This one's for Rhonda

My friend Rhonda always posts such beautiful photos of her flower gardens and while my gardens are no where as spectacular and hers and Russell's (nor are my photos as professional as hers) I wanted to share some of our beauties.

This is our little sitting area on the east side of the house.  The retaining wall provides shade most of the day for the hostas and the one behind the bench is really taking off.  The coral bells in the foreground were a 'share' from a co-worker about 15 years ago.  I have taken them through 2 moves and still have one that has survived.  
At the home we lived in when I got them I had a row of these along the north flower bed.  When they were blooming it looked like a pink cloud hovering about the flower bed.  It was so sad to drive by recently and see that they had not only torn out the coral bells but the whole flower bed!  :-(

Here is a closer look at the hostas.  Sorry Rhonda - have no idea what their names are.  There is also a fern hidden behind it - had to have a couple ferns in the garden :-)

This is another coral bell - it has cream colored flowers.   I had a couple other varieties but they did not make it.   This one has not bloomed yet this year.  My google search found that they bloom from June to August.   Guess the pink one doesn't realize it is still May.

Another hosta - I like the variety of colors we have.  They are all in a row along the retaining wall.

And another hosta.  This one gets more sun so surprised it is doing so well.   

The weeping willow was one of the first things we planted - probably in the spring of 2007.  It was just a small spindly tree at that time. It has certainly done well.  Kids like to run through it's branches or sit under it.

We have a couple roses blooming.  They are pretty care free.  I just trim them occasionally and cut off the dead blooms.  When I remember I give them some food.   (It was hard to tell in the sun if my photo was clear - I may have to try again when the sun has moved behind the trees.

 We also have some salmon colored roses.   The yellow and pink did not have any blooms this morning.  Maybe soon.

Our newest addition is a hanging fuschia on the front porch.   I got this huge plant from the produce co-op :-)   It is full of buds and now has two huge blooms. 

 See all the buds. It is fun watching them - seems like they just suddenly pop open and .....

a lovely purple flower is revealed.    Can't wait to see it when it is in full bloom.

So Rhonda- there is a tour of our gardens (and that is almost all of them).  Nothing compared to yours but pretty good since neither Tom nor I put much time into them.