely blossoms and the azaleas are gorgeous. Dogwood trees are one of my favorites. Lovely photos. I hope you have a great week ahead.
Posted by: eileen | April 15, 2012 at 05:24 PM
Oh, look at all your blossoms, we're just starting with our trees. I like the fenced in vegetable garden and the idea of a buddha.
Judith
Posted by: Lavender Cottage | April 15, 2012 at 05:35 PM
Gorgeous trees! the more veggies the better!!! Have a fun week!
Posted by: Snap | April 15, 2012 at 05:37 PM
I think your azaleas are a little bit earlier than ours... what a wonderful little bit of history in your town, Susan! And your enlarged garden looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing at MM. :) xoxo
Posted by: mary | April 15, 2012 at 05:45 PM
Your hubby is doing good work. What a lot of beautiful plantings you have!
Posted by: Vee | April 15, 2012 at 06:06 PM
The most wonderful time of the year!
Brenda
Posted by: Brenda Kula-Pruitt | April 15, 2012 at 06:20 PM
Your town must look so beautiful all in bloom! You are lucky to be able to have such a nice big garden, Sue. It seems to be doing so well so early in the season.
Posted by: Pat in New York | April 15, 2012 at 08:00 PM
So many beautiful colours in your garden. Good work all around!
Posted by: Lorrie | April 15, 2012 at 09:11 PM
Very Lovely - I miss growing a veggie garden like I did on the Mainland! Enjoy it for me!
Posted by: Julie | April 15, 2012 at 11:29 PM
I so look forward to the azaleas blooming~ it must be beautiful where you live with all the varieties! Happy Gardening to you :)
Posted by: Mary | April 16, 2012 at 02:24 AM
I love the azalea in bloom. Not something I can grow in dry sandy alkaline soil. The colours are magnificent. I am impressed with your garden. I haven't started any seed yet. Better get going. V
Posted by: Valerie | April 16, 2012 at 03:19 AM
Your part of the country has certainly come alive with color. I love your vegetable garden-hubby really has a green thumb. All of the azalea are gorgeous. Have a great day outdoors.
Ann
Posted by: Ann | April 16, 2012 at 06:10 AM
Beautiful, Beautiful Susan! Gorgeous trees and wow, the garden is a fabulous hobby to have.
~Emily
The French Hutch
Posted by: Emily | April 16, 2012 at 06:18 AM
Absolutely love, Susan! Our home is built on a former farm. Wonderful legacy.
Posted by: Pat@Back Porch Musings | April 16, 2012 at 06:24 AM
What great eating you'll have with your hubby's vegetable garden.
Lovely blue sky.
Happy Blue Monday, Susan.
Posted by: Sally | April 16, 2012 at 07:02 AM
Oh yes- we have enlarged our garden too this year. Prices for fresh veggies have gone so high- don't you think? Our great minds think alike. My garden is also guarded by a picket fence- except mine is painted Amsterdam blue. (do you believe the husband wants to change it!) Love the "sweetness" of your fence!
Posted by: envoy-ette | April 16, 2012 at 07:13 AM
You have such a beautiful garden! I really want to create my own garden but the task seems overwhelming. I'm sorry my link party wasnt up when you stopped by! I really hope you'll stop back by and link up. I'm new to this party thing, but I love linking up elsewhere. Link as many as you want--I'm not being flooded right now, lol.
Posted by: Tabitha | April 16, 2012 at 07:20 AM
Wow, it all looks so beautiful! I'm not sure where you are from, but I'm guessing the Northwest because of all the Dogwoods & Azaleas, but I guess that could be the east coast, too. I just know it's not in AZ...lol!
CAS
Posted by: CAS | April 16, 2012 at 07:29 AM
beautiful!
Posted by: JoAnn | April 16, 2012 at 07:56 AM
Such beautiful shots of spring at your house! The magnolia is so pretty. Super garden, I would love to do that in my yard, maybe next year I can get my husband to fence it in to keep out our pups! I love the homegrown veggies!
Posted by: Carol @ Always Thyme to Cook | April 16, 2012 at 09:34 AM
So many colourful azaleas, I just adore them. Lovely mosaicsa. Nice to have a larger veggie garden. Have a fine week.
Posted by: Ingmarie We/Refugium | April 16, 2012 at 10:31 AM
You are so far ahead of us with what's blooming this spring. Our dogwood is just coming in though the viburnum is wonderfully fragrant right now. I so admire your ambition and energy in growing veggies. And horseradish, wow! A fave of mine -- just made a big batch.
So enjoyed your garden tour and looking forward to more. Thanks for stopping by.
Posted by: Jane F @ Atticmag | April 16, 2012 at 01:43 PM
Pretty flowering tree's. My dh loves to garden too. Happy Blue Monday :)
Posted by: Joy | April 16, 2012 at 01:57 PM
Wow I am envious. HH and I are just past our gardening years. Such hard work for two old codgers. I do have a Topsy Turvy near my deck for cherry tomatoes. This will be our first year. Hope it works out. Our kiddos keep us in fresh veggies now. Oh but I love the garden. Good luck in yours.
QMM
Posted by: QMM | April 16, 2012 at 04:18 PM
You have beautiful garden!
Please come and see my BLUES, when you get a chance.
Posted by: chubskulit | April 16, 2012 at 07:55 PM
Really lovely pictures.
Posted by: D | April 16, 2012 at 09:27 PM
Love those Cherry blossoms, beautiful!
Posted by: Mary Howell Cromer | April 17, 2012 at 03:39 AM
Beautiful flowers..
Visiting for Blue Monday- hope you can stop by:)
http://www.sweetposh.info/2012/04/too-small-too-little-bye-summer-dress.html
Posted by: Leah H. | April 17, 2012 at 07:11 AM
What a pretty garden you're going to have - I love the picket fence. Isn't this just the most beautiful time of year?
Posted by: Pondside | April 17, 2012 at 10:00 AM
I like your gardening with beautiful flowers and green plants.
Posted by: kitchen accessories | April 20, 2012 at 04:24 AM
I love flowers smell. I am thankful by visiting you.
Posted by: Blogger templates | April 20, 2012 at 10:02 AM
How delightful to have a veggie garden! The only food thing growing in my garden is a golden raspberry patch -- the rest is all flowers and shrubs and specimen trees (plus a very, very large old cedar tree that predated the house by probably 300 years).
Posted by: Meri @ Meri's Musings | April 23, 2012 at 07:41 AM