Feathered and Soil-bound Friends Together Again: What's Flying and Blooming in our Cottage Garden

I love to write the postings for Along the Picket Fence. What I don't love is the blog software. Half the time the problems aren't worth the effort. Until I learn how to design my own web pages, I guess this will just have to do. I hope that explains why I'm not over zealous to write a daily posting and haven't since the end of April. But then along comes something as beautiful as my fine feathered friend the Oriole and I find myself sitting at the keyboard. Not all is harmonious in the garden. This little guy has to come close to the main house in order to enjoy the feeder. Why? Because a pair of robins built a nest in the wisteria over the arbor and if I hang the feeder there---as was the placement last spring---the robins run the oriole off. At first he was really daunted but the draw of the juicy orange and the sweet grape jelly persuaded him to approach our back deck. Lucky for me, I get to sit at our breakfast nook table and watch him close-up through our sliding glass door. There are actually four orioles that have been coming to the feeder. I don't know what others might say, but I can certainly see God's face in these perfectly black and orange little creatures!

As for my soil-bound friends, the azaela are blooming! This particular variety, silver sword, are nestled---more like smothered---amongst the hosta. Also sharing that same space are Alba Bleeding heart and Anemone. It's quite a spectacular site on the north side of the house. Out in the garden beds, the sunny bright faces of potentilla have burst into bloom. Pictured is Coronation Triumph Potentilla.





I bought these from a nursery's clearance corner. They were practically dead but for a couple bucks, they were definitely worth saving. They really shine in the garden. They prefer the sunniest of locations and are quite tolerant of drought conditions. For first time gardeners, this shrub is a must. Of course, no cottage garden is complete without an old fashioned Bleeding Heart, Dicentra spectabilis.

I mentioned above that I had Dicentra spectabilis f. alba, the white bleeding heart, mixed in with my azalea but this variety is so showy with its dark pink and snow white blossoms. Fabulous. It loves shade but will tolerate a bit of sunshine. Mine get morning sun and by mid morning they are well out of harm's way, shaded by a laceleaf Japanese maple. David thinks the blossoms of both the pink and white varieties looks like plucked chickens hanging in a row. I guess with a bit of a stretch of the imagination, they do!

Of course there are iris and peony blooming but I'll save that for later. I think iris and peony deserve a posting devoted entirely to themselves. I'll tell you this much, they're awesome this year!!!

On another note, I want to send out well wishes to a good friend of ours---Hey Mike, hope you are up and going again real soon. Next time, leave the wiring to the electrical engineer in the house . . . your wife!!! Godspeed in your recovery.