The Roses of Chesapeake Gardens

It's summertime in Chesapeake Gardens and the flowers are beautiful. Especially the roses. I have enjoyed every step it took to get to this place in the gardens. If you've followed my blog you know that I planted my Earth Kind Rose garden this spring and have been logging the success up until now. I've made two slide shows so I can share the beauty of my Earth Kind Roses and also my less talked about Moss Rose Collection. Take a few moments enjoy what I see everyday. Until next time:

HAPPY GARDENING.

Butterflies in the Garden

While I took a break from blogging, my gardens have continued to grow and flourish. While I choose not to bore you with the reasons that led to my absence, I will say that through it all my garden was the one place I could always go to find comfort and peace.
In my garden I am never alone. I have lots of friends. The birds, the squirrels, bees and dragonflies and damselflies. But I think my most special friends are the butterflies. There are so many different kinds. So many beautiful colors. I never know who will show up on any given day. Whether its early morning, high noon, or late evening, they are my constant companions in the garden. I can always count on their presence to cheer me up. I hope you enjoy the images of my friends that I captured while strolling through my gardens.

Female Black Swallowtail


Fiery Skipper


American Snout


Gulf Fritillary


Gulf Fritillary


Giant Swallowtail



Cabbage White


Monarch

Visualization and the MRI

Monday, May 18, 2009.

I had a wonderful experience today, and I want to share it with my gardening friends and with all who follow this blog.

Normally you don't hear the words "wonderful experience" associated with the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan procedure.

But let me tell you my story. I practice visualization to attract positive results in my life. I visualize a positive result before I undertake most any task.

Well today I had to have an MRI because I am experiencing sever pain in my left leg. I may have a pinched nerve in my back.

I've had MRI's before and I was not real excited about having this one. If you've never had the experience it goes something like this; You are laid down on a narrow cot and placed in a huge tube that is about an inch away from your face and asked to stay perfectly still. If that's not frightening enough the machine starts making these loud banging noises as it takes images of your body. This goes on (in my case) for about 40 minutes.

Anyway. That's an MRI. So today before I got to the clinic I made myself relax, Even though I overslept this morning, I drove the speed limit and listened to some of my favorite music on the drive there.

Once I was placed in the MRI machine, I closed my eyes and started visualizing walking through my gardens.

I talked and walked through the gardens stopping to train the climbing roses on the arbor.

Smelling the sweet scents of the petunias and Mexican plum tree. I stopped to pull stray grass shoots from the flower beds. I could feel my feet on each stepping stone.


It was amazing! I knew that the noise was there, but at times I could not hear it. I never felt enclosed. I only felt like I was walking outside in my gardens. I seriously almost fell asleep I was so peaceful.


When it was all over, I felt refreshed and relaxed. I've never experienced anything like it.


As soon as I got home, I went straight to my gardens to say thank you to the universe that I live in. Thank you for my peaceful place. I am blessed knowing that no matter where I am or what the circumstances, I have a safe place.


Thank You God.

MY EARTH KIND ROSE GARDEN

My new rose garden started with an idea and a sketch. I had the idea and my daughter did the sketch.

I wanted a rose garden planted with only Earth Kind roses. I found Chamblee Rose Nursery in Tyler, Texas to order my roses from. After many hours of researching all of the Earth Kind roses, I chose six that I thought would be suitable for my garden... I decided on Climbing Pinkie, Caldwell Pink, Spice, Ducher, Sea Foam and Marie Daly.

I placed my order in January and in February I began to to prepare the site that would be the home for my new babies.

First came the arbor.

Once it was in place I prepared the rose garden bed. I filled the garden bed with a mix of garden soil and compost. I tried to keep the outline of the bed as close to the original plan as possible.

When my rose bushes arrived in mid March, I was literally jumping up and down with excitement. I couldn't wait to inspect them to be sure that all was well with the shipment. To my relief, they were in perfect condition.

After a few days I started planting them. It took me 2 days to get them all planted, but it was very gratifying when I was done. Here are some of the early photos of my new rose garden.

My Earth Kind rose garden is in its infancy stage and I look forward to watching it grow. I have planted perennial seeds to fill in the spaces and I await the summer months to see how they grow up as well. I can' t tell you how pleased I am already with the progress of my new Earth Kind rose garden. I hope you will continue to follow their growth with me.

Until next time,

Keep Gardening!

Stormy Skies Over Texas

On Tuesday the 24th of March, My daughter and I thought we were going to get in a few sets of tennis when we went to the park. Instead we were greeted by threatening skies and wind gust so strong that we had a hard time just opening our car doors.
So instead of playing tennis we took these great pictures of the clouds that were rolling by overhead. Needless to say the storms were not far behind.

Springtime In Pam's Chesapeake Gardens

With Spring fast approaching,
I felt the need to share with you what has
been happening in my gardens.

After beginning the winter clean up I began seeing a few signs of Spring.

The first sign was the return of my Pandora's Box Daylilies. I have 3 of them in my Grass Garden.

My Carolina Jessamine began blooming shortly after that.














And then the Snap Dragons burst onto the scene. They began blooming around the 26th of February and I must say it looks like they are here to stay. They are vibrant and beautiful. I took lots of pictures and I hope they make you as happy as they do me.

These beauties are not the only early arrivals in my gardens.
Take a look at 3 of my Rose Bushes. Here is the Climbing Blaze's new growth.












And the Blue Girl Rose Bush is right in step. The two Knock Out Rose Bushes in the garden looked a little tired a few days ago, but look at what I found when I went out to my gardens this morning! This little blossom is really trying to get it on the act .


And now take a look at my Dusty Miller...
















They share a garden bed with Lantana and purple Salvia.
I know they can't wait for their beautiful companions to join them this spring. I know I can't!

There is much work to do to make my garden space the enchanted garden that I so lovingly refer to it from time to time.

My garden is a labor of love and the place where I find my peace always.

I hope that you will find joy and peace also as you visit Pam's Garden Space in the coming days.

Until next time,

HAPPY GARDENING !!!