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...

Thursday, May 28, 2015

IRISES in our Yard 2015--Part II

On Monday,  I showed you the first 10 of our 20 different Iris varieties from this year's group.  I hope you saw that post...  IF not check it out since it is below this one... Today I'll share with you the remaining little beauties.  As I said on Monday,  our Irises this year really did well.  AND--some of them are re-bloomers --so hopefully,  they will bloom again in the Fall!!!

The picture above shows some of our Irises in the Road Bed.  You can also see the gorgeous pink Azaleas in our front yard.  This picture was taken on 5/8/15.  Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements.


11.  Cable Car Iris  (photo taken on 5/10/15)



12. Queen Dorothy Irises  (5/7/15)



13. Cantina Irises (5/8/15)



14.  Waltz Across Texas Irises (5/9/15)



15. Clarence Irises  (4/29/15)



16.  Harvest of Memories Irises (5/10/15)



17.  Feedback Irises (5/11/15)



18.  Honey Glazed Irises  (4/28/15)




19.  Bountiful Harvest Iris (5/9/15)



20.  Mother Earth Iris  (5/11/15);  This one was NEW to our yard this year.



Another picture showing you just how many Irises we had.. AND---this is only ONE bed (of many) around our yard!!!!!  
I hate that is' OVER for this year...  Like I said,  some of these are re-bloomers --so they will bloom again in the Fall.   Irises are one of the 'easiest'  plants to grow.  They take almost no care at all ---and the deer/critters won't bother them!!!!!   Oh how I love my Irises!!!!!

Now it's time for you to pick a favorite from this group of 10.  I numbered them to help you with your choices.  My favorites from this group are Numbers 14 and 19 ---but I also like Number 20 since it is new to our yard!!!!!

I have decided to take two weeks off from blogging since I have so much going on now ---and can't get time to blog (or even do other things I would like to do)...  Maybe I will catch up a little by the time I get back to blogging on June 15. For those of you on Facebook,  you can always keep up with me there!!!!

Have a wonderful first couple of weeks in June!!

Hugs,

Monday, May 25, 2015

IRISES in our Yard 2015--Part I

It's amazing how nature works during the Spring...  When one group of flowers quit blooming,  another group begins!!!!!  First we had our Crocuses/Hyacinths; then it was the Daffodils;  then the Tulips;  and now the Irises..... Guess what group is next for us?????  OUR ROSES!!!!!  Yeah!  (Plus---we still have Lilies and Daylilies to come!!!! Yeah!)

Today (and again on Thursday) I will share all of the many different Irises we had this year... Our Irises bloomed and bloomed ---and I was THRILLED to see so many of them.  We had 20 different varieties (most with lots and lots of blooms)...  I'll share 10 of them today (plus some group shots) and the other 10 on Thursday...

Hope you enjoy seeing the irises.  Click on them for enlargements.  The one above is a 'group' one --showing you what some of our Road Flowerbed looked like when so many of them were blooming!!!!  This photo was taken on 5/08/15.


1. Blatant Iris (taken on 4/23/15)



2.  Floor Show Iris  (4/28/15)



3.  Halloween Halo Irises (5/10/15)



Some of the Irises in the Side Flowerbed (near our deck);  We enjoyed these while sitting on our swing doing our devotions each morning.  (4/28/15)



4.  English Charm Iris   (5/07/15)



5.  Hell's Fire Iris  (This Iris can look almost BLACK in certain lights.)  Taken on 4/29/15



6. Electric Shock Irises (5/09/15)



7.  Lemon Reflection Iris  (5/09/15)



8.  Autumn Bugler Irises (on the side flowerbed,  with the sun beaming down on them); Taken on 4/29/15



9.  Orange Harvest Irises (5/07/15)



10.  Goodnight Kiss Iris (5/01/15)
OKAY---now you get to pick a favorite from this first group of ten... I have even numbered them to make it easier for you....  My top two from this group are Number  3 and 9.....  BUT--they are all gorgeous!!!!

Happy Memorial Day today.   Please take a minute to thank all of those in the Armed Forces who keep (and have kept) us FREE and SAFE... God Bless them ALL.

Have a wonderful week.

Hugs,

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Azaleas and Rhododendrons in our Yard --2015

After such a rough and tough WINTER,  our Spring has turned out to be very pretty.  Today's post will show you the Azaleas in our yard this spring and also our beautiful Rhododendron.   Hope you enjoy this post ---so be sure and click on the pictures for enlargements.  First I'll share our Azaleas and then the Rhododendron.

The picture above (taken on 5/7/15)  shows off our two pink Azaleas in the front yard.  The Azaleas in our back yard are not as pretty (or as large or full) as these two.  They must be a different variety since they bloom earlier than these two bushes do... AND--the ones in the back must not like being where they are planted,  next to the deck...????  BUT--the two in front make up for the other ones.... Do you like them?


A closer view of our Azaleas in the front yard;  (Photo taken on 5/7 when we got home from the beach;)



A Close-Up of the Azaleas in the front yard;  This photo was taken on 4/29/15 BEFORE we went to the beach--and before the entire bushes bloomed.



One of the Lavender Azalea Blooms in the backyard;  I'd love for this bush to look like the pink ones in front --but so far,  it hasn't... I love the color though.  (picture taken on 4/28/15)


One of the very light pink Azaleas in the backyard;  (Photo taken on 4/23/15)



A Hot-Pink Azalea Bush in our backyard;  Gorgeous colors!  (photo taken on 4/28/15)



ANTICIPATION!!!!!  On 4/29/15,  we were waiting patiently for the big Rhododendron buds near our deck to OPEN....


This Rhododendron bud is 'trying' hard to open for us!  (taken on 4/29/15)


Our Rhododendron Bush on 4/30/15;


This is what we found on the day we came home from the beach --5/7/15.... WOW---how beautiful is this!!!!


Another view of our big Rhododendron Bush in bloom on 5/7/15



A close-up of some of the Rhododendron Blooms (5/7/15)



One Rhododendron Blossom (5/7/15)
Many of you may remember our horrible Winter Ice Storm --when we thought we had lost this beautiful Rhododendron.  The branches were leaning down below the deck rail (due to the heavy ice) ... We did lose some branches ---so the total tree is not nearly as full as it used to be---but overall,  this beauty DID come back after that horrible winter.. Thanks be to God.  Oh--how I love my Rhododendron!!!!

Hope you enjoyed our Azaleas and our Rhododendron today!  (These are all gone now for this year ---but next comes the Irises and then the Roses!!!!  Yeah!)

Hugs,