July 7th, 2017

Early in July, and the Garden Flourishes....

Oh, it not only flourishes, it runs away with itself, thinking that with enough passion on the part of the growing things it can gain Jungle Status!!!

However, "let no one think that real gardening is a bucolic and meditative occupation.  It is an insatiable passion, like everything else to which man gives his heart"  (Karel Copek)

And here am I, going along the borders of the beds pulling out the ground cover 

that escaped from another garden pot at least ten years ago, 

and in another garden all together. 

 But somehow it found its way here, along with transplants,

 and the battle of passions goes on!!!

It has its compensations!!!!

Here are the lilies...glorious and standing up nicely

to the terrible heat we have been having lately.

and the brilliant scarlet bee balm

The daylilies nestle at the feet of the barn flowers

(which will open any day soon)

and up aways the statice and the purple bellflower

make a lovely contrast to the 

silvery lamb's ear

I greedily pick the first of the pale raspberries,

and from the pots some sweet green onions.

a few new potatoes,

a couple of cucumbers

and the promise of wonderful red tomatoes,

just beginning to get a pink underside.

Out at the front entrance the yellow daisies and the creamy mallow

welcome friends and family

 while over in the corner the first hosta start to bloom.

Occasionally Callie and I find a quiet spot, with a book, or some knitting

and we rock a bit and enjoy the 

chatter from the trees that surround us,

although sometimes, when the Clark's Nutcrackers

are in full swing in the walnut trees

things get a bit raucous. 

Gardening is an exercise in optimism, I have heard it said.  

Sometimes it is a triumph

of hope over experience!

I think of the various lovely gardens that 

Charles and I nurtured together,

and find comfort in silent discussions

and a feeling of his presence

by my side.

June 17th, 2017

An afternoon stroll in the garden

to welcome

the Blue Delphinium

and the promise made by these lovely plump lily buds...

A furtive raid on the potato-growing bag

yielded half a dozen small spuds

which I enjoyed for dinner

with butter and a wee bit of mint.

The Garden, the Rain and the Wind

Great lashings of rain these past two nights and the roses at the gate in full bloom, bending their pretty pink skirts down to the ground as midnight showers approach.  

Well, not showers.  They have been really heavy rains, although I don't hear them, sheltered as I am in my small house with two others close by on each side.

Yesterday Frank (who had to take the yard-clipping barrels out to the roadside through a tunnel of cabbage roses and purple clematis)

found a sturdy yellow hose and tied the roses back to the fence.

So today they are erect, but droopingly damp, if you know what I mean.

I am thrilled to have some

foxgloves growing in

the garden...

This seems to be the year

for them.

There is a pot by the back door

with a magnificent  mauve

foxgloves growing in it,

putting out new branches

every day.

 A small bee -

 a lovely pastel shade, 

was hovering over the digitalis 

and each time I tried to get a picture 

it burrowed a little deeper into those lovely speckled blooms.

The clematis was not too much

affected by the rain and wind

as I had secured it to the

scrolls on the iron arbor

that frames the entrance

to the garden,

and besides that clematis has a little

more stamina than roses.

It started to rain again when I was out taking pictures

so I hurried in, only stopping

long enough to take in the scent

of the little new

Philadelphia Orange I thought to rescue from

the old garden, but when I went up there yesterday

I was on cloud nine to see that

the large Philadelphia Orange had survived

and the roses over the gateway Charles made

are a massive pink bloom.

All the dead roses gone

and the garden looking as if someone

loved it.

So pleased and thankful!!!

In the garden - again

June the 5th, 2017
In the Garden again

I lose myself daily in the garden.  Walk to the gate, accompanying my daughter as she leaves after morning coffee, and most days I don't make it  back into the house for an hour or two.

So why, I thought to myself, do I not resurrect my Garden Diary, and in it put my progress with the weeds and my delight in the magic and daily surprises I find here!!

So I did....

and here is my first entry, after three years....

Bruce and I came out for early coffee this morning and listened to all the twittering going on as the small birds go about their business.  In the background was the flutter of a flock of Clarke's Nutcrackers and the ping as they drop new crop/old crop (?) of walnuts from the neighbour's tremendously large walnut trees on to the tin roof of her shed.  Ping, ping.....

Coffee done, and a little meditation finished, my eye is caught by a small patch of wild violets where that little patch should not be, and I bent to remove it.....wrong move, - once I am in that position my eyes rove along the bed and I am gone for a Burton (not in the usual RAF sense, just missing from the breakfast table!)

The wild violet seems to have taken the place of the Chinese Railway which strewed Lanterns along the root-railway they used to construct, and now when I see one I rather cherish it,  not having too many Chinese Lanterns around for drying any more.

However, the wild violet is so prolific it makes the garden look like an overgrown jungle.  Not all the wild violet's fault, - I am inclined to want everything I have ever had garden-wise tucked in here, and there, and there and there, ad infinitum.......

The jewels of the garden are in the parts, not the whole,

although that is pleasing too if you happen

to be walking down the lane and come

across a little oasis of green grass and flowers.

Today the cabbage roses are in full bloom...

The single white peony is still glorious,

but the iris, and the early peonies, are beginning to tire, and fade

Too many nights out dancing, - 

they are shaggy and faltering

but their memory lingers on...

It seems that the scarlet poppies have been caught by the night winds too.

but they make a lovely picture as they sway in the morning breeze.

It was after ten when I finally came in for breakfast,

but now it is after noon

and time that I had a small snack.

What will tomorrow bring??

Watch for the delphiniums that are beginning to open....

and the lilies, whose buds become more and more pregnant

(is that possible?)

Another Spring....

A very long winter, but when spring finally arrived, late and breathless. she warmed the ground and pressed buttons and here, by the 2nd of May, the lilacs are almost in full bloom, - the daffodils have faded and in their place the tulips dazzle the eye in the sunshine.  The oriental peonies, all lacy and green around each burgeoning bud, promise a lovely display.

The apricot blossoms, just past mid April

The Lenten roses, keeping time with late Easter

Beautiful budding trees and roses

The first sign of bloom on the Bleeding Heart (the Liberal Plant to Conservative sons)

Love the blue of the Periwinkle

and the pinky apricot of the Quince blossom

Lovely Anemones in the garden and all along outside the freshly painted fence

Forget me nots - as if I could

I can hardly believe the rate of growth the peonies are experiencing.

Each morning they seem to have grown another foot, although I know that

is an exaggeration.

The new peonies (newly moved from the Hill Garden) are settling in nicely

not growing at the same rate but nicely budded.

And the Iris - no picture

but I am hoping for a glorious display.

Looking for more soil to fill containers with alyssum, lobelia, geranium,petunia

and oh, lots more.

Along the fence I planted castor beans, sweet peas and morning glories

and now I must find some scarlet runners.

A great gardening adventure, tho' I find my knees are springless these days

and I have to rest a lot, - but it fills the time with some joy and anticipation.

The Garden, midsumer

August 4th, 2013

 

 A late lily - double perfection

 



The phlox made a lovely showing on the Altar, along with some yellow daisies

 

 

The Barn Flower chose to worship against the bright blue sky.  It is doing well for its first year planting.

 

In amongst the raspberries the Rudabeckia stakes its claim.

 

 

I have cleared the side bed of all the greedy violets that do not flower, but gobble up

each and every available space - it looks much neater now.

Finally, some beautifully scented potted nicotiana - fragrant in the evening, - and below, a nice spot to sit and enjoy the coolness that comes with the setting sun.

The Rose of Sharon proves once again that there is nothing like a good pruning

to produce gorgeous blooms

 

and at the gate, a cheery yellow greeting



 

A hot July, - a hot, hot July, - but the first of August

has brought a little respite

and I look for the second flush of roses, and must remark

on the early persistence of the new Wisteria Vine that already

has a strangle hold on the back fence.