Spring at Maison De Jardin

Sandra

“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose, I would always greet it in a garden.” ~ Ruth Stout

 

Welcome to ‘Spring at Maison De Jardin ~ The Garden House.’  This morning,  find your coffee and come along for a bit of a garden tour and catch a glimpse of the beauty of spring, as she unfolds in the hills of West Virginia.

“Spring drew on and a greenness grew over those brown (garden) beds, which, freshening daily, suggested the thought that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps.” Charlotte Brontë

Always the first to greet us in the spring are the beautiful blooms from our pink tree peony, better known as Princess Cathy.  This fabulous peony was given to me by my dear friend, Cathy.  She had raised her from a tiny seedling and when she moved she said, “I don’t want to leave her with strangers.”  Cathy purchased her at a random plant exchange and did not have any information on her other than she was a tree peony.  I thought the name Princess Cathy to be quite suitable. 

“If you’ve never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom.” ~ Audra Foveo

 

The next peony to bloom is Red Charm.  As well as being lovely in the garden and in the vase, Red Charm is also an APS (American Peony Society) gold medal winner.  Her form is a bomb.

 

“Irises… rising beautiful and cool on their tall stalks, bursting upwards, wordlessly, into the light.” ~Margaret Atwood 

 

Iris,  Silverado ~ a favorite of mine.

Elegant and tall iris ~ Stairway To Heaven

My mom’s beloved iris ~ Laced Cotton.

Iris, Beverly Sills (pink) blooming beside Col. Owen Cousins a white peony just opening.   Also, just opening is a vivid pink peony, Douglas Brand.  In this photo, you will also see Green Velvet Boxwoods, Dee Runk Boxwoods (vertical along the white fence) and  Hinoki Cypress by the pink irises.  Please excuse the boxwoods, they have not had their spring clip and do not look as tidy as usual. 

Did you know according to flower folklore, in olden times the peony was revered?  It was thought to be of divine origin having emanated from the moon and it was believed to have the ability to glow at night, chase away evil spirits and protect homes when planted nearby.  If this is true, our home should be well protected. 

And, along comes Faith.  Faith Fenton is a big girl (about 4 ft. in height)  and requires support.  If you look closely at the photo you will see an iron support in front of her.  It is called an Embracer and is a wonderful item.  They work well for our large Casa Blanca Lilies and other plants which require support.  I purchased them (large size)  from Campo De’ Fiori.     
Here you will see another photo of Faith Fenton, the deep pink is Karl Rosenfield and the yellow blooming beauty is an Itoh peony, Bartzella.  An Itoh peony is a cross between a tree peony and a herbaceous peony.
Peony ~ Bartzella
“Making a garden is not a gentle hobby for the elderly, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire.  It is a grand passion.  It seizes a person whole, and once it has done so he will have to accept that his life is going to be radically changed.” ~ Mary Sarton
Spring at Maison De Jardin has not been all about peonies and blooms.  There was much hard work done by my husband, Mike.  Such as spreading mulch, the planting of a new bed with lavender, placing the olive jar, carrying stones, and several flats of plants.  
“As rosemary is to the spirit, so lavender is to the soul.” ~ Unknown
Soon the daffodil foliage will die back and, hopefully, when the summer sun shines on the lavender plants they will spread and bloom.  If you may be wondering about the blue/green object which looks like a Praying Mantis, that is exactly what it is.  A copper Praying Mantis I named Thelma.  Thelma was made by an artisan on the Eastern Shore of Maryland many years ago.  She stands on a steel rod, which enables her to bob around as the wind blows, proudly protecting the garden.

 

As you leave this morning,  you will see part of the front garden ~ home to more peonies (Old Faithful, Paul Wild, Raspberry Sundae, and Renato).  Also, you will see a mature stand of Baptisia, often referred to as False Indigo. Baptisia is treasured by floral designers and is gorgeous in an arrangement with peonies. The front garden is enjoyed by many who pass by.  When people stop and comment, it reminds me to remember we plant a garden not only for ourselves but for others as well.  

 

“Gardening adds years to your life and life to your years.” ~ Unknown

I do hope you have enjoyed your visit today and by chance, if you have fallen in love with a particular plant or peony, I have tried to provide names of many for your shopping ease (see note at the end of this post).  However, if you have questions regarding any part of this post, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  Do come back soon ~ when the hydrangeas bloom!

 

Wishing you a most beautiful day!

 

Au Revoir,

Sandra

 

Note:  Most of our peonies have been purchased at Adelman Peony Gardens ~ visit here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20 thoughts on “Spring at Maison De Jardin”

  1. Your garden is so beautiful! I want to plant peonies and hydrangeas and iris’s too! So many flowers so little time lol.

    1. Thank you, Penny. When we moved into this home, I had to scale down on the variety because of a smaller space. I had to select what I couldn’t live without – so hard.

      Thanks so much for your visit !

  2. Sandra, I have just taken my third walk through your gorgeous gardens! My, where do I start? The Princess Cathy peony is stunning! How wonderful you named it for your friend that gave it to you. Red Charm is also a beauty. How I love your irises, especially loved seeing the Stairway To Heaven which I can’t wait for mine to bloom! I just showed my hubby your photo and he said what a gorgeous bloom! The Laced Cotton is also so lovely. The Faith Fenton blooms are magnificent. I am running out of adjectives. The yellow Bartzella are so unique. Spring at Maison De Jardin is fabulous. I have enjoyed walking through your gardens, Sandra and Mike! They are well loved and tended. Thank you for inviting me, and I can’t wait to see the hydrangeas!

    1. Ah, Pam – you always say the kindest things and I thank you so much. Your Stairway To Heaven should bloom next spring. She did not bloom for me this year. She does not like to be thinned or moved and it always takes her a year to adjust.

    1. Thanks so much, Pam. I am happy to join the fun. There are some gorgeous gardens among the group.

  4. Your garden is filled with such beauty. I do envy your bearded iris, hydrangeas, and other glorious flowers I can’t grow in my Florida yard. Lovely.

    1. Carol, so good to have you visit. I thank you for your kind words. We lived for many years in Coastal Virginia, and there were many things I could not grow there that I can grow here in West Virginia. It is hard when there are so many things you love and they may not be suitable for your area because of climate. But you can surely enjoy the tropical world of beauty!

      Thanks again for visiting, have a great week!

  5. Sandra, I could walk your garden again and again. You and your husband are master gardeners. The spaces are exquisite and the variety of blooms in your garden have me swooning. I so wish peonies would grow here in Austin! Hydrangeas too! We get to enjoy the Oak Leaf hydrangea, but the others don’t care for our heat. I do keep some in pots for the short term, but that’s about it.
    Thanks for sharing all this beauty!

    1. Sarah, many thanks for your kind words and for visiting today. Gardening in West Virginia is quite nice as many plants are very happy here. We just have to be careful of things that will take our cold winters. I have not been to the state of Texas, but have always heard the heat can be brutal and know there are many plants who would not be happy in that type of heat.

      Again, thanks for your visit ~ I hope you will return !

  7. Wow, Sandra, what a absolute treat! I would love to come and just sit a spell and take it all in. Thanks a bunch for sharing!

    1. Joanna, many thanks ! Come on over (in between the rain) and we can have tea and enjoy. Thanks so much for your visit!

  8. Sandra, I have so enjoyed seeing your beautiful peonies! They are stunning! I would love to be able to plant some, but we have too much shade at our new house. Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden with us! Enjoy your week!!!

    1. Thank you, Shannon. Peonies are not fussy plants, but they do require sun. I am so glad you enjoyed seeing the peonies, they always love company. Thanks so much for your visit !

  9. Sandra, Your flowers are exquisite! Those peonies, iris and rhododendron are so lovely and you have so many gorgeous varieties.I love the feel of your garden with lush healthy green grass and shrubs and pretty accent pieces. What a great urn and many accent pieces.
    Your pretty quotes add so much charm to your blog.
    Thanks for your visit. I am behind commenting having been out of town over the weekend.

    1. Bonnie, many thanks for your visit and your very kind words. I do hope you will visit again soon.

      Have a great week, hope you are feeling better!

    1. Angelina, thanks for your visit. Probably my most favorite are 2 that were my grandmothers and 1 named Gardenia.

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