Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

What we Found Once we Got Home


We did have a wonderful beach vacation---but there was alot of beauty waiting for us when we get home. Since we had had LOTS of rain here while we were gone, everything was growing ---including the weeds and the grass!!!! ha.. BUT---there was some beautiful color waiting just for us to get home. Above is one of our beauties---the gorgeous Azalea bush in the front yard. It is just fabulous, don't you think??? Below are more pictures!







Hooray!!!!! Our first rose bloom of the season is smiling for us!!!! Her name is Rio Samba. Isn't this a gorgeous rose????? One reason we changed our annual beach vacation from the middle/end of May to the beginning was because we didn't want to miss any of our roses when they bloomed. This one was waiting for us to come home!!!! There will be MANY more to come.







This picture of Rio Samba was taken yesterday. The one above was taken Monday. These beautiful roses change daily... I love this rose. It's neat that it has bloomed FIRST this year.







Our big Rhododendron (we have three: this large one and two small ones) is putting on a show this year. This was obviously taken from our deck. I can sit on my 'throne' inside and see this gorgeous Rhody!!!









Here is a view of the Rhody --from the back yard. WOW--what a beauty!!!!







When we first moved here, Dad Adams gave us these little American Irises. They are much smaller than our other Irises, but they are pretty and do add color in our yard. They are in a rock garden area in the front yard surrounded by English Ivy. Very pretty!!!!







Here is a close-up of some of our little American Irises.







These gorgeous Irises are so beautiful. They are named Orange Harvest. This is the year for yellow Irises I guess since we've had two different sets of yellow in bloom (Honey Glazed and Orange Harvest).







I am going to post an entire page of our Irises soon (besides this one and Orange Harvest above, we have two more new ones so far this spring), but since this is one of my all-time favorite Irises, I just had to show it to you. This beauty is named Cable Car!!!! Neat color, huh?????


Now you can see why we love to get home!!!!! It's fun to go on vacation---but it's even more fun to get home.


Hugs,

55 comments:

RA said...

What a lovely surprise! I am enjoying myself looking at all your beautiful flowers. Have a great day, Betsy. Hugs from Indonesia :)

Jayne said...

So nice that everything was growing and blooming for you when you got home Betsy. :c) Glad you all had a good time and that the weather was so great. In the end, there's no place like home.

Cedar ... said...

All so very colorful! Lovely!

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

Glad to see you back Miz Betsy!! Fantastic that you had a great time at the beach and you're right, of course........isn't it always lovely to come back home?
The flowers are all mesmerising but that Rio gal is a be-yoot!!!
Wow..........

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Tina said...

Betsy,
Well welcome home!! So glad you had a good time and had nice weather...was wondering if you hit all the rain that we had in Pa...9 days of rain in a row! ;-(
It is nice to return to a yard full of color and your shrubs and flowers are gorgeous...esp those roses and iris!!
...and oh yea some times its even nice to come home and mow the lawn...just makes it feel more like home!! :)

EG CameraGirl said...

Welcome home, Betsy. The azalea is stunning!

Harriet said...

What beautiful flowers, when do you have time to take care of them all.

Susie said...

You guys came home to a garden of Eden didn't you?!?!? So beautiful Betsy.

Arkansas Patti said...

Perfect timing. It would have been criminal to have missed such a display.
Now you get to enjoy all that beauty, plus the weeding, mowing , etc. Small price to pay.

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

WOW! Betsy,with beauty like that I would find it hard to leave.Your yard must be a flower lover's dream come true.Thanks for giving me a sneak peak at some of the flowers.
Blessings,Ruth

Shelley said...

That Rio samba flower is gorgeous! All your flowers looks great - glad you didn't miss them blooming!

Beth said...

Your flowers are beautiful, Betsy. I am partial to the rhododendron. It's hard to find a spot shady enough at our house to have one, but I've always loved them. I enjoyed so much reading about your beach vacation---I could almost taste the salt air. So glad you didn't have much rain---it poured up here in the North Carolina mountains. Not that I'm complaining...:-)

Pigeon said...

Those flowers are so pretty. I wish I could grow iris too. To answer your question about Megan, I'm not quite sure what she will do after graduation. I know she wants to be a studio artist, but I'd like her to get a teaching certificate. We shall see.

Naturegirl said...

Mother Nature prepared your garden beautifully for your arrival home!

Clara....in TN said...

What kind of camera do you have? Georgous pictures!

Karin said...

Oooooooh, I love your pictures! I especially found the sunshine through the blue irises stunning! Amazing flowers and gorgeous colors! Enjoy! I live vicariously through you, lol! Hugs!

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

So glad you're back...your flowers a beautiful (thanks Tennessee weather)...it's been sorta like a rainforest here...

Mary said...

Beautiful! I love the rose and the yellow iris! I would love to have huge beds of irises. I just love them. Mine don't seem to spread into large masses like those yellow ones.

Dirt Princess said...

What a nice sight to see when you arrive home! The rose is amazing. The rhody and azaleas are great as well. Everything is looking great

Carol Murdock said...

Bestsy...I encountered the same thing after being gone 5 days! Everything had grown huge!
Your Rio is alot like the Joseph's Coat rose I have.
~ Carol ~

Small City Scenes said...

BEAUTIFUL!!!! what more can I say. Welcome home,
The colors are magnificent and they hide the weeds well. ha!

rio samba is one of my favorite roses too.

MB

amelia said...

What an amazing garden!! You must put a lot of hard work into it to keep it looking so beautiful!!
I always enjoy reading your blog and don't always comment but please know it's one of my favourite reads!!!

Natalie said...

I just love seeing all the pictures of your flowers. Maybe one day I will have a beautiful yard too!

Becca's Dirt said...

You sure did find a lot of lovely flowers. The Rhododendron is beautiful. The color on your yellow rose is stunning. Your yellow irises "Golden Harvest" is simply beautiful. What a lovely display of flowers. So glad you are back home. Missed your blogs. Becca

A Brit in Tennessee said...

Welcome back ! You've been missed..
Glad to hear you've have a great time at the beach, and enjoyed your trip.
I assume someone takes care of your garden when you are off galavanting :) it continues to exude such beauty.
Gorgeous flowers, everything seems so much more vibrant and intense this year, don't you think ?
Lovely post.

Unknown said...

Such beautiful color surrounding your home!!

Deborah Godin said...

What a beautiful riot of color! Those Rio roses are gorgeous!!

Pat - Arkansas said...

Beautiful flowers, all! The Cable Car Iris is just gorgeous!

Glad you're back home and had a great time. Your photos of the beach and environs are great.

Neal said...

What can I say, they are all beautiful. In answer to your question on my blog.... The only trip we have planned right now is a trip to Washington & Oregon in August. I'm sure we'll probably go on a short trip or two this summer but we don't have any planned right now.

Janie said...

How wonderful to come home to so much beauty in your own back yard, Betsy. Great blooms and lovely photos.

Cicero Sings said...

Betsy, Betsy, how your garden does grow ... and bloom. If only mine were half as far along as your own.

Diane said...

Looks like you were treated with a parade when you got back home, Betsy. I really love the Golden Harvest Iris, beautiful!!

Mark Kreider said...

So happy I stumbled on to your wonderful blog. We too have Rhodies and azaleas that are busting loose right now and the apple orchard out back is in bloom. Beautiful photos!!

Rose said...

Oh, these are all so beautiful....I love azaleas and irises....I bet it was wonderful to come home to all these blooms!

Diane AZ said...

Betsy, your post knocked my socks off with all that beauty and color! I've never seen an Azalea bush with so many blooms. And your roses and irises look very happy!

Joy said...

So glad you didn't miss that beautiful show you have going on at home. The roses are lovely as well as everything else.


Joy

Jane said...

Glad you guys had a great time - certainly did miss you being gone for so many days!

Jane

Baby Rocket Dog and Hootie said...

Glorious flowers Betsy! Hey, you have to go over to visit our canine friends in Scotland, Martha and Bailey. They posted a really cool kilt waterfall on todays post. Their site is: marthabassett.blogspot.com
Tell 'em we sent you and they'll treat you special!!
Smooches from pooches,
BabyRocketDog & Hootie (Cassie's "kids")

Baby Rocket Dog and Hootie said...

Oh, forgot to tell you that mommy LOVES your rhodies. The color would look pretty on you!!

Jessica said...

Wow... what beauty in your yard. What a wonderful gift to come home to. Welcome home... we missed you!

Dorothy said...

No wonder you were glad to get home! You live in a flower garden! Just beautiful!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Betsy: Your plants are really putting on a show.

Kim said...

What a site to come home to Betsy. Gorgeous! Such vivid, lovely colors.

EcoRover said...

With beauty like that to come home to, I'd never want to leave!

Femin Susan said...

That is a great gift the plants wanted to give you for taking care of them.It must have been like a band when you got in. With all the flowers bloomed.
Cheers!

Leedra said...

I am sure it was wonderful to arrive home and see your yard in full bloom. Glad you are home safely.

Leedra’s Photos For FunLeedra’s Greeting CardsPhotography By Leedra

Unknown said...

Really amazing flowers. That was a great welcome home surprise.

Lagean Ellis said...

Betsy,
I just love all your flowers. I'm glad your trip went well.

I would appreciate it if you would stop by my blog and pick up an award I have for you!

www.lageanellis.blogspot.com

Talk soon!

Unknown said...

Oh Betsy even though the beach is so soothing and mystical, there's no place like home. Those flowers are all gorgeous. Guess the downpours we complained about just brought about lots and lots of blooms everywhere this year. Looks like your trip was fun. I wasn't sure when you were coming back. Great photos as always.
Happy Twirls

marmee said...

what great beauties to come home to. all of your blooms were waiting to welcome you home from the beach...how lovely.

Aleta said...

Welcome back, Betsy! I'm glad you had a great vacation! Yes, we sure have had the rain! I'm hoping for sunshine so my strawberries will ripen.
What gorgeous flowers you have! We have the American irises in our yard, too, as well as others, but not as many as you have! Yours are incredible!

Dave's Bird Watching Blog said...

Wow, gorgeous flowers, Betsy! You and George are quite the gardeners. :-)

Anonymous said...

You have a beautiful yard! And I love those little irises. I have some that are similiar in my yard.

PCovi said...

Dad Adams LOL!!! Now I understand!
Oh how funny...I've been telling my mother that a certain kind of buttercup in her yard is called DAD ADAMS because a blogger said it was!!!!

Connie said...

So much beauty--what a blessing to come home and have all of that waiting for you. I love the azalea--gorgeous!