Loving my Gardens!

Every day, I take several hikes around the garden.  Sometimes, it is to see what chores need to be done, sometimes, I walk to ponder some problem but most of the time, I just amble about looking at what is growing there!  My gardens make me happy when I see them flourishing!  This year, however, things look a mite bleak.  With the warm weather, I had planted early.  Things were starting to pop up everywhere and I thought for sure that the plants were going to thrive.  Then during the first week of April...grasshoppers!  Millions of the baby Eastern Lubber grasshoppers hatched out and devoured my entire garden in a matter of hours!  The beautiful squash plants were gone!  The bean plants eaten!  Even the potato plants were damaged!  The vegetable garden does not look so nice after this attack!

Still, today, as I wandered the pathways, I found beauty.  I decided to stick to the path through the flower gardens!  The Day Lilies are trying their best to put out new blooms.  The same grasshoppers had eaten all of the first attempts but now...blooms!  One of my favorites is a pale yellow Day Lily that my sweet daughter-in-law, Joanna, gave to me!  I am so happy to see this has survived the buggy onslaught!

Just a bit further down the path, the Deutzia Scabra is covered with fluffy white blooms!  The softly sweet aroma made me hesitate a bit near this bush.  As I stood looking at the feathery white fronds, I thought of the farm.  Mom and Pop had the original of this bush..mine is a cutting from theirs.  I thought of how many of my plants originated in other gardens.  This makes each that much more special...memories are tied to these plants!

My walk took me on the little wood bridge over what used to be Puddlepond.  My dear little pond had met its demise through a hapless accident with a pitchfork and a cottonmouth moccasin. Since the plastic liner had acquired several unfixable holes, I turned this pond into the new herb garden!  It is working out well and the plants are  actually quite happy as the holey liner holds just enough moisture!  The herbs all look healthy so I am guessing that grasshoppers do not eat herbs!

On the fence, the Confederate Jasmine is in its last stages but the Gloriosa Lilies are beginning to take up the slack.  The red lilies contrast quite nicely against the white jasmine.  These both are hand-me-down plants..the jasmine from my Grandparents and the Gloriosa Lilies from Mom and Pop.

I continued my stroll until just before dark.  Both dogs, Ezzy and Sunny, decided it was time to go inside for their supper so that ended my garden escape.  Well, almost..with the windows open, I can still smell the sweet scent of the jasmine and roses one the Bay breeze!   Oh, how I love my gardens!!!