Welcome to the Garden 2009

The perennial border is nature's miracle in the garden. Each year, with very little effort on my part, the flowers that I have planted over the years spring forth and provide us with beauty all summer long.



I realize also, that inasmuch as I am 73 years old, these blooms may be part of my legacy. Perhaps people will remark, at least for a few years, that those are Vernon's flowers.



The photographs below show just a few of the periennials now sprouting in the garden.

This plant above will provide us with these pretty

Columbines.

This scattering of plants will become my garden favorite

Phlox

Thes tiny leaves will produce the

Bee Balm

These will produce

the Blushing Bride Hydramgea

The above will produce the spectacular array of

Tulips

These little buds will contribte

Climbing Pink Roses

These fern like plants will become

Poppies

The above is just a sampling of the flowers in my garden.

There are also

Coreopsis

Japanese Lilies

Alium

Asters

Phystogeia

Rudbeckia
Day Lilies

Lavender

Astilbe

Hybrid Roses

Bleeding Hearts

Hostas

Ornamental Grasses

Clematis

Wisteria

and

an assortment of annuals including

Pansies,

Geraniums

Begonias

Impatiens

and whatever else strikes my fancy at the nursery.

PLease visit

Friends and Family Across the Nation

My brother, David, and Beth returned to their home in northern Maine after spending a month in warm and sunny Florida. On their second morning home this is the view of their back yard!



In the meantime my friends Mike and Marge are winding up their winter stay in Florida. They sent me these photos of a deer and an eagle which they saw while driving home from a day of bass fishing.

And in southern California my friend Bob and his partner Dennis spent Sunday clearing brush and planting a garden on their property which they call Cielo Grande.

Tonight, I thought I would cook a simple meal of soup and sandwiches for my friends Mary and Ed here in Winthrop, Massachusetts.

First I set a simple table.

I tossed 5 pounds of cut up fresh tomatoes with smashed garlic cloves, olive oil, and salt and pepper. I roasted them in a hot oven for 40 minutes.

They looked like this when finished, very soft and aromatic.

In the meantime I cooked a large chopped onion in olive oil. To this I added a couple cups of water, the tomatoes, a little sugar, some red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. After bringing it to a boil I let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

I put it in the blender and pureed it until it was smooth.

A half cup of sweet heavy cream and some fresh basil leaves and it was ready to serve.

In the meantime I heated up my panini grill.

I assenbled my ingredients for the sandwich - a nice loaf of chiabatta bread, some fresh mozzarella cheese and basil pesto.

The cheese and pesto were placed on the sliced bread and both outside slices were sprayed with olive oil.

Onto the grill for just a few minutes.

I guess that this is anything but simple soup and a sandwich.

I call it simple but superb!

Visiting My Little Friends on Easter Sunday

Mary's grandson, Dante

Ed's grandchildren, Jonathon and Sophie

Happy Easter

A little more sun and these narcissus will bloom.

Once again spring is here and things are beginning to happen in my garden.

I checked my old garden journal and saw that this Oriental Poppy, Princess Victoria Louise, was planted in September 1998.

I purchased it on a trip, with Louise, to some nurseries in Pennsylvania .

The tulips are looking good.

The pussywillows are even prettier.

This is the project I am tackling next - cleaning out the pond.

A sure sign of spring

Salix Discolar (Pussy Willow)

This very tall tree with its pearl gray catkins is actually on a neighbor's property which abuts our back yard.

The small plant below which I believe is a Lily of the Valley springs up by the garden gate very early every year at this time.

This year I am thinking of a small section in the garden featuring pink and red flowers which should bloom in the summer.

Pink Astilbe




Red Astilbe

Pink Cranesbill Geraniums

a pink rose.

and a red rose

Dante visits newborn brother Roman

Aunt Amanda

Roman Marc Porzio

Roman Marc Porzio was born last night!


Roman is the second son of Jeff and Jenn Porzio and is the brother to Dante, and he is Mary's second grandson.