More Atl Gardens Pictures

Orchid House

Japanese Garden

Atlanta Botanical Gardens

Amazing Outdoor Sculpture




According to Scott, this is where I belong. I take that as a compliment :-)

In the Children's garden

Christmas is done and gone, and now is about the time I get excited about spring and all the preparation that goes along with the coming months. I can't help but think how glorious spring will be after planting 300+ bulbs this past fall. Spring is always full of surprises as once forgotten plants emerge from their hibernation. It gives me inexplicable joy, just even thinking about it! It seems the more I read about gardening, my passion for it grows. It gives me this energy I can't get enough of.

A recent visit to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens reinforced my love for gardening. What an amazing establishment! It is a gardener's haven- even in dead winter. My passion for gardening has become much larger than my gardening budget and yard, so I need to look for other ways to satisfy this need. I came across the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, and realized where could I satisfy that need in a more appropriate place than here? How wonderful it would be to take care of something so vast and beautiful- to contribute to something much larger than myself! Which reminds me, I need to e-mail the volunteer coordinator. It is true when people say, "Gardening is an obsession." I told Scott the other day, "I wish my severe passion and obsession for gardening actually made me money." Maybe one day I will get there...

All bliss

Consists in this,

To do as Adam did.

Traherne (1637-1674)

Update

Now the flowers are blooming- time to take more pictures!!

Marie Bracey has it's first bloom~

Firewitch Dianthus
Massive daylily! And just planted some creeping phlox next to the rose bush.Hydrangeas beginning to come out...
Pee Gee Hydrangea

The Cherry Tree is blooming!
Bear with me as I can't figure out how to turn the pictures right side up!

The eldest rose bush in my garden- I think its "Peace"? In summer this baby gets taller than me!

Purple Daylily just starting to come out- just planted last week.
Blooming Hosta
Clematis

Next on Scott's list is to kill the grass and get some sod!

Bath's Pink Dianthus

The azaleas are in full bloom and not to mention gorgeous!

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.  ~John Burroughs

And another good one I had to add...

Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars... and if you have eyes you will be able to see that the whole existence is joyful.  Everything is simply happy.  Trees are happy for no reason; they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents and they are not going to become rich and they will never have any bank balance.  Look at the flowers - for no reason.  It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are.  ~Osho

Backyard Makeover

Our Backyard Makeover!

Before:

After:

So this past weekend Scott and I made it over to the Grower's Outlet in Loganville and stocked up! Here's a list of new things in the back and front yard...

Leyland Cypress

Camellia

David Austin Roses- Heritage, Portmeirion, L.D. Braithewaite, Pat Austin, Evelyn

Dwarf Crawling Gardenia

Salvia

Blue Ribbon Lavender

French Lavender

Kim's Knee High Coneflower

Georgia Blue

Purple Crawling Lantana

Shasta Daisy

Vinca Minor

Azaleas

Daylilies

Mexican Petunia

Tulips

Daffodils

English Daisy

Clematis

Peony

That's off the top of my head....

It was such a beautiful weekend and perfect for planting.  I still have a few things to plant, but I need a break!  Scott and I got a nice sun tan- friends thought he went to the tanning bed, ha!  Later this spring and summer I will take pictures to document how it's all growing.  as for now I have to go water some stuff!!

~Quote for Today~

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

We are the Body of Christ

God has reminded me this morning that we are His eyes, ears, hands, and feet.  We are one with Him.  I randomly came across this passage in John this morning and it blows me away... this is Jesus praying for ALL believers:

"I pray not only for these (referring to disciples) but also those who believe in Me through their message.  May they all be one, as you Father, are in Me and I am in You.  

May they also be one in Us so the world may believe You sent Me.  I have given them the glory You have given Me.  

May they be one as We are one.  I am in them and You are in Me.  May they be made completely one, so the world may know you have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Father, I desire those You have given Me to be with Me where I am.  Then they will see My glory, which You have given Me because you loved Me before the world's foundation. 

Righteous Father!  The world has not known You.  However, I have known You, and these have known that You sent Me.  

I made Your name known to them and will make it known, so the love You have loved Me with may be in them and I may be in them."

John 17:20-26

Jesus desires us to be one with all believers as He is one with God.  Jesus also desires for us to be one in Him and the Father.   What would it look like if we all acted as one in our faith together?  What if we set aside our traditions and denominations that only hinder us to be one in Christ?  What great things could be accomplished for our community? 

Scott and I have talked about this before about the church and it has been our hope and prayer for Cedarcrest Church to continually be one with God, in spite of the challenges of growing and building up a new church.  There can be so many distractions for the church- some people are used to having it this way or that way, complaints will be made about how the church is running this or that and soon you find that the church is off track trying to please its members and not God.  We must be constantly aware that Satan is always trying to pull us down whether it's internally or within a church.  I think our church has done a great job of avoiding this tragedy, but we will never be immune to the threat!  The same can be said for our personal lives.  Satan is always trying to tear us down, but Christ will build us up to fulfill our purpose in life!

We will be victorious if we allow God to be who He is in us.  We will will be victorious if we allow God to do His work through us- that is being one with God.  Just believe, and out of that life will flow!

I pray Father that your love will always flow through me and out to those I come in contact with.  May I be your eyes, ears, hands, and feet.  Use Cedarcrest Church in this manner as well.  May we put aside our traditions that may hinder us from knowing you and being one with you and other believers.  May we believe in you and trust you with all that we have and may your living water flow through us!