From the Garden

It is 9:10pm and I have just come in from the garden for the night.  In the words of Eric Clapton, "It's gettin' dark, too dark to see."  I could no longer see what I was weeding, and I didn't want pull something by mistake.  The mosquitoes were out too, and undeterred by my hat, were finding their way into my ears and behind my glasses.  It was dark at ground level, but the sky was still light in the northwest.  Venus was big and bright in the eastern sky and there were a few stars visible.  (At least, I think it was Venus.  It was the biggest and brightest non-moon object in the sky, which I always assume is Venus.)  Had it not been for the mosquitoes I'd have stayed out to admire the garden in the dark.  It looked beautiful and ghostly with the white and pale pink peonies and the ox-eye daisies blooming.  Pale pink looks white at night.

Finally got the urns planted, and the blue pot I found Wednesday.

I'm trying for a red, white and blue theme for the urns again this year.  At the moment they just look red and white as the blue lobelia hasn't started blooming yet.  I found the blue pot Wednesday at Home Goods and immediately envisioned it planted with a bright yellow snapdragon and a pale yellow petunia.  Which I just so happened to have gotten at Spring Ledge Farm in New London last Sunday.

Clematis Ville de Lyon, with Venice Blue Speedwell at it's feet.  Rose William Baffin against the house.

Between yesterday and this afternoon I got a lot of weeding done, though I still have a great deal more to do.  There is always weeding to be done, of course, but I got behind last fall and am not caught up yet.  As much as anyone can be "caught up" with garden work.  I am a thorough weeder but not particularly fast.  There's something very satisfying about pulling weeds by hand and feeling all the roots come out with the weed.  It's much faster when I use my hand rake.

Unknown pink peony given to me about 30 years ago by my mother-in-law.  I love the way the opening flower shows off the intricacy of the folded petals.

Same peonies open/opening.

Today's Quote

"When Spring is on the wane,

Then men are apt

To turn their thoughts

To peonies again."

Anonymous Japanese