potting party

Living in northern Virginia, I've discovered the season of spring anew. The seasons (usually) shift gradually here, and I relish the chance to watch flowers bloom and fade in succession as the weather warms. Now some of those flowers are in my own backyard; though the tulips are long gone and the azaleas have withered, the irises and spiderwort are gracing the green with spots of purple. The pond foliage has filled in dramatically (see below).

Last weekend my sister and brother-in-law visited -- our first overnight guests! We sat on the patio, dropped by the farmers market, and planted half a dozen containers with plants I found at Merrifield Garden Center. My brother-in-law snapped a few photos:

Both the watering can and the pink & orange begonia were housewarming gifts from friends nearby. Now I think of them, and my sister, whenever we sit outside.