I do love the sound of wind chimes in the garden. These are beautiful. I love them. Thank you so much Annie.

I bought perennial poppies (a life-long goal to grow, but somehow I kill them or they never come up). I also got marigolds in different colors. When my coneflowers come back, I'm moving them to a sunnier spot and filling in this 4x4 ft area with marigolds outside my dining room window. Now they say it's going to hit 29 degrees this weekend. Drat! I'll be outside singing lullabies and tucking in my babies to keep them warm.

Heidi, so happy you had a fffffuuuuunnnnn day at the candy store....I mean flower store.

29 degrees ouch!

BINGO~~~COME TO MY SECRET GARDEN~~~

BINGO selections for today, Wednesday, April 15

**Garden Mocktail

**Lavender

Sorry not to have been posting more. There were still so many unpacked boxes in my apartment that while it is so hot I have been enjoying my air conditioning and trying to go through those and have my place look like I have been here for almost 16 months now. I'm waiting until it cools off a bit to buy a few more plants! I have tomatoes and basil growing in my Aerograden and bought 2 pepper plants that are still in containers.

Amy, I am ordering your gift right now from Amazon so I will check to see how many days it will be for delivery. I should have done it before now.

Anyway, super hot weather for this time of the year and no rain to speak of for it seems like 2 weeks or so now. Of course, it's easy to water my house plants and those on the balcony. As I mentioned, I got assigned a raised bed garden this year. I kept most of the plants that were already in the bed (it was planted as a pollinator garden by the landscape people last year). Turns out with so many on the waiting list to get a garden, they reassigned 6 of them to residents here and that's how I got one. However, we have to use a hose to water and someone ordered the hose and it took quite awhile to get here. Now the issue is the landscaping people have had the water turned off either because of problems or because they are adding plants and extending the irrigation. Maybe both. Anyway, the plants out there are trying to survive. Once it cools down, I will add some more plants.

Annie, I love the theme you selected for the month!

Amy, your surprise is ordered and should arrive tomorrow. Coming from Amazon. There did not seem to be a way to send a "gift from notification" for this item. Think in terms of "Time in the Garden".

Hope you enjoy it!

Partners.............

** Amy send to Annie..........SENT/ RECEIVED

**Annie sends to Ruth......SENT/ RECEIVED

**Ruth sends to Nicole......SENT/ RECEIVED

**Nicole sends to Jeanne..........SENT/ RECEIVED

**Jeanne sends to Amy...........SENT

********************************************

BINGO~~~COME TO MY SECRET GARDEN~~~

BINGO selections for today, Thursday, April 16

**Gravel Path

**Lush

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“Like wildflowers; You must allow yourself to grow in all the places people thought you never would.”

― E.V

Jeanne, Thank you for the cute puzzle. I will enjoy it this weekend!

Everyone has SENT and RECEIVED.......

Partners.............

** Amy send to Annie..........SENT/ RECEIVED

**Annie sends to Ruth......SENT/ RECEIVED

**Ruth sends to Nicole......SENT/ RECEIVED

**Nicole sends to Jeanne..........SENT/ RECEIVED

**Jeanne sends to Amy...........SENT/ RECEIVED

********************************************

I am headed out of town until Sunday Evening or Monday Afternoon. I will catch up on BINGO when I return.

BINGO~~~COME TO MY SECRET GARDEN~~~

BINGO selections for today, Friday, April 17

**Peace and Quiet...SSSSSHHHHH

**Fountain

And A BONUS goodie....

**Magical

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Have a wonderful weekend!

" course there must be lots of Magic in the world, but people don't know what it is like or how to make it.”

- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Happy Sunday y'all.

Yesterday was our Euless Garden Club plant swap.

It was raining and 53 degrees., but we were on a covered patio at the library.

I brought home a few things.

Foxtail fern, Purple Heart plant, calla lily bulbs and several varieties of tomato plants.

I might have brought home more, but I've been having trouble getting the potting soil I use. Last two times I've been to the nursery they didn't have any.

Anybody else think flowers are really late blooming this year. I've got one iris blooming and buds on a few others. Seems really late for iris. A few daylilies already have scapes.

Later

Ruth, I am always envious of you when you speak of your Euless Garden Club Plant Swap. There is nothing like that where I live.

We have had a rather warm Winter. I think flowers have bloomed ahead of the usual time.

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BINGO~~~COME TO MY SECRET GARDEN~~~

Catch up time for BINGO.......I am posting selections for this past Saturday, Sunday and today AND including a couple of BONUS selections just because.

Saturday, April 18

**Weeds

**Ivy

Sunday, April 19

**Gazebo

**Hollyhocks

Today, Monday, April 20

**Verbena

**Red Breasted Robin

and, Monday BONUS'S X 2

**Privacy

**Chamomile Tea

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"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine for the soul".

Luther Burbank

All winter here (Nebraska) has been super warm and we're so dry. For two days it dipped to freezing and today we're back into the 80s. Normal seasons it would be in the 50s-60s. Crazy. I'm happy I covered my flowers. The ones I didn't cover have damage, but didn't die. My transplants and new plants wouldn't have made it.

I'm jealous of the plant swap, too! I imagine it was great, great fun. Like Black Friday in April!

Morning everyone!

i need five more words Annie :) (Thank you for your email Annie!! I went to count again, and its six words, I need to go back to school to learn how to count)

Hope everything is doing well!!

BINGO~~~COME TO MY SECRET GARDEN~~~

BINGO selections for today, Tuesday, April 21

**Rustic Gate

**Informal

AND A BONUS PICK

**Tall Hedge

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On Saturday afternoons when all the things are done in the house and there's no real work to be done, I play Bach and Chopin and turn it up real loud and get a good bottle of chardonnay and sit out on my deck and look out at the garden. –Maya Angelou

We have to chop down 30 evergreen trees that were planted when I was about 10 years old. They are dying and the house will look better, but it's an emotional ride. The trees curve around the west and north sides. It already looks empty and I can't imagine what it will look like when they are all down. Behind the bucket lift is a 3-story apartment building so these trees are HIGH. However, no needles, no pinecones and there's an unwelcome flock of birds that drop their digested lunches on the ground, cars, driveway, etc. They will have to/get to relocate. Heidi

BINGO~~~COME TO MY SECRET GARDEN~~~

BINGO selections for today, Wednesday, April 22

**Evergreens

**Angel Statue

I checked all of your BINGO cards yesterday...........very tight competition!!!!!

Happy Wednesday Evening!!

NO Bingo for me yet.

Hope everyone is doing fine. We had several days of unusually cold temperatures here - almost to freezing at night, but I think things will be back to normal for awhile now. We are however in an extreme drought. I've been watering and planting in the Aerogarden and hope to go to a plant nursery later today. I got so behind on emails, computer groups, phone calls, etc. It seems like there is just too much coming in for me to keep up with it all.

Nothing new with my raised bed garden. I didn't want to plant more out there until we stay into at least 40 degrees at night. Trying to add a picture of my Aerogarden and the plants that have been moved into soil. Hooray, it worked! I have many indoor and balcony plants that need to be repotted in fresh soil. Sure makes a mess when you have to do it indoors.

I have a plant swap to attend early in May. Love them!

BINGO~~~COME TO MY SECRET GARDEN~~~

BINGO selections for today, Thursday, April 23

**Hummingbirds

**Wooden Chair

and a couple of BONUS BINGO selections, just because...........

**Climbing Roses

**Delphiniums

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"In secret places we can think and imagine, we can feel angry or sad in peace. There is something to be said for just being, without worrying about offending anyone".

~~~The Secret Garden

It is already pretty hot here. Not one cucumber or corn survived and I am not sure if I will have a squash. My greens have bolted but my sunflowers and zinnas were great this year. I was able to use them for a baby shower and take my Mom a beautiful arrangement this year.

My post from yesterday with BINGO selections has disappeared. I know it was here.

Damn, this pisses me off.

Here are yesterdays picks.....

**Ferns

**Hidden

**Foxgloves

And today, Saturday, April 25 selections

**Winding Path

**Overgrown

**Nurturing

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Happy Saturday!!

Happy Saturday everyone! I think I need two more words Annie??

Hope everyone is doing well. I am loving the cooler temperatures in my area.

Happy Sunday y'all

Amy, bet your flower arrangements were beautiful. Did you get pictures? I love zinnia's for cut flowers. They are so colorful and last for a long time. The squirrels keep digging in my stuff, especially my cucumbers. If they keep it up I won't have any left.

I also need two more words on bingo.

Yesterday DH had a booth set up for the Tarrant County Veterans Council group at Fort Worth Aviation Museum annual Hops and Props craft beer tasting festival. They have local brewers, live music, food, vendors, airplane rides, games and activities. I went with him for the first time. It was a beautiful day, but long. I got a bit too much sun on one arm.

Yesterday was also our Euless Arbor Days. We planned on going there when we got home to catch the drone show at 8:30. I knew we had a tornado watch for almost all of North Texas, but the sky was just a little dark to the north at the time.

Almost as soon as we got there, weather got worse. The only show was a lightning and thunder show with rain and hail.

The tornado watch was until 5 am this morning so I didn't go to bed until 3:30.

I was thinking my little seedlings would be broken but they look okay.

Hope your weather is a little better.

A nice rain here last night and this morning......pitter patter, pitter patter in the middle of the night. I love that sound......so peaceful.

Ruth, I have only been in one tornado....in Minnesota. Amazing how the very large trees are uprooted, in a matter of seconds.

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BINGO~~~COME TO MY SECRET GARDEN~~~

BINGO selections for today, Sunday, April 26

We are getting close to the BINGO end. Will it be today?? 3 picks today. Anybody??

I can tell you it is NOT ME.....LOL!

**Pond

**Teak bench

**Yorkshire Tea Cakes

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“Nothing in the world is quite as adorably lovely as a robin when he shows off and they are nearly always doing it.”
― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Heidi, the little things in life, like rain!!! I appreciate it so much!!

BINGO~~~COME TO MY SECRET GARDEN~~~

BINGO selections for today, Monday, April 27

Let's see if we have a BINGO winner today...........Anybody?????

**Fragrance

**Gold Fish

**Stone Bench

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"Gardening is how I relax. It's another form of creating and playing with colors." – Oscar de la Renta

Happy Monday Everyone!

I just need one more Annie!! I wonder who is the lucky Bingo winner??

Happy Monday! I need one more word also. We had some rain but have been in a terrible drought. Hopefully the rain returns this week.

Ruth, I will post a picture of the bouquet.

BINGO~~~COME TO MY SECRET GARDEN~~~

BINGO selections for today, Tuesday, April 28

BINGO, TIZ NOT Me...................I still need 2.

**Old Apple Tree

**Intimate

**Moss

**Garden Sculptures

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"Remember that children, marriages, and flower gardens reflect the kind of care they get".

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Bingo

I just needed one, Old Apple Tree

Amy, your flower arrangements are beautiful. Thanks for posting the pictures.

I need to get some zinnia seeds planted.

Congratulations, Ruth!

We also got some rain and it was so welcome. We are in a severe drought unless the rain that we got bumped us up to one the better categories. I doubt it. The poor farmers who garden for their living or try to keep their livestock fed. The temperatures have cooled down here - to the point where I'm delaying putting a few of my more tender plants outside. I planted a yellow canna and a purple lantana in my raised bed garden on Saturday. Hope to put a few more things out there tomorrow.

Anyway, keep your eyes open for May. Since the Derby is May 2nd that didn't seem to work out for our usual Derby game so --- "We're off to see the wizard!"

my last bingo word, garden sculptures!! Ruth beat me, congrats!!

Hey kids,

If you have BINGO, call it!!

I just checked each of your BINGO cards..............HINT.....if all of your 15 have been called.....call BINGO. There are more than one BINGO winners!

Congrats Ruth......

BINGO!!!

Bingo!

More BINGO congrats to Nicole and Amy........................

Hey Jeanne, you need to check your BINGO card..................HINT, HINT!!

This is a wrap for the month of April.......................

Thanks for playing THE SECRET GARDEN.......................

And on to May........................

I will post when I send BINGO prizes to all the winners.

Happy Wednesday!!

Annie, thank you for hosting this month.

Loved your theme... THE SECRET GARDEN

Loved all your gardening quotes

And I'm loving listening to my new wind chimes

Got a lot of gardening work done the last couple of days in spite of our unpredictable weather.

We had a tornado watch again until 9pm last night.

The weather in and around the metroplex has been very scary the last few days with a couple of lost lives and lots of property damage. The same area just west of us got hit hard again last night while still trying to clean up from tne Saturday storms.

Annie, Thank you for a fun inspiring month. I have been motivated to make my backyard more of a secret garden. I plan to fill it with more bird and butterfly attractors. We have been here almost 3 years at this house and it is finally starting to blossom. We had one tree in the yard when we moved here.

Ruth, That is so scary. I hope you have beautiful weather heading your way!

I cant believe it is almost may- time flies.

Happy May to all! Take care

Thanks Ruth and Amy.....

I never brought up the entire month...LOL....if anyone had ever seen The Secret Garden movies, the play or read the book. I only have seen the play, a musical and one of the movies. The musical play was quite enchanting.....................

Jeanne,, oh Jeanne where are you?????? Please check your BINGO card...........hahaha!

Happy Evening kids..........

***************************************

I've seen the movie several times. I love it.

The Secret Garden (1993 film)

Yes, I have Bingo as well! Annie, thank you so much for being hostess, It was a fun month as always. I have not seen the movie, play or read the book. I should put one of those on my to-do list.

As I logged in, I am working on posting the heading for May so that will be up later today. Interesting that we had a book, play, and movie that tied in for April and we will again, it's "Off to See the Wizard" with ties to The Wizard of Oz and other stories by that author and maybe some other wizards as well. We'll see how it goes.

Here's the link to our May Activities.

FOTESS MAY 2026: We're Off to See the Wizard | Houzz Forum

Ruth, wishing you safety from all the storms.

Congrats Jeanne!!

Happy weekend!!

Looking forward to "OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD" with Jeanne!

Ruth, Amy, Jeanne and Nicole, your little BINGO prizes will be delivered to each of you, via AMAZON........tomorrow. so they say!! You are each getting the same prize.

Happy Friday!!

Annie, Thank you for the adorable hummingbird napkins. They are so cute!

Yes, thank you Annie for the beautiful napkins.

Thank you, Annie. I love the design on these!

And Nicole, hoping you received!!

Annie ~ thank you for the lovely napkins. There wasn't any gift receipt so no name and I was wondering who gave me these beautiful napkins. Thank you for the Bingo Prize!!!

Thank you for hosting April!! Hope everyone is doing well!!