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Literally stopping to smell the flowers!

Just wanted to wish you all a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

Wherever you are, I hope you will take the long weekend to enjoy it with your loved ones.  Put your sewing, cutting, stitching, and gluing down and go out and have fun!  The mind needs a rest from the work and you’ll need to recharge to get your creativity juices back when you return!

I stopped to smell the flowers today.  Briefly, at lunchtime … but I stopped!  🙂

Here are some pics of my peonies that finally bloomed after 3 years of planting.  They are from a grower in Bernardsville, NJ who imported them in from China years ago.  She has the greatest variety of peonies in the US.  She’s an amazing grower and turned her acres into a peony garden.  Check her out at http://peonysenvy.com/.  Kathleen has been instrumental in teaching me about peonies.  She was gracious enough to let my 3 kids run around her massive garden and swing on the giant tire swing.

Her varieties are more expensive than your Home Depot brand and take 3 years to bloom.  But they require no work other than the initial amending of the soil when you first put them in.  At the end of the fall, I just snip the entire plant down to the last inch and watch them grow back the next year.  The best part?  They are deer resistant!  And I get deer all year round — they’ll come right up and to my front yard into my gardens!

My peonies last about 6 weeks, compared to other big box shop peonies that last only 2 weeks.  I get vases of fresh cut flowers for about 2 months!  YAY 🙂

So here are some pics to inspire you to get out and smell the flowers.  And yes, I’m pimping out Pax again in these pics.  He’s just too cute and is so photogenic!

This side is starting to bloom!

My rhododendrons made their mark this year! These were from CostCo 3 years ago!

Peonies, lilac, and marigolds!

Lilacs smell wonderful!

Right side showing some beautiful color!

Left side beds. I planted 23 herbaceous peonies, 120 Asiatic lilies, and 5 flats of marigolds!

Another shot of the front floral beds. Got the vase to cut some lilacs!

I only cut enough for my small vase from TJ Maxx! I like to leave as many blooms out as I can so that I don't completely denude my front gardens. I cut the older blooms first and fill it up as I go.

Two of my favorite Ps: Pax and Peonies!

Lilacs from my "rescued" lilac bush. It was on its deathbed 3 years ago, but has since recovered to give me fragrant blooms for several weeks! 🙂

Hope these flowers give you all inspiration for fabrics and designs for late spring and summer clutches!  Joann’s will have its GREAT sale so take a look at their fabrics this weekend and take advantage of their sales.  Don’t forget your coupon for 50% off one cut of fabric!

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Winn

May 27, 2011 Posted by Thy K | WhileBabyNaps General Updates | flowers, Joann's, Joann's sale, Memorial Day weekend, peonies | 11 Comments