The Roses Are in Bloom

I don't remember this variety of rose. It is the only survivor from a collection of five I bought one year. The deer and rabbits tend to eat the canes down to nubs. I guess they missed this one I hid under a lilac tree.

Mini rose in the fairy garden.

David Austin rose.

This is not a good picture but I this used to be an old fashioned rose. My son bought it for me for Mother's Day with money from his first job. The garden was neglected for a couple of years when my husband had cancer and now I think this is a wild rose that grew from the rootstalk. It looks nothing like the rose my son bought me. He doesn't remember what it looked like so I just tell him the above is his rose. In a way I guess it is.

GDs in the Garden and the Kitchen

I was off today and the granddaughters were here. I told them next time they came over we would make a rhubarb cake I saw on Gerry's blog.  First they had to pick the rhubarb. The poor stalks had suffered some damage from a giant hail storm last Tuesday.

The stalks were almost as big as they were.

We took the rhubarb inside, cleaned and cut it up and mixed up our yellow cake mix.

Carefully, carefully sprinkle rhubarb on top.

Rhubarb Custard Cake cooled a bit, ready for eating with a dollop of whipped cream on top. We couldn't let the extra whipping cream not used in the cake go to waste.

It's good, grandma!

May I have another piece when I'm finished with this one? Pretty please?

Last night we picked strawberries. They have been picking strawberries from my patch every year since the age of two (they are now both five years old)  so they know to step carefully.

Oh, grandma, here's a really good one!

Look what I found! The perfect strawberry!

Kayla found a handful.

After we ate our fill we still had a large bowl to take inside for breakfast and visions of strawberry shortcake danced in our heads.

Kayla's freshly painted bird house got hung in the tree out front.

This Week in the Garden

Rhododendron.

Iris.

Iris.

Peonies. They always bloom around memorial day.

Poppies. I use the seedpods in dried flower arrangements.

Farewell to Spring. I think the actual name is Clarkia.

False indigo. Some day I am going to use this to dye something.

Clematis

Dianthus/Pinks - I love the slight fragrance.

We have been eating radishes and lettuce and asparagus from the garden.

What's Blooming?

Dandelions (or wishing flowers as my granddaughter calls them)

Money plant - reminds me of my great grandmother who grew and dried it and gave me my first seeds.

Centaurea

Tree Peony (and bee)

Poppies

Lillies of the Valley - remind me of my father-in-law. He told me once it was his favorite flower.

Two different types of columbine.

Pinks

Daisies

Cranesbill

Blue Don't Remember

Allium

Iris

Strawberries will be ready soon!