Sunday, April 27, 2008

Sunday Garden Report



Off the back porch, this bleeding heart plant just gets prettier every day. I've always enjoyed the uniqueness of this particular plant, the sentimental look of those dangling hearts.

The bleeding heart is joined in that location by an assort ment of older hyacinths.


There are fewer flowers on these than the younger, pink ones out front, but these blossoms are considerably larger and just as sweetly scented.

Here, it is complimented by the purple-blue flowers of money plant, so named for the silver dollar seedpods it forms as summer comes on. It's also known as lunaria, or moonwort...or honesty. Whatever the name, I like the simplicity of those four-petal blossoms. And those seedpods are pretty cool, too.

The star-gazing last night was phenomenal. To the east, some low clouds were backlit by the late-rising moon. But overhead and in all other directions, the skies were crystal clear. It was chilly, to be sure, but it was one of those nights when you can see the pulse of the stars' light and really understand what the first person meant who suggested that a star could twinkle. I even saw a shooting star, which is always sort of thrilling.

Clouds moved in during the night, however, and this morning there was a dull grayness to the sky. I was pleased to see that we are very likely (100% chance, they say, which sounds like a guarantee to me) to have rain tomorrow and Tuesday, which isn't a bad thing at all. Watering with a hose just isn't the same as the rain that falls from the sky.

April showers, after all.

To take advantage of that forth coming natural boon, I planted some white and purple allyssum seedlings this morning. I've put them along the outer edges of the front garden, being careful to work between the just-emerging allyssum seedlings I scattered seed for a while back. Eventually, they should all grow together and create nice drifts of tiny sweet blossoms to carpet the front edges of the bed.

It was very quiet this morning, save for the insistant clucks and tuts I've come to expect from the blackbirds in advance of weather changes. There was a brief outburst of activity from the house sparrows, and the distant sounds of other birds but it was generally still.

In the distance was a dull roaring sound which is easily mistaken for the sounds of distant traffic. Only after a while do you realize that it's actually the ocean. Even after ten years, this never fails to surprise and delight me.

(An unrelated sidenote here: speaking of delight, Amy Lemen, where are you? I hope you Google yourself and find this blogpost. I miss you!)


There was a brief shower this afternoon (in Orleans, anyway...) and some of the brighter stars are still visible through the thin cloud cover overhead tonight. Our temperature's at 45 now, which is actually the warmest it's been all day.


Meanwhile, another variety of cherry tree has begun blooming outside of work.

9 comments:

Kimba The White Lioness said...

Ahhh, so refreshing to come in here and wander amongst the flowers!

They are beautiful. Vivid, striking colors!

My own busy schedule of late has not allowed me the pleasures of indulging in my own backyard fantasies and gardening...

but hopefully after this week, things will slow down a bit and I can get in the swing of spring once again!

I was wondering - did you ever get a chance to check with Starbucks about the coffee grounds??

Unknown said...

Oh, just wonderful bleeding hearts! Mine are out as well, and I need to take pictures. It's an excellent plant, isn't it? They look so terribly unreal-- more like a children's drawing, really. :)

Cooper said...

I have always loved bleeding heart ... one of my Nana's favourite flowers. The hush-kiss of the ocean is one of the loveliest sounds in the world. When I rented the cottage on the ocean last summer, falling asleep and awakening to its constant ebb and flow was one of the things I loved most of all.

I feel your reverence for beauty so deeply, Greg. Your flowers know they are loved. I'll bet the people in your life do, too.

Butch said...

Your Bleeding Hearts are too beautiful. I will need to look them up and see how they would fare in my climate.

My allyssum plants are up and blooming as well but are not as pretty looking as yours are. I think it's that "green-thumb" ( or is that green hand ) you have. ;-)

dykewife said...

the plants at the side are lily of the valley. i recognized them when they got tall enough. at least that's what they appear to be.

i love your blog. the flowers lift my spirits.

faeryrowan said...

The bleeding hearts are beautiful! Beautiful! This is the first time for me to see this kind of flower. Do they need to grow on specific temperatures only? I live in Asia, the tropics. Will they survive hot & humid weather?

Greg said...

Kimba, welcome back. Your question about the coffee grounds inspired a whole post: http://midnightgarden12.blogspot.com/2008/04/is-your-garden-dolce-venti.html
Thanks again for the Starbucks tip!

Jenn, the bleeding heart really are most fancy and fanciful. You're right about them looking like kids drawings!

Butch, I hope they'll work in your climate, they are a special treat each spring! There's a white variety, too, that's pretty special.

As for the allyssum I planted this weekend, I confess they were not grown from seed by me, but were in fact a nursery purchase. I can be a little impatient this time of year--and you really can't have too much alyssum--so I like to buy some seedlings to mentor those who'll spring up later from the seed I've scattered.

Coop, sometimes I think the ocean waves mark the planet's pulse. I always feel better when I can hear it there, in the background...and love to loose myself in the sound when I'm right up close!

Good eye, DW!! I was very excited to see there was a nice colony of lily of the valley out there, as well, since none moved with us from the old place.

The flowers, where would we be without them?

Greg said...

Hi FaeryRowan! I don't know enough about the bleeding heart and its history to know how it would fare in the tropics.

I always think of it as enjoying the cool damp of springtime here in the Northeast...but who knows, perhaps it is puny here and could grow to a tree in your climate. I'll see what I can find out...

Casedilla said...

Everyone seems to love your bleeding hearts, as do I. :)