Thursday, May 26th, 2011

The garden loves this weather.  I gaze at it through the windows that this morning were streaming with rain and see the alium, a lovely glistening purple globe, and the tree peony with its beautiful blooms that only last for a short time, but the common peony is all budded up, and the true scarlet flowers on the Oriental Peony linger on.

I go out to admire them, but once I am bent over my eye sees only the recalcitrant coutch grass and I go  immediately into eradication mode!  Such a saucy grass - when I figure a plant is finally in a neat and beautiful mound up pops the Coutch grass, waving at me from across the pathway, all but thumbing its nose at me.....

The new little Bridal shrub we bought last year is coming to the end of its blooming period, - still small and lovely.  The hawthorn tree, on the other hand, had taken off and is reaching for the sky with its pale pink blooms.

Of course those beautiful but invasive buttercups that arrived with the Oriental Peony fill in all the blank spots in the garden and provide a rug to lay at the feet of the taller plants.

I stop to admire the first of the columbine, and the lovely new white tulip alongside the trailer/cum loom room.

As well as the lone bloom on the little lilac bush that loiters in between the curly willow and the sumac trees.

It quite evidently needs a new home where it can grow like all the rest of the lilacs in the valley.

It is veritably awash in pale mauves, double french and dark royal purples.

It is time to tidy up The Lady Fountain, - give her a sprng scrubbing and start the fountain flowing.

Things are late, - but as lovely as ever.

May the 14th, 2011

The Eve of Easter 4

And I have been away from this blog since Easter Day.  Is it the cold, unfriendly spring that has deterred me from enthusiasm?

Goodness knows I have been constant in the battle with the weeds and coutch grass, but when I went out into the garden yesterday to fill small pots with contributions to a plant sale I was horrified - absolutely horrified!!!!  Everywhere I stepped the grasses and yarrow, the dandelions and Chinese Lantern were conducting a massive invasion, - and the violets were beautiful but calling for a bed all their own far off on the other side of the pasture as they encircled the roses and daisies and grew up between iris corms and just generally made the garden their own.....

If you take a quick snap of the flowers and the luxurious growth all those weedy things manage to duck down and make as if they are not there,  but real hands on gardening reveals all.  I'm sure they couldn't have all grown in the last few warm days, but I did think I had things pretty well under control, - sigh....

Ah well, here are a few pictures of the burgeoning greeness and I will cast a blind eye at all the happy little weeds and plants that are entirely out of place.

The gorgeous golden perennial alysum that spreads along the driveway near the steps.

A few bright cheerful red and white tulips

their more flamboyant yellow cousins, who returned rather sparingly this spring

lovely rows of bright blue grape hyacinth that encircle the beds of daffodils who are busy now storing up goodies for next spring, having put on a splendid display this year.

The flowering almond was fragrant and most exuberant, but  the blackbirds

feasted on Forsythia buds, and the shrubs are just now starting to look respectable,

 having leafed out quite beautifully.

And the pretty pink double tulips have begun to lose some of their vigor,

 and were smaller and more delicate this year.

each year is different than the one before it, or the one to follow it, and I suppose

that helps make gardening such a precarious adventure.

Will the roses survive the early bitter November winds, and the sudden cold snap?

Most of them did, but the lovely grocery store roses were blooming their

little hearts out when the cold came, and one is completely dead this spring.

The others are trying valiantly, but not sure the prognosis is that good.

I lost all the foxgloves (except for maybe one that might make it) but, although a disapointment, 

it wasn't a surprise.  The Canterbury bells that are coming into their

second year are developing lovely green skirts and will probably

bloom before June arrives.

Today, after we had taken plants to the sale and I had purchased a three or four pots

to bring home, we drove around by the old garden to inspect the Korean Viburnum.

It is about twelve feet high,  - has never been pruned since we moved away and

had to abandon it, and was in full scented bloom, enough to make one quite giddy with the perfume.

Unfortunately, no small runners that we could salvage, but I brought a bouquet home.

The lilacs are on the verge of full blossom at the old garden, - here the little one I planted has just one bloom.

I think it needs to move house!

I leave with a bleeding heart, but will be back soon!