Oh, the wonderful days of soil and sun are here.
I've been ever so busy my friends.
I need a really long nap, and I think I'll take one soon.
Although I have a hard time napping, you?
I have one too many pics to share to today.
But, if you grab something good to sip, it might not be too long and crazy.
There's endless garden magic happening.
Is there really any other word better than magic that can properly explain spring?
The fresh leaves, the golden sun, the good-bye to winter.
The memory of what the garden looks like when it is full and lush.
Grape leaves ready for dolmades.
And snap dragons.
Oh snap dragons.
Can we just talk about them for a second?
I never really longed for them, I never even planted them.
I never was ever inspired to smell them.
I never really gave them a second thought.
I don't know why?
And then I planted a bunch this winter.
Dinky little things.
I had no idea they could be perennials, could withstand winter and would grow so huge and fill my garden with so much joy.
I mean, I see them in Disneyland and outside hotels.
I just never thought about them for myself.
I was wandering around the other day asking myself what that beautiful scent was.
As I said, I have never felt compelled to smell a snap dragon.
I'm not sure why I never considered them as I find them awfully beautiful.
Anywho, I was wondering what the scent in the garden was.
I could smell orange blossoms, jasmine and roses but what was the other element?
Then I sniffed the snapdragons.
WHAT?
I went from color to color in awe.
The scent was filled with memories.
Almost like my mom's faint perfume.
Or the faint scent of confections.
Like faint cotton candy.
So mild and so beautiful.
Who knew?
Did you know?
And here I was giving all the credit to these beauties.
I tell you, the garden teaches me something new all the time.
The lady banks roses are in full bloom.
Going crazy over arbors and little buildings in my garden.
I just love poking around.
Seeing all that goes on.
Buildings being utterly devoured by roses.
I wished for this years ago and almost have to rub my eyes everyday in disbelief.
Oh lovely climbing roses.
I just hope they don't cave in my buildings and arbors, haha!
They're even hopping onto my office stoop.
Fun fun fun!
I just roam around in dream goggles.
So utterly thankful to mother nature.
Can't thank her enough.
How can it be that such wonderful things can exist?
Bright sun filled garden today.
I tried to get Matty to pose for a photo, you know how much he hates them.
And of course, in runs the ham.
Smile and all.
My sweeties.
They were bickering with a hawk that kept taunting them.
Squawking at them like mad.
Huge wonderful creature.
I had to sprint for my camera and took blurry pics just as he…
Got ready to…
Take flight!
Isn't that so neato?
I love those hawks.
Watching them fly around and swoop down.
I had to run out of town to my parents the other day and they would do the same to me at their house.
My mom was amazed.
She said the hawks never come that close to her.
Maybe they thought I was a chipmunk or something?
🙂
My blog post would have ended there for today, but then I took more pics after watching the hawk.
It's was so sunny and watching the flowers multiply and fill-in is my fave past time.
I realize I may be a broken record.
You may ask yourself, is this just a gardening blog?
Does she ever post about anything but her garden?
What happened to arting and crafting?
Could she be any more boring?
But when you've tried to grow things like Cleveland sage for years…
And then it finally takes off like wild fire.
You get kind of obsessive about it.
You know what I mean?
Jelly bean!
The last two years the gophers kept disrupting the roots of this rose bush.
Poor Phyllis Diller rose bush.
And this year she's doing awesome.
Just like she was when I first brought her home.
So, you can understand how I might obsess a little.
And want to obnoxiously show you everything.
Over and over again.
Thanks for humoring me and my garden ways.
Garden magic and garden spells.
Garden dreams and garden enchantment.
And when all the rose bushes I transplanted, that were thought dead due to gophers, start to sprout tiny signs of life in their new pots, I almost faint from joy.
What can I say?
It's my fairy tale place.
Where I wake up every morning and wonder…
Who's been painting the roses red again?!
🙂
And so, I give you another garden visit.
My happiest place on earth.
Where all my woes fall away and I play in soil.
Happy as can be.
Pruning and loving every moment.
The doggies are doing great.
So is that hatter and all the other characters in my life.
Mom gave us a real scare with bad food poisoning so I raced down there.
So good to be with her, and we had a lovely time after she got better.
I even jumped in a frigid pool to amuse her.
And myself I guess.
I've really been going non stop the last few weeks.
City, country, this and that.
It's time for me to rein it back in and take some me time I think.
Yes, I do think so.
How are you out there in the great big world?
What goes on in your neck of the woods these days?
I'd love to know.
Thank you to those who chime in and say hello.
I love reading your goings on.
So wonderful to know you are there.
Merci beaucoup for that, infinity.
Do people still say that?
🙂
Lots of love from me to you!
See you sooner than the last time.
(I hope)
xoxo, Vanessa
ps: Don't forget my tutorial for making panoramic sugar Easter eggs here…
pps: And don't forget all the free printable Easter egg wrappers and ideas here…
My Dearest Dbl V!! How marvelous to hear from you!! If I lived in that magical place that you do,I’m not sure I could ever bear to leave.We are one month into our Garden,at our Daughters.I’m trying to grow mostly Heirloom,and Organic.We have 19 tomatoes,so far.Old German,Purple Cherokee,Black Krim,even one called Chocolate Sprinkles!!14 varieties of peppers,Sweet Banana,Mucho Nacho,Orange Lunchbox.But,most of all,an APARAGUS bed.I put in a row of Purple asparagus crowns,and I have plants!!!So cool.I probly bore all my friends,coz,all I want to do is talk about what is coming up! Isn’t gardening the absolute best.I even love to weed.I solve all kind of problems,while I am weeding.Wish I could take beautiful pics,like you.To show you,my Garden!! Hugs,Ceci
You do know I love your blog? You do know it makes me happy when there are sad things, frustrating things, just not so great things in my life. Today things are good so the blog just made me happier 🙂
I just put together Easter baskets (really they are buckets) for the girls who just had birthdays last weekend. Our little one is a big 4 already. The oldest is 15 how those 15 years have passed so quickly I have no clue. She still gets an Easter basket filled with Crabbie Patties, gum, and other goodies. These are the grandmotherly things I love to do.
Your garden posts are never boring to me. They are enchanting. I think spring is back after a bit of Dogwood winter. Although yesterday it felt more like summer and I turned the air conditioner on.
We have been busy planting-veggies in the garden, flowers in the flower beds. I got snapdragons the other day and filled my old wheelbarrow with snapdragons, petunias, moss roses and dianthus. Dianthus is an annual but it grows like as a perennial here. I’ve planted more Iris, lillies, garden phlox and several other plants.
Love your pictures of the hawk and your fur babies. Sometimes we get a hawk that will stay around here and perch on the fence posts. We have woods behind our house so hear owls sometimes, too.
I am so enchanted by the aroma of Cleveland sage. I was just in San Clemente where it is indigenous. The nursery guy told me it wouldn’t grow in the Northwest, but I’m planting seeds anyhow. Wish me luck!
Please never hold back your pictures or whimsy, love hearing your thoughts and seeing the blooms. I often come to your blog like someone in the desert and go away feeling like I have found the perfect oasis. Thank you for sharing your lovely life with the few of us out here who can’t seem to coax anything green to grow and survive. The hawk was especially beautiful. Here in Georgia today it is a perfect spring day–birds chirping, sun playing hide and seek and generally a day to just sit and feel spring bursting forth. Hope your days continue to be magical and you are able to share with your readers!
(Shelia ~ I was born in Georgia!) V.V. ~ I live through your gardening since I moved into an apartment and have only a balcony…never get tired of your gardening posts.
Animals can feel people’s auras & they don’t fake emotions…you have a sparkly presence and they feel it.
Thank you for the cascarone wrapper printout.
Love your Abundant ways….
Vanessa,
Looks like you have the hearts of the Georgia women–but that is no surprise. The South is a dreamy, magical place all its own. I was born here too, Jill, and have always felt that the powers that be knew exactly where to plunk me down. I swear by honeysuckle and forsythia, have a large magnolia tree in my yard, and know that some sweet southern elixir flows through my veins. Hope I never have to leave–unless I am heading for Vanessa’s garden.
I love your garden and never tire of your photos and posts about them. I’m glad Mombie is doing better.
love & blessings
~*~
ps…hugs & kisses to Matty and Miles!
I’m in Georgia, too 🙂
Hello Vanessa
I am always so happy when you have a new blog post. I know it will make my day*** Your garden is magical and I honestly don’t know how you don’t sleep out there* its so fabulous*** We only have a tiny bit popping up here in CT. I hope your Easter is the best. We all have the flu/cold/cough so we won’t be going on any Easter egg hunts this weekend. Next weekend though for sure
Oh you asked what we were all doing. I just planted a ton of succulents in gutter that my husband put on the side of my greenhouse as planters. Looks amazing
have the best day/Easter
deezie
You are no broken record, you are (as Carlos Santana said about John Lee Hooker) an ocean of inspiration. I have learned so much about gardening from you! Particularly the importance of the long view. It makes it so much more magical and enjoyable to be able to take that long view, and see it both how it is now and also, at one and the same time, how it will be in five years, seven years, ten years…..it makes me realize I don’t have to do EVERYTHING this afternoon! Which is so freeing, and I can just enjoy who it is now as well! I have you to thank for this, and I so appreciate it!
XXXOOO
Magickal indeed!
Shelia Shelia, North Florida here, representing 🙂 and yessss to magnolias and forsythia – but wisteria too!!! It’s my spirit animal. 😉
BUT and HOWEVER — I must ask you…is honeysuckle disappearing from your landscape too? I mean true true honeysuckle? It all seems to be slowly replaced by confederate jasmine here, which isn’t terrible in and of itself, but it isn’t the same as honeysuckle either. 🙂
VEEVALA! I’m so glad that hawk distracted you from whatever was tugging at you so that you ended up staying outside and taking more pics! I mean REALLLLLLY how could anybody get tired of the grown up the real-time willie wonka of gardeners? Phyllis diller and jellybeans, hazzah!! You grow gobstoppers and magic and dreams in the form of snappydragons and roses and wissssssssssteria……your oompa loompahs are black and yellow and go buzz buzz. 🙂 I DID exhale upon clicking on your pics, no boredom here!
It’s Friday night at 7:30 and i have not yet left work which i should have done hours ago–so i feel your pain when you say you need ME time. I am so ready to do NOTHING this weekend….although i think y’all have inspired me to pull a weed. Maybe. 😉
XOXOXOVIIIXOXOXOVIII Roostah
I’m so glad to see your magnificent flowers! I’m out in the garden every morning after feeding Buffy the barn cat, looking for little sprouts and buds to appear. The first plants I watch for are my special red peonies. Given as a cutting to my mother by my great-aunt the year I was born, the peony thrived for 50 years in my parents’ backyard. My four cuttings–one for me and one for each of my daughters to take someday–are strapping big plants now! Meanwhile, I’m loving the ethereal lavender paint I mixed up for my bedroom! It sets off my treasures so well. I went through a “practical” stage where I bought neutral beige paint, then it sat for a month while I made excuses, till I realized I just didn’t love it and craved color. Much happier now!
Welcome back! I missed you so! You could never be boring!
The spring flowers are just starting to bloom here in Illinois. I have some daffodils, hyacinth, and tulips opening up.
It has been kind of rainy & chilly here lately but it’s supposed to be 80 tomorrow!
Happy Easter to you & your family!
I used to follow my Grandmother and her friends around in their gardens and listen to them to talk about their plants and flowers. It was their very favorite thing to do and then they would share “pieces” of their plants with each other to root. I don’t think my Grandmother ever bought a plant in her life. Now, I love to do the same thing. In real life and I like to follow other people and their gardens on the internet. Amazing how much some things change and at the same time, things stay the same. I’ve had so many gardens in different places and have had to leave so many, but I always start again. Gardens are the epitome of hope. Very apropo for Good Friday. Your garden is gorgeous, Vanessa.
Please keep sharing your magical garden!Love every minute of it! You give me hope when it gets scorching hot here in Nor CA I tell myself if you can do it there in the heat I can make mine grow too!
I’ve been reading your blog for years now, since before I was in high school (I’m now finishing up college!), and your blog to this day is still a wonderland to me. I never grow tired of seeing your magical garden and hope to never see the day you stop sharing it. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful place with us.
Seeing your beautiful gardens is doing me some good on a soul level. This past week has been a hell-on-earth for me. I was terminated from employment on Monday and then my Grandmother, the person that I loved more than life itself, passed away last Saturday the 14th…the day before Easter. I’m reeling on a level that simply putting words just don’t do it justice. The emotions are raw and when I can, I try to submit job applications to find work, but I’m dead inside. Well, except for the pain. So yeah, seeing pretty flowers and roses does me good and I know my Grandma would’ve loved seeing them, too. She loved gardening and being among nature.
I stumbled onto your site via your post about the pine cone zinnia project, which is impatiently waiting for me in my craft room. I am really looking forward to it. What really prompted me to write were the photos of your impossibly outrageously gorgeous fairy book garden. It is exactly what I wish I had except maybe with pink climbing roses instead of white ones. Interestingly, I too, have snapdragons from last year coming up again and I live in Massachusetts. Love your garden!
YES! The pine cone zinnias! I was so excited when I saw the Woman’s World mag in the check-out line at the grocery store–I had already seen the advance project on Vanessa’s blog. I felt I was really in the know as I thought–there’s Vanessa’s work on the cover.
Rhondaroo–there is still some honeysuckle around and it does so remind me of childhood days when we sipped nectar from the pale yellow cups. But there is not as much as I used to see. AND how could I forget wisteria?! Vanessa’s wisteria is beautiful. I kinda’ feel like wisteria is just kudzu with flowers (y’all know what kudzu is?–highly invasive green vine that grows like wildfire) But so be it, wisteria still rocks!
I Love your Blog BECAUSE you have a Passion for so much of the Beauty that is Life and all that is in it! Your Garden is Amazingly Lush and Gorgeous, I’d be Obsessed about it come Spring and would be inclined to Wander endlessly! My Garden at New Villa Boheme’ is so much smaller than the Acreage I Enjoyed at the Historic Homestead and sometimes I do miss having a Wild Lush Garden… things are so much more manicured in the Subdivisions and they’re strict about maintenance and order… of which Nature rebels against! *winks* In the back I let things get a bit Wild and Free tho’, much to my nextdoor neighbor’s chagrin when the Vines want to creep over the wall and peek into her Garden! *Ha ha ha* I try to tame them from doing so, but you know how Nature is… Curious for new ground. *smiles* I Loved you Sharing your Garden with us Today, Happy Spring! Dawn… The Bohemian
I never tire of seeing gardens (mine or others) 🙂 Truly magic! I’ve been here before, but don’t know how I got here again. Surprised that I’m not already following your blog, so I’ll remedy that right now and sign up.
Your garden is so beautiful! I am planting roses for the first time in my garden this year and I hope they come out as beautiful as yours. I noticed that you haven’t been having any tea parties. Can we have a Halloween tea party this year?
Hi, Vanessala! I love when you tell us about your garden! Hubby and I have become more interested in our yard in the last few years, but we have only a tiny tidbit compared to yours! I have toyed with the idea of making a fairy garden. Have you ever? You definitely seem like someone who would love doing one!
My mind is going in too many directions today! I know I need to clean, but I have jumped onto the creativity wagon and watched the house fall apart around me. Ha! As soon as I get off of here (and finish my little single-serving carton of Blue Bell ice cream), I think i’d better do some picking up! I may sneak in a nap, too. I am a big believer in naps. 🙂
V, I’m not sure you could get any cuter! 🙂
I wanna live in this garden!! Wish I had the year round temps to do this. Pitch a tent or get a ‘Tiny house ‘and I’ll rent from youðŸ‘â¤ï¸