Oh these days!
It's been a lovely May so far hasn't it?
I see so many delightful photos on Instagram and know there are lots of happy garden people out there.
I've been sculpting and doing lots of studio things, plus taking lots of garden breaks.
I have a lot going on.
Some deadlines, mad tea planning which will be announced soon & other little tid-bits.
So, it's a huge joy to escape outside and listen to the birds, sniff the air.
Jasmine times are here, love them.
I have sore hands from softening very firm clay.
Lots of new little creatures coming out to play.
I escape to golden hour for a break.
That time where all the birds are hanging in the garden, hummingbirds swooping in.
Cardinals looking for each other, flowers getting back lit by the sun.
One of my most fave times of day.
But I bet I have told you that so many times, you already knew.
Hydrangea are popping open…
Along with gentle little poppies.
The coreopsis keep blooming, self seeded from last year, swaying in the dusty sun.
I always forget in winter how full the garden gets when it's all green and flowery in May.
All three little flowers below self seed, coreopsis, verbena and sweet alyssum.
I adoooore self seeders.
I couldn't choose between the photo on top or bottom, so here are both, haha.
We've had some crazy storms here.
Very rare for May in Southern Arizona.
But boy is everything loving the moisture, what a treat!
My boys follow me around on my garden breaks.
But when I asked them for a photo op they gave me their backs, hahaha!
Thanks guys!
We're still enjoying pink ruffled petals…
And the blooming jasmine out front that has grown up into the tree.
I loooove that it is using a branch as its arbor.
Can you smell that???
If you stand under the jasmine and look to the southeast you see this mountain, isn't it a neat mountain?
Either I'm a huge nature lover or utterly bored with my standing around looking at mountains, haha.
Which one would you say?
I'll go with nature lover.
Ohhhh, I almost forgot.
I loooove the wonderland quality of the pineapple guava flowers below.
I hope we get tons of the ridiculously delicious fruits this year.
Here's some info on the plant if you've never heard of it.
It's so pretty and an evergreen, I highly recommend it.
I can't wait to cut some hydrangea soon.
As we wait for more poppies to pop open.
Love them so, are you a poppy fan?
If you can't find me…
I'll be here, on the other side of the arbor, in the garden chaise…
Watching birds….
Thinking.
Enjoying all the green.
Getting lots of vitamin D that makes me feel sooo gooood.
And, thinking up some exciting new things for you and me.
The mad tea party plans will be shared soon.
Along with other really fun tales.
Are you loving May?
I really can't even believe it's May.
Time just goes by faster and faster, I can hardly keep up with it.
Fill me in on your goings on, won'tcha?
Love, V
Gorgeous pics Vanessa! My garden is going to sleep for winter so it’s lovely to see yours waking up and putting on such beautiful clothes! The tree you described as pineapple guava is grown here in New Zealand, but we call it feijoa. Apparently it’s not much grown in other parts of the world and I can’t think why! So glad you know and love it too 🙂
Have a wonderful spring and summer in your garden!
Ruth xx
…I’m a self seeder gardener…too soft to pull ’em up…and love the display when it happens!!
Thank you for sharing! You are always so inspiring!
I adore your wonderful garden. Thanks so much for sharing all the fabulous photos!
Such a lovely magical place you’ve created there. I am having so much fun in garden and yes, I adore May and June here in Southern California. I am a bit late getting seeds out but I am going to plant a wildflower garden this week and I have a patch ready for pumpkins. What variety of pumpkins would you recommend?
I think the song in the vintage Disney Alice in Wonderland movie when they were singing about the flowers in the merry month of June, it should have been the merry month of May! At least on the West side of the country. The violets have bloomed, the roses have bloomed, the camellias have bloomed…I am waiting for the hydrangea’s to bloom as they are my favorite because of their Fairyland fragrance.
I adore all of the photos of the flowers that reseed themselves. Always a treat to see!
Can’t wait to see what your busy self has been up to in the way of clay creations you are making.
And, looking forward to the Mad Tea Party too!
lots of hugs,
Miss Teresa
Beautiful post as always. I’m enjoying my garden as well. I just started this spring, but already have hydrangeas, roses, trumpet honeysuckle, butterfly bush blooms, vitex, salvia, hibiscus, mandevillas and more…sometimes it’s just fun to write the names… Your garden is gorgeous, Vanessa. It’s so much fun to look at what you’ve done. I appreciate so much you sharing snapshots of your life. It reminds me in a different way how my Grandmother and her friends would walk around their gardens and show each other their flowers. Then, if one or the other didn’t have some plant, they would share a “piece” of it so it could be rooted. It amusing how somethings change, but really stay the same.
Your garden is a lovely, enchanted place.
You and your garden inspire me daily, dearest Vanessa. Gardening is so therapeutic for me…exhausting, certainly and frustrating, at times, but, nonetheless therapeutic. The doggies with their backs to you…so funny. 🙂 I’ll look into the pineapple guava. Looks beautiful. I planted some aloe heeding your advice. (Thumbs up) You give a whole other dimension to gardening in the desert. Everything you touch turns to gold. xoxo Jen
I love all the flowers….especially the poppies. Not enough sun in my yard, but love them. Haven’t seen poppies in any gardens here in a long time. You are blessed to have all that sunshine!
If you love self-seeders…have you ever grown Cleome…aka..Spider plant? It makes a million more plants due to the kajillion seeds in the bean-like pods. They will come up everywhere!!
What have I been up to? I’m going to be a Grandmother! And it’s a little girl….so in my studio I will be creating pink things! The fairies will help I’m sure. 🙂
Looking forward to seeing your new creations. You always lift my spirits.
I haven’t visited You in a long awhile and missed You, so here I am.Yes,You are a nature lover just like Me. We just returned from a road trip all over the rocky mountain region and saw so much gorgeous nature and had lots of fun.Hope I don’t miss out on the Mad Tea Party,I’ll have to check with You often now. Hugs and blessings-Denise
Hello Vanessa! It’s been so long since I visited. I just love your beautiful paradise you have there. So full of life and all those bursting blooms! My goodness, magical. I don’t think I could ever get any work done,I would just savor every moment. Take care 🙂
Your gaardens are wonderful and amazing. You certainly have a good eye.
Yes, nature lover. For sure. No doubt. Me too. There can be no boredom when we’re so enchanted with the creations of this world. 🙂 Big chuckle out of the doggies turning away — “no photos today, please, Miss Paparazzo”, haha! Looove the jasmine arbor — and yes, I can smell it! (But maybe that’s because I have jasmine-scented lotion on right now, heehee.) I’ve never had a big yard like we have now, and we haven’t yet done anything with it, and I know almost nothing about gardening — but I look so forward to getting one going, and you and yours will definitely be inspiration to me! In the meantime, I’ll continue to enjoy your yard and garden photos and stories until I have my own, so thank you for so generously sharing so much.
Lovely, how your Jasmine has decided to climb to to be a unique star in your gorgeous garden Vanessa! It sure looks amazing!
I am very curious to hear more about this fabulous pineapple guava tree!!! Thanks for including the extra info about this beauty.
Coming here to see what is going on in your fanciful world, always brings me joy and inspires me to try and make every day special. 😉
There’s more magic going on in your garden, Vanessa, than even YOU may realize! On photo of Miles and your other gorgeous guy (whose name I don’t know) check out the little cat like creature to his left shoulder and another dark colored little dog to his right facing the camera…..It’s the photo where you say “they turned their backs on me HA HA” Lot’s of spiritual, fairy and Shaman energy. Just love that you are willing to share so much with us. Thank you.
So lovely it makes my heart sing! The world is waking up here, too and at long last! Hoping to do the tea party — will sign up soon! Meanwhile, happy weekend!
Oh your gardens!! SO magical and lovely!!!!! : )
I would love to participate again. It’s been a while. Here’s my blog link http://vanwinklesart.blogspot.com/