The Great Spring Staycation: Day 8

Today was all about presents!

A few weeks back, I'd ordered mom a couple pair of Croc sandals for Mother's Day... and of course I had to put a pair on the order for myself. I had them shipped right to Mom, so today I stopped by to pick up my pair.

Because who doesn't need hot pink shoes for summer?. Though seriously - if you've never tried a pair of Crocs (traditional clogs or otherwise) do it - you'll love them! This is my third pair of Crocs and I love them all.

I also picked up a pair of socks Mom made me...

This is a new self-striping colourway Mom and I came up with - and these socks were the test pair.
(I tried to get a picture of them on my feet, but someone thought that giving him attention was more important than sock photos.)

The colourway is called "Sock it to your Monkey" and it's in the shop now. There are also mini-skeins of natural available for heel and toe so you don't mess up the striping.

On the way home, I stopped at another garden center in search of pansies. They didn't have any, but their annuals were such a good price....

... I bought a whole tray.

Since the lack of returning perennials, as well at the monster dianthans, messed up my plans for that garden, I gave up any pretense of a colour scheme and just went crazy.

So now the tree garden has alyssum, marigolds, verbenas, celosias, petunias, lobelias, portulacas, violas, snap dragons, campanula, and four hens and chicks.

 I even added another dianthan because I loved the deep rich red. (I put a few in the bee garden too... watch these ones not come back!).

The front garden got a little bit of alyssum too, just to fill in where the forget-me-nots haven't spread yet.

And now I'm done with the new plants...

...at least until something else tickles my fancy.....