So, here's the rest of the photos Blogger wouldn't let me upload last night. Nothing especially new and spectacular, just a few shots of yesterday's morning in the garden. That's the red dianthus, above, making an August return following deadheading.To the right is the agastache I showed you a few weeks ago, with the licorice-y flowers and leaves. It's become a tidy little plant this summer, but I wonder just how tall it will become before we wrap for the season.
In the distance there, you can see the pale purple thistle flowers. I've mentioned before how I dug the seedling of this wildflower out of a railroad right-of-way...but I'm pleased with it in the garden. It's populating an area of poor soil other things might fail in and I just love those little flowers. Plus, it's turning out to be a good trellace for errant morning glories.
(Actually, apologies are offered...now that I'm looking at this post on a properly-colored monitor, I can see it's not that good a photo...you should see it in just blue, yellow and black...)
I've had lots of compliments and kind words from the neighbors on Not Wisteria Lane this summer. You can imagine they are mostly happy to have the colorful show on what was previously a bare split-rail fence. But the other night, one of our neighbors - in his 80s, we believe - walked over and grabbed hold of one of the branches of this wild thistle and said "What the hell is this?" (yelling more because of deafness than anger, I think...) I replied it was wild thistle. "You planted this? It's a weed!!" I tried to explain about a plant out of place, but that generation knows a weed must be eradicated. He shook his head in something like disgust and walked away.
Ah well, you can't make everyone happy.
It's a beautiful day this morning. There's bright sunshine from a brilliantly blue sky, with an assortment of white puffy clouds here and there overhead. The temperature is an even 70 degrees, but there's not a hint on humidity in the air.
In fact, it feels a little like September.
12 comments:
I love the pic with the pride flag in it!
I'm very jealous of your weather.
Maybe it would have been simpler to say the thistle was for the goldfinches to enjoy? Someone who doesn't appreciate the modern definition of weeds _might_ understand the standard definition of frugality -- if the finchies get the real thistle, you don't have to buy niger seed to keep them happy.
Of course, the fellow might just have needed to find some fault, and that you can't help.
Here at Chez Rethorkye, we have discovered that a small rodent-that-is-too-big-to-be-a-mouse seems to be feasting on fallen birdseed and living under the back porch. How did you solve your Not-a-mouse problem on Not-Wisteria-Lane?
Java, I was sort of fond of that image, too!! Will fan some non-humidity in your southerly direction!
Hello, Rhet! I was a bit taken aback by his vehemence about the weed, and anyway, I don't even know if he heard what I said about "a plant out of place"...plus, he sort of blamed us for our not-a-mouse problem last year, since he isn't a bird-feeding-type, either. So the niger argument wouldn't have sufficed, I'm fairly sure.
I think I talked about the not-a-mouse situation in some real detail in last winter's posts, but I'll email you on the subject, too.
Oh yes, old people had a lot of opportunity to be wise, not everyone uses them. But often we have the good fortune to meet the others. Incidentally I’m a big fan of Babylon 5. As always the midnight garden is simply a great treasure.
Sheesh, I know everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but... YIPES.
The garden looks lovely, Greg. I suspect the man may not be able to see, as well as hear. :)
Ah...the mention of September sends me a swooning...
As for the thistle...well, they're ALL weeds, aren't they? I mean, define weed...?
Sorry..feeling a bit argumentative this afternoon.
Is it possible the dianthus are more intense the second time around? I think it's possible.
Wow, you really do a nice job, so many colours, and I agree with Java, the flag just 'fits'!
to be honest, i was rather surprised that you included thistle in your garden. up here we have a similar thing we call canada thistle. and here it is a weed. it's different from Scotch Thistle which is also considered a noxious weed. it's extremely invasive and very, very, very prickly and a bitch to get rid of once it's in place. it'll choke out everything, including dandelions. i didn't think that was possible.
Thanks for standing up for the thistle and "weeds" in general. It's all relative. I've been seeing in the nurseries--and now in my garden!--Salvia lyrata, something the USDA site lists as a potentially noxious weed, at least on your coast. But I guess this clone's special with its big purple leaves. I wouldn't let your neighbor get near it tho...
Those are some VERY vibrant red dianthuses. Thanks for sharing!
Oh, now this is the sort of controversy we should be battling about at a garden blog...the age-old business of who thinks what's a weed. Ah, what delicious fun.
Thanks for ringing in with your opinions, everyone. Of course, the answer is, if you put it in your garden, or welcome its appearance, then it's not a weed to you, is it?
: )
James, you realize you'll have to show us some of this salvia lyrata on your blog now, right?
Joe, Afod, the red dianthus may be a little more intense this time around, or perhaps the sunlight on it is...but there's also a possibility that my ability to develop photos is a little compromised by the monitor issue.
Jenn, I suppose we can't rule out his being annoyed by the flags. Of the rainbow flags, this same neighbor said to me one day "what are those, flags from some African nation I never heard of?"
Fortunately, everyone's opinion still matters. Kinda. ; )
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