Welcome to my garden this morning. It’s a modest little spot where fancy plants from the nursery grow right alongside a few dandelions and wild asters. I’m also partial to letting a few wild geraniums live here, and who I am to say that a few weeds aren’t just as pretty as a tea rose? Enter under the Lady Banks on the metal arbor and let’s spend a garden-hour together, shall we?

Today’s a work day for me, but I always take some time in the garden and savor every little square inch of plants, bugs and birds. Because of all I see, I marvel at all I’m sure I don’t see while I’m there. Life is so abundant in a garden.

I have several kinds of daffodils in the garden. These will be the last to bloom this year. They are dainty and sweet. I like them a lot.

The lavender is putting out new growth. I can’t get near it without stooping down and getting lost in the wonderful scent for a few minutes.

These purple irises have a special story. When the carpenter and I first moved into this house 21 years ago — to rent only, not to stay (yeah right) — he very sweetly went out into the woods, to a place he knew well from childhood, to a long-forgotten homestead. The home itself was long gone but the foundation remained. All around were these irises that had not bloomed in years because they were completely shaded out. He brought me about two dozen of them to start my little garden.

There are so many rosebuds showing themselves now. This one will be a very pale pink. The aphids love the roses as much as I do. I don’t like to kill the aphids. I believe the hundreds of praying mantises in my garden will do it for me.

Praying mantis, after you finish at the clematis, could you visit the roses? Please?

The cottage pinks smell so sweet. Little blooms, you look like exotic candies, or fancy dancers’ dresses.

Or maybe even a sea creature. Make yourself at home anywhere in the garden. Okay?

Creeping slowly through the garden, camera in hand, I find the cocoon that I first noticed back in January. It was obviously something overwintering. I have kept an eye on it, hoping I could be there when the newly-born whatever-was-in-there emerged, but alas I have missed it.

I’m happy anyway, just to know that some little creature loved my garden enough to start a family here.

The seeds on this Lunaria are just appearing. This plant goes by many names: honesty, money plant, moonwort, satin flower, and silver dollar, just to name a few. The name Lunaria comes from luna, or moon, because of the shape of the seed pods.

I hang around the spirea for a long time and wonder about my neighbors wondering at me.

Honey, what’s that woman doing out there? She’s been standing real close to that bush now for about 20 minutes. She’s practically in it and she keeps putting her face really close to it. Is she crazy?

What they don’t understand is that this year this shrub is the cornerstone of my own personal little ecosystem. It holds at least a dozen oothecas and there are literally hundreds of lady bugs in it. I’m waiting for them to swarm out army-style and eat the aphids. Now you know why I don’t want to spray the aphids with soap spray. I want the praying mantises and the ladybugs to keep coming back. I’m not 100% sure WHY the praying mantises and ladybugs are here in such force, but I do think it’s because I garden organically and they have a nice food supply.

If the carpenter and I could get married all over again, I would want some of this in my bouquet.

This columbine is pretty. Something has been nibbling on all my columbines. I’m wondering… Slugs? Aphids?

I love my columbines. They are wonderful in a cottage garden. They self-seed and spread pretty easily and they are SO pretty.

I spotted this mosquito hawk resting in the rose bush.

Overhead a little wren fusses at me for loitering around the birdhouse too long. She calls for her mate. He lands nearby and begins to fuss at me too.

One more picture before I move to another spot. I don’t want to upset a young couple trying to feed a family. I can totally relate to how stressful that is.

The ferns continue to grow at a rapid pace. I love their color, their softness. They are in a bed that gets morning sun only and then shade throughout the day. They are next to the cool old bricks that house our old front steps and they love it there.

The leaves of the wild ginger also appeal to me. They are bright green and shiny and heart-shaped when young, but take on a deeper green-purple color as they age.

Pretty, pretty, pretty, but they are low-growing, shade-loving and would never flaunt themselves. You have to look for them.

My favorite part is the bloom. This wild ginger is of the genus Asarum, but I don’t remember what species this is. I think it’s time for a trip to the North Carolina Botanical Gardens to look around, refresh my memory, and buy some native plants.

I hope you have a lovely Saturday. I am typing away, loving being home with the sun shining brightly through my office window, and I’ll be taking my breaks and lunch to fill bird baths, speak to little plants that call to me from outside, and sip on hot tea in a tiny little garden.

Lynn