In the Garden /// The Perfect Hydrangea and Other Lovely Things

{ Mophead hydrangea }

{ Annabelle hydrangea }

The Perfect Hydrangea
Having to forgo veggies in my own little back yard due to lack of sun has allowed me to focus on flowers and pretty plants for the first time in my gardening life. I have this list of all of the flowers that would live in my dream garden. My plant budget is slim and I've been really lucky to receive much of my wish list on occasions like Mothers Day and birthdays. The hardest one to acquire has been the perfect hydrangea. When we moved in Chris scored us a cast-off hydrangea from one of his landscaping clients, it looked pretty sad but I nursed it back to health and it came back strong last spring. The trouble was that once it got it's leaves and flowers I quickly realized it wasn't the variety growing in my imaginary garden in my head. This one has thin leaves, is sort of leggy, and produces tiny white flowers. After some Googling my guess is it's an Annabelle hydrangea. Costco just recently opened their garden center and have been carrying the most incredible Mophead hydrangeas and my dear sweet Mother decided to gift me one. Isn't it beautiful! (first photo in post)

 { Sweet Woodruff and pink petaled Strawberry plants }

 { one of the succulent planters }

{ something about these reminds me of the intro to Game of Thrones -- the Weirwood tree possibly? }

{ bleeding heart }

{ I'm not sure the name of this guy, I'm pretty sure he's part of the succulent family }

 { Saxifraga : Triumph }

 { I've started some Sweeties on the window ledge -- better late than never! }

 { Cape Gooseberry -- started from seed }

{ A poppy in the perennial arugula bed -- what a difference a day makes... }

The neighborhood kids and I have also been cleaning up the communal plots and little hands have been scattering seeds that are now finally growing! Once the weather warms enough the tomatoes will join them.

{ a few newbies I picked up at the Root Cellar }

What's growing in your garden right now? Are you starting seeds on your window ledges? Or maybe you have a greenhouse?