Happy Monday!
It’s my favorite day of the month, when I join my flower friends for Monday Morning Blooms.
You can find my friends’ links to their floral inspiration at the bottom of this post.
We’re excited to welcome Jain, from a quiet life,
who is joining us as a guest ‘Bloomer’ today!
If you haven’t visited Jain before, you’re in for a treat and will be
wowed by her California garden and new greenhouse she designed and her hubby built!
Jain motivated me to start blogging 12 years ago, when I followed her ‘Food for Thought’ blog,
and later joined her as a fellow Novel Baker.
She always inspires me, whether she’s in the kitchen or the garden,
so I’m thrilled for her to join us today.
Our common theme for this week’s edition of Monday Morning Blooms
was ‘Garden / Outdoors’.
The first flush of roses and spring blooms have faded…*sniff*. . . but the good news is
that daylilies are blooming and will peak mid-June in our zone 7b garden.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.
And Endless Summer Hydrangeas are blooming!
Endless Summer Hydrangeas are a re-blooming bigleaf variety of hydrangea
(Hydrangea macrophylla) that can be blue or pink depending on your soil’s pH level,
turning blue in acidic soil and pink in alkaline soil.
For blues and purples, the soil pH should be between 5.5 to 5.8.
Use a 3-in-1 Meter to determine your soil’s pH.
You can amend your soil to become more acidic by adding composted oak leaves,
pine needles and coffee grounds, or find a soil acidifier product with Aluminum Sulphate,
following the directions on the package to produce blue flowers.
Garden lime will increase soil alkalinity and keep hydrangeas pink in color.
I’m often asked what fertilizer I use on our hydrangeas.
I use Pennington UltraGreen Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron Plant Food,
formulated for acid-loving plants.
I apply it at the beginning of March on the hydrangeas (as well as the azaleas and gardenias)
and then give them a second dose in July, 4 months later.
We’re in USDA zone 7b so hydrangeas will bloom until frost,
which is typically November in North Carolina.
See a fall flower arrangement with Endless Summer Hydrangeas and pumpkins, HERE.
I had every intention of photographing an arrangement outdoors,
but after cutting my flowers, the 90+ degree temperatures last week
had me dashing inside the Potting Shed to escape the heat and sun!
I picked some flowers for some garden bouquets to
fill some mason jars and watering cans.
And I planted some garden bouquets for some blooming tabletop fun!
Johnson Brothers Windsor Ware ‘Garden Bouquet’
And Johnson Brothers ‘Sheraton’
Both are perennial favorites from my dish garden with their multicolor floral patterns!
Flower pot napkin rings and garden gloves holding
flatware add tabletop gardening notes. . .
A ‘Fresh Flower Market, Seeds, Stems, and Blooms’ sign provides some tabletop inspiration
in the window ledge of the Potting Shed, propped on terra cotta pots.
A new favorite watering can is blooming with hydrangeas,
the last of the Mother of Pearl roses. . .
and Verbena Lollipop.
Verbena Lollipop is a butterfly and bee magnet and also attracts hummingbirds.
It’s a prolific reseeder and is coming up everywhere so there are plenty of blooms
for me to cut and for the pollinators to enjoy!
It grows 24 to 36 inches tall and the stems can be unwieldy, so it’s
better suited for a naturalized area rather than a tidy or formal garden.
It can take the heat here in the hot and humid South and keeps
pushing blooms right through fall.
Flatware is buzzing with bees,
tucked in gardening gloves. . .
Coleus, Speedwell (Veronica), Lantana and Cleome were cut from containers
and join daylilies, hydrangeas and hosta leaves in garden bouquets. . .
Goblets are alight with butterflies. . .
Daylilies also attract pollinators, including butterflies, bees and even hummingbirds.
As well as lantana that is planted for the butterflies in annual containers.
Details:
Fresh Market Flower Sign / antique mall
Jute Runner / Pottery Barn, several years ago
Flower Pot Napkin Rings & Napkins / HomeGoods, several years ago
Garden Gloves / Target, several years ago
Chargers / Pier 1
Lotus Watering Can / MacKenzie-Childs
Flatware / Wallace Napoleon Bee
Goblets, La Rochere Butterfly / HomeGoods, several years ago
Dishes: Johnson Brothers Windsor Ware Garden Bouquet
Johnson Brothers ‘Sheraton’
Visit my talented blogging friends to see their floral inspiration this week:
Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
Pam at Everyday Living
Jain at a quiet life
As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Thank you for your visit, sharing with:
Mary, Good morning. Some of the daylilies I got from one of your give aways are blooming this morning and one of the loveliest is a delicate violet color. I picked some to put in our bedroom which was just painted a similar shade and they look so pretty with some hosta leaves mixed in. Ev
en though the blooms only last a day if I include some buds I can keep the bouquet fresh for 3 -4 days. I love going out every morning to see the new flowers that have opened.Along with my daylilies the asiatic lilies and Hydrangeas are blooming so lots of arrangement choices. Enjoy this beautiful June day.
So glad you are enjoying your daylilies Kathy! It’s always a treat to see what’s in bloom every morning. Thank you for your visit. ♥
Oh Mary!….I smiled when I saw that your flowers were going to be in the Potting Shed today. The Johnson Brothers Sheraton and Garden Bouquet are the perfect setting as you showcase your blooms on the bench today. Most of my hydrangeas are budding and my Annabelles are blooming prolifically…one happy lady here. Oh those Mother of Pearl roses have to be one of my favorites…I am so looking forward to seeing your summer garden bloom!!!….Happy almost summer Mary!!
Thank you Shirley! We so miss you and your beautiful blog. You’re going to force me to join IG. :)
P.S. I so loved the Novel Bakers series!…Had to be one of my favorite series on Blogland. It was magnificent!
Good morning, Mary. I always look forward to a visit in the Potting Shed and a what a fabulous blooming visit today with your tabletop gardening and garden bouquets. I must find “lollipop” verbena, did you plant from seed? The Lake Norman daylilies you gifted me have just begun to bloom, they are beautiful! I love the JB garden bouquet and sheraton dishes. They are perfect for a garden theme! MKC lotus watering can with hydrangeas and Mother of Pearl roses is so very lovely. I didn’t know how influential Jain was in you starting your gorgeous blog. It is always a treat to share blooms with you…Happy Monday!
Thank you Pam! I’m glad your Lake Norman Sunset daylily is blooming, mine is too. :) I bought a small pot of the Verbena Lollipop at Lowe’s several years and it has reseeded and spread, so it would be easy to grow from seed. The goldfinches love the seed heads too when they dry. ♥
Mary, Your garden bouquets are delightful! I love mixed arrangements. They have such personality and charm. I especially love the sweet little creamer with roses and lantana!
The multi-color floral JB dishes are perfect for your dish garden and garden bouquets.
Thanks for all the info and links for soil amendment and growing hydrangeas. I am sure my soil is highly alkaline because my hydrangeas are blue. I am going to experiment next year adding lime to some of mine hopefully to add some pink blooms. I do have some Endless Summers that have several shades throughout the bushes.
Your daylilies,hydrangeas,roses, lantana, cleome, speedwell,coleus, and hosta leaves look lovely in mixed bouquets.
So glad Jain is your ‘guest bloomer’ today. I loved the Novel Baker series some years ago and enjoy her on Instagram currently.
Have a great week.
Thank you Bonnie! It’s interesting how ESH have several shades and colors throughout the same shrub isn’t it? Looking forward to hopping with you on Tuesday. ♥
Mary, always love the Monday blog hop! You all are lucky everything is blooming in your area…in my area, peonies are done. I’m now waiting for my lilies (all kinds) to bloom…when and if they do, it will be spectacular! They are full to the brim with blooms!! Can’t wait!
Thank you for your visit Ellen, enjoy your blooms! ♥
Oh so much fun in one post! First, thank you for inviting me to play with you ladies, it was great fun, second, WOW! So much to love, I have to say I love all the little tidbits you share, you’re not only are beautiful, but informative! I am so happy for the years of friendship we have had since the first day you started blogging, it was so much fun during our bookish days!
The garden inside and out is flourishing and I love your many garden guests included! Beautiful floral dishes are the topper to the perfect garden escape. I am starting to get smitten with daylilies, do you have a mail order recommendation? I have always admired your hydrangeas, mine never have large flowers, I will try some of your tlc! So much to love here, my eyes keep floating up and down your photos like a butterfly taking in your nectar!
Thanks so much for including me, as always its a treat to visit here!
We were thrilled you could join us! I’ve ordered daylilies from Smokey’s Gardens out of Michigan several times. You can order individual ones or from their collections to save money. ♥
What beauty around every scroll… and I enjoy every moment when you take us to your potting shed! Your garden bouquets with your multi color JB dishes go hand in hand so well!
Now I have to view each of your Novel Baker Series… how fun is that going to be for meeeeee!
Happy Monday my friend… thank you for my morning eye candy!
Thank you Nancy, you’re so sweet! Wishing you a wonderful week ahead. ♥
Thank you for the garden bouquets in the garden shed. What a lovely site on a Monday morning.
Thank you for your visit and comment Lu Ann! ♥
One of my favorite dish patterns. I only have a couple of pieces, I can’t imagine how gorgeous and entire table is set in Windsor Ware. So pretty. Love all your photos. We only have Iris open right now, with Peonies waiting for some moisture to explode. Love your posts, Sandi
Thank you Sandi! I only have 4 dinner plates of each and the one creamer. It’s just enough to get a fix flower fix at the table. Enjoy your iris and peonies! ♥
So beautiful Mary! I love your garden bouquets and pretty transferware. Thank you for sharing your fertilizer for your gorgeous hydrangeas. Ours took a hit with a late cold snap and we had winter die back and with bare twigs.
Thank you Karen! We had two hydrangeas that were hit from our late freeze after several weeks of 70 degree weather. They were in an open area and not protected like those against the house and shed that are blooming now so they old wood buds were zapped. Fortunately Endless Summer Hydrangeas will bloom on the new wood too. Happy Monday. ♥
Absolutely Beautiful!!!
Thank you Jo Lynn! ♥
Mary, A virtual stroll through your beautiful garden is always delightful! I love the mixed bouquets spread throughout the potting shed using various cute vessels for them. The dishes are gorgeous and the cream pitcher is adorable with flowers in it. I love the day lilies, lollipop verbena, and roses. Your lantana is so pretty. Enjoy your day! Clara❤️
Thanks so much Clara! Wishing you a wonderful week ahead. ♥
oooh Mary, how delightful! This might be my favorite tablescape in the Potting Shed! I love all the color, the cute sign and the watering can pouring down! And your garden is incredible, so many beautiful blooms and handy tips~ Monday Morning Blooms is always a welcome way to start the week 🌺
Jenna
Thank you Jenna! Looking forward to hopping with you on Tuesday. ♥
I’m in awe of your garden and flowers! How wonderful to be able to pick so many blooms for your table. Both of patterns are perfectly beautiful, I love the old fashion design and transferware patterns. Love seeing what you do in your shed. Jerrie
Thank you Jerrie! I’ve never met a Johnson Brothers pattern I didn’t love. :) Happy Monday. ♥
Mary this post is breath taking. It is delightfully calming and refreshing,
Marilyn,Joan and Marion
Thank so much Marion, Marilyn & Joan! ♥
Oh Mary, your blooms are so prolific and the blossoms on your dishes make me so happy! I’m writing on my calendar when to feed my recently planted hydrangea. I hope I have good luck with this new one. Your blog is always a bright, happy place to visit. 😊
Kitty, You’re always so sweet! I hope your newly planted hydrangea is full of blooms soon. ♥
Beautiful blooms Mary. Always a pleasure to visit and see your gorgeous blooms. The Johnson Brothers Sheraton and Garden Bouquet are lovely. Flowers are such a gift. So glad Jain joined you ladies. She has quite the talents, as well as yourself. Looking forward to seeing your summer tablescape tomorrow.
Thank you Linda! Lucky you to have visited Jain’s garden in person. :) Looking forward to hopping with you. ♥
Mary I so enjoy your blog! Your photos are beautiful and the experience of reading over your newest page of blooms, decorating and joyful lifestyle is always uplifting. Thank you for always improving my day!
This is so gorgeous! Your garden around the shed is SO lush! Oh my, that leading photo alone with the Mother of Pearl (is it?) rose and the purplish and blue hydrangeas makes such a complementary color mix. Just a big wow! Not to mention the fabulous place settings. Garden Bouquet and Sheraton look so similar I might have overlooked the differences between them had you not pointed it out the pattern names. All the little accessories are so fun, too. The little flower pot napkin rings, your M-C watering can, the vintage sign….you always make such great displays. I bet your employer was sad when you left and took your skills home with you!
Thank you for mentioning the brand you use for hydrangeas and azaleas (pinned). I have found six (!) hydrangeas in my garden that I plan to nurture and try to help thrive. They were either hard-pruned or thought to be extracted, but are surprising me in coming back.
Thanks also for inviting Jain to join as your guest for Monday Morning Blooms. I remember her from the Novel Bakers (miss you gals!), and know that she and Linda Primmer have gotten together in CA. I love reading that she inspired you to blog.
Mary, your garden around your garden house is always a delight, in every season! You have such a talent for arranging things just perfectly, both in your garden house and in your garden. Your hydrangeas are spectacular this year! It’s always a joy to join you on our Monday Morning Blooms dear Mary. Wishing you a beautiful week ahead filled with sunshine and flowers. Xo Lidy
I love your garden-top tablescape and the gorgeous abundance of flowers of all kinds. I could spend all day looking at everything!
Mary, this is gorgeous – every last inch of it!! The sign, the flowers, your linens, and oh my, those Johnson Brothers plates are beyond pretty! Blue hydrangeas will always steal my heart. Thank you for always sharing your wonderful creativity!