A gentle rain was falling as I woke this morning...light, but steadily so. Just the right kind of rain for tender seedlings and new seeds in the ground. And with watering off the schedule, I was able to turn my attention to a few housekeeping details before heading in to work.
The afternoon cleared off and seemed golden and sunny, though I really only saw that through the windows at work. Nonetheless, a warm afternoon like that was a nice follow-up to the morning's rain.
Naturally, things were clouding over again by the time I headed for home. Check out this giant bird that tried to land in front of me on Route 6 this evening.
Actually, you get bonus points if you figured out its actually a giant bird poo on the windshield. (Have a great time in Paris, Torn...)
It was almost drizzly this evening, but not enough to keep me out of the garden. The big fountain of leaves near the center of this photo is my favorite perennial, the garden heliotrope. Although it's not blooming yet, I'll still take this opportunity to wish my Dad a very Happy Birthday!!
Herbalists would chop up the roots for an effective sleep remedy, but I won't let them touch mine. The delicate flowers are so wonderfully scented, I couldn't have spring without them.
You can see one of my sunflowers peaking from behind the fence here, and there's also some daisies to the left and a snapdragon seedling to the right. But for me, the excitement is centered around those little pointy tufts of darker green in front of the heliotrope and behind the white allyssum flowers. This, I believe, is the first sign of butterfly flower, something I tried to carefully transplant from Eastham. I know it doesn't always take to moving, but it's too beautiful...and important to the butterflies...to leave all of it behind.
Here's a not entirely focussed shot on the pink columbine flowers taking shape this week. A breeze kept me from getting a clearer shot, but in the meantime, let me proudly turn your attention to another of my sunflower seedlings, easily keeping pace with this very healthy peony plant!
Oh, I spotted that wascally wabbit out in the garden border this evening. He's (perhap she's) quite large--next time I'll try to get a photo before I do any shooing, but I may have already lost the remaining carnation buds.
Meanwhile, I'm a little troubled by the fact that Spring is getting me in touch with my Inner Fudd. But I'll be working up some sort of plan that doesn't involve a shotgun before I plant the tomatoes outside.
On another front, you may remember my being a little annoyed when I recently discovered that the beautiful slender speedwell is classified as a weed.
Well, this evening, I must submit this bit of evidence to lean in favor of that ruling: this slip of speedwell is making a home high above the floor of the garden, in the joint of our old fence. Pretty impressive, huh? For now, I still find it charming.
And speaking of charming...ladies and gentlemen, what about this pink azalea?
6 comments:
Q: What's the black stuff in bird poo?
A: Bird poo.
Heliotrope has a lovely, unusual scent, and of course... purple! The azaleas are ravishing - a perfect table decoration for your rabbit stew.
Ha ha...yep, at that point, it may once have been berries, but it's all just poo!
Actually, Joe, I'm glad you brought this up: the heliotrope plant I was showing yesterday is the perennial variety, AKA white valerian, which can put out flower stalks six feet tall or higher.
The *annual* heliotrope is the gorgeous, vanilla-scented purple variety with the dark, deep-veined foliage that is so delightful for containering. I love them both, though of course, the annual blooms all summer long...and naturally, there's the purple thing.
: )
I actually saw a Canadian Goose in all that poo. This is nothing like the ink-blot tests. ha! The goose was flying toward you with its head and neck slightly to one's left. I didn't realize I was such an expert on reading poo. ( Look out Torn, I'm coming up fast in your rearview mirror! )
Your pictures are their usual beautious colours and artistry.
A mild correction before the fussbudgets show up to point it out: Canada Goose...but YES, that's exactly what I saw, only I assumed I was seeing it from behind...leaving me free to imagine commuting as part of a long, majestic V across the sky!
Poo readings, who'd have thought?
Inner Fudd or Carl the Gardener from Caddyshack? :)
"I'll get them varmints..."
Giant bird poo... good gad.
Fudd, MacGregor, Carl...there's no lack of cultural precedents for my position, Jenn...but none that yet speak to this gardener's heart. Going with all native plants would probably help some, but no crocuses, no tulips? Ye gods...
Perhaps I need to plant a "decoy bed" with lettuce and kale and carrots and such, with a tasteful neon sign that flashes "Bunnies Eat 4 Free"...
: )
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