Yesterday I added two plants to "my garden," the first two plants to be accurate. I planted two Endless Summer hydrangeas (also called French hydrangea, I believe). Endless Summer is one of my favorite plants. It's the old-fashioned hydrangea that has blue or pink blossoms, depending on the aluminum content of the soil. Sometimes the same bush can have blossoms ranging from blue to pink to lavender; sometimes the same bloom cluster can have different colors. Hydrangeas are fascinating and romantic flowers.
I have two already, one at each corner of my back porch. If the two that I planted in "my garden" live, I'm going to get some more.
My current hydrangeas have blue blossoms, that is when they have any blossoms at all. That's always an iffy situations, and I'm not sure what the ifs are. I plan to read up on hydrangeas, though, and see if there's anything I can do to make sure the new ones and the old ones make blooms for me.
***
For better or worse, I ordered the pink chair, the one with the black frame. It was almost unanimous among you that I should, although one person expressed fear that I would later regret the choice, and I might. But I decided that all we really have is today; and today I want a pink office chair. If it turns out that I have enough tomorrows to grow tired of it, I'll cover it or give it away or something. Anyway, the chair is on it's way to The Yellow House.
Today I plan to work in the guest room, cleaning it out and getting it ready for its makeover. In past weeks, that room has been a catchall room for everything I didn't want in my office, so I have a lot of cleaning out to do. Then I'm going to give my 40-something-year-old French provencial furniture a good going-over with Howard's Restor-a-Finish, per Suze's advice.
Then it will be time to paint. I've almost decided on cream for the walls. I leaned very heavily toward a very light blue for a while, but then decided that I like the idea of cream and blue. But minds change; we'll see what happens.
Anyway, I best get going before I piddle away most of my spoons sitting here blogging. But before I go, I'll give you a little peak at "my garden"--sort of the before of the before-and-after story that I hope to write someday. The photo really shows only about half of the space I hope to call my garden (without the quotation marks) one of these days. It continues on up the hill for about that much more space.
You can't see the new hydrangeas because they're in shadow. But you can see one of my four dogwood trees (which God put there, not me) and the monkey grass border that our son Phillip planted for me years ago. Can't you just see that hillside blooming with hydrangea, daylilies, and all kinds of colorful plants?
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On 04/12/2010, Jan said ...
I love that "pink and black office chair," and I'm so glad you ordered it :) It will make your backside happy; and how nice of your neighbor on the "mowing!" The yard looks gorgeous :)
On 04/12/2010, Dee Brownfield said ...
Yeah, you, Susan!!! Pink Chair!!! it will be beautiful!!! be sure and take a pic of it and post when you have it situated in your office! Oh ... how pretty to walk into your room and see that chair!!!
Hydrangeas are such a beautiful, old flower that never goes out of style, does it? and your "flower garden" will just burst with color and pride, I know! Looks like biggie to me, Susan!! The hillside will be awesome!!
Pink Hugs from Dee at deeslittlepinkie!
On 04/12/2010, Debbie said ...
I LOVE hydrangea's! I've had several over the years, but here at the "farm", I have only one. The first plant I had never bloomed...thankfully, my grandmother was still alive and let me know not to prune them because they grow on the 2nd year wood. So if you prune (unless you know the type and when you should), you're cutting off all the blooms for the next year. (Just my 2 cents!)
On 04/12/2010, Beverly said ...
I absolutely am in love with hydrangeas. I must have planted one in six different places in our yard before I found a location that worked. And, our has been hanging around for over ten years now. Good luck with yours.
My last office chair was a rosy pink color with a black frame, and I was very sad when it died. It lived a good life. My new chair is black and very comfy, but not nearly as loved as my old one.
On 04/12/2010, Barbara Anne said ...
Ah! Hope the pink chair is just right (in the Goldilocks sense!) and you and it live happily ever after in the office!
I love hydrangeas, too, and remember it's the pH of the soil that determines bloom color. The one I had that was my grandmother's died (sigh) and a purchased one did the same so there's something I'm doing wrong or they don't like clay.
Will you have any azaleas or a Knock-out rose? They come in several colors and bloom constantly with little care. We're getting those.
If you have any space near either porch, I recommend lilacs or, if sheltered, a gardenia for the heavenly fragrance each has.
I'll work in our little guest room today, too, since our guest wrote that he's arriving 10 days early! YIKES!!!!!!!!
Hugs!
On 04/12/2010, Donna said ...
I love hydrangeas too! Those are beautiful and will bring you years of blooms.
I am behind on blogging ... glad you bought the pink chair :)
Blessings,
Donna
On 04/12/2010, Nicole said ...
Ah,, hydrangeas... along with roses they are my favorite garden plants.
On 04/13/2010, alexandrine said ...
I love Hortensias !! (in french)
hydrangeas is the botanic name here !!!
I have about 10 of them in my garden, but this year with all the snow we have and the bad weather ..i don't know what they done....
Did you received my birthday card ???
On 04/13/2010, Helen in Switzerland said ...
Hydrangeas are great - and not too tricky and they're such good value because they keep their blooms for so long. At least they do here - but I'm not sure how it is in Alabama - your summers are pretty different from ours. I hope you get a lot of pleasure from them Susan!
On 04/13/2010, KAI said ...
Hydrangeas are the 'never-disappoint' flower! They look beautiful REGARDLESS of color! Just nice, fluffy clumps of PRETTINESS! And your garden space is a DREAM, Susan! Really! It's going to be delicious with Hydrangeas & Daylilies, and any OTHER beauties you choose to add! As for the pink chair, I say, "WOOOOOHOOOOO!" Glad you opted to get it! Can't wait to see the guest room. Cream & blue sounds inviting and lovely! But, as usual, I will add this: DO NOT OVERDO! Pace your sweet lil' self. Okay? I LOVE you!
On 04/13/2010, Gayle said ...
Oh, I wish we could grow hydrangeas in Northern Nevada. They are a favorite memory of living in California.
On 04/13/2010, Ramey Channell said ...
I wish somebody would cut my grass. It's up about knee-high now. I started pulling weeds in front of the porch; thought that would make things looks a little bit better, and I did something weird to my back and couldn't straighten up for two days. I had to stay home from work yesterday, now I'm saturated with pain pills and can straighten up, cautiously, again. Does your neighbor move in large circles?
Sister Trois
On 04/14/2010, Lallee said ...
Susan, hydrangea is one of my most favorite flowers. There are good tutorials on the web for when and how to prune them so you don't lose the next year's bloom.
I hope you get some helpful answers from your recent blood tests. My tiredness did turn out to be thyroid a few years ago, so you never know.
You will love your pink chair! I'm glad you bit the bullet and ordered it.
XO,
Lallee
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