Memory and Hope!

Heidi,  This is such a beautiful thing you are doing.  My mother was taken from us by this monster  in 1987.  Her name was Sherrill Marie and she was only 51.  She planted the basic petunias and pansies every year, but those were not her favorite.  She once had a rose bush called the Peace rose.  It was sort of a peachish color.  That was by far her favorite.  Love, Marie

I found peace roses online and will add them in memory of your mom.  I had never heard of that type of rose.  I can't believe how many different varieties there are, thank goodness for google :)  

Heidi

Thank you so much.  I know she would have loved this.  Marie

Heidi,
   What a lovely idea, Don't know very much about flowers myself, but love gladiolas (sp). Just the fact that you are doing a garden fit for butterflies makes me happy!

Good luck with it, and I hope you post pics later.

butterflytc

Sheesh, have way to many favorites.  Butterflies love purple coneflower, an easy perennial (sp?)

Heidi:

You being in Texas,,,to place a Tx. Mountain Laurel Bush...it will provide some shade for the more northern/tender plants that you may want to plant, is evergreen and has those wonderful purple fragrant grape that blooms in early spring.

I will add coneflowers, I have always wanted to try those!  

I am not familiar w/the TX Mountain Laurel Bush..............google here I come!

Heidi

It was another beautiful Texas day..........
I planted roses today and shopped around for some other flowers to add.  I need more suggestions.  I also bought an angel to watch over the garden.  I will add more angels as I find unique ones.  I will start on name plates soon so let me know what names to add.

Hope everyone is having a good day.............

Heidi

Any more ideas?  I am making a trip to a nursery tomorrow........

Heidi

My Fraternal Grandmother passed away at the age of 57 from Ovarian Cancer.  She was born and raised around Atlanta, GA.  Daffodils are very popular there. We lost her when I was very little so I don't remember much about her. Her name was Hattie Isabelle. (last name omitted)
Teresa222

I have planted some new things and have several birds nesting on our property.  I even have a nest in my son's old shoe w/5 eggs in it.  My columbines, salvia, Texas sage and blue scabiosa are all blooming.  A new season...............bringing new life and HOPE!  I will post some pictures soon.  

Peace!
Heidi

What a beautiful idea that you have going. I love it and how very sweet of you. Would you consider planting some Hibiscus bush or bushes? They should do really well in Texas and are a very beautiful flower, especially the double ruffle ones. God will bless you!
Colleen

Cannot wait to see the pics of the Garden Heidi, it sounds lovely. Excited to see the coneflower? never heard of them, and curious to see what they look like.
Talk when I return.
Hugs
butterflyTc

Just wanted to say how I enjoy hearing about your garden.  It takes me to a better place mentally.

For some reason the few flower beds I had all look like **** and I don't have the energy to fix them.  Some big old azeleas have finally said they are done .. a new magnoia tree (2 yrs) never really took and we had it removed and now there's another empty space.  If you feel like coming to Dunedin, you can have full range on redoing my flower beds :-)

Judy

I have added pictures to my profile page of the flowers that have started blooming.  I saw my first hummingbird of the Spring today but couldn't snap a picture.  I also have 5 Eastern Bluebirds that hatched yesterday.  The Wren eggs have not hatched and a pair of Northern Cardinals are nesting but have no eggs yet.  My favorite picture is of the new angel that is looking over one of the gardens.  I will update pictures as the plants start blooming and the baby birds hatch.  

Peace......
Heidi

Yesterday was my 40th b-day and my gift from my family was a trip to the new nursery opening in town.  I got some great stuff to add.  I got a lime tree, a hibiscus tree, ice queen hibiscus, red and purple verbena, carpet phlox, star vine, pink scabiosa and a variety of hosta.  Tomorrow I will plant and work on name plates.  Please check out my photos.  I will update tomorrow, the baby wrens hatched today.  This project is really coming together!   Peace!

Heidi

The baby wrens are 1 week old tomorrow.  Today I received meal worms in the mail to feed the Bluebirds and Wrens (my hubby thinks I'm nuts... lol ).  My new hibiscus is blooming.  Check out the new pictures.  My favorite is still the garden angel.  I bought a new one w/a gazing ball too.  I have not worked on the name plates yet.  I am thinking of using pieces of tree bark to write the names on.  Any ideas?

Peace!
Heidi

I posted more pics tonight.  The baby Wrens fledged on Saturday.  I got to watch the whole thing and even helped 2 of them out of the garage.  They had a hard time getting out of the garage, they would flutter by the door and get so tired.  It took the last 2, 9 hours to finally get out.  The parents kept coming in and feeding them, trying to coax them out.  The baby Bluebirds have also fledged and the female is working on nest #2.  The hummingbirds have arrived and the Pine Siskins are still here, they are usually gone by April.  
I planted more stuff and the roses are blooming.  I thought of Leslee when I saw the blooms opening. I planted pink, violet, and red verbena, impatients, hosta, and more Hibiscus.  I still haven't worked on the name plates.  I was going to do them today but I had a root canal and was lazy. :)
Hope everyone enjoyed Easter and the HOPE it brings.  

Peace!
Heidi

Heidi,  Every time I think of what you are doing I am so very touched.  I am getting an angel for my yard too.  It will represent you, our angel on earth.  Marie

All the flowers that everyone has listed for Jan, I will add to the garden by the angel that is for her.

Heidi

I was just over at Vallieanne's, looking at all the flowers. I can't seem to stop crying. They are all so beautiful. I hope you have a lot of space by that angel. Jan may be small but she lived life large. What an amazing woman she is. I want to be like her when I grow up. I know, I'm older than dirt but I still need to grow up and she's a fantastic example to us all.

what a wonderful idea.. Can Gardenias grow there in Texas? I would imagine they would.. but, if not that, why not the Lantana. They grow practically wild here in Florida and attract butterflies by the hundreds . They're very hardy as well ! Very pretty as well..

Ireneo, I know what you mean, what an amazing woman!  I have almost 2 acres so I have plenty of room for lots of beautiful flowers and angels.

Sandy, I haven't had much luck w/gardenias.  Our soil isn't acidic enough.  I have 3 varieties of Lantana.  I have lots of yellow, red and pink lemonade.  I LOVE lantana and the butterflies it brings.  I have milkweed and it already has butterfly eggs on it.  Did you send back my painted buntings yet? LOL.

PEACE!
Heidi

Heidi, I think this is the most wonderful idea!!  It is going to be so special to many people.  My all time favorite flower is the blue rose.  When I got married the first time and moved to California, my mom planted one of these rose bushes in her garden.  Thye are so beautiful.  Another favorite type of flower of mine is tulips.  They have such beautiful colors.  Anywhoo, just wanted to give you my suggestion.  I think this is going to be so beautiful.  BTW, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!

Prayers and Hugs,
Kasie

Sadly, today I added Jan's name to the memory garden.  There is a picture on my profile page.  Goodbye friend..........

Heidi

Heidi,
   I bet if you looked out your window , you'd see the painted buntings arriving any day now.. They left here a few days ago. Now, the funny thing is that our Indigo Buntings are still here.. still packing I guess. They arrived later than the painted ones.LOL.. Do the buntings stay in Tx. during the summer? Seems it gets as hot there as here.. I don't see any at all in NC so I was wondering where they go.. I could Google I guess...
    Oh.. after reading the above posts...looks like I missed your birthday ?? Well, Happy Belated Birthday !!
    Your project is just fantastic !! Will you be adding Donna Marshall ?(Msjazz) She would just love it !! And, all the birds it will attract.. Sounds just beautiful...

Love,
Sandy

Sandy.......
The buntings leave here during the winter but I don't know why.  I haven't seen any Indigos in my yard, yet.  I will let you know if/when the painted buntings return.  I have a second batch of Eastern Bluebird eggs already.  The momma bird used the same birdhouse after I cleaned out her first nest.  She is a busy girl!  

If you look at my pictures, you will see a beautiful angel hanging on my tree overlooking the memory garden, she is for Donna.  It was Donna's pictures that inspired the Memory/Hope Garden.  I hope and pray that I won't have to add any more names to the memory garden.  I have river rocks that I paint names on.   I wanted something teal but I couldn't find a teal colored flower so I bought a teal colored gazing ball.

Hope you are well!!!!

Heidi

Heidi,
   After I posted, I saw the beautiful "stones" .. How pretty..As beautiful as your garden is, I also hope you won't have the need to post any more names.!.. I'm still thinking of a teal flower, but I can't think of one at all .... I love those gazing balls, they used to be so popular... almost everyone had one along with bird baths.. Funny how things come back..

    Take care and keep in touch..

Sandy

When I got home today, I found a 6ft snake skin by the Hope garden...........yikes!  

Most all of the flowers are blooming now and there is another bird nesting in the birdhouse above the Memory garden.  

I will update pictures later.  

Peace!
Heidi

Heidi,

This sounds like a beautiful garden.....minus the snake...Yuk........I cannot do snakes.....Can't wait to see the pictures.....This is such a lovely idea...Thank you....Dawnlyn

More plantings today...
I added some turks cap, 2 more hibiscus, silver leaf salvia and more tropical milk weed for the monarchs.  After I finished planting, I went into the house and there was a 4 foot Rat snake in my KITCHEN!!!!!  I went out to tell my hubby and when I came back in, I couldn't find it.................YIKES!!!!  I finally found it, caught it and then released it at the lake.  
On a better note, my baby Bluebirds are hatching.  Only one so far.  I will check tomorrow and post some pictures.

Hope all is well!

PEACE!
Heidi

The garden is looking great!  I will take more pictures this week.  I have added a Cross for a friend of ours that died last week.  She was only 19 and was in pain all of her short life.  She suffered from Cystic Fibrosis and had a double lung transplant when she was 13.  So much pain and sickness for such a beautiful girl.  The Memory and HOPE garden is about remembering the ones we have lost and "planting" seeds of HOPE for a cure.......... a cure for the horrible diseases that rob us of our friends and family.

PEACE!
Heidi

I have added some new pictures of the gardens, take a look.  I have added some coneflowers, a water Hyacinth, moss roses, wave petunias, mini petunias, some more Hibiscus, blue moons (a shade flower I have fallen in love with) dragon begonias, and firecrackers.  
The weather is getting super HOT here now, we are almost at 100 today.  I have lots of baby birds and unfortunately lots of snakes too. The snakes have snacked on 3 of my fish.  The female Eastern Bluebird has laid another 5 eggs. The other day we had some bad storms and we saw a male Peacock roaming around.  I don't know where he came from but he was amazing!  I took some pics on my cell phone, I wish I had my camera that day.  These gardens have brought me such joy and I hope they do the same for others.  

Peace!
Heidi

Sadly, another name was added to the memory garden today.  Peace be with you Mary (Raven Lady)

Heidi

Heidi   because of the flood we had last year the building where Les worked was condemned, we have decided to do the garden for Les and many other in the city  at the new facility when it is completed,  her co workers and I are coming along fine with the plans and it just keeps getting better and better.  I have told and showed your pictures to the planners, the county officials really like your rocks with the names, they have already slotted that idea in, hope you don't mind?  Because of the Iowa winters we are not able to plant for year round beauty like yours,  we do have in mind using evergreen bushes to make it look good in winter.  I have a daughter placque  to be placed on the main gate, lots of her co workers are working on the flag stones,  Money for 3 picnic tables  and the fire pit has already been donated.  the chemo lab doctors and nurses  want to do the gate,  both hospitals are planning on doing a lot of the yearly planting , the green houses in town want to donate  all the rose bushes,  a credit union is setting up a trust fund, there is so much more, more than I could ever have realized,  so far we have the names of 37 local women to be in this memory garden.  Your garden is so beautiful, I go and look at the pictures often.  Marty

Oh Marty, I just saw your post.......what a beautiful post!  You can use any idea you want.  It sounds like Leslee's garden will be AMAZING!!!!  She must have been one special lady, I wish I could have known her!  I would love to send an angel for her garden.  Can you give me an address?  Evergreen bushes will be awesome for the birds in the area too.  If I can help in any way, let me know.  

Peace!
Heidi

Thought I would update y'all on the gardens.......
Everything is in full bloomm again, we have had so much rain the last week and now everything is so green and the flowers are awesome.  I have 6 Monarch Butterfly cacoons that should open around the 20th.  These Monarchs are the ones that will fly to Mexico for the Winter.  I am very excited and hope all goes well with them.  I videod one of the caterpillars changing  - it happened so fast and was amazing.  I have lots of hummingbirds that should be leaving in the next couple of weeks.  Today while I was working at the soccer shop, a hummer hit the window.  He survived the collision and I have him here with me and am trying to get him back on his feet.  Thanks to Irene and her expertise, I have him set up and am feeding him every 30 minutes or so.  I am hoping to get him some professional help tomorrow if he survives the night.  One of my sons named him HOPE.  :)  
I think about you ladies daily and pray for your healing and peace........

Heidi

I like that HOPE, how perfect of a name. Your pics are truly fantastic, how peaceful to have such a nice place to remember folks, now the snakes? ummm me no like!

butterflytc

One of my Monarchs "hatched" on Saturday, one on Sunday and 2 this morning.  The one on Sunday had problems with it's wings.  For some reason the wings did not open all the way and it could not fly.  The 2 this morning I got to watch and took a couple of pictures and posted them.  After their wings dry, I will release them onto the lantana bush so they can get strength to begin their journey to Mexico.  This is the first time I have "raised" Monarchs.  If you get the opportunity, it is truly fascinating!  Buy some tropical milkweed and Monarchs will flock to it!!!!  They are beautiful and bring new aspects of hope........

Heidi

My aunt passed away Sunday.  She was fighting Parkinsons disease for over 30 yrs.  She was diagnosed at age 32.  She was one of the youngest diagnosed and went through several experimntal brain surgeries and med trials.  The only meds that helped in a significant way were dropped from the trial and never FDA approved...........she was devastated!  She has been in a nursing home for several years and finally lost her courageous battle.  The last several years were horrible.  She lost the ability to walk, talk, sit up, eat or be able to leave the nursing center.  She never got to play with her 8 grandchildren or help celebrate her 3 children's accomplishments.  Her husband stuck by her side and made sure she was well taken care of. He put in countless volunteer hours at the home and attended all the "field trips" taken by the patients.  Even her own siblings no longer visited her because it was too painful to watch her waste away.  Her last act of heroism was to donate her brain to be studied to hopefully find a cure or atleast find a better way to tolerate the side effects.  My heart breaks for her and my uncle and cousins.  I will not be able to travel to the funeral in Chicago and I feel horrible about it.  I saw her a few months ago and all she did was sit in her wheelchair and cry.......it broke my heart.  

I am writing this as a tribute to her and her family and despite the Memory and Hope garden being for OVCA, I am adding her name and planting some beautiful and strong plants for her in the Spring.  

She is finally at peace and will be missed..........
Mary Flach.....RIP.

Heidi

Heidi
I am so sorry to hear this. I imagine she was a very strong woman to live with Parkinson's Disease, what a shame that the ones that worked for her did not get FDA approval :(  God Bless your uncle for always being by her side, that is what love means. I will keep you in my prayers and her family too. Let us know what you decide to plant in her honor. You are a good woman Heidi.
Hugs for you,
Colleen

Another beautiful angel.....
When I first started the gardens, Sharon suggested that I plant purple coneflower.  I never found that color but promise that in the Spring, there will be purple coneflower in honor of Sharon.

Thank you for everything you did for me...... you will be forever missed and never forgotten........

Peace!
Heidi

  I did some work in the gardens today and was pleased to discover that despite large amount of snow we got this winter (snow is rare around these parts)  some of the plants are already coming back.  My coral honeysuckle is already blooming along with some purple verbena.  The Eastern Bluebirds are already nesting but no eggs yet.  I have ordered some new plants including Purple Coneflower in honor of Sharon and some more milk weed for the Monarchs.  
  Any suggestions for new plants or anything you want added in remembrance?  Please let me know...

PEACE!!
Heidi

Spring has sprung in Texas!!!  I planted some fruit trees this weekend and am adding more flowers.  Please, if you have lost a loved one or have a loved one battling OVCA, please let me know what their favorite flowers are and I will add them to the gardens.
My 5 Eastern Bluebird eggs have hatched and I have 2 Wren nests, 1 has 6 eggs and the other is bare so far.  I saw a Hummingbird today and got out my feeders for them.  I LOVE this time of year and the HOPE it brings!!!  
My father just was diagnosed with Prostate cancer and it has spread to his lungs and we found out yesterday that my mother-in-law has a brain tumor.  We need a little HOPE right now!

PEACE!
Heidi

It pains me to know that I now have to plant some flowers and make memory stones for Becky and Deandra.  I will also place iron crosses and angels in the garden for each of them.  They were so strong and young.  OVCA has to be stopped!!!!!    
Any plant suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  I just can't believe they are gone.........

Peace!
Heidi

heidi you are a very thoughtful person by reading your post you have a lovely sense of peace and hope i went to church today and lighted 3 candles one for becky and her family one for deandra and her family and one for all the loving ladies on this forum ,the church had beutiful lillies on the alter so fresh and pure god bless everyone on this forum x love and peace from ireland lisa xxxxx

Heidi,  I love that you are still keeping memories and hope alive in your garden.  I am so sad about Becky and Deandra.  Thank you so much.  Marie

heidi i bet u are creating a forrest lol ... butterflies were always attracted to my "butterfly bushes" when i used to live near the water i saw numerous dragonflies in my "butterfly garden."  if u have a water feature or pond nearby,  try planting in some rushes and cat tails. the dragonfly became my symbol of hope many years ago when swarms of them used to visit me in my garden (in my new place there is no place for a garden so i miss it dearly).  when i would be outside tending/weeding, i had one dragonfly the color of a sapphire visit me constantly in the dog days of summer.  it seemed like the little creature was visiting me to check on me and see if i was okay.  i told a friend of this and she told me of a common myth that dragonflies are messengers from our people who have departed and that is why this same one continued to visit me.  while working, it even landed on my hand, more than once !  since my surgery, one of the things that drew me back out into the real world was the symbold of hope i attached to these beautiful creatures.  "In Japan, however, the dragonfly is symbolic of success, victory, happiness, strength and courage."  i claim all of these for those who were/are/will be fighting OVCA and the future success on an absolute cure.
thank u for letting me share my memory :)
love
sharon

Sharon,

It's funny that you mention the dragonflies.  I have a small Koi pond and have the most beautiful dragonflies.  Some  are bright orange and red.  I have lots of plants for the butterflies and giant swallowtails have laid their eggs on my small lime tree. They are such interesting caterpillars, they look like bird poop, haha.  Thank you for sharing your memory with me, it is a beautiful one!  Hope you are well!  If you look at my pics, I have a bunch from last year in the gardens.  I will take more pics when I find the perfect remembrances to honor Becky and Deandra.

Peace!
Heidi

u do justice to the gardening world :) i did peruse the pics they are wonderful .. god continue to bless u
love
sharon

Haven't been on here in so long.....

My gardens are in full bloom.  I added Texas Star Hibiscus and Hibis"kiss" this Spring.  I also added some more Coneflower and some other butterfly/hummingbird friendly plants.  

I think about the BRAVE ladies that inspired the gardens all the time.  I wonder about the "friends" I have made on this forum often as well.

I am working on finishing Deandra's memory quilt and hope to be able to deliver it to her Salon in July.

Just wanted to check in and say howdy.

PEACE!!!

Heidi