Friday, January 7, 2011

Favorite Things Friday 2011 edition

Before I get to my favorite thing today, I have to say, "GEAUX TIGERS"!!!!  LSU plays Texas A&M today and they need to win, win, win big!  The hubs bought us tickets and he went to the game but unfortunately, I was not able to go. He's in Dallas, TX (at the new stadium) with some friends of ours from Lafayette, LA.   I am sure they will have a blast and I am equally sure it has nothing to do with my pissy mood this morning.  (Okay, maybe a little but there's more to it that I won't bore you with like lack of sleep, a big decision looming, uncertainty in a few other areas of life all rolling together at once. - Oops, looked like I bored you with it but since I have, if you are the praying sort, I'm going to actually ask you to take a moment with God today to help center and guide me. And that's all I'm going to say about that. Thank you.)

On to a more fun topic, a positive one I'm hoping will help me shake this mood today, FAVORITE THINGS FRIDAY! The first for 2011.

Today's feature: Roses and lavender. And hydrangeas, and mums, and day lillies, and butterfly bushes!  How about "Flower Gardens." (Except lavender and roses are my favorite out of the bunch. lol)
All kinds, and colors of roses.


This is my favorite place to purchase roses for growing. Jackson and Perkins. I love their product and have never had a problem with them.

You see, when I first started working with roses (and then later other flowers), it was when the hubs deployed the first time and it was 3 plants out front.  From Lowe's. I came home one day to find my neighbor had left 2 more plants in front of the house.  Whether she thought it was too bare looking or being a soldier herself, thought it would help me along, I don't know but I never did get the chance to plant those babies.  I pruned them with the other 3 which were planted and they grew like crazy.  I was shamed into planting them the following spring figuring, if they survived an entire year in a plastic store pot, they earned the right to thrive.  I loved the hardiness and unfortunately, it became a test for too many plants such as chrysanthamums and day lillies.  

By the way, day lillies and mums... super hardy and prolific! Day lillies work beautifully as filler for rose bushes.  Mums are great for fall color.
When I land where I'm going this year (one last move for a while, phew) I will start another rose garden. I will add lavender (which I love but haven't tried to grow yet) and roses.
Day lillies and mums and I will find a place to grow hydrangeas.
My first experience with those also proved successful. 

 I will add butterfly bushes and other interesting flowers so I can continue to have beautiful visitors to my garden. (The two below are visitors I had at my last home in VA.)

And there you have it. Flowers and flower gardens. 

Ahh, between that and the coffee, I'm feeling better. Gardening flowers is therapy for me so even thinking about it can help, it seems.

Have a good day and check out other favorite things with a click of the button my side bar!

Cheers, Beck

(p.s. - all pictures except the butterflies are taken from various web photos)

16 comments:

Unknown said...

We must be dreaming of spring...all the posts of flowers today.
Day Lilies are my favs. I have them at the cottage and if we ever sell I'll be taking cuttings with me for sure. $25.00 for one of these babies has to come with me.

John'aLee said...

Saying a prayer for you my dear...!

The flowers are exquisite. I too LOVE roses and lavender. When I lived just outside of Las Vegas NV I had 2 1/2 acres and over 100 rose bushes. I miss having a rose garden. But like you....the next move...I will have my gardens.

I know what those days are like when we are in a funk....take care...read lots of blogs...and get out and go to the bookstore.
Always a sure cure for me.
Here's sending you a big HUG!

Paulette said...

Your favorite flowers are gorgeous. Happy to dream about flower gardens with you today! I'll send up a prayer. Hope the funk fades into a fab Friday!

Larri said...

Gorgeous favorites, Beck! :o)

Sending up a prayer, and hoping your funky Friday is turning into fabulous Friday very quickly. Happy FTF! :o)

Linda said...

Ahhh, I feel better too just looking at all the beautiful flowers. Thanks for sharing these and the other too. Yes, I'll keep you in my prayers today.
I love flowers and plants and I am ok with some but not too good with all. My MIL is the gardener in the family and I usually give my flowers to her for CPR or emergency services so she can save what I've almost killed...She saves alot but can't work miracles all the time.
I am working today because I switched places with my office friend so she could go to the game. She and her Mom, brother and SIL are all LSU fans and they all went there too. That's all I've heard about all week so I hope they win. So, I'll say too, Gooooooo Tigers. I hope your day gets better. Have a wonderful weekend and get some sewing done...

Kirsten's Cooking said...

I am so sorry you're missing the fun! I do hope your day has gotten better.

I will pray for you in your decision-making process.

Love the pictures of the flowers - it's a sunny but slushy-gray leftover snow day here, no gorgeous flowers like that anywhere.

I personally love hydrangeas and tulips.

take care
Kirsten

Marg said...

I love roses and lavender too, but unfortunately it's just too humid to grow them without heaps of chemicals and lots and lots of work so I grow flowers that do well in tropical climates instead.
Having been a soldiers wife for a number of years, I can sympathize with your many house moves, that's how I was able to live in such a variety of places, but the gardening sucked. I'd get so sick of trying to make a nice garden then have to move in 2 years and start again.

Kirsten said...

I have roses and lavender in my garden...but I am not very good a gardening..not yet I would say...because it can only get better...love your pictures

Helsie said...

Hope you get through whatever it is that is causing you angst at the moment. I'm glad the flowers cheered you up. They are lovely. You must be quite a gardener.
I grow lavender here quite well as it has been so dry and it doesn't like the humidity we can have here - that may change when all this rain stops. Roses are lovely but it's also too humid for them here though that doesn't stop people trying to grow them. They must be the world's most popular flower.
Cheers
Helen

Anonymous said...

Stuck at home again. V and I say go visit pajama pants, alone!!!

As for the rest of the stuff that's going on, we'll call you this weekend and help you out, cause you know we are the best decision makers!!!

Roses? really?!? Roses? BAH! V killed all the bushes she planted (again). According to her 'a little frost wont hurt them', I know that she will not see these things come back to life.

Love you
Bean

Michelle said...

So pretty! And an awesome favorite. Thanks for the little reminder of spring.

Shay said...

Oh my goodness..that multi coloured rose is wonderful. I must have one ! (in order to probably kill it )

When you come to visit (sounds like Bean is really wanting you to by the way ) we'll go to my Mum's because that part of Australia has tons of roses. Adelaide is the Rose Capital of Australia by the way which might encourage you to forget about the creepy crawly things that live here.

You know I love hydrangeas too. This post was pure eye candy . I may not be a gardener but I love looking at pictures and wondering if I could ever possibly do something that would make my garden look so pretty!

Skype me - you need an objective opinion about all these life decisions you have to make ...

Kate said...

Oooooh, pretty! Roses are my favorite, but I think it's safet to say I've yet to meet a flower I didn't like.

Hope things even out for you soon. Prayer said and sent!

Marie said...

ah...thanks for sharing, they are all fabulous. I've never had luck with roses until I started to ignore them! I've been able to winter over the lavender with a little tlc in the fall...this year it didn't happen so I'm keep my fingers and toes crossed.

thea said...

Hope things got better -- the flowers are beautiful!

thea said...

Hope things got better -- the flowers are beautiful!