Giant Dahlia, Echinacea, Dianthus, Vinca and Zinnia Flowers

Dinnerplate dahlia flower macro: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

Happy floral Friday and welcome to "this week in my Maryland garden!" Our pale yellow dinnerplate dahlia started blooming. I love the giant flowers (this one is about 7" wide).

Purple coneflowers,different stages: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

The echinacea (purple conflower) plants are still putting out a few fresh flowers, although the majority have faded.

Perky pink dianthus: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

This dianthus is doing the best of all if its kind in my garden. It's the only one in part shade (the rest are in full sun, which I think is what their tag said they prefer, but clearly mine like some shade).

Bicolor vinca with dew drops: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

The vinca flowers continue to bloom nicely. I liked the glistening dew drops on this one.

Big pink zinnias: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

The zinnias are the star of the garden this year, partly because I planted so many and partly because the birds, butterflies and bees love them. 

Thank you for visiting! I hope this finds you safe and cool, despite the summer heat. May God bless and keep you!

Related posts:
Giant red zinnia: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/07/giant-zinnias-gladiola-mr-optimist.html
Funky dahlias: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/08/four-dahlias-and-dianthus-for-floral.html
Sunflower & dahlia: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/07/sunflowers-dahlias-marigolds-verbena.html

Rain Drenched Flowers and a Squirrely Surprise

First firey dahlia blooms: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

Happy floral Friday and welcome to "this week in my Maryland garden!" We've had a lot of rain but that's good for the flowers. The bright reddish orange and yellow bicolor dahlia pictured above is a new addition to our garden and I love it. 

Hot pink dahlia flower: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

 We planted the hot pink bicolor dahlia outside and I hope it survives the current cold snap.

Dianthus with raindrops: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

The window box dianthus is thriving and I thought it looked neat with the raindrops on its petals.

First white impatiens: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

Another new addition to my garden is this white rose-like impatiens. The red in the background is my mini Japanese maple seedling garden. For now, they're sharing the window box. I'm hoping enough survive to make some bonsais for inside and grow a few in pots for outside. The one I started in 2012 made it through a few winters but is no longer with us so this time I wanted extra plants, just in case.

Surprise squirrel: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

On a rare sunny day this squirrel kept running in front of our hellebore and azalea bushes and I finally got a photo. She's a fast one. I think she likes making my cat's head go back and forth (my cat watches from the window).

That's all for this week's mini garden tour. I hope my flower photos make  you smile.

Which was your favorite? What is spring like in your area?

Thank you for visiting! May God bless you!
 
Related posts:
Black squirrel close ups: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/04/black-squirrel-close-up-photos.html
Dahlias and more: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/04/dahlia-hyacinth-tulip-lilac-and.html
Dianthus and more: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/04/first-and-last-azalea-strawberry-pansy.html

First and Last Azalea, Strawberry, Pansy, Dianthus and Tulip Flowers

First pink azalea blooms: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

Happy Earth Day, floral Friday and welcome to "this week in my Maryland garden!" Our pink azaleas started blooming this week and they brighten up a very shady part of the yard.

Last Angelique tulips: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

 This is probably our last Angelique tulip of the year so I might cut it and bring it indoors to savor.

First dianthus: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

Our window box dianthus survived another winter and put out its first flower this week.

First blue yellow volunteer pansy: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

 I found this volunteer (spontaneously growing) blue and white pansy in a sunny garden bed.

Last yellow red tulips: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

 The yellow and red tulips may be the last of the season but they are gorgeous.

First strawberry blooms: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2016

The strawberries that survived the winter started blooming this week too. I received three new ones as a gift with purchase and planted those today as part of my Earth Day observance.

How did you celebrate Earth Day? Thank you for visiting! May God bless you and our planet!

Related posts:
Pansies and tulips: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/05/pansies-primroses-lilacs-and-angelique.html
Angelique tulips: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/04/angelique-tulips-pansies-yellow-and-red.html
Baby finch and tulip: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/04/primrose-blind-baby-finch-angelique.html

Lilacs, Azaleas, Dianthus and Dahlias for Floral Friday

Lilac blossoms: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2015

Happy floral Friday and welcome to this week in my Maryland garden! Last week's post featured our old fashioned lilac and this week I decided to lead with our reblooming lilacs. They are absolutely covered in flowers right now. The last photo in this post has another photo of them from a little further away. If we are blessed, we'll have blooms trickling in through early fall.

Hot pink azalea: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2015

We have five azalea bushes and they're at peak this week.

Magenta dianthus: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2015

This dianthus survived an early spring transplant from our window box to the ground.  We might have gotten earlier flowers had we left it where it was but I wanted to try a new window box arrangement this year and it seems happier in the ground.

Yellow dahlia, pansies and tulips: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2015

The pansies are still looking nice but I got a great deal on some miniature dahlias so I planted a row of them in between the pansies. The tulips have passed but I'll leave their foliage up for a while to gather nutrients for next year's blooms.

Reblooming lilac: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2015

This is definitely peak week for the lilacs. What is your favorite spring flower?

Hope you enjoyed my garden photos. May God bless and keep you!

Related posts:
Raindrops on roses and more: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/05/raindrop-drenched-rose-cosmos.html
Dahlias and dianthus: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/08/four-dahlias-and-dianthus-for-floral.html
Mandevilla, dianthus & more: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/05/mandevilla-roses-dianthus-and-petunias.html

Four Dahlias and a Dianthus for Floral Friday

Classic dahlia: Copyright © by Phyllis Wheeler, 2014

Welcome to "this week in my Maryland garden!" Even though I crammed nine large dahlia plants into a four foot square space, they're producing an abundance of flowers (although I think five dinner plate dahlia plants in this area would be wiser in the future).

Cheerful dahlia: Copyright © by Phyllis Wheeler, 2014

I think this dahlia is my favorite flower of the week. I love the curly multicolored petals with cheerful pink and yellow petals.

Bright pink dianthus: Copyright © by Phyllis Wheeler, 2014

This dianthus survived the winter, almost died from lack of water a few weeks ago and then bounced back to life this week. It's in a window box but I might transfer it to a perennial bed in hopes of it coming back next year. It's grown so much it needs more room to spread.

Bright red dahlia: Copyright © by Phyllis Wheeler, 2014

All of the dahlias in today's post are growing in the same raised bed.  The red and purple are the only single color plants out of the nine in that bed.

Bicolor dahlia: Copyright © by Phyllis Wheeler, 2014

Even with my not getting to deadhead them in the past couple weeks the dahlias are producing an abundance of flowers. I think they're the most prolific bloomers when you consider the entire growing season. Every year I want to grow more and more dahlias. Maybe someday we'll have a dahlia farm.

Thank you for joining me on this week's floral photo tour of my Maryland garden! May God bless and encourage you!

Related posts:
Cat smelling dahlia: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/08/cat-enjoys-my-first-dinner-plate-dahlia.html
Dahlia macros: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/10/delightful-dahlia-close-up-photos.html
Spring dahlias: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/05/dahlias-ranunculus-azaleas-lilacs-and.html
Dahlias and day lilies: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/06/dahlias-day-lilies-daisies-and-more.html

Raindrop Drenched Rose, Cosmos, Honeysuckle and Dianthus Flower Photos

Rose and raindrop macro: Copyright © by Phyllis Wheeler, May 2014

Happy floral Friday! This week brought a lot of rain to my Maryland garden. I took these photos yesterday, after a heavy rain.

Yellow Rose with Raindrops: Copyright © by Phyllis Wheeler, May 2014

I thought the roses looked even more beautiful than usual with their raindrop dressing.

White Cosmos: Copyright © by Phyllis Wheeler, May 2014

 The cosmos flower was so wet with rain that I had to tip it upwards to get a photo.

Honeysuckle raindrops: Copyright © by Phyllis Wheeler, May 2014

Honeysuckle may not bloom for long but I love its sweet scent.

Dianthus raindrops: Copyright © by Phyllis Wheeler, May 2014

Some of the raindrops on this dianthus were perfectly round so I had to include this photo even though last week's post featured two dianthus photos.

I hope you enjoyed "this week in my Maryland Garden" and look forward to bringing you more photos next week. May God bless and keep you, dear friends!

Related posts:
Raindrops on roses, azaleas and more: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/10/raindrops-on-roses-azalea-camellia.html
Raindrops on pretty flowers: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/08/raindrops-on-pretty-flowers-for-floral.html
Beautiful azalea flowers: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/04/beautiful-azalea-close-up-photos.html
Spring floral Friday: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/05/dahlias-ranunculus-azaleas-lilacs-and.html
Leaf and raindrop photos: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/04/happy-earth-day-leaf-and-randrop-photos.html

Mandevilla, Roses, Dianthus and Petunias: This Week in My Maryland Garden

Happy floral Friday everyone! I love spring. This week in my Maryland garden all kinds of beautiful flowers are blooming. I might do a special post of iris photos so I picked the best of my non iris bloomers of the week to share with you today. Above is my very first mandevilla plant. 

 I love this bicolor dianthus and even have a little caterpillar vase full of them by my computer.

 These red petunias with white stripes make me smile.

 Our roses have started blooming. The yellow ones smell wonderful and are some of my favorites.

These small pink dianthus plants survived our unusually cold winter. They're supposed to be annuals but I was happy to see them come back this spring.

May God bless and keep you dear friends!

Which photo do you like best? What is blooming in your area?

Related posts:
Columbines and irises: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/05/columbines-widows-tears-irises-more.html
Zinnias, roses, echinacea: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/07/zinnias-roses-joe-pye-weed-day-lilies.html
Strawberries and cream roses, chrysanthemum: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/10/autumn-maryland-garden-flower-photos.html
Fair flowers, including roses: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/09/fair-flower-photos-for-floral-friday.html
Daffodil, hellebore, primrose: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/03/pink-yellow-and-white-blooms-this-week.html