Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Spring In South Jersey


We've been experiencing some oxiborious weather here in South Jersey this Spring.  I remember this time last year it was still very cold and rainy and nothing was blooming yet.  What a difference a year makes!

The tree scape in my backyard doesn't normally look like this until the beginning of May.  It's been like this for a couple weeks now.


We used to have landscaping going all around the perimeter of our patio.  But the patio is huge and I didn't want to have to maintain it.  So Mr. Bliss spent a good portion of last Saturday sodding it for me.  Isn't he the sweetest?  Now when I look out the back door I'm not constantly reminded of all the weeding that needs to be done.  The patio stays alot neater this way too!


The birds are chatting away every second of the day, and I just love it.  You see that chair back by the trees?  That was where my youngest daughter Amy sat for almost an hour the other day talking back to the birds.  They would sing and she would whistle back!  It was so sweet.  I stood there from the back door watching her, she didn't know it, but it was such a precious sight.  Amy loves birdwatching.  More on that later!

We did keep some small beds around the patio for pizzazz!


The walkway that leads to the front.





Daylillies look the prettiest when they are first blooming I think.  Same with Hostas.



I love accenting my landscape with rocks.  You'll see them in almost all of my larger flower beds.  I pull them from local creeks.


My climbing Hydrangea.  It's so big and full and lush, but still no blooms!  Is this normal?  It's been 4 years people!


Can't forget our feathered friends!  They have lots of places to eat and sleep and take a bath in my yard.




They've even lived on my front porch!


And sometimes in the wreath on the front door!  Has this ever happened to you??

I just love them to death.  So sweet.  All of God's creatures are amazing.


A little arrangement on my patio table.  It's fake, but who can tell right!  Ha!  Eventually I'll get me some real flowers in there, but it's still a little too early for these parts.


This is about the only color I have right now.  Azaleas in different colors are all over my yard.  I just love them when they bloom in clusters and they are so hardy.

Moving to the side of my home.


More azaleas in purple.  These have been here since we moved in 11 years ago and I just prune them every year.  Mr. Bliss needs to power wash the siding!


This is the other side of my home, where I planted some perrenials that my parents gave me.  My mom and dad were both blessed with a green thumb and passed some of that on to me I guess.
See, more rocks.  I told you!

A close-up of my perrenials.


These black-eyed susans are my favorite!  They were a new addition last year, and they spread like wildfire!


Can't remember the name of this one, but it's beautiful in bloom.


Another rock, hehe.


My prized Weeping Cherry.  She just lost most of her blooms.  They are scattered all over the lawn now.  Ooops!  And the neighbor's lawn too!

When she blooms, the view from Amy's room is spectacular!  Amy's room is pink so to look out the window and see such a beautiful tree with all pink blooms is so cool!


More Hostas and a Euonymous.


Is that another rock???


A beautiful tree Mr. Bliss and I got at auction a few years ago. Not sure what it is.


I picked out and planted all of the landscaping myself.  Yep!  What you see in the front here I did when Amy was just 2 months old.  I parked her baby carraige on the porch, pulled out each and every meazly shrub the builder planted and piled/tamped a ton of topsoil all by myself.  Mr. Bliss was in the back yard that day building a swingset and he knows that I love to landscape.  Oh, I also drove to the nursery, picked out each and every shrub and tree and lugged it into the car myself.  Did I mention I just had a baby?  Ha!  Good times....
The shrubs are a bit overgrown on the left now.  I usually cut them down.  Also, between the rocks and the shrubs are where I plant my impatiens.  I'll post them later this Summer.

Hope you enjoyed your tour of my yard.  I'm linking up to Outdoor Wednesday for the first time hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.  Be sure to check out Susan's wonderful blog for more outdoor ideas and photos.

Have a "Bliss"ful day everyone!

xoxo,
Kim

20 comments:

Juanita said...

Kim,
Thanks for sharing these wonderful pics. We are getting ready to do some landscaping ourselves here in a bit. I am a new follower and am looking forward to visiting you. Have a blessed day!
Juanita

Blondie's Journal said...

You have a huge front and backyard and you do all of the work yourself... I admire you!! You have SO much blooming right now and it is not even summer!! I love all of your flowering shrubs and trees and your new sod looks great. I also like all of your birdhouses. It is my goal this summer to have more here and at the lake.

Great post, Kim! Happy Outdoor Wednesday! :-)

xoxo
Jane

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

You have a beautiful yard! We put grass seed down where we had plants and a pond near our patio, last year. It was a weeding nightmare and the pond had its time so we filled it in. It is great to know that I have once less area to have to weed!

Jemsmom said...

So lovely!! I love flowers and all the pretties, but I tend to kill plants! Yours are all fabulous and I think the rocks are great! I had a lot in my landscaping at my old house and I just love them. My azaleas are on their way out now and I am so sad. Yours are gorgeous, especially those purple ones!

Blue Creek Home said...

Kim, your yard is picture perfect.
I love the story of your sweet girl talking to the birds. Don't you just love those moments?

Your bedroom is gorgeous, girl! Great job.
Rhonda

Stacey said...

Kim, your yard is so pretty! I just love to look at landscapes around the different parts of the country.

You asked me about a climbing vine and I didn't have a good answer because your climate is so different. My girlfriend who lives in New York has very happy hydrangeas. I wonder if you could grow a climbing hydrangea? They are gorgeous!

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Your home and yard is very pretty! You have done a great job. Thanks for sharing it with us. I know someone that had to take her wreath off the front door when it started warming up, because the birds would always build a nest in it, and they could not go in and out the door. Not to mention the mess they left on the door. :-)

Debbiedoos said...

Kim I can't believe how pretty your yard and flowers look already!! How nice to get a jump start on enjoying the lovely Seasons of warmth!~

Self Sagacity said...

Your beautiful photos reminds me that in CA, some of us will never have such great size yards. It's gorgeous.

Pebz ★ said...

what an absolutely beautiful yard & home you have!!!!

Melinda said...

What a great yard. We are continuing to work on ours.

Melinda

Kimberly said...

Your yard is beautiful Kim! I decorate with rocks also! :>))

Aimee said...

Ok your yard i gorgeous, huge, full of beutiful plants and did i mention gorgeous?

Seriously. I can tell you spent a lot of time on this WOW!

So cute about your daughter too

Tracy's Trinkets and Treasures said...

I enjoyed all the pics. I like the black mulch and rocks. I use rocks too! That is a lot of space to take care of. I wish we had trees here. You have to plant them if you want them. It is very flat and bare here. Your hostas make me jealous too. I can't get those to grow.

Jill said...

Everything looks SO good! It's all so perfectly manicured. Love it! I love all the plants you've used. One piece of advice if you're thinking of getting a puppy. Um...DON'T DO IT!!! :-) Hee-hee!

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

Kim~ it was so fun to take a little tour of your yard, it's sort of like paying you a little visit! Your home is so lovely and your yard and landscaping is just beautiful!

Leslie {Goodbye, house. Hello, home!} said...

What a beautiful yard!
Can you come do mine?
I love your word: oxiborious.
(I had to look that up).
I love "big" words!
I have never seen a climbing hydrangea before. 4 years, no blooms? Maybe it's mad at its location? ;)
I have a Pee Gee hydrangea that I love- it's a mini-tree.
Also, your purple azaleas are just breath-taking- oh! and yes, we do get birds on our porch making nests. I just leave them alone, as I love baby anythings!
It's so nice to meet a sister in Christ!
Thank you for coming by my home today and leaving me sweet comments on my master bedroom!
Blessings as you make your home!

Kim @ Starshine Chic said...

You have a beautiful yard. So green & lush. And I love all the trees behind your back fence. Better view than seeing houses. Thanks for sharing.

Privet and Holly said...

I HAD to smile at your last paragraph. I, too, was into gardening when my oldest was a baby. I even remember WELDING a metal sculpture in the garage {while she slept} for a clematis to grow upon. I look back now and think, "Why didn't I nap when the baby napped, like all THE BOOKS suggest that you do??" Think I was just SO into NESTING mode back then....even outdoors. You have a very green thumb and I enjoyed seeing your lovely yard! Thanks for stopping by to visit....lovely to meet you!
xx P&H

trish said...

Oh how beautiful! :o)
I am having a little give a way this morning and would love to have you.
Sincerely ~ Tricia