What is blooming this week.

Not sure what most of these are called. I need to do some research and see if I can find the names.

This is the native midwest cone flower
This is the flower from my Lady in Red Hydrangea. It should be a pink flower but Scott changed the ph in the soil and now we have blue.

I bought this Coconut Cone flower last year. I was very surprised that it came back and bloomed like it did last year. Two years ago I bought a double decker cone flower and it has not bloomed the same as when I bought it.

Northland Garden Club Garden Tour

Last weekend was the garden tour fundraiser for the garden club I am in. We had some very nice gardens on the tour and three of them had ponds. It was interesting seeing how others had built their ponds or had someone build the ponds for them. The first pond shown here had some Koi that looked like a foot or longer but the pond was a lot bigger than mine. I guess I will need to add on!?!?

Pond Project

Well the pond is almost done. I need to add more mulch and the sitting area need something to cover the mud. We haven't found something we like that doesn't break the bank.


The rocks to the left of the chairs are for Bonnie to walk to the stream and get a drink. She hasn't jumped in the pond yet for a swim but she loves walking in the stream.

There are two streams the main one and the side stream. This is the side stream and the next picture is the waterfall for the side stream.

This is the main stream and the main waterfall.

What's blooming this week.

Most of these are flowers that have been in the garden for years. I guess they are the tried and true. Most of them I have forgotten or lost the names. For example this Clematis. I call them pretty!
This one is easier. The daylilly on the right is Stella Odella and the shrub on the left is St John's Wort. The funny thing is the St John's Wort was on clearance and had one little branch that was alive. It has made some progress and I saved a plant!
These lilies were in a grab bag at a nursery several years ago. I don't remember what they were called but I don't have to worry about them coming back each year!
This is the butterfly weed. It is a native of the midwest. I still remember seeing it along the road on a trip to southern Missouri and thinking I paid for a plant just like that!
Here is what they called the common sundrop. What do they mean about common. How about reliable stunning yellow sundrop!
And last the balloon flower. Another one of the old reliable flowers. You can't say enough about them!

Pond building progress

Here are some before and after pictures of the progress of the pond so far. It has taken longer to complete than I first thought. As a whole I am pleased with what I have done so far.

Now I just have the landscaping to do. First I have to decide if I want to go for the natural planting or more of the mixed border that I have now. Will post more pictures after some of the landscaping is done.

What is blooming now

It seems like every post I have done this year I am apologizing for taking so long between posts. What makes it bad is that 1 of my New Year's resolutions was to post once a week. That one went down in flames!!
Here are pictures of what is blooming now in the garden.

The first two are different Columbine plants.

This is Cat Mint. It doesn't spread like other mint. I say that only having this plant for 1 year how. I like the color and if I remember correctly it blooms all summer. Bonus!!
This is Allium that a dear blogger friend Bob sent me. Thanks Bob!! I have and will continue to enjoy them.
The next two are Peony bushes. These I bought right after we moved into the house. At that time I wasn't very good at keeping track of my plants, not that I do any better now.

a This is the only Aster I have. It does so well for me. The deer had eaten part of it off earlier this spring, which caused it to have more shoots and I hope more flowers. I believe it is called Midnight Blue.
This is my yellow Baptisia, aka False Indigo. I also have the blue one and some of it is blooming now also. I have found the blue variety that I have reseeds itself everywhere. My only complaint is that the blooms don't last very long and then you have this green plant for the rest of the summer.

This was just 2 weeks ago!

I hope this is the last snow for us. It lasted about 1 day before most of it melted. It was some welcome moisture that we needed.