Farmhouse Gardeners

I have some updating to do here, obviously. There hasn't been much gardening going on for the past couple weeks due to the horrible heat. We've been in the high 90s. Record breaking for this early in summer. I do have some backtracking to do though. And I have so many things waiting to be planted.

This morning I went to my favorite nursery, Farmhouse Gardeners in Statesville, NC.




I purchased my holy grail of plants: Black Bamboo. I've wanted it for at least 10 years, when I first saw it at the NC Zoo. It's been elusive and more than I could afford. It's still more than I could afford really, but I had to have it. It's going by the pond.




The rest of my haul included varius coleus, an angel begonia, staghorn fern, birdnest fern, basil, bush cucumber, crookneck squash (I should have already planted vegetables, I know) and a 'Carolina Blue' chaste tree.



It's such a beautiful place. I could hang out there all day.

Marsha's Koi

I had such a fun trip yesterday morning to buy new koi. We went to Marsha's Koi, which is about 45 minute drive away. It's such a beautiful place with beautiful ponds and fish, and the people are so so nice. I got to pet a cat, pet a dog, pet chickens, get my hand sucked on by koi and eat cherries. It was a great morning.



My new koi: Matisse, Calliope, Gauguin.

This reminded me of the cherry tree I had when I was little. I so loved it. These cherries were delicious. I need a cherry tree.

Pond Life

Even though I haven't been posting, I promise I've been gardening. I have lots of catching up to do here, but I thought I'd do a post about my favorite part of all my gardens: My pond.
Colorado waterlily

Sitting by my pond, feeding the fish and watching the dragonflies and spiders, is the most relaxing thing in the world to me. I just love it.

The water is starting to clear up for the season. In a week or two, it should be completely clear (keeping fingers crossed).

This bridge is from my parents' pond. I'm painting it red. This is the before picture, obviously.

I so love my fish! They have such personality.
All my koi have names:

Leonardo da Vinci (Leo), King of the Koi
Zelda
Frida
Romeo (Juliet didn't make it)
Bou
Dottie
Modigliani
Pablo II
Dido
Salvador
Georgia
Blue Boy
Princess Buttercup
Vincent
Rossetti

Two new baby koi born in my pond:

Suzanne Valadon
Toulouse-Lautrec

I also named a Black Moor, Blackie #2, and a googly-eyed goldfish (which is obviously an offspring of Blackie #2), Mr. Limpet.