I saw this Clematis blooming up a trellis, and it really caught my eye.  It is dark, and the leaves are a lot bigger than the one I have grown.  It is lovely;  and almost as pretty as mine.  Here is the whole trellis.

 

 

Pretty, huh?

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

 

See?  From white all the way through red.  Love them!!!

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

As you can see, I didn't take this picture in the mountains.  I am still at the Beach, and everywhere you look the Knockout roses are blooming.  I don't want to grow them in my yard, but I love seeing them.  

 

They bloom all spring and summer and, if well-maintained they will continue blooming into the fall.  They grow in our area too, and come in lots of colors;  from white through pink to this bright red.  

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

 

 

This bed of Bearded Iris took my breath away.  The purple was SO deep and its beard was bright orange.

 

I love how Iris bloom for a day or two, then close up and let the next one open.  It even works when you cut them and put them in a vase.  LOVE, LOVE LOVE!!!!!

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

Isn't this fabulous?  YES, IT IS!!!

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!!

 

I had never seen the Gardens at Duke.  It was part of the 3-mile Angels Among Us walk.  Oh my goodness!!!  What a gorgeous place.  Acres and acres of big trees and flowers and water features and on and on.  Right there on the campus of Duke University.

 

I just love these Alliums:  the flowers are about 3 feet tall, and there are 4 curved beds of them.  Don't they look just like my leeks?  I might have to plant some of these in my garden.  

 

It is definitely a place to go see if you are anywhere near Raleigh/Durham.  Do it!!

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

On Saturday, my friend and I participated in the Angels Among Us Walk at Duke Medical Center in Durham.  Since she was on a committee to work with volunteers, we had to be there at 5:45 AM!!!  When I saw this cool sign for the walk the sun was just coming up and the sky was pink.  

 

What a great way to start the day:  seeing the sunrise.  I might start getting up early every day.

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

As I was walking the other day, I noticed this nice little kitchen garden alongside the flower beds.  There is Yarrow, Parsley, and these beautiful chives.  So I pinched a few leaves of chives and added them to our Lemon Orzo.

 

Maybe I will add that to the recipe section.  It is easy and delicious!!

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

See the little tree with the dark red leaves?  It is a Redbud!!!  I didn't get to see it when it was blooming, so I don't know what color the flowers are, but it is really pretty now.  The leaves will stay this color until the fall, and then I have no idea what color they will be before they drop for the winter.  I guess I need to come back to Yorktown to find out.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I love the bearded iris, and these are SO pretty.  They smell good too.  They are on my morning walk path here in Virginia Beach.  If course, I have to bend down and give them a sniff.  It makes my morning!!!

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!