Friendship's Garden

When I first started flower gardening, I wanted to make my beds entirely of

"pass~along" plants; plants that had been given to me by friends.

My garden wasn't growing in variety, so I have bought many,

but there are several that are from friends.

Come join me, won't you, as we take a turn around my

Friendship Garden.

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Near the front door is this purple Rhododendron that is usually

in full bloom by Mother's Day.

As you can see, she is just now showing us her

lovely purple-hued blooms.

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Red and Orange are not my favorite colors

but here is a first bloom of a Chinese Red Oriental Poppy

that persists on growing, quite healthilyI might add, despite

repeated attempts at eradication!

(pass-along plant)

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Sweet purple Granny's Bonnets being modeled on

willowy stems above common geranium, Lillie's, rosemary, delphinium

and Oops! weeds!

(pass-along plant ~ the Granny's Bonnets not the weeds!)

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Stately purple Iris set before a tower of Golden Hops.

(Pass-along plant from my first pastor

Rev. Wesley Gain, now with the Lord)

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Here are the first delicate white flowers of the Bridal Wreath bush

given to me by a dear lady friend who

passed away a couple of years ago.

I have named this plant "Audrey" in her honor.

(Pass-along plants are a sweet reminder of dear friends

who are no longer with us.)

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One of my favorite flowers, Double White Lilacs.

They are incredibly fragrant!

(Pass-along plant given to me from my Auntie. I, in turn, made a gift

of several of the babies to a sweet young friend of mine as a wedding present.

Her wedding bouquet was lilacs and she was wanting starts to line the drive of their future home.)

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"Scentsation" lilac.

True to is name!

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Bleeding heart

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Beneath the Hydrangea grows a tiny fairy garden of Sweet Woodruff, Bluebells

and tiny woodland violets.

(The Bluebells and yellow violets were gathered in the woods near our farm.)

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Solomon's Seal

in the dappled shade of the old Banana Apple Tree.

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Snowball Viburnum

(A true pass-along plant, given to me when I was a young bride by

my mother-in-laws friend and neighbor Connie.)

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Johnny~Jump~Up's

and they are.....everywhere!

(Pass-along plant from dear Jan who started me making

my own soap!)

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A blushing Columbine given to me years ago by one of my

sweetest friends, Jamie!

(I love this barely pink against the red of the rhody. But next year, she may

be friends with the iris or the peony.)

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We call this Rhododendron "Grandma's Lipstick" because

it was my sweet grandmother's favorite shade to wear!

Here it is nestled down with Bishop's Weed,

a pass-along plant that I regret receiving from a cousin.

It spreads like wild fire into my new lawn!

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And lastly, our dear old pink dogwood tree.

We fondly call him "Dagwood" dogwood; the name

we used when my girls were small as the

'secret word' should someone other than me

need to pick them up from school.

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I hope you enjoyed your little tour of my friendship garden

and perhaps you will be inspired to start one of your own.