April Day

The ajuga is beautiful this year

Ajuga mixed in with caladium Miss Muffet and Purple Oxalis

Garden "buddy" 

Before photo 

Before photo

After photos

The iris are really sparse this year.
Can't figure out why I have so few.
First time this has happened. Usually in
April they are just loaded with buds.

The new spanish lavender I planted several
weeks ago

Coreopsis with a large clump of
herb Rosemary in the background

The Delphinium is just
breathtaking!

A Tiger Swallowtail enjoying it.

Iris "Footloose" with caladiums and
snapdragons

Entrance to the garden - this is usually full
of iris blooms

My garden buddy Tigger passed away
this past January. He was 13. Miss you

First One

The first iris to bloom - Footloose. The Elaeagnus leaves have all
turned a beautiful silver color.

Continuing The Garden Transformation

When we first bought the house
in 2010

Trying to make the well
house not stick out like a sore thumb.

Today

Photo taken when we first
bought the house 

Today

Superstition iris

Silverado and Sky Spirit iris

Trying to train the Wisteria onto the top of the fence

Living Fence Coming Along and Iris

The living fence is slowly coming along.
I can't decide whether to shape into a
box hedge or leave them bushy.

Before photo

Spin-off, an Heirloom, and Footloose iris

I thought I had killed this beauty - Moonlit Water.
She is alive and well.

These iris are in the rose bed.

The Iris Are Back

I just love this time of year - everything is new and
green. In Texas when June arrives, everything begins to
look a bit raggedy and stressed. The silvery bush to the
 left is one of the remaining Elaeagnus, in front,  that
survived the drought in 2011. It seems to be
doing well now. I did plant it a little bit to close to the
Pink Knockout rose, which is to the right. I planted
the dark purple iris last summer in front of the
Red Knockout roses. I planted the Heirloom iris on our
embankment last summer as well and they have really
multiplied!

Heirloom iris on embankment.

Sky Spirit iris just bloomed this morning.
This one is in the backyard. Behind it is
another Elaeagnus that was almost
dead in the Summer of 2011. I
moved some of them to the back for
tender loving care and now they look great. The
red "schoolhouse" birdhouse is now
home to what I believe are Eastern Bluebirds.
They are a beautiful blue with orange bellies.

I also moved some of the Footloose iris to the front.
I think they look great by these rocks. This
is usually the first iris to bloom in my garden
and is very prolific and looks stunning planted
alongside tall white iris. I bought this
several years ago from Schreiner's Iris Gardens online.
They are based in Oregon.

Here they are in my previous garden. I brought
the white with me, but haven't seen them this year so far.

Pairings

I paired the Spin-off iris with Graham Thomas
David Austin rose. The rose finally opened. We
had a very nice rain yesterday and this
morning.

Footloose iris with JFK rose in the shade garden. I have now
found my white iris. I will move it around
later on.

Full Tide iris with azalea.

Sky Sprit iris, Full Tide iris with
azalea in the shade garden.

Footloose Iris Starting To Bloom

Footloose iris in foreground with Electrique in
the back.

I was hoping to get
my white iris planted with
Footloose. But since moving
to this new place I haven't
seen my white iris. I'm sure
I moved it here with us.
See the last picture of this post.

This is Footloose iris and the white iris together
at my old house. I was trying to
recreate this here.

Old German Heirloom Tomato and what is blooming today

Shade garden. This will look better once everything is established and blends together.

I planted more seeds today - nasturtiums (Dwarf Jewel, Cherry Rose Jewel)
 which the more you pick the more you get, zinnia (Cactus-Flowered Mix),
 sweet alyssum, purple salvia, red hot poker in full sun. Mixed colors
 Columbine and Lupine in the shade garden. We are getting an
 area ready where we will plant the okra. I also forgot to say I
 also have "Old German" Heirloom tomatoes - a Mennonite
 heirloom from Virginia that turns a golden yellow with
 reddish streaks and are great for slicing.

I moved the junipers again. I planted them in pots and the
 wind has
 been so strong it kept knocking them 
to the ground, so I tied them 
to a fence and a crepe myrtle tree. (the one I cut 
down - it is coming back)

Row of Double Red knockout roses with wild yellow iris. 

Another shot of juniper with wild yellow iris. 
These will be moved in the fall and replaced with the ones
 I brought from my old house.  A couple of them
 are in photos below.

Row of Double Pink Knockout roses.

Blue and white iris. 

Footloose iris