Gardens and Birds

Status
Not open for further replies.
Ann, I love your pics as well... I've never seen a Lady's Slipper, but know they're either endangered or extremely rare. I also have a whole bed of lilies of the valley on the north side of the house, along with a couple of Jack-in-the-Pulpits hidden among the ferns. I'm going to miss the climbing roses this year as we had to cut them down to paint that side of the porch, but they'll be back next year. I love blue hydrangeas, and I always think of Cape Cod when I see them. I planted about 5 of them a few years ago, some have really grown well.

Had my Open House today (after the massive day of cleaning out the basement), and a whole 2 people were signed in... I know it only takes one, but the Open House that I went to had hordes of people and kids walking around the place. Of course that house is about 200K cheaper than mine (and probably underpriced, so expect there will be a bidding war on it), but it still stinks! I'm attaching a pic of my house with some of the previous years' garden...

Helen
 

Attachments

  • 10 Latisquama-Front_med.jpg
    10 Latisquama-Front_med.jpg
    99.8 KB · Views: 160
Helen, first--your house is so lovely! Oh, if you just didn't have all the steps to get inside the house, I imagine it's got ways to accomodate you all on the first floor. Would there be a way to get a ramp to a different doorway outside? I'm wondering in case you can't get a fair price, can you make this house work? How are the doorways on the first floor? Wider than 30 inches?

Sorry--meant to tell you I am sorry the house you went to see was swarming. I do think that sometimes although it seems frustrating, it may be a way to steer you in a different direction if you had been on the fence.

I need to look up "Jack in the Pulpit". The lady slippers are endangered, and were not planted, but began to spring up when I gave up on having grass out front--an example of my previous paragraph--a blessing in disguise not to be able to grow grass.

Yikes, we do have "Jack in the Pulpit" also, amidst the lady slippers---never knew what it was called!
 
Last edited:
That's pretty cool to have both growing together... Do you have a closeup of them?

I just got up after napping on the couch in the sun on my front porch... it was great! My problem with the house isn't that I can't make accommodations for myself to live here, but that it's just so much for me to handle. If I hit the lottery, maybe I could pay the bills without any problems. I do love it here, just can't afford it.

Going to go make breakfast for supper, kids are hungry!

Helen
 
No close ups, Helen--my pictures of next door were taken by a friend who wanted me to see what was going on at that time, a year ago. The oak leaves on the ground make that shade of pink in the lady slippers hard to see in a photo. In real life, they are much easier, and some are simply surrounded by moss.

Oh, yes, I had totally forgotten the property taxes, which are absolutely nuts. And with a house that size and age, things happen...expensive things. I'm back in line, now, lol, having roped in my "bright idea".
 
Don't worry, I keep getting the same bright idea, and rope myself in as well...

How are you feeling these days? Is that hospice person finally figuring out that your needs are a bit different from others?

I'm going to go check the tea and then go get the kids off to bed soon.

Helen
 
Helen your garden is gorgeous. I have only planted three flowering plants from seeds...and they are Peonies. I just cant wait for them to bloom. They are right outside our bedroom so my hubby has an awesome view when he is lying in bed. I think this might motivate me to plant more flowers this summer!
 
Hi Kelly, I have 3 peonies as well, 2 are pink and one is a deep maroon/red... they're so gorgeous, but seems every year as soon as they bloom we get a really bad rainstorm and all the petals end up on the ground! I like my blue hydrangeas – they last much longer and bloom later for the summer/fall.
 
Helen, your home and flowers are so welcoming! Everything about it says Welcome Home. I want to sit on the porch!
 
Helen...I forgot...I planted some hydrangeas last summer too.....they did not do well at all. I want to sit on both of your porches with you!
 
Come on over, we can have tea... or strawberry daiqueries! After the failed Open House on Sunday, I lay down on my couch on the front porch, and read a book... the best thing was that the sun was low enough in the sky to take a nap with the sun warming me (the air is still cool here). Actually that was the second best thing, the absolute best thing was hearing the bugs bounce off the screens, and I didn't have to swat at them! :)

I think hydrangeas need the same type of soil as pine trees... it may be too alkaline or not enough alkaline for them. But you can add stuff (lime?) to the soil, and the color of the hydrangeas' flowers can change depending on the soil's alkalinity.
 
Most hydrangeas turn blue from acidic soil, and pink with alkaline. Some come with a guaranteed color--one of mine is white.
 
Ann, I knew you'd know which one it is! I can never remember... I've planted mostly blue ones, but do have a couple that are pink!

Hey, you were up late, how are you feeling?
 
Helemn, I am workimg on my fromt yd as we speak. Needed to talke a break! I jhave 1 of those old huosee with the wrap aruomd porch also. I am workimg on paimtinmg the fromt door, aer u sittimg down, u ready, it's pimk! Thje cirty I live im wom't alloew me to jhace flamingos im nuy fromt yuaerd so I am giomg 1 step futrher to tickl tjhem off. Tjhey cam't say amnythimg abuot muy color chioces. Whjen finishjed will hjace to do pics. We revently replaved the side porch floors, adftre weddimg will work on tjhe fromt. Tjhem comes thje porch roof amd then....u get wjhat I mean?
 
Kimberly I love the thought of a pink door. Waiting for the pictures!
Laurel
 
Thanks Laurel. I had paimted the trim on the door amd eventuallu all the wimdows(51) and pillar tops a med teal; bnut decided to go with thje darker color. The brick bottom pollsra R sort of a cadet blue. I paimted 1 of thje conmcrete slanbs in betewwn thje wood pillara and the brick lime green or chartreuse just to make my kisd fuss. Last summer I waS stirribg the paimt and 1 of tjhem askde wjhat I wsa diong with the greem paimt also addimg U bettre not B puttimg it om the huose....Well thjat's wjen I proceedde to paimt thjat pieve. It os still greem. I wsa ctially paimtimg floewr pots 4 im my family room. Thjey shuold kmow by now dom't tell me I can't do sonethimg! Byt he wauy my adirondak cjhaoirs aer paimted tjhe fuschia color too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top