{Cloudy Day versus Sunny Day}

In our garden things look more golden and bright on a Sunny Day, versus a Cloudy Day. But we do need the cloudy days and the rainy days, for keeping our trees, shrubs and plants alive. The last couple of days have yielded some long awaited rains. Not enough yet, as the soil has a very poor water holding capacity but any amount of rain helps. Let's look at the same trees on a cloudy day, followed by a sunny day... We ourselves probably look different too on our sunny days! Sunshine makes us all feel happy and light, putting a spring in our step. Cloudy days and rain do drag us down and make us feel heavy... Or is anyone feeling the opposite?

• The watering hose is always on standby for when it does not rain. This is such a cloudy day with heavy overcast and the trees do have different colors. The 'Quercus Vigriniana Grand View Gold' to the right is not looking real golden... With our Palm tree it looks quite exotic.

• The Grand View Gold looks a bit tarnished...

• Our Acer Negundo Kelly's Gold Yellow Box Elder on a cloudy day, next to the Acer Rubrum or Red Maple.

• Our Acer Negundo Kelly's Gold Yellow Box Elder on a cloudy day...

• Again on a cloudy day, but a bit closer with our 3rd bridge in view as well.

• Our Acer Negundo Kelly's Gold Yellow Box Elder on a SUNNY day!

• Acer Negundo Kelly's Gold Yellow Box Elder on the left and the Acer Rubrum or Red Maple to the right in full sunshine... Our 3rd bridge across the creek is visible here too.

Below you can see our newest, replaced 1st bridge across the creek.

• We end with a '24 karat' Golden Live Oak, Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold,  on a SUNNY day...

Quite a difference... 

Related link:

Book an Event: Garden Tour | Mariette's Back to Basics Events

Related links where this stunning Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold, can be seen:
Wow...I think this deserves a thread! Golden live oak! | GardenWeb discussion...
{Lush Green Garden} |previous post by me
{# 1111 - Our Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' changing color} | previous post by me
{Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' in Sunshine at its BEST} | previous post by me
{Our Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' with Catkins} | Previous post by me
{Our Mrs. G. G. GERBING Azaleas} | previous post by me
{Our Patio Tiles in the Front} | previous post by me
{RARE Icicles in Our Garden} | previous post by me
{Energy Efficient GREEN Roofing Arrived} | previous post by me
{My Powder Blue Escada Jeans Suit} | previous post by me showing me in front of Grand View Gold
{Our Lovely Lilac Clematis 'Silver Moon'} | previous post by me showing young Grand View Gold

{Blooms on our Windmill Palm - Trachycarpus fortunei} | previoius post by me 

{Our Golden Live Oak has LOTS of Acorns!} | previous post by me

{Our Different Oaks} | previous post by me

{My Silk Quilted Vest Creation and YOUR Opinion Requested...} | previous post by me showing golden oak

{Our Live Oak got a Haircut}| previous post by me

Mariette on Google+

{Our White Lace Azalea near Gazebo}

One last beauty I like to show you... This is so special with its frilly lace, no wonder its name is White Lace Azalea! Those orchid like blossoms are so beautiful. 

Again, they look like a ballerina's tutu...

This White Lace Azalea is planted against our rock garden, a collection off our own property.

Now, come over into the gazebo for a tea or coffee with cake...

Hope you enjoyed this Garden Tour from Book an Event with us.

Related articles

{Satsuki Azaleas Wakaebisu in Front of Our Home} | previous post by me
{Balta Rhododendron in Our Garden} | previous post by me
{Walk Our Wood Trail With Me + Helen Curtis Azalea} | previous post by me
{Look we got some Wakaebisu Satsuki Azaleas blooming!} | previous post by me
{Enjoy Our White Azaleas}  |previous post by me
{Glen Dale Azalea ‘Mother of Pearl’ in Our Garden} | previous post by me
{Admiral Semmes Azalea -- Confederate Series in Our Garden} | previous post by me
{Our Home of almost 20 years} | previous post by me
{Yellow Blossoms from Our Garden want to be YOUR Sunshine Today!} | previous post by me
{Our Wisteria Chinensis & Millettia Reticulata (Evergreen Wisteria)}| previous post by me
{Rhododendron 'Stonewall Jackson' -- Confederate series in Our Garden} | previous post by me
{Our Glendale 'Mother of Pearl' Azaleas near Gazebo} | previous post by me
{Our Sherwood White Azaleas} | previous post by me
{Admiral Semmes - Confederate Series Azalea} | previous post by me

Mariette on Google+

{Admiral Semmes - Confederate Series Azalea}

Because the azalea blooming season is over with, I like to post this special Admiral Semmes Azalea from the Confederate Series. This one at least did survive last year's heat and drought. About one third of it did not, but with some pruning and remodeling we will manage to keep it alive. Grateful for its blooms on March 18. The color is so beautiful, bright yellow and perfect for the Easter Season.

Tea & Coffee with cake is served in the gazebo...

Book an Event for your Garden Tour with us.

Related articles

{Satsuki Azaleas Wakaebisu in Front of Our Home} | previous post by me

{Balta Rhododendron in Our Garden} | previous post by me

{Walk Our Wood Trail With Me + Helen Curtis Azalea} | previous post by me

{Look we got some Wakaebisu Satsuki Azaleas blooming!} | previous post by me

{Enjoy Our White Azaleas}  | previous post by me

{Glen Dale Azalea ‘Mother of Pearl’ in Our Garden} | previous post by me

{Admiral Semmes Azalea -- Confederate Series in Our Garden} | previous post by me

{Our Home of almost 20 years} | previous post by me

{Yellow Blossoms from Our Garden want to be YOUR Sunshine Today! } | previous post by me

{Our Wisteria Chinensis & Millettia Reticulata (Evergreen Wisteria)} | previous post by me

{Rhododendron 'Stonewall Jackson' -- Confederate series in Our Garden} | previous post by me

{Our Glendale 'Mother of Pearl' Azaleas near Gazebo} | previous post by me

{Our Sherwood White Azaleas} | previous post by me

Mariette on Google+

{Our Sherwood White Azaleas}

Some more photos from our garden, taken on March 13. Near the huge oak tree that is adjacent to the driveway we planted several Sherwood White Azaleas ←(right click to open). They are lovely and for just a week it is like white magic. The last photo, taken on March 18 shows them already browning. The end of the 2012 fairy tale... 

With just the right light at 6:20 PM they look so beautiful...

Around our huge, old oak tree with its special bark. In the back you can still see the new bridge over the creek into the wood garden with its new walking trail, lined with mondo grasses. Pieter has been very active this spring!

Here you also see the road... Our garden stretches over a length of 200m along the road-side.

On March 18, the show is over... browning starts.

To the left you can see in our wood garden the pink showcase of our Apalachian red bud (Cercis Canadensis). 

Whenever the one starts wilting, the next one is at its peak!

~~0~~

So what do you take? Tea or Coffee with cake in the gazebo after we've completed the Garden Tour?

Book an Event

Related articles

Satsuki Azaleas Wakaebisu in Front of Our Home (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Balta Rhododendron in Our Garden (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Walk Our Wood Trail With Me + Helen Curtis Azalea (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Look we got some Wakaebisu Satsuki Azaleas blooming! (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Enjoy Our White Azaleas  (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Glen Dale Azalea ‘Mother of Pearl’ in Our Garden (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Admiral Semmes Azalea -- Confederate Series in Our Garden (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Our Home of almost 20 years (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Yellow Blossoms from Our Garden want to be YOUR Sunshine Today!  (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Our Wisteria Chinensis & Millettia Reticulata (Evergreen Wisteria) (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Rhododendron 'Stonewall Jackson' -- Confederate series in Our Garden (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Our Glendale 'Mother of Pearl' Azaleas near Gazebo (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Mariette on Google+

{Our Glendale 'Mother of Pearl' Azaleas near Gazebo}

We had our garden blooming almost ALL at once! On March 13, I made lots of photos... Also beginning with our beautiful Glendale Azaleas 'Mother of Pearl' near the gazebo. Their buds look like dark pink, almost reddish. Than they open up to different shades of pink, even lighter towards their maturity. Have a look...

Photo taken on March 13

This is also from March 13 and you can see the steps of our gazebo in the back.

To the right is a natural rock garden which we collected from our own property.

Now it is March 18 and we're facing towards the wooden walk way where our Garden Tour can be done... With tea/coffee in our gazebo. Offered to you Book an Event.

We never rake our fall leaves, they remain the natural blanket for our entire garden. A source of nutrients as they slowly will decompose. On the lawn my husband Pieter uses the John Deere mulcher so grass, including leaves, also get recycled for the lawn itself. Nothing goes to waste here. Keeping the planet GREEN by Going GREEN.

Not only a feast for the eye, but also for the bumblebees.

Those frilly petals resemble a ballerina's tutu.

This photo shows you all the different stages of the darker closed buds and the open flowers.

Too bad that this is only for the duration of a mere week...

We always have fond memories of Mom & Dad who visited us during spring, at peak season of the azaleas. We all went to the romantic city of Savannah where thousands of azaleas bloom in all their splendor at the many court yards and squares throughout the city.

Such a majestic flower...

Related links:

{Satsuki Azaleas Wakaebisu in Front of Our Home} | previous post by me

{Balta Rhododendron in Our Garden} | previous post by me

{Walk Our Wood Trail With Me + Helen Curtis Azalea} | previous post by me
{Look we got some Wakaebisu Satsuki Azaleas blooming!} | previous post by me

{Enjoy Our White Azaleas} | previous post by me
{Glen Dale Azalea ‘Mother of Pearl’ in Our Garden} | previous post by me

{Admiral Semmes Azalea -- Confederate Series in Our Garden} | previous post by me
{Our Home of almost 20 years} | previous post by me
{Yellow Blossoms from Our Garden want to be YOUR Sunshine Today!} | previous post by me
{Our Wisteria Chinensis & Millettia Reticulata (Evergreen Wisteria)} | previous post by me
{Rhododendron 'Stonewall Jackson' -- Confederate series in Our Garden}  | previous post by me
{Satsuki Azaleas Wakaebisu in Front of Our Home} | previous post by me

Mariette on Google+

{Ehrlicheer & Sweetness Daffodils on my Birthday}

• For my birthday breakfast yesterday, my Pieter did surprise me with some home grown fragrant Ehrlicheer and Sweetness Daffodils. 
• Since I barely got off the phone, only in the afternoon I had time to make some photos. Because it was a dark and dreary looking, but mild day 59°F or 15°C, compared to 76°F or 24°C on Sunday, making photos was not that easy. So I had to use the flash... 
• Nevertheless these pretty blooms are so early that I would love to share them with you as well; sans fragrance! 
• We never have had spring this early and also our magnolias are blooming. Almost would have to change the Garden Tour info to Book an Event.

The Sweetness Daffodils are arranged in a vintage Wedgwood cream ware on cream ware vase.

The very fragrant Ehrlicheer daffodils are in a white rounded vase.

Each stem bears multiple blooms!

Hope you liked these Ehrlicheer & Sweetness Daffodils.

♥♥

Today is my brother Harry's birthday but sadly though he is still in the ICU...

It is also my Parents' 63rd Wedding Anniversary.

Thanks to all the birthday wishes that I got yesterday on FB and on my blog! 

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{60 Years Ago} (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)

Mariette on Google+

{Our Firmiana simplex, Sterculia platanifolia, Chinese Parasol Tree}

Our Firmiana simplex, Sterculia platanifolia, Chinese Parasol Tree is a very special tree that blooms and six weeks later produces seeds. Yesterday I took photos of those seeds so this makes it complete for showing it to you. This tree is original from China, Japan and Taiwan. German link: Firmania simplex for my German readers. Also a Spanish link: Parasol de la China (haga clic en la palabra). It is a very interesting tree with different attractions, huge leaves and large trusses of flowers, than the seeds. And so far it bears the longest botanical name I have come across! Of course I am not talking about a Garden Tour during the HEAT of summer. To the top, right of my blog you can see how hot it actually gets here, by the hour.

It was May 31, when this photo was taken.

Quite a load of flowers!

Huge leaves; hence its name 'Chinese Parasol Tree'...

Photo taken this morning, look how in six weeks those berry-like fruits (seeds) have developed!

So tell me; were you familiar with this kind of 'Parasol'...?

Mariette on Google+

{Our Citrus Aurantifolia - Key Lime}

Most readers from the USA will no doubt know the delicious Key Lime Pie. For those of you, that don't know: What are Key Limes, click on the hyperlink to read more about them. The botanical name is Key Lime 'Citrus aurantifolia' and they are available at Logee's Greenhouse, just click again on hyperlink. For a good recipe, you can look here: Key Lime Pie History and Recipe.

Now that being said, let's look at the blossoms of this famous Citrus Aurantifolia "Key Lime" which is on the patio in front of our greenhouse. They're certainly worth a Garden Tour to see and  for their fragrance to be smelled.
Pieter took these excellent photos on June 2nd. And by the way; yes both of us went to Key West, the southern most island of the USA. That was last year in early February when I just was out of the hospital and could walk and move again after having been paralyzed because of a rare auto immune disease. The last photos are from there. We did stay at the Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa where I'd booked a year in advance, a free stay for 5 nights from our Hyatt points. So glad we made it, thanks to my timely recovery! 

Heavenly fragrant blossoms, like all citrus trees.

Very long thorns too!

Citrus trees do have very long thorns on their branches.

Top left you can see already a Key Lime being near maturity. To the right is our greenhouse, where they reside during winter time.

Growing well...

Photo from our balcony at the HYATT CENTRIC KEY WEST RESORT & SPA.

That's me standing in front of the Guesthouse where our German 'son' with his family stayed in 2008.

I have gained already 3 kg or 6.6 lbs in this photo; up from 46.8 kg.

There is much to be grateful for as I've come a long way!

Mariette on Google+

{Gardenia by Royal Albert and our Garden Gardenias}

This time I will take you to our pond area underneath the huge semi-evergreen oak tree, where Pieter put a pick nick table and bench. It is a perfect spot for a tea or for just a break from garden work. So peaceful and tranquil. Let's have a look... A nice spot to have your tea and cake after a Garden Tour.

A tea towel as table cloth with Royal Albert Gardenia china and some Baccarat crystal vases and candle holder which was available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics.

This is actually a vintage Baccarat Shalimar perfume bottle but it is perfect for holding a Gardenia.

These are the heavenly Aimee Yoshida Gardenias, like I showed you last year in my post: {Heavenly Gardenia Jasminoides 'Aimee Yoshida'}. Sometimes it is referred to as Aimee Yoshioka. In the hyperlink above you find more info.

Costco does sell these yummy Cashew Clusters with almonds and pumpkin seeds; good source of protein and fiber and gluten free. The Royal Albert China you also can see in my post: {May 22 Gardenia by Royal Albert and blooming Gardenias in Baccarat vase} 

Baccarat crystal candle holder, which is actually an egg cup holder...

Sorry ALL six are sold out...

The pond is a very nice spot for observing tiny turtles that swim by and waterlilies, fish, bull frogs.

Lots of mosses grow between the thick roots. Plenty of shade and the only negative of this huge oak tree is that where its shade covers the pond, no waterlilies grow.

Lots of pot plants across the pond, near the greenhouse.

Here you can view the greenhouse too.

Where those trees are there is the creek, the back of our property.

Royal Albert Gardenia cup & saucer with Bridal Rose from Alvin spoon.

Mariette on Google+