The Big 4 0 and an Easter Egg hunt Garden style

"Over the hill?? HA! You are ON the hill, planting flowers and digging up roots that go to China."
- the hubby

I tend to stay on the low-key side when it comes to my birthday celebrations and yet I just love my sweet husband and how special he made my birthday for me this year!
I decided to work that morning which unbeknowst to me, was when he put my birthday surprises into action.
On my way home, of course I had to stop and pickup some more mulch, haha, it seems that is one of my main goals anytime I am out and about these days. I've learned that I love sandy loam, but it does dry out faster and mulch is absolutely necessary if I am to keep my plants alive this summer.
No surprise that I may have picked up a few plants along the way and that I had quite a carload to unpack when I arrived home. He was quick to meet me at the garage door and help me unload, making sure I didn't make it into the backyard with any of my new buys.
Once unloaded, he lead me to the back and this is what I was greeted with.


Inside the box, a clue......Ohhhh boy, my very own Easter Egg hunt (the hubby had decided that was a perfect idea since my birthday fell so close to Easter this year, I couldn't agree more.)

So as I rounded the corner, I spotted my second Easter Egg...Yippee, our first palm tree for the pool area!! My sneaky little husband had driven back down to Northhaven Garden's (we went on a field trip there the day before as part of my birthday) and bought me a tree!! He wanted me to have something for the garden that we could always look back and say, "I got that on my 40th."

Onward with the hunt, I walked around to our side yard and spotted something cold and tasty
to sip on while hunting. Far be it from me to turn down an adult beverage on my special day.


Across the way, I spotted a new development on our Mexican Plum tree and went to investigate.
Since we are not going on vacation this year, my sweetie wanted to bring a little bit of vacation to me and has treated me to a tropical pedicure at Coldwater Creek . He was a bit perturbed when the day before I had decided to give myself a pedi, now I know why. Good news is, I will get to keep enjoying my birthday for some time to come.

As I continued on my journey around the yard, I spied another "egg" resting on the straw bale. It was a super duper weeder that didn't require me to bend over! I know he got it with the thoughts of it aiding my ongoing battle with the trash trees that are sprouting faster than I can pull them up. Amusingly, as I headed over to the next "egg", I spied several of my sprouting nemesis peaking their heads up as if to mock me. HA! Now I am armed with more than just a shovel! We shall see who will win the battle now.
Next to be found in the hunt was a firepot! I wasn't sure what it was at first, but it looks really fun to use and I will look forward to breaking it in this fall when the evenings get chilly and we want to sit on the patio with our fire!

Behind the little girl, was my next "egg." Of course Mr. Technology had to make sure I had some new technological device for my big day!
I didn't even know these things existed. How cool that I can document my garden in such a neat way.


Oh boy!! More plants! It wasn't until I found this egg that I realized the hubby had gone back out to Northhaven because this was definitely a plant I had oohhed and ahhhed over the day before, but couldn't bring myself to buy since it was a bit costly. It's echinacea "tomato soup," a bright red gorgeous coneflower. It will go perfectly in mom's memorial garden and hopefully I will be able to grow more from seed next year!

Just on the other side of the shed was another plant I had given serious consideration to, but decided not to purchase. I just love the salmon colored roses and this was no exception, not to mention, it's got a fun name to say, Oso easy paprika. Try saying that ten times in a row. I am still debating it's new home, but it will be forthcoming I am sure!

As we headed back to the patio, I spied yet ANOTHER "egg"....my sweet husband had really gone crazy with the gifts. Who was I to complain though? What girl doesn't like being lavished on? Hooray! Another "tomato soup!" Now I could plant one in a separate flower bed just in case I killed the other one. Not that I would on purpose, but I think all of us gardeners sometimes accidentally kill a few along the way.


And finally, my last and most precious "egg," my favorite part of any birthday, the card.

My very last Easter egg was the sweet words written by the love of my life, and yet cleverly hidden as a last and most treasured find.

A really amazing birthday celebration! Prefaced by a trip to Northaven, a great meal with dear friends at a unique dining spot, my super fun Easter egg hunt, lunch at a quaint cafe, and mexican food with my cousin, complete with a light show by God ( great lightning storm to watch from an indoor patio) and italian cream birthday cake, which I even had for breakfast the next morning.
I think it's a great start to 40!!