{Phlox Subulata - Creeping Phlox}

Our Phlox Subulata makes a great ground cover at spring time each year. It blooms rather early and lasts a very long time. Another good thing is that it spreads, but is not invasive. We do have some Candy Stripe, which is a pink and white for underneath the almond tree to match the blossom's color. Further a white variety that is called White Delight and a hot pink that is named Moorheim Beauty. Join me on a Garden Tour.

Phlox Subulata 'Moorheim Beauty'

Pieter did line the deep end of the pond with poles and we let Phlox Subulata grow over it.

Here I have not yet pulled the weeds out... you have to 'hang-over'...

When Spooky walked on his leash, he always pulled me towards those poles where he did his balancing act. Poor little guy died of heart worm disease... Too young at age 4 and a few months.

He asked his Mami to give him more slack...

Here we planted patches of Phlox Subulata up on the hill alongside the creek, in our wood garden.

Home Depot was selling them in gallon pots and when Mom & Dad were visiting one time, we bought several with them.

With some patience it will become a solid carpet of pretty blooms that does attract lots of bees.

Next to a petrified tree trunk... happily basking in the sun light.

This is alongside the driveway where we also grow them between the cross tires.

This is the Phlox Subulata White Delight and no, to the right that is no snake... it's the cord from the camera!

I don't have that many snakes to show; but stay tuned as I did catch one big one on camera...

Not only are they prolific bloomers but they are evergreen too.

Phlox Subulata is a HAPPY plant and very carefree!

{Walk Our Wood Trail With Me + Helen Curtis Azalea}

You might wonder how our Garden Tours from Book an Event with us, are being done... Just follow me and you will see. It is a wooden trail that goes through our back garden, also across the creek and several wooden trail parts in the wood garden as well. Pieter put a lot of work in laying those. Each year they get treated with wood preservatives. Let's start from the gazebo to the left and we'll be back for coffee/tea + cake later...

• The trail weaves around trees. Notice the many bird houses we have throughout our property?

• There is the the Azalea Helen Curtis coming in sight...

• It is 17:00 o'clock and the sunlight is perfect for catching this beauty. Helen Curtis is a pure white Rhododendron (common name Azalea) with double flowers and a hint of chartreuse.

• Birdhouse for a wren... with Carolina jasmine vine.

• The greenhouse is in sight...

• Our compost bin for all vegetable and fruit peels...

• There is the pond...

• All pot plants have just come out of the greenhouse and need to get back on their spots. Pieter can no longer do that himself, since his open heart surgery so we wait for our Mexican helper. It is too much to get them up hill alone.

• We walked past the pond and use one of the three bridges across the creek, into the wood garden.

• The trail goes on and there are several wooden parts as well.
• Okay, back to the gazebo for coffee/tea + cake!

Hope you enjoyed it and got a better idea now...

Related link:

{205 Winfield Road Then and Now} | When it was still swampy before Pieter laid this wood trail and build the bridges across the creek...

{Our Backyard Wildlife HABITAT Certificate from August 1997}

As you might have read the previous blogs about {Our Home of almost 20 years} and {205 Winfield Road Then and Now}, you have a little bit of an idea how we live. It was in August 1997 that we received our Backyard Wildlife HABITAT Certificate from the National Wildlife Federation. This only after sending in proof that our property provides the four basic elements needed for wildlife to thrive: food, water, cover, and places to raise young. It took lots of writing and numerous photos.

Just walk around the property with me to see those four basic elements...

Evergreen magnolia tree for sheltering birds from rain and predators.

Streaming water because a creek runs through our property.

Under the Orontium Aquaticum fish can hide and find shelter.

Let's cross one of our three bridges to have a view from our wood garden.

Trees are quite tall but they create a perfect habitat for numerous birds and other animals.

We've seen raccoons and even a red fox drinking from our pond. Squirrels and chipmunks are very well represented too.

Birdhouses, bird feeders and hummingbird feeders are everywhere.

We enjoy an almost daily concert of birds and can watch them from our bay window and of course from our gazebo.

Our dogwood tree blooming

A hummingbird feeder.

There is pollen for the bees and bumblebees... pink dogwood.

 We also planted special shrubs to attract butterflies.

Ducks come to our pond each year for breeding.

Mallard ducks with reflection of the gazebo in the pond.

Our bench/table next to the pond.

Back can be tilted to convert to table.

Across the creek we keep branches and clippings from tree pruning, for a shelter where birds and chipmunks can live.

Hard work does pay off!