Category Archives: Violets

May 19, 2013 · 1:33 pm

50 SHADES OF……PURPLE!

It is amazing to me

How each spring

The same plants emerge from their winter’s sleep

To create my garden

And yet

Each spring

I am surprised by what happens

In my own backyard.

This year

This “I can’t believe how late spring is” year

I am struck by the seemingly endless shades

Of purple.

I know that I have 2 new shades

Of purple Iris.

Plus the standard deep purple

And it seems the Columbine

Has a trifecta of purple.

Then there is my mystery wild Orchid

And the last of the Violas

Before the heat of summer knocks them out

There’s a rich purple in this year’s

Mixed Lettuce greens.

And a new purple in the Alliums

Planted last fall

After seeing Kristina’s great Allium seed pods.

I also have a new lilac bush

Small…but covered with blooms.

Add to them the purple Rose I planted last year

Could it be

That purple is the “new pink”

Of my early spring garden?

Not for long

Peonies and Roses can’t be far behind!

Enjoy the week,

Gail

3 Comments

Filed under Allium, Columbine, Gardening, Gardening;Perennials, Iris, Lettuce, Peonies, Perennials, roses, Spring Flowering Bulbs, Uncategorized, Viola, Violets

April 8, 2013 · 12:37 am

FAITH

It happens every year.

When I finally get winter’s blanket of leaves removed

I wonder where everything has gone.

Sure the early blooming show offs are visible

The Iris and Peonies.

And Larkspur sprouts are everywhere.

But right now I’m wondering why is there so much dirt showing.

And what is lying in wait beneath?

My friend Suellen used to call every spring

To tell me that everything had died over the winter.

Then…she’d call back in a week

Saying it’s OK.

And we would have a good laugh

Remembering the same conversation from the year before.

Faith

It’s as important to gardening as fertilizer, healthy soil and water.

It’s the belief that a tiny green frond

Will unfurl into a gorgeous fern.

That the precious buds on my Japanese Tree Peony

Will soon take my breath away.

That come June

These few leaves at the bottom of what looks like a stick plant

Will give astonishing blooms.

The robins have returned.

Lady bugs and honey bees abound

Peg is on her never-ending bunny search

And the Hellebores are blooming their hearts out.

It must be spring.

Faith

All we need to do is trust

And believe.

And as my friend Jerry used to say

Do the best we can…

God will take care of the rest.

Take time to breathe it all in.

Gail

3 Comments

Filed under Bugs, Ferns, Gardening, Gardening Friends, Grape Hyacinths, Hellebores, Hydrangea, Iris, Japanese Tree Peony, Lady Bugs, Larkspur, Peonies, Perennials, Redbud Trees, Violets

April 1, 2013 · 2:27 am

Easter Egg Hunt

I love gardens

And children

So it is with great joy

that once again we hosted

The 1st Presbyterian Church Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday.

My friend Kay is my partner for this.

She gives her considerable talent, creativity, energy and education

To the children of our church each week.

She does the lion share of the work for this event

Along with other talented friends.

Four generations of friends, neighbors and church members gather for the fun.

When you think of it, what better place for an Easter event

Than in a garden.

But you may recall I was concerned that because Easter is so early this year

That my garden wouldn’t “look good”.

The grass was not picture perfect green.

Actually it’s mostly brown and still crispy.

Just a few things are blooming

Forsythia, hellebore, pansies and violas

And plants are just emerging from their winter’s sleep.

When will I ever learn that I am not in charge here!

God has it covered…every time.

God…and Kay

She had many activities and stories.

All of which told the story of Easter

Resurrection and new birth

From the live grass for the Easter baskets

Planted a month ago during Sunday School

To the annual Lady Bug release

(Aphids don’t stand a chance in this garden)

To enacting butterflies emerging from their cocoon

(A card table covered with a brown cloth)

Learning about and experiencing nature

Taking flight.

Is there a better way to spend a glorious spring Saturday

Than to create memories for children and adults

To experience nature

And God

What a gift.

Happy Easter,

Gail

1 Comment

Filed under Butterflies, Easter Baskets, Easter Egg Hunt, Forsythia, Hellebores, Lady Bugs, Uncategorized, Violets

March 17, 2012 · 8:27 pm

Lenten Compost

Probably the most asked gardening question this time of year

is how soon can I start.

We all get spring fever.

Wanting to dig up something

or plant something.

I have followed the same schedule for years

decades really.

“If by the middle of March the 15 day forecast looks good

Let the fun begin.”

And it’s worked.

I’ve saved myself from doing lots of damage over the years

Until this year.

After this remarkably warm winter

Everything is ahead

way ahead.

I have tulips blooming on St. Patty’s day ahead!

St. Patty's Day Tulips

Which I guess means I’m behind.

But I’m not going to think like that.

I’m going to pace myself

So today I broke out my friendly leaf sucker and began.

John had placed the blanket of chopped leaves and grass

on my garden last fall.

Now it must come off

and head to the compost pile.

But first I dug up the end of last year’s leaves fully composted and

spread them around my little “hill”.

This rich remnant of leaves has been home to worms the size of small snakes.

Three wheel barrows full are now enriching the heretofore ignored east end of my garden.

The hole this created has been filled with the contents of one side of my composter

and an endless pile of chopped leaves.

The beginning of the next batch.

A friend sent me a Lenten devotional about composting.

It says that the metaphor of compost is fitting for Lent.

From death comes life.

It’s true .

In gardening.

In life.

Gail

P.S. The Redbuds are lighting up this part of the world.

Category Archives: Violets

50 SHADES OF……PURPLE!

FAITH

Easter Egg Hunt

Lenten Compost

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