The buzz cloud in my cottage garden....

Yes, my cottage garden is starting to awake on this wonderful May Day! I call this tree my "buzz cloud" as it reminds me of a fluffy cloud of blossoms and the honey bees love the sweetness of this Lollipop Crab apple tree.

 Lollipop crabapple is a slow-growing, dwarf version of an ornamental crabapple tree, named because of its pleasant, rounded shape. Mature height of Lollipop crabapple is about 8 feet, with an equal spread. I think mine reached beyond maturity with all the organic compost it gets in the cottage garden. It will get a good pruning after the blooms fade.

 Leaves appear first then white blooms appear on the tree in springtime, followed by small, golden crabapples in late summer. In autumn, the foliage takes on a yellowish tint. Lollipop crabapple isn't difficult to maintain and is suitable for growing in US Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 and above.

 Honey Bees love it in the spring and the birds love the tiny fall apples

 I took some time to step inside the tree, the bees didn't seem to mind that I was taking in the intoxicating scent too. 

And since we have had some really nice warm weather the peonies were ripe for the picking~a perfect May Day bouquet!

Sunday Garden Stroll..

Okay, my garden needed extreme attention and it got it this weekend. I set aside my sewing and creating to take advantage of the first 80f weekend of the year here in western Oregon. I weeded, I planted and I mulched. As you will see, everything is at least 3 weeks late....my foxgloves are usually 1/3 taller and done blooming by now..and not a rose open in site! Lots of buds tho.

Here is today's visit to my cottage garden....throughout the season I will share as things progress and change...I am still chasing the cottage garden that is ALWAYS in bloom....

Linking up to An Oregon Garden Blog

Korean Lilac

Cottage Garden Party

I started this party over at Etsy Cottage Style blog on the first day of spring, but my garden here in western Oregon was far from ready to photograph! But today we had a beautiful day.....

click on the pics to see the detail

and I stopped work on my art and made myself go tend my garden. So I am sharing with you a few of things blooming right now. I weeded the biggest patch of weeds I have ever seen, and snipped back the Sally Holmes rose you see in the left of the pic above.

The birds have not discovered the berries on this Winterberry bush yet...

A few years ago my hubby put out this bench so we could enjoy the lovely farmland and mountains to the east of our home. It was so inviting today that I actually spent an hour just sitting and soaking up the beauty of spring!

Care to share whats blooming in your garden???? Join us over at
Etsy Cottage Style Blog

first peek at spring?

Well, you would never know that is was the first day of spring here in western Oregon. We have had one of the wettest March's in many years. Sad part is that I am over a month behind pruning my roses and the chickweed is taking over my cottage garden. I am waiting, not so patiently, for a dry day so I can get out and get something accomplished. I think I may need to toughen up and put the mud boots and rain gear on and just do it. You know the saying is that if you live in Oregon you are supposed to have webbed feet....

I found this adorable pic of my oldest granddaughter Lynsie from a couple years ago as she was so taken by my crocus. See, it is supposed to be sunny now as those same crocus are in full bloom at the moment!

~Spring Art Challenge~

I have wanted to host an art challenge for quite some time, I finally got around to putting something together! It's open to anyone who wants to play no matter what your art form is from graphic artist, mixed media, card making or textile artist. The best part is that you have lots of time to get it finished. This is a sharing challenge which means once completed, you snap some pics and do a blog post about your creation, then link up to the challenge page to show it off. More details can be found by going to a special page I have set up here
or you can click on the link at the top of this page for Spring Art Challenge!

 

come and play!

Welcome Spring!

Couldn't you just fall into this lovely setting!
My second fave time of the year (summer being the most fave), and spring is stepping into style here in Oregon with a warm sunny 70 degree day! I am taking my camera out and soaking up the glorious senses it brings to my soul.

First peek!

Presenting the KEEPSAKE COLLECTION from Marionberry Cottage! A collection of pretty pillows designed just for gift giving or a special treasure for your own keepsake. And now thru May 10th you can save 15% on your purchases on the entire website by just clicking on the picture below

the first flowers of Spring

My pots of daffodils are overflowing with gorgeous blooms this year!

A girl is never too little to stop and admire the flowers! This is my 17 mo. granddaughter Lynsie, she stopped to peek at the crocus blooming on our way to the pond to feed the ducks...

Lynsie dear, the ducks are behind you!

Lynsie had to take a break, the bread was sadly all gone!