Another post - just 'cuz there are SO MANY BLOOMERS!

The garden is spectacular, with the best yet to come. I can't resist the urge to grab my camera and head out daily, or even more frequently. So much to see. So much to be proud of. For you see, I have lots of sweat equity here.

As Lou Erickson said, "Gardening requires lots of water-most of it in the form of perspiration."

In 2003, we removed our above-ground swimming pool.

Somedays I miss the pool. Overall, though, I'm glad we decided to turn the area into a large cottage garden. The gardening journey began in earnest in 2004. By 2011, it was good enough to warrant a spot on the Polk County Master Gardeners Tour which drew over 500 visitors.

And it just keeps getting better. It delights me every day.

Have you ever seen a prettier annual than Love-in-a-mist? Easy to grow, stunning, and free seeds will be available this fall to anyone who emails me and requests them (Canada and U.S.).

Tradescantia

Tradescantia 'Sweet Kate' 

Nepeta 'Walker's Low'

Daisies

Clematis 'Proteus'

Clematis 'Piilu' is full of blooms. A close-up below:

Unknown clematis

 Spotted bellflower

Foxglove 

Lupine

Thanks for visiting!

"Let no one think that real gardening is a bucolic and meditative occupation. It is an insatiable passion, like everything else to which a man gives his heart." ~Karel Capek

Hugs,

Beth

Let's Walk in the garden!

Hi, I'm Beth and I blog about my garden and my "tea parties."  Today it's the garden, which is so easy to blog about these days...there seem to be endless photo ops in my Iowa garden. It's lush and beautiful and flowers abound. Take a look around, and oh, yes, please introduce yourself if we haven't met, as I'd love to visit you as well!

Talk about cool! This is Pinellia tripartica atropurpurea, which was gifted to me by Don of  An Iowa Garden.

We visited Don's garden in April and I posted about it here.

 The Nigella are blooming very early this year. Nigella, aka Love-in-a-mist, is an annual that self seeds. Because our winter was "warm," the Nigella seeds germinated in the fall and were already 6-8" high in early spring.

This is a true blue flower and I love the delicate foliage.

Sisikyou showy primrose Ochothera

 Lavender 'Munsted'

Lavender 'Hidcote'

Clematis 'Piilu'

 Papaver orientale 'Orange Scarlet'

 Larkspur

The lupines continue to bloom.

 Lupines fronted by Baptisia

Spires of pink

For information on growing lupines, you can check out my earlier post.

Also, I had mentioned that lupines may not grow in warmer climes. However, there are those famous "bluebonnets of Texas," which are a type of lupine. Obviously there are some cultivars suited for the South. Toni of Signature Gardens shows some in her Texas garden. If you look at the photos carefully and compare the leaves, the ones she shows have rather blunted or rounded tip leaves whereas mine have pointed tips - so definitely different cultivars. Anyway, if you are lusting over lupine and have a Southern garden, you might want to contact Toni for tips.

Views from above: West side of the cottage garden; in the background you can see the raspberry garden and part of the triangle garden

 East side of the cottage garden and farther to the east (right) is the rocky garden - not a true "rock garden," but a garden with many pretty rocks...

 More of the cottage garden

North side of the cottage garden - note the raised beds - I have ten but they are not all visible in this photo. The raised beds are planted with herbs, tomatoes (Rose, Jet Star, and Early Girl), zucchini, lettuce, spinach, radishes, snow peas, corn, mini pumpkins, and strawberries. 

Mr. Oriole and I say thanks for stopping by!

"Don't wear perfume in the garden - unless you want to be pollinated by bees." ~Anne Raver

Beth

Linking to Fertilizer Friday

Vee's notecard party

Today I'm joining Vee's notecard party at A Haven for Vee. This blog party is about showcasing your photography with pictures you feel are "notecard worthy." These are all from my yard and garden.

Here we go:

Our hosta garden, fondly known around here as the "hosta farm"

I like the varied colors and patterns of the hostas as well as the image of the sun in this photograph.

Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate, an heirloom in my garden

I like the texture and color of the plant visible in this photo.

An old barn 

Winter in Iowa - February 2012

Black swallowtail on a Frans Hals daylily

Thanks to Vee for sponsoring this fun party!

And thank you for visiting me today.

Beth

A Dutch-inspired tea

I was back in Pella again recently. Every year my girlfriends from high school meet the week of Tulip Time for lunch and conversation. I always look forward to our meeting, and I also look forward to seeing the tulips. This year we had a warm winter and early spring and the tulips bloomed early. Most were gone for Tulip Time; however, I made a special trip down to see them in mid-April. To see the tulips at their peak, click here. For more tulips and Dutch culture, you may wish to visit this post.

In the latter of the two posts linked, you may see two lovely teapots. Well, on my trip back to Pella I stopped at the Historical Village gift shop and purchased one!

Today I tried it out in a Dutch-inspired tea for one.

Delftware, or Delft pottery, is a blue and white pottery made in or around the village of Delft in The Netherlands. Although my new teapot is not Delft, these other pieces are.

A hand-painted tray for the cream and sugar: these came from my grandmother's collection. They were gifted to her.

Vintage blue Delft

The tea cup is from Grandma too. I find it quite stunning!

The handwriting on the piece of tape is the name of the nephew who brought the cup and saucer to Grandma on a trip to Holland.

Here's my cream and sugar.

Do you like a snack (or "nosh" as Martha from Lines from Linderhof calls it) with your tea? Sometimes I do like a little sweet with my tea time. These are St. Nick cookies from a Dutch bakery in Pella.

Perhaps you'd like a piece of cake instead. As you know, I recently took a cake decorating class. Here's my latest creation. Isn't it adorable? A little "present" for you!

Pella's Tulip Tower, and below, a few of the remaining tulips in the park

An ocean of purple

Thanks for attending my Dutch and Tulip Time-inspired tea today.

"Remember the tea kettle - it is always up to its neck in hot water, yet it still sings!" ~Author unknown

I'm so glad you came to visit Beyond The Garden Gate today!

Beth

Linking to Tea in the garden, Tea Time Tuesday, and Tea Cup Tuesday