Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Bluebird of Happiness


Bluebirds are associated with happiness and contentment in life.  I'm certainly happy to have this charming couple visiting my garden this spring.  I hope they make their home here. 


They have been visiting every day, making quite a show of catching bugs.  As I go about pulling weeds and other garden duties this cheerful pair seem to enjoy my company as much I enjoy theirs.


There is much to be happy about in the garden these early days of spring.  Along the sunny side of the back fence the new 'Julia Child' rose is blooming  in floribunda bunches.  I have been looking for this rose ever since I saw it at Bok Tower gardens.  It gets good reviews from Bok Tower and from other central Florida gardeners.


My happiness with the floribunda  rose, 'Scentamental' is probably going to be short-lived.  I know he's wrong for me, but I don't care.  I love him.


Seedlings in the sunny patch that is now a rose garden have been springing up and starting to bloom.  Blanket flowers, guara, hollyhocks, and alyssum have all re-seeded from last year's plants.  Yay!  Belinda's Dream provides lots of happiness in this spot.


Tall red pentas and more blanket flowers are coming back in front of the bamboo on the sunny west side.  A few sunflowers were added.  Butterflies and bees have gradually been coming around to visit them. 


There is more guara happiness along the path leading to the pot of bright orange geraniums.  Those geraniums were a Mother's Day gift from my daughter-in-love.  I'm very happy to see them blooming and rejuvenated with the spring weather.


What could be happier than little green sweat bees buzzing around sunflowers? 


And, finally!  Blooms on the bottle brush tree this year! 

"...happy is that people, whose God is the LORD."
Psalm 145:15

11 comments:

  1. Hi Kay...Love your bluebird couple. My daughter's school has a pair that are nesting in the butterfly garden. I put up some houses...but no bluebirds yet. Do you have a bluebird house in your garden? I've got to track down that Julia Child rose...absolutely beautiful! Enjoy this gorgeous weather!

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  2. Oh, you are so lucky! I have never, ever, ever seen bluebirds in my neck of the woods. They were my favorites back when I lived in Atlanta, where they visited my feeders daily throughout the warm season. Wish I knew how to attract them here. We've seen pretty much every other bird in the book. I've been seeing a lot of sweat bees all over the gaillardias lately. Love those little guys! Your path to the geranium pot looks so inviting.

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  3. Kay, I've never seen bluebirds - that I know of. Yours are lovely. Do they stay all summer? And, yes, blooming roses are happiness. I have a few of those roses that may not be "right for me", but what the heck. I figure they're worth experimenting with. Keep us posted.

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  4. Your spring garden is singing the spring song along with the beautiful bluebirds. I just added a bluebird cast iron stake in my garden even I don't have a real one visiting my garden. Hope someday they will...

    Your Julia's Child is beautiful!!! Now I have one more added to my rose wish list... It is so hard to scratch one off the list, at least for me...

    Happy Spring and Gardening!

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  5. Oh wow! I would love to see bluebirds in my yard!And I love your pathway to the geraniums.

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  6. Until Floridagirl mentioned Gaura a few days ago, I had never heard of it. Now you post a pic of it. I am going to have to look for it soon.

    I put lots of seeds out. Can't wait until they come up. The seeds from last year's plants are coming up also.

    Love your path!

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  7. I love all the beautiful flowers! I'm especially partial to the bottlebrush, and one of my trees is finally in full bloom... it only took three years, but it's worth the wait! Enjoy the bluebirds. :)

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  8. Ah, Bluebirds in the garden, that's wonderful...your plants are looking very happy!

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  9. Susan - How fun to have nesting birds in the school garden. That should inspire some young gardeners!

    Floridagirl - I've never seen a bluebird in my life. I was so happy to see this pair. Gradually, more birds are visiting. I'm enjoying their company.

    sherryocala - Can't answer your bluebird question. I've not had experience with them before, but I've read they do live year-round in Florida. Thanks for making me feel better about the rose purchase.

    Ami - I remember seeing your cute bluebird stake. Maybe some real ones will be visiting you soon.

    ChrisC - Thanks for the compliment on the pathway. I just added that little section leading to the veggie bed. I used the old scalloped edging that used to corral my wedelia.

    Siesta Sister - I planted a white and a pink guara 4 or 5 years ago and they have re-seeded nicely. This year though seems to be the best. Love a re-seeding plant.

    RFG - So good to hear that the bb trees need a few years to really flower well. I've been so impatient.

    Darla - Bluebirds, happy plants makes me a happy gardener.

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  10. Hello Kay,
    Well, I'm late for this bluebird celebration. What amazing fun to have them in your garden! They are so beautiful and well... colorful, too. I've only seen them in north Florida and never this far south. I would love to have some visit me, too. I'm loving your spring garden ... it is looking in tip-top shape.So many seeds returning for you... My hollyhocks re-seeded and are all over the back side of the edible garden... but I'm wondering how long it take them to grow from that small?? Won't the summer heat do them in?

    Your roses are lovely and I hope they do very well for you in your sunny patch.
    Happy spring!!!
    Meems

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  11. What a cheerful post! I don't think we get bluebirds this far south; at least, I've never seen one here. Thanks for the smile. :-)

    -- Penny

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NanaK