It is wonderful to have the sunshine and warmth back today. Yesterday was sunny but cool – a perfect day for working. I think I did too much though, since I was in the garden virtually all of the day. So this morning I simply sat in the garden and enjoyed.
Since the weather has been so cool, the tulips are lasting for much longer than is usual. They look great alongside the Iris.
I was intrigued to find this pair of praying mantis resting together on the back of a wicker chair. They seemed to be enjoying each other’s company since they spent the best part of the morning just like this yesterday.
And then there was the Cerastium alpinum var. lanatum blooming alongside the path. It is one of my favourite rock garden plants because the leaves are furry.
The Viburnum lantana ‘Mohican’ finally decided to bloom this year.The flowers are cool, though they have an odd scent. I remember buying it about five years’ ago because I liked its common name, Mohican Wayfaring Tree.
And for anyone in doubt about the creeping and tenacious Creeping Jenny, look no further. When I removed the pond underlining yesterday, I discovered numerous Jennies which had crept right through the underlining… no small feat. There was also a dandelion that had managed the same feat, but my picture is too blurred.
Every year I think the Veronica Whitleyi looks more stunning as it continues to spread across the rocks.
in the autumn light 
It is a rainy Green Thumb Sunday so I’m only getting to flit in and out to the garden as the rain eases up. Lovely photos.
Great pictures! I like the deep purple iris and the veronica is a beautiful color.
Happy Sunday Kate! Your flowers and plants look beautiful. The praying mantis (or “manti for plural?) are very cool — I’ve never seen a pair of them. Come to think of it, I don’t see them at all around here. They probably are here and are just good at blending in. I’ll keep my eyes open for them. I like furry leafed plants, so the Cerastium alpinum var is really nice. And I am impressed by the Creeping Jenny’s ability to get through just about any barrier. It’s like when you see little flowers busting through sidewalks — incredible life force! Have a super week Kate!
Great pictures! I started seeing the baby mantis a few weeks ago. One of the egg sacks hasn’t hatched yet.I love the iris I have them growing in my yard. The tulips are all gone. 😦
Oh goodness, your praying mantises look very different from ours! I had to click on the picture and take a closer look!I’ve got Veronica that creeps like that, too – in fact, it isn’t even where it originally was. That died off but the new stuff is going like crazy, and beautifully purple. Yours is marvelous!I need to just take a day for enjoying the garden, too, instead of just working in it. Maybe tomorrow, for the holiday!
Wonderful to hear the sun is finally out! Hmmm, they don’t exactly look like they are praying…. :)tcS
You know what I think aobut creepy jenny… just plain annoying. Someone planted it beside my pond too. I am curious about the veronica though – does it get out of control where you are?
Your flowers are looking lovely. I am wondering if you obtain plants like I do – maximum number of varieties possible…Like that previous comment said, that praying mantis pair looks nothing like the praying mantis I’ve seen before in BC. Usually, they have those big claw-like front legs and the characteristic swivelling triangular head. Hmmm….
Hi Kate, Sorry to tell you but those two critters on the wicker aren’t praying mantis. They are some sort of crane fly. Not sure what type, but definately not praying mantis. You know I find the scent of the Viburnum to be really unpleasant. They are so pretty but gaggy. That creeping jenny is unreal – can it ever be stopped?? I enjoyed you pretty photos and hope you enjoy a sunny tomorrow. Alyssa
Beautiful flowers. I find the top photo particularly enchanting. Isn’t it a good feeling to work so hard one day, that you can just sit back and enjoy it the next?
Your garden is lovely and I am jealous! Here I am in zone 5b-6a, with hardly any blooms in sight! I really need to work on adding early bloomers to my perennial beds. So until I get my summer blooms, I’ll enjoy peeking in on your pretty patch of flowers!
Crafty Gardener – you must be getting the rainy system that came through her earlier this week. Jean – I love the deep purple iris too. Clare – No doubt Creeping Jenny would grow right through the pavement. It is a real pain when it gets in the garden…Opal – I have just discovered from Alyssa that these are crane flies and not praying mantis. My insect identification skills rival my bird ones!! Kylee – No wonder your praying mantis look so different… see above! I love Veronica … this particular plant has such a vivid blue colour. I hope you get a day to just enjoy your garden. It does wonder to sit out and read and look out on the garden every now and then.Simon – um… no praying… wrong species! I guess I did enough grumbling about the weather that the agents of weather finally did something about it.Ottawa Gardener – I’m with you on the creepy Jenny bit. I was pleased to fill up the space at the back of the pond with it but, it is a constant battle now to keep it out of the garden. I do love how it has to fight against the sedum … it has met its match.The Veronica spread slowly every year but hasn’t taken over any other plants. So far, it hasn’t gotten out of control. This variety is much easier to grow than most of the other spreading, groundcover types. Gardenista – yes, I’m just like you … the max. number as possible. You are right … they don’t look like praying mantis except for the gangly legs. Thank you, Alyssa – for identifying what I was calling praying mantis. Now I know what the insects on the chair are called. I am so tempted to cut off the Viburnum blooms. They have a really odd scent … thankfully the neighbour’s lilac tree is making the garden smell more pleasant. Anna Maria – it is a great feeling to have worked hard and then be able to sit back and enjoy. There are so many things calling out to be done at the moment, that I ended up spending the aft and evening out in the garden. It was a beautiful day … but I didn’t get enough time to read all the blogs that I wanted to!!
did you find the cause of the pond leak?
Lovely photos especially the first one. You are lucky to have warm sunshine, here in UK it is cold and has rained more or less non-stop for two days – more or less par for the course on British Bank Holiday weekends:) Glad you were able to relax and enjoy your garden.
Is that anemone in the first photo? Already? A wonderful lush grouping of flowers. We use to call crane flies mosquito hawks in the mistaken belief that they preyed on mosquitos which they resemble only larger or maybe not. The ones in Galveston Texas seem to be enormous and vicious. I’m sure some of the Canadian tundra ones could rival the crane fly too.
I love that veronica and just added one to my garden! Thanks for the tour.
Hi Kate, I just wanted to stop by again today and say “hi.” I hope your week is going ok. 🙂
Are you sure those praying mantis are resting?Your yard looks beautiful. Just waiting for you.
I hope you had sunshine. Here we had some sun but some rain as well. Today it rains again. sighLove that veronica, very pretty and hurrah for the creeping Jenny!Great that you still have tulips in flower. Mine were gone pretty quickly this year because of the hot weather. My irises are gone too, yours look lovely, so enjoy it while you can!
That Veronica is such a pretty thing. I wonder how it would look next to a yellow creeping Jenny? For me, with dry soil most of the year, creeping Jenny is fairly well-behaved.
I find peace and beauty in your garden right along with you. I look at your photos, close my eyes and imagine myself there. The scents must be incredible!
It is good just to stop for a while in the garden and take time to look around! Your garden is looking wonderful.Kimx
it s the firsttime that i visit your blog ,i see that yout tulips are still in bloom my n are already dead ,you ve got lovely flowers ,i have a garden that s in cotaggestyl ,i have a blog sinds april 2006 ,will you take a look at my blog to ?aldo its in dutch you can watch my flowers ,i visit more blogs all over the world ,its nice to see what flowers there are blooming at the moment ,it s a lovely hobby gardening ,bye greetings from a sunny holland ina
I have this theory that when the world ends(doom and gloom!) all the plants will grow up through the concrete and all signs of our ravage on the planet will dissapear completly. its annoying its happening to your pond while we are still in residence though!