The Winged Quill: Garden Flower Photo gallery

My small birdbath surrounded by Delphines and salvia

Even living in an urban setting, I have been able to enjoy the peace and tranquility of nature by
planting flowers over the 25 years I have lived in this house.

Day lilies

This area is blessed with a multitude of day lilies. I have a few along a fence line. It has taken them a while to finally bloom but now they are a yearly event. They certainly compliment a room when put in a bouquet.

My mother, who in her 92 years has amassed a great wealth of knowledge of flowers, has brought me much of what I have planted in my garden.

Most of the time I can keep them alive! I especially loved the two white lily plants which have enormous blooms and the scent is beautiful, although overpowering at times (as is hyacinth).

I planted two rose bushes a few years ago, one of which survived and present me with roses that start out pink then blossom into large pale yellow beauties.

Lilies

My "garden goddess stands watch over the mint and sage in my small circular garden in this picture. This year though, I moved her to the lavender that is starting to take off.

For several years, I have had a Jack-in-The-Pulpit growing by my back deck. I had never seen one grow in the city before! I am not sure if it was there this year or not. The area is quite overgrown.

I bring her into the house in the winter, but I think she needs a little touch-up paint. I have had to retrieve her out of the oregano where a couple of boys, taking a shortcut through my yard, threw her.

I have a multitude of critters who either inhabit or visit my small corner of the world; the usual array of Michigan birds (see previous post), toads, slugs, and crickets who I think adds a whimsical touch. ( I always think of Jimminy).

But occasionally I have had a few wanderers whom you wouldn't think resides in a noisy city area. There is a woodchuck family living in the "gulley" behind my house, which is quite overgrown and wooded. I haven't been able to get a photo of them. They don't venture too close to the houses and only venture out in early morning or towards evening.

Two years ago, I was surprised to find that a "lady" turkey had found some tasty morsels in my garden and I would see her out there every day. This lasted for about a week or two, until neighborhood children made the area a play spot that summer.

This year I was even more surprised to find that a small whitetail deer had been coming up from the gulley and foraging. She even ventured up to my back deck one day but then receded back into the woods. When a huge tree fell, taking down all the powerlines, she never made another appearance, probably being scared away by all the sound of saws and people.

I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures as much as I did taking them! Here are some more.