In the garden ... peonies

Like lilacs, peonies are one of those flowers that I wish would last longer. Mine lasted a little more than a week, but they were oh so beautiful!! Yesterday's rain finished them off and now all that's left is a pile of petals that needs raking.

It doesn't matter how many photos I take of them; I always wish I'd taken just one more. It's such a long wait until next year!!

This soft pink and white peony is one we transferred from my Mom's garden last fall.  It only had half a dozen blooms this year but it's so pretty and delicate.

I brought in huge bouquets of these pink peonies and placed them everywhere!  I was determined to enjoy them before the rain finished them off.

Thank you for the lovely comments you've left on my last couple of posts.  I'm sorry that I haven't gotten around to visiting and replying to you but a bad bout of bronchitis has left me behind once again.  I'm feeling better but my energy level just hasn't come back yet.  Hopefully some sunshine and warm weather will soon help.

Enjoy this lovely first weekend of summer!

The softness of white

White whispers; it never shouts.  White is restful and calming.  White is ...

... lemon poppyseed scones

... lily of the valley

... and white lilacs.

"White is the color of angels and brides, moonlight and lily of the valley.  It is capable of endless subtleties; fragile or strong, it can be transparent as ice, opaque as marble, in love with light as a diamond." ~ Victoria, At Home With White

Lilac time

I love lilacs.   I've managed to squeeze six lilac bushes into my tiny garden and when they're all blooming, the fragrance is wonderful!

The doubles seem to last longer as cut flowers.  Someone once told me to remove all the leaves before putting them in a vase because the leaves take the water away from the flowers.  Lilacs don't make the best cut flowers but I can't resist bringing a few inside and removing the leaves really works.  They'll last 4-5 days without the leaves.  I cut a few branches with just leaves to tuck into the arrangement.

Sadly, the lilacs have already faded.  I always want them to last longer but maybe if they did, I wouldn't appreciate them as much.  It's a long wait until next Spring!

Come into my garden ...

... so I can show you what's blooming!

I've planted bleeding heart in a few places in the garden before finding just the right spot for it.  The "King of Hearts" blooms all summer long, right up until frost, as long as it's deadheaded regularly.

My redbud is like a pink cloud in the Spring!  Once the soft pink flowers have faded,  it has the prettiest heart shaped leaves.

A dwarf iris, transplanted from my Mom's garden last Fall, blooms for the first time.  It's such a gorgeous shade of purple.  Virginia bluebells bloom in clusters of soft blue flowers and spread themselves everywhere.  I don't mind because they die back after blooming, leaving no trace until next Spring.

And lilacs.  They never last long enough but I can't imagine a Spring without them!  I've got more lilac photos to share with you in my next post.