We somehow managed to make it to Friday which means we’re joining our hosts, Rosy and her brothers in checking out what Mother Nature is sharing around Blogville. Don’t forget to click on the highlighted link to see other posts.
To say this has been a helluva week is an understatement. I feel like I’ve been pulled through a knot whole yet rather than highlighting the ugly, let’s focus on the beauty that we’ve seen. So sit back and prepare yourself for a long visual string of some of my favorite flowers around the Ranch garden as well as from around my neighborhood.
After 15 nanoseconds of spring, the Mile High City fast forwarded directly to blistering summer heat despite the calendar saying there’s [technically] three more weeks of spring. Lupines, irises and peonies are front and center. You’ve probably guessed by now that I have a love affair with poppies that are also front and center all over city landscapes. My favorite shade of poppies are the salmon pink colored ones. Just look at these gorgeous blooms from a nearby neighbor’s garden. Every year I say I’m going to plant one of these and every year I can never seem to find one. Sadly this year, diverse and interesting plants are in even shorter supply at big box stores and many of the small greenhouses I’ve shopped at in the past aren’t open or their supplies are severely limited.
Bearded irises are also have been making their appearance known. I dug this guy up from my previous yard. It’s nearly 20 years ago and is always a showy beaut. It starts out ‘black’ and fades to this dark purple as the bloom opens. It’s my absolute favorite of the iris collection around the Ranch.
After what looked liked a less than stellar year for the lupines, they’ve been giving Mother Nature the middle pedal. “You won’t squelch us,” they seem to shout.
A wide drift of Cerastium tomentosum, more commonly known as snow-in-summer, makes me and bees very happy when it blooms. Starting out small, it grows each year and fills in the space it’s given and then some. It’s beginning to cover the flagstone walkway as it blooms and will need corraling after blooming.
Peonies are the showy guys in my garden. Magnificently scented, they are in their blooming glory. It’s probably my favorite garden flower and I only wish they lasted longer. A couple of peony bushes were hard hit by last month’s freeze and it seems like blooms will be less this year but no less lovely. You can almost smell their heavenly scent.
A tour around my garden is never complete without a look at a simple but always reliable annual shot of color. I abandoned planting annuals years ago but Snapdragons continue to volunteer freely with a bit of encouragement from me (i.e. water) and it’s always interesting to see how the colors change and morph each year with some help from pollinators no doubt. Originally these guys were a solid shade of light pink without the yellow spots on their ‘throats.’ Talk about hybridizing.
Along our regular daily walks is a professionally xeriscaped front yard that changes with the seasons to always look beautiful. Normally cactus doesn’t pique my interest but look at these amazing colors. This garden always has color and texture guaranteeing a long stop to check everything out.
Along with these cactus and other xeriscape plants, were are a few bright rose bushes proving once again that xeriscape doesn’t necessarily only mean cactus and rocks to look beautiful.
We hope your weekend is safe and you’re able to take in the beauty that’s out there. Stay safe, stay sane and keep smiling.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
I love all the flowers and your pictures are perfect!!!
Aww, you’re too kind. Thank you!
Well, in spite of Mother Nature’s contrariness, it’s looking beautiful there! Our peonies are only buds at this point, but the Lupine and Irises are looking gorgeous.
Thanks. With the heat lately, they’re going quickly. *sigh*
What a lovely bunch of flowers. Demver is way ahead of us, Such beauty. Makes me wamt to sniff at what we have….weeds.
Jean
Ooh, don’t do that…it just encourages them. 🤣
OMIGOD…WHAT AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHS!!! Georgia O’Keefe of film you are. I am so impressed. Nature is applauding as I write.
I also love the phrase…I feel like I’ve been pulled through a knot. How apt!!! How great a description!!! Save that for future needs.
Your site is breathtaking…will visit again. Susannah
Many, many thanks for the kind words. Glad you liked the images. With the current state of affairs (crazy person in charge, a freakin’ pandemic, chaos at every turn) there is some comfort looking closely at nature up close and personal. I may live near the heart of ‘cowtown central,’ but nature still offers some pretty lovely views.
So, my comment did arrive…by turtle, but better late than never.
Yes, any future comments will no longer be delayed. I don’t rise at the crack of dawn EDT like you do. 🙃 Unless Norman gets a crazy notion we should join the birds waking up the neighborhood.
A pretty time to be up, nonetheless.
Agreed. We’re morning creatures here but the time difference…we’ll you get it.
Beautiful post…literally. Didn’t know cactus would grow so lovely in the mile-high state!
Oh yes, it’s definitely dry enough. Once they bloom though they aren’t nearly as pretty and I steer far away. Cactus spines hurt like the devil!
It’s really pretty when in bloom, otherwise, it seems weirdly out of place around in the city.
Beautiful
They’re all so beautiful!
Thanks. I think we can all use a bit of beauty for a while. 🌺🌸🌻
Many thanks. It was important to look for the beautiful this week. 🥰
Cactus is under appreciated.
It is, though it needs to be admired from a safe distance. 😇
You (and your neighbors) sure have lots of pretty flowers to see. Thanks for taking us for a walk through the garden.
Thank you! Our great pleasure to share a spot of beauty in a pretty ugly world these days.
Where were you last month? LOL Lee and I tore up the front lawn, had a brick wall built, re-sodded and I had to take a crash course in landscaping (that was scary). I did plant some African Iris and I love them. I never had much interest in gardening, but I am starting to get into it. I love all the flowers you’ve shown today. Now I know who to turn to when I need help!!!!
Aw, you’re too kind. It’s funny, 87 years ago I wasn’t into gardening either but then one day I woke up and decided, enough with all the grass and started changing things to ground covers & perennials…all with fairly low water needs (we are considered a mountain desert after all). And I never looked back. You should see my ‘library’ of gardening books. 😁
Never seen irises that color, amazing!
They are fairly unique and not the typical color. But oh are they pretty and my absolute favorite of the bearded irises.
You have some stunning flowers
Thanks!
Beautiful, colorful, and happy! 💚💜🐶
Thank you. My work is done then! Have a ‘wagnificent’ weekend.
Woof woof you too!
That iris is stunning! I so enjoy your garden…reminds me of Europe.
Wow, now that’s quite the compliment. Thank you!
Thanks for the beautiful pics and making me SMILE!
My pleasure. Enjoy your weekend. 🌻🌺🌸
Thanks! Give Elsa and Norman belly rubs for me! 🙂 And treat yourself to ice cream to start the weekend off!
Ooh, I think I just might -thanks for the suggestion! 🍨
P. S. the pups say thank you for the rubs!
You are all welcome! 🍦
I never before heard of xeriscaping. Had to google it. Pretty cool! Your flowers and those of your neighbor are just gorgeous.
Thanks! I’m a big fan of xeriscape since water is in such short supply around here. It’s super efficient and can be breathtakingly beautiful.
Wow!! So much beautiful color this week! Your peonies are just gorgeous!!
Thanks. I love that heavenly scent of theirs.
Those poppies are pretty stunning. So many gorgeous colors and fascinating shapes here!
Thanks. Those ruffled edges blow me away every time I see them.
Mee-yow WOW Miss Monika yore flowerss are amazin!! Even mee iss lookin at THE fotoss!! LadyMew’ss faverite iss yore black/Purpell Iris….shee LOVESS Irisess. Mee feaverite iss THE pink Peony; iss so dellycat an purrty!!!
You sure have sum lovelee flowerss there…..
***purrss*** BellaDharma
Thanks dear kitty. The garden looks good for now but will be plain again after these guys bloom before a few other things come out. Looks like there’ll be a bunch of sunflowers to cheer us up later.
Sunnyflowerss??? WEE LOVe Sunnyflowerss Miss Monika!!
LadyMew ADOORSS yore Irisess alot!
**purrss** BellaDharma
Many thanks, BellaDharma. A few of the sunflowers have started blooming; they make me super happy with their cheerful yellow flowers. P.S. Your mum has good taste, the irises are pretty in the garden if I do say so myself.
Mew mew mew Miss Monika Ladymew lovess Irisess an Sunflowerss THE best!!
Mee agreess they are beeuteefull flowerss…..
WOW!!! So much beauty!!! And your photos are amazing.
It has been a week like that here too, lots of ups and downs and some with no answers. We are all hoping for better days to come:(
Woos, Lightning and Timber
I hear you. I made a special point of photographing pretty flowers this week to take my mind of a world gone completely bad. As if the coronavirus wasn’t bad enough. Stay safe and cool this weekend. Gonna be really HOT 🥵 here
Oh those Irises and Lupines are just candy to my senses. As if Prince was pulling the strings when they were created . . .
Thank you for bringing some lovely to an otherwise ugly week.
I’m very partial to the purple myself. There’s something very calming about that portion of the color week. I hope you can see yourself to a peaceful weekend. Known I’m thinking of you, friend.
I love it.
Thank you Monika. It’s been a really sad week in so many ways. I know this feels like a strange place to share but I need to since you understand. Mr Speaker passed last weekend. Just typing it still makes me tear up. Man I miss him.
I heard about that. I’m so very sorry. Hopefully all your lovely tender memories will supply your a aching heart a measure of comfort. Thinking of you and sending warm thoughts of support. 💔
Thank you so much Monika. It means a lot. 💔
Been there, done that, know what you’re going through. If there’s anything I can do, please let me know.
You are a blessing, and I will.
☮️💟☮️
❤️☮️❤️
candy to my senses…pull that.
Done
I love your photos, Monika. I can see your cactus is a little behind ours. We already have fruit on ours. TGIF. Have a super weekend.
Thanks, John. Your climate is probably a bit more conducive to cactus especially since we had a real hard freeze just last month. Here’s to a swell weekend!
I hope it is a good one.
😊
I’ve never had much luck with lupines but they are so beautiful.
I never had any luck before either but now the garden is covered with them. All from just two plants! 😲
Didn’t know what to expect but the garden grew from just two plants! As you can see, they’re heavy reseeders. 😉
Mighty purty!
That’s high praise from a greenhouse builder like yourself. Here’s to a ‘wagnificent’ weekend.
Back at ya on the weekend wishes. I’m more of a veggie gardener than flowers but I admire the look of flowers a lot. This year’s veggie crop is generally lousy which makes it a perfect accompaniment to the rest of 2020 so far. 🙂
You’re lucky you have somethings growing. I found one tomato plant and one pepper plant, brought them home, planted them right away and the tomato died practically overnight. Went back to get a replacement but they were completely out with no replacements coming. Even seeds seem like the toilet paper of the gardening world.
What absolutely gorgeous flowers…………Love those purples especially! We can’t grow cactus outside here but their “electric” colored flowers have always fascinated me. Have a great weekend of being SAFE and taking it easy!
Hugs, Pam
Many thanks for the kind praise. I’m partial to the purples/blues myself. Add a pop of pink or yellow and POW! Brightens the whole area up like crazy. Here’s to a weekend full of joy and warm fuzzies.
What gorgeous blooms! My favorites are the poppies – now and forever♥
They look fragile but are tough as nails. I can’t help live them too!
Thank you for showcasing all these beauties! I didn’t know the terms xeriscape! It is exactly what I am planning for my front yard. The grass is uglier than sin, anyway and I refuse to reseed it nor water it so… Thank you for even more inspiration!
My pleasure. I’m a big promoter of the concept. It is easier to maintain and uses far less resources. The environment as well as the senses benefit over removal of turf grass. 😍
As much as a beautiful lawn is a sight to see, it does nothing for me. I don’t believe in wasting water to keep it looking so. When I saw that garden (which I showed you pictures of), I knew that it was in my future to create one as well.
Not to work out my plan, get to know the plants that fit in my climate and get to work. Slowly! 😍
Agreed. The amount of time and money it takes to reach that level can’t be justified in my mind either. Here’s to your plan!
You have to take a pic of your garden in toto and send it to me. Please? I need more inspiration!
So beautiful…wow that salmon poppy color is very striking and unusual! Nature is for sure helping us through this time.
And probably working overtime to boot. Happy weekend.
Same to you!
It has been a long ugly year already. Good for you for focusing on the positive! Puts a smile on my grumpy face.
It’s the only way I can cope at this point. I’m exhausted, saddened and depressed at everything that’s happened and continues to happen with far too much regularity. A walk around gardens will hopefully put a smile on people’s faces and hearts like it did briefly on mine. Happy weekend, Amy.
Beautiful flowers. Wow. We’ve had two heatwaves thus far and that’s pretty unusual this early. Oh well.
Have a fabulous day and weekend, my friend. ♥
The heat does seem early and extra hot here too which is expected to continue for the foreseeable forecast. July and August will be brutal.
these are the supermodels of flowers. What gorgeous color and lines. I want some salmon colored poppies too. Peonies are my faves, well those and bird of paradise, tulips, sunflowers… well I love yours !
Why thank you for the kind words. I’ve worked hard over the years adding xeriscape plants to make it look beautiful and easier to maintain. When I moved into this house, it was all grass from one end to the other. 😲