Beautiful Bloomers!

After a couple of hot, scorching days...cooler temperatures have returned.  For the time being, at least.  The gardens are thriving...and Mr. Seventies will be ordering yards of black mulch to spread in the flower beds.

Let's take a little stroll...and I will attempt to remember all the names of the different varieties.  The beauties on the right are Persian Cornflowers (perennial Bachelor Buttons)...and the darker flowers are Columbine...these spread really well...

We have a various varieties of Hosta...these are shade loving plants...anywhere it's shaded these guys thrive...we planted a number of them behind the new storage building...they are super easy to split apart in the spring and grow elsewhere...

We only have a couple of these amazing Iris..the colours are gorgeous...we plan on getting a few more...we have other colours...but this one is my favourite...

And this spirea thrives at the corner of the pool deck...we had thought to move it...but since it is doing so well...why mess up a good thing...

After four attempts to grow a climbing clematis...it appears this one is going to be successful!  Our daughter gifted this one to her father a couple of years ago...and it's climbing!  We think the blooms will be purple...cannot wait for the ladder to be covered in them!!

This is called Solomen's Seal...and I love how the branches arch...with pretty bell shaped blossoms...reminds me of a Bleeding Heart...

The newest rhododendron is blooming...and it's a pretty pink!  (why Mr. Seventies thought it was orange...is a mystery)...but we do want an orange one.  Our other rhodo...a dark cranberry colour...will bloom later...

This Whispering Willow...is gorgeous...we picked this one up a few years back at a green house on a return trip from Nova Scotia...

The lupins are starting to bloom...these are one of my favourites...and they grow everywhere...in fields...along the roads...

This these ones...on the back side of the pool deck..spread beautifully.  We cannot remember the name or where they came from...but they are beautiful...

And a couple of Creeping Phlox...growing along the back walk...these are great for walk ways.  When Mr. Seventies completes the redo of the front walk...I want some of these planted as they fill out beautifully...and come in a variety of colours.  And those little colourful pansies...are supposed to be annuals.  This is the third year for them...and they did not even die out over the winter..in the snow...they kept on blooming...

The lilac hedge is still covered in blooms...everything looks so much nicer and more colourful.  And with the trees leafed out...it amazes me how things over winter and come back year after year.

It's confession time...I did something incredibly stupid regarding the pool.  I took our water sample in for testing...so we could balance the water and start the summer season.  I was instructed to add what we call buffer...which I did...without any problem.  Two small buckets...one hour apart.

Then is was time to add the chlorine...2 kg or roughly 10 cups of powdered chlorine.  In the container of granules...is a scoop...which I presumed...stupidly...was equivalent to two cups.  So I added 5 cups to a bucket of water, mixed it up....and dumped it in the pool. 

Only to discover the scoop...was actually a three cup scoop!!  So...we ended up with cloudy, over chlorinated water!  For the past couple of days...we've been pumping out the water..and adding fresh water in an attempt to flush out some of the chlorine.  There is a chlorine neutralizer that can be purchased to remedy the situation...I'm hoping the pool store will have some in stock today.  I'd like to have clear, sparkling water sooner rather than later.  Stupid mistake on my part for sure...

We spent a morning cleaning the large window inside and out in the family room.  And took apart our fans and gave them and the blades a good cleaning...ready for warmer temps to return.  Our house stays really cool in the summer...until about supper time...when the sun comes around to the front of the house.  I love the heat..so we are not bothered by it.  Not to say I could live without air conditioning in our vehicle though. 

I hope you have a great day wherever you are.  Stay safe...and remember to be kind.