I just LOVE your gardens. The photos are great too.

Loved our stay but I found the weather too cold for me (last two weeks of May) despite many layers of clothing. The Clare Heritage Center was a delight and Gerald found the records on my grandmother instantly! From Dublin to the Wicklow area, over through Killarney and the ring of Kerry, then along the west coast around Dingle Bay and Ashford Castle along the way - all was so beautiful and the lack of traffic and noise was pure delight. Loved it when cars stopped for a farmer and his flock!

Our lupine are in their full glory now! Love how they bend and twist as they please.

Thank you folks,..the garden certainly looks very green and lush but all the rain can drive one to despair,..its resorting to do housework out of boredom ,..the prolonged hailstones didn't cause any damage apart from bending over some plants though they didn't break thankfully,..then rain non stop for 11 hours one could go rusty here.

Osteospermum are very attractive and i should have blues and yellows,..not a sign of them appearing as yet.

Arlene,..you covered quite an area when you visited here,..did you find it difficult driving on the opposite side of the road?,..i couldn't handle driving in the USA or Spain i kept forgetting i was not at home,..had to get someone else to drive.

I don't remember if i posted my video below but its worth another look if i did,..its the West Coast from Galway to Donegal.

Video===Irelands West Coast.

Beautiful and rugged coast line! I have always felt so fortunate to be near the coast, so much beauty to see.

I like your noid rose. Pretty color. Debra inspired me to buy poppy seeds and you inspired me to buy columbine seeds. Great photos!

Hi Sue,..the coast is the best of all locations and most of us seem to head for the beach,..i had to settle for the river and lake i suppose you could class it as a second best.

Hi Missy,..yes way to go!,..Poppy Seeds and Columbine Seeds,..amazing how we influence each other,..the Columbine is very rewarding multiplies and cross breeds with no attention required,..the Poppy Seeds germinate easily enough and i just throw them around in one area and up they come.

My Poppies appeared about three years ago they must have come mixed in seeds from a friend and mine bloom from August to October,..the pale ones bloom for me in October and the pinks in August.



Columbine this week.


The Pinkish are "Nora Barlow".

Looking at the tennis from Paris yesterday and they said a mini heatwave was coming our way,..they had it most of today and it was up in 100 degrees however it pelted rain in the evening and stopped play,..back here it was 27C-80F which was beautiful,..lots of my plants bloomed in this sun,..hard to believe the difference two days of sun can make.

Yesterday.
NOID roses.



Alyssum lobularia maritima,'Sweet Alyssum'.


Oxalis debilis,'Shamrocks Pink'.
Osteospermum,'Cape Daisy'.

Where i take my early morning cup of tea,..where nobody can see me,..one step out the door.


General shots,..is this a Peony about to bloom?,..the plant was a cutting from a neighbor's garden,..neighbor died.


Almost cleared out my greenhouse of cuttings and plants,..two were Helianthus annuus,'Sunflowers',..re potted them and placed them out in the sun yesterday and today,..well soaked and ready for the outdoors full time,..bottom of picture.










=
Today the sun made some blooms open up.
NOID rose.




Scotch Broom lighting up the garden,..Alyssum growing taller and strongly scented plus the Cranesbill Geranium opened its blooms.

















Last but not least is a volunteer plant that appeared last year however i didn't notice it in time to let the sun at it and give it room to develop a bloom,..it grew in among my Dahlia,..this year i gave it a spot of its own,..Arisaema speciosum,'Cobra Lily'.

Makes a big difference, doesn't it.

Glorious, Philip. Love the morning tea spot.

Beautiful, I especially love that first rose, so full petaled! My colors.

I love it all! You seem to be able to fill every bit of space in your garden with plantings or containers and it looks so natural and relaxing and beautiful. No wonder you stop and have tea and enjoy the view!

Debra just one full day of sun after the rain and whoosh there was color .

Jeanie,..thank you!,..nobody can see into my garden unless they look over a wall,..and its never locals,..always tourists on walkabout who can see the Church and think they can get to it from the main road but its a dead end,..so to enjoy my cuppa i sit on that chair where not a soul can disturb my,..letting my mind go blank .

Sue,..aha so you are a lover of pink,..then you will enjoy the video below,..its my Pink Theme Blooms Video

Susie,..yes i tend to go for a full garden and hate to see a spot with nothing in it,..containers are so convenient and as plants grow the taller ones go at the back and smaller and smaller in the front hiding the containers,..its like playing musical chairs,..i am always moving things about

Video===Pink Theme

Wonderful! I live on a very exposed and well traveled corner and have created a sort of secret garden also. I love to sit there and watch people go by, or have breakfast, or whatever. It's a peaceful refuge.

Actually I am not a lover of pinks , it looked more apricot peach to me.
These are the roses I grow, all mostly warm colors.
http://garden.org/lists/view/C...

Aha,..you are not a lover of pinks oops!,..every now and then i come across a color that i can see very clearly but can not put a name to it like Campanula,..blue or purple?,..Cranesbill Geranium,..blue or purple and of course my roses,..the one you commented on would be a challenge to me,..there is no doubt women are far better describing colors than men,..i am just hopeless .

I had a good look at your rose collection,..beautiful blooms some spectacular but all beauties,..everyone should have a couple of roses in a garden and there will be a rose for every climate,..i look forward to see mine return every year.

33C-88F yesterday and today,..not complaining as it boosts up the plant blooms,..after breakfast i headed out into the garden,..had a check on everything and realized i had nothing to do,..hard to believe but when you do a little every day you do finally catch up and come to a standstill,..mmmm idle hands,..so i was trying to create work by doing some changes,..gave the idea up as let well enough alone,..walked the dog instead.

Dennis as always keeps an eye on me.


NOID yellow roses and a sunflower,..Helianthus annuus,'Sensation'.


Cranesbill Geraniums all a buzz.






Foxgloves,..Delphinium and Hollyhocks reaching for the sky...Lupine showing color.

Bee butts!!!

Hello, Dennis. {{waving catnip}}

Love the sunflower.

Hi Debra,..i only grew two this time as they are the 10Ft high ones and need lots of support but they do create some raised eyebrows here.

Dennis is fast asleep behind me on the couch but i wont mention food as he is an eating machine,..Clara is sort of awake,..the big fluffy one and my top cat will cast a squinty eye in your direction.

I was going to add Bee Butts but didn't want to steal your wording

Clara.

Loved your Pink Video. Looking at Sue's roses just makes me want them all but I'm fortunate enough to have two of her choices.

I, too, love your lush, crammed gardens. No mildew on any plants?

Dennis is adorable and matches my Smitty!
He's very possessive about his orange, squeaky bonie.