Friday, July 17, 2009

Fertlilizer Friday and Birthday Fun!


It's Fertilizer Friday! Please join me and our host Tootsie over at Tootsie Time to see what's blooming on a mid-summer's day.


I found this bright aqua umbrella stand at Home Goods. I loved the color so much that I knew I needed to find a way to display it on our back deck. A few holes poked through the bottom and it became a colorful planter with petunias and coleus spilling over the top.



Look the sun is blooming with a cheerful smile as it blesses the garden with loving sunlight.


Here's a shade container I put together. I'm not sure what the purple annual with tiny white flowers is on the right side of the container, but I love it.


Here's a closer look at that purple shade annual. If anyone knows what this is, please tell me because I want to make sure I get next year.


The container flanking my front door is doing really well. The coleus is gorgeous - wish the picture could do it justice.


Surprise, surprise! A sweet pink lily. I didn't plant it - it's a volunteer the birds must have sowed. The first surprise was finding it. The second surprise is that the lily beetles haven't found it yet. Most of us up can't grow Asiatic lilies because of the evil lily beetle.


A purple coneflower. A common cottage flower I never grow tired of.


Here's some feathery lavender up against our side fence next to the veggie garden. I planted it last year and this is the first year it bloomed.


The liatris is just starting to pop in my front island bed. See it on the left side and bottom of the picture below.


A closer look at the fun spikes.


Two bees keeping busy gathering nectar.


Look it's Ellie's birthday! Poor thing looks so scared to have her picture taken in front of a flaming cake. Can't say I blame her. Don't worry - we didn't give her any of the chocolate frosting on the cake - but she did get a nice little slice of the moist vanilla cake with pudding inside.


We are celebrating Ellie's 3 year anniversary with us. 3 years ago we rescued her from a shelter in Tennessee. There's a rescue group in New England that works with several rescue groups in the south to bring homeless animals up north. The shelter that Ellie was rescued from was awful (I don't think you can even call it a shelter). Sad thing is this loving little pup was slated to be put to be put down just 24 hours from the time she was rescued. The wonderful volunteers from Miss Linda's Dogs for Adoption in Decatur, Tennessee are the kind souls that rescued her from that terrible place. Miss Linda herself, a true angel, fostered her until I was able to bring her home with us. We think Ellie was a year old when we adopted her, but the vet was unsure since she was so small and frail. She's doubled her weight now and is probably one of the world's most spoiled pets.

Ellie's giving me a look... She's probably thinking... "Take my picture so I can rip open these presents! I smell a beef rawhide!"



Finally... getting to the good stuff!



What else did Ellie do on her birthday? Well she played ball of course and stopped to smell the flowers! A perfect doggie celebration.



29 comments:

AnnF said...

It's oxalis.

http://www.aogc.org/shade/000010.html

:) Can't believe the species name just popped in my head - esp. as I don't have any of these. lol

Anonymous said...

Hi Jackie~~ The umbrella stand is a very cool find and your creative "re-purposing" is very eye catching. The mystery plant is an Oxalis. I'm not sure of the species or cultivar name. Beautiful flowers. I've never grown Liatris but you're tempting me. I like the fact that the bees love it too. I wonder if since the lily is a volunteer it has adapted to the perils of the beetle and is now resistant.

Happy birthday to Elle!! I love her rescue story, sort of a rags to riches. Doesn't it make you feel good? We have a rescue Kitty so I can relate. Her birthday candles are way cool. The photo of her with the ball: it's like her eyes are talking. So cute!

Anonymous said...

Good Morning, Your flowers are looking so nice and these pictures of Ellie are the cutest ever. I can just imagine her nose going crazy smelling that rawhide! Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Joanne said...

I love the container of flowers. Someone enjoyed their birthday then.

Darla said...

Your containers look wonderful and your garden is so lush. I'm glad your mystery plant was ID, now I'm going to look it up..

tina said...

Your mystery plant is for sure oxalis. I fostered a litter of golden retriever pups last February. They were rescued by a group out of New Hampshire I think it was. They set up the transport of the pups up north. In the south it is said our pet laws are much more lax than those in the north, hence all the unwanted animals. Plus it seems southerners do not value the animals as much as northerners (my opinion based on observation only) The rescue groups do a pretty good job of saving these animals. It is all so sad. Glad Ellie was rescued.

MissyM said...

Jackie, your containers are beautiful. I love the blue umbrella stand! Liatris is one of my stand-bys, I absolutely adore a spiky flower and it is tough as nails. Happy Birthday to a very lucky pooch!!

sweetbay said...

I'm glad you got at least one lily, it's beautiful. Lovely shot of your front bed. I envy your stand of Liatris -- voles eat them up here.

Happy Birthday Ellie Mae! It's good to see that she's found such a loving home.

Dirt Princess said...

I CANNOT stop laughing at the picture of Ellie in front of the cake!!! OPH MY GOSH that is funny!!! She is petrified!!!! Happy birthday to you EM!!! Hope you had a good one! That cake looks yummy! Looks like mom and dad got you some great stuff!

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I love the umbrella stand/planter. The color is great. You have such pretty flowers blooming there now. The bees really do love the liatris, mine are covered.
Happy Birthday to Ellie Mae, she's just too cute!

Ellie Mae's Cottage said...

Thanks Anne, Grace, and Tina for IDing the purple plant. I'll write it down so I remember for next year.

Cathy S. said...

Beautiful blooms Jackie, Happy Birthday Ellie! you are lucky to have such a cutie! my 2 Smooth Collies were born in Tennessee.
Happy FF! I have the same purple Oxalis as you do.

Beegirl said...

Jackie your containers are beautiful!! Loving those purple spikes too. That shot of Ellie at the cake had me laughing out loud! Adorable little baby that she is.. Kisses to her on her birthday!!! Love her little gifts. Making me feel bad Luther and Lindy don't get birthday parties. Ellie is a lucky little thing to have you to love on her...

lynn'sgarden said...

jackie, we are all out looking for umbrella stands now...lol! Great idea! Bandit just turned 4 in May and we went all out too! They are special! Your containers are beautiful! Mine are struggling in this heat..ugh!!
Lynn

MYCLOSETGARDEN said...

The flowers are gorgeous, looks like a good birthday then. Your doggie is a cutie - love the pic with the ball.

Unknown said...

Ellie is so lucky..cake and presents also!! Beautiful garden. Warm wishes, Esther

Dee/reddirtramblings said...

You and I like the same kind of flowers and gardens. I loved hearing your story about your Ellie.~~Dee

siteseer said...

I love you planter by the front door and the lavender is beautiful. Thanks for the peek into your garden.

Meadow Mountain Musings said...

Your flowers are very lovely! Thanks for letting us enjoy them too.

Stacey said...

Well the flowers were gorgeous but Ellis steals the show! She's just so cute and I'm so glad you adopted her. Our 14 year old lab adopted us...you could say she just kind of moved in from who knows where. We believe that rescued animals are grateful for a good home. :)

Now back to the flowers..I can't believe yours are still so pretty. It has been too hot here and things are puny. We did get a great rain last night and it is significantly cooler today.

admin said...

Ellis is such a cutie, I love it when you post about her. Thanks for sharing.

Tootsie said...

she is beautiful...and so are your gardens!!! I love the photos!! thanks for linking in today...but more importantly...happy anniversary!!! She doesn't look at all spoiled....or loved does she??? lol
she is lucky you found her!

Northern Beauty Seeker said...

Happy Birthday to Ellie!

Our two kitties are rescued as well. It's so nice to show them how good life can be :)

Great umbrella stand!

Michelle Gage said...

Happy Birthday Ellie Mae!!!
Love,
Aunt Missy and the rest of the Gage Crew!

Unknown said...

Teach me how to garden...my thumb is definately NOT green. It's more brown as i kill all things :(
Happy b-day Ellie!

Teresa~Gardening with soule said...

Lovely flowers. Definitely purple oxalis. Shamrocks as my mother call them. Fun post to read. thanks.

Behind My Picket Fence said...

I popped on over here from Tootsie's blog. Your flowers are so beautiful - it's certainly the time of year we wait for, isn't it?
Faye

Anonymous said...

Ellie Mae is such a little cutie!!
Plant Lady

Kathleen said...

Your little Ellie is adorable and so lucky you found her. It's so sad to think that she could have been put down. So many good dogs need homes. I would love to rescue one next time around too. You sure gave her a wonderful birthday.