A Slow Down

I only managed two and a half hours of editing today. I did finish weeding vetch out of someone's iris and daylilies in the sunny utility meadow. There was a late start and an early finish. I was hampered by a lack of enthusiasm.

That was due in part I feel certain from moving a full pallet of flagstone three times in two days. Tomorrow I get to move a couple tons of pea gravel and lift and set the entire pallet of flagstone one more time.

I needed to slow down today. Then come to a stop. I'm still stopped.

Passing showers have made it easier to remain stopped.

Just sitting there dazed and gazing, I noticed my neighbor's scalped hillside of grass was turning yellow. The constant short haircut is beginning to favor a stoloniferous weed in the composite family.

Perhaps I should sprig in some Bird's Foot Violets. They would like that habitat and handle the mowing regimen.

I may be stopped, but I have not stopped thinking of things to do.

In Two Worlds

I imagine passing through a translucent veneer
into an alternate universe physically identical to mine.

I may be trying to pass through time.

In that other world
I make gardens.

Floating stones in a bed of amber pea gravel.

Mermaids swim by
Leaving bubbles in their wake.

It's that handsome black magic
keeping me in the present time.

New Baubles For Miranda

There were clouds overhead so I was able to get a larger view of Twin Falls Pond without it being in half shade and half sun. The other fall comes down the old stone wall with rocks on top that projects out into the patio area in the right foreground.

Way back when the former estate was in it's glory days, that stone wall was likely a water sluice into the much larger former pond that filled the entire stone bowl the patio now occupies.

One small depression is all that is left. I filled it with fish, including some fancy kind koi.

Miranda got some new baubles. I'd be good with a few more smaller ones and even some that could float in the pond. Maybe we could get Chihuly out to do something really awesome.

Miranda got more big shiny glass balls. I got big bold foliage with blooms. This is Rodgersia aesculifolia. I have four patches of them now and love them. They do well in shade, but can take more sun in consistently moist soil. That I got plenty of.

I have bold striped grasses too, short and tall. The Variegated Feather Reed Grass is nice because it blooms early in June, way before most other grasses. The blooms stalks last all through the winter.

I planted ten more clumps of this in the Tall Flower Meadow on the slope below the cozy cabin. I look forward to seeing this new texture in the meadow and the winter under garden.

Black Pink Weed

We have to watch the Black Iris while it is here. The stems are on their second flowers now. They got a good rinse today.

The Coral Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens will have a much longer bloom period than the iris. This one is more pink than red. 

When I searched to get the correct botanical name, I immediately became suspicious. These are not Coral Honeysuckle flowers which are tubular.

Who is this. I looked around and could not settle on a different Lonicera. The flowers look L. japonica, the invasive species, but the vine's stems, leaves and behavior are different. I have no idea who this pretty pink honeysuckle is.

I'm beginning to think I need to do some ruthless editing in this front bed by the porch. I have short things in there I want to see. The tall things I let go are getting in the way. I just have so much trouble yanking a good wild flower.

There's plenty more. There's plenty more. Get ruthless. Rip em out.

All that Lush down there and far beyond has been keeping me busy though. I have a lot of ground to edit. I remove the annoying things and leave the rest. The problem with the tall things in the front bed is they are not really annoying, just taller than some other nice things.

What to do, what to do? Get ruthless.

Out There In A Wild Garden

Growing annual vines on my little trellis wasn't producing much of a show in my short growing season. I went perennial with the Coral Honeysuckle.

The little rooted sprig I planted last year is doing quite well. It gives the service entrance a longer lasting touch of color and interest.

Every thing is growing madly. The successional march of flowers ebb and flows, producing quite a few crescendos.

Nearly June, there is no more denying the Lush, but it has not stopped growing.

It takes big bold foliage to make a statement in the Lush.

This is the mother patch of Darmera peltata I have been taking pieces of rhizome from to make more statements in the garden.

The smooth velvet of the Black Iris may need to be spread around.

Maybe I could squeeze some in next to the creamy white of the Kousa Dogwood.

Next door the Flame Azaleas have started to bloom.

So have the Mountain Laurels, while the rhododendrons slowly fade away.

Up near the byway some may wonder, is it wild or is it cultivated. The gardener knows it is both.

Fire Pink, Silene virginica is just getting started. I noticed yesterday I may have lost some bloom to slugs.

Out there in a wild garden

Are varmints of every kind. I tell myself there is plenty to go around. These plants were made to feed all kinds of things. I can ignore the holes in the leaves. They will still bloom for me.

There is plenty. It's the Lush.

In The Burgeoning Lush

The twin rising spikes were a bit of a surprise. Except for Lorelei, the bearded iris were not blooming this year. Again. They are a fussy bunch, particularly in anything less than full sun. We are low on full sun.

The deep, rich, velvety goodness of the Black Iris is a welcome surprise.

The odd gladiola has a bloom. These were tiny rescued bulbs left on the ground during a relocation operation by the other gardener from too much shade to a bit more sun two seasons ago. Now they are big enough to bloom.

More of them popped up in the original shady place looking meek. I should dig those up and move them.

The Fire Pink, Silene virginica has started to bloom. So far I have seen no self seeding despite what look like fine seed heads two years in a row. Hey there Mr. Pink. You are a weed. Get busy.

I will give it a good rating as a hardy perennial.

It is a very good thing we do not rely on the bearded group for our iris fix. There are others of your kind.

My manipulation of the Lush is having an effect. The baptisia I grew from seed and planted in a large sweep is ever so close to having enough blooms to attempt a little drama. I should plant more. They don't seem to get very big when faced with some real competition for resources.

The Siberian Iris always bloom provided they get enough sun. Fussy can mean doom in the Lush. Without some effort, a plant can be forgotten and abandoned to its more vigorous neighbors.

How long before the new cracked pot disappears? That's how it goes with the Lush. I have to plan ahead for the barren time though. It lasts a good half of the year. That pot will entertain me all winter.

Out there along the scenic byway the curated Lush is beginning to get infamous. Riding by on a beautiful day it was recognized. That's it. It's here. I read your blog.

The virtual world is made real in a short delightful encounter. Here let me show you something. Do this. Mow a path through your new forested acres and edit. The garden will come.

A Walk Down To The Great Lawn

There was another garden visitor today. With nothing else pressing to be tended to, I gave the paths and Great Lawn a fresh whack to look good for the company. I like it better that way myself. The garden should look good for me too.

There is quite a bit of the Lush to pass through to get to the Great Lawn. It is the more important component of the garden anyway.

I have a bit of iris blooming to break up the waves of textured greens.

The Yellow Flag Iris is blooming well. I have seen it do better.

The Great Lawn is the negative space in an ocean of Lush. It gives the larger garden a sense of scale. It says there is purpose and intent to the space. It says come on down to the garden.

And set a spell.

There are things to be seen out there.

I was editing when my quest arrived. As I headed back to the house, his head popped out from the back porch looking out over the garden. The Great Lawn and my shiny silver balls were the first thing he saw.