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Sunday, January 31, 2010

Summer Blooms on Sunday Favorites

Here it is, the last day of January, and I already have Spring Fever.

What to do? Well, since I can't hurry the seasons,
I can at least look back 6 months and remember what it was like at That Old House in late July. . . .


Here's a post from July 29, 2009 -- I hope you enjoy it.
You can click to see other re-issued posts at the end of this post,
where you will find links to other Sunday Favorites posts. (Thanks, Chari!)



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What is in bloom, in late July, at That Old House?




Last week, I discovered that what I thought were old iris leaves just hanging out, waiting for the axe to fall, were, in fact, fresh green gladiolus leaves, just hanging out waiting for their flowers to pop.

And pop they did!



I really like this color, with the dark border; so pretty in pink.
(Calling the real gardeners: is that called a picotee edge?)


Sadly, some heavy wind and rain felled a couple of the spikes, so they will be nipped and moved into That Old House;
she loves getting gussied up with fresh flowers.


Nearby, the trusty cosmos:


and amazingly prolific hibiscus are still pumping out the blooms.


Up along the driveway, it's rioting daisies:


On the stone wall side, the daisies are collapsing under their own weight:


Ack! Weeds! Cover your eyes.

I love over-the-top, devil-may-care Rudbeckia; we've got them all over the place:







They are doing their best to choke out this blue hydrangea;


Perhaps this poor guy needs a new home come fall:


The purple and lavender hydrangea are blooming, also, up above the stone wall:


And a tomato is happily ripening.
We don't have too many tomato plants but they are all Fertile Myrtles.


Also along the stone border -- some old-fashioned phlox:


Phlox.
That's a funny name.
Who came up with that name for such a pretty flower?
Phlox. Phlox.
Nope, doesn't get any better.

"Honey, get the paper towels! The dog is phloxing on the good rug!"

Is there another name for these guys? Are they also called Sweet William?


Up on top of the border, on the driveway level, the "Autumn Joy" sedum is looking like anemic broccoli.
With sedum, that's a good thing; it will reward us in the fall.


I never much liked wax begonias, till I realized how amazingly easy these scrappy little things are, and how they can suffer brutal gardening abuse and neglect and still look like this:

Oops. I think I just confessed to brutal gardening abuse and neglect. Guilty.

One more outdoor shot, this one from Sunday:

We went to a family baptism on Long Island.
That's baby Andrew, at the party afterward, hanging onto Uncle Howard.

And I guess it is Great-Uncle Howard, actually. Yikes.
My great uncles smoked stinky cigars and wore their pants hiked up under their nipples.



I think Dion is telling me it is time to leave the computer, and give him a treat.
He may be right. We could both use a good walk! -- Cass

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Now don't forget to visit Chari at her Happy To Design blog,
for other Sunday Favorites!


19 comments:

  1. Hi Cass...

    My friend, I needed this post!!! Ohh yes...I'm beginning to feel like old father winter himself! hehe! Seriously, your beautiful flowers are like a breath of fresh air! My favorite was the gorgeous Glad...oooh, such beautiful pinks!!! I'll never forget, my Grandma had one half of her garden planted with Gladiolas...and they were sooo beautiful! She had so many different colors! She used to tell me that they started mixing and thus...always coming up with new and different colors! I also really like all of your white daisies. Such a simply flower but one of my favorites! Well Darlin', what a sweet treat! Very refreshing and hopeful that Spring will visit us once again!!!

    Thank you for sharing all of your lovely flowers at That Old House with us today for Sunday Favorites! This was quite a treat!!!

    Warmest winter wishes,
    Chari @Happy To Design

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  2. What beautiful flowers!! It was fun thinking about spring/summer in this snow storm we are in this weekend. I love phlox. My Grandmother had it in her yard. So pretty!! Love & blessings from NC!

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  3. Your rudbeckia and daisies are just just gorgeous and obviously very happy in your yard. I wish my yard looked that pretty!

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  4. Thanks, I needed to look at some gorgeous flowers and remember that Spring is just around the corner.

    We're used to year-round blooming here in Florida, but the recent freeze has just about killed everything. And I mean killed, as in not coming back. BUT, your post reminded me that there are things that will soon start recovering and I'll be surrounded by blooms once again. Thanks!

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  5. Love your garden, and now I must go dig out the garden catalogues and maybe alittle planning for This Old House...

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  6. Oh Cass,

    What beautiful flowers! Some of my favorites are daisies and black eyed susan's. I love the mass planting -they make such a statement! Your rock borders are just fantastic! I love your post...come on spring!!

    Miss Bloomers

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  7. Thank you for sharing such beautiful pictures. It is a friendly reminder that this cold weather will eventually move on and the colors of spring will appear! :o)
    Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne

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  8. Love the pics--does remind us the Spring is on the way.
    Dion is a crack up and Andrew is adorable.
    Enjoy your Sunday!

    Melinda

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  9. Thanks for posting this again - great timing. I needed a good dose of pretty flowers. I am sitting here, with my coffee, listening to icicles crashing on the patio. Sun is out, so hopefully we will get some major melting today.

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  10. I love your many flowers, especially the gladiolus, which are amazingly beautiful.

    I just bought a 101 year old house with a very HUGE yard and I can't wait to have flowers everywhere this spring!

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  11. I'm with you on that Spring Fever thing!

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  12. Phlox, yep, odd name for such a pretty flower, and ditto on the wax beeeeeeeegonieassss, I never met a flower I didn't like but to be honest I just don't like em. Glad's I love, cosmos are the bomb, I have a lot of holly hocks in my yard and I really love those, I love all of the "old" flowers, romantic person that I am. I am having the Jones's for Spring too. Have a great day my friend. I am off to clean, YUK.

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  13. G'morn, Cass ~ It is still as lovely as then ... chuckle!

    I just started growing tomatoes in the house for May transplanting.

    I actually like to celebrate each season to the fullest & end ...

    Have a beautiful week.
    TTFN ~ Marydon

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  14. I had gladiolus at my wedding. So did my husband...I guess I should have said "we" and "our".
    One of the best things about an old house is the country garden. The perennials looking so fabulous.
    This brightened my day.

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  15. Cass, I really enjoyed this breath of spring air on your blog today. I haven't been out of the house in 3 days, because I don't drive in snow! Your flowers and your home always look so beautiful. I love the way your flowers look like they thrive in wild abandon. Thanks so much for giving me this look at what surely will get here eventually. laurie

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  16. Hi Cass!

    I don't know which one I am looking forward to more....seeing beauiful fresh flowers springing up or plopping my behind down and snatching a fresh tomato off the vine and eat it!

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  17. Oh thank you for posting this! I am looking forward to spring and being able to work in my gardens. *Sigh* Looking forward to spring. Your flowers are all so beautiful. I could just walk and walk thru your gardens. So pretty!
    Sandra

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  18. WOW is all I can say! Those are breathtaking. I adore hydrangeas and those gladiolas are to die for!

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  19. I just can't wait either!
    Lovely flowers!
    Thanks for dropping by!
    France

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