Bit by bit each year my garden reveals old friends I had forgotten about and new plants I have asked my gardener to plant for me and which I hope will become old friends as the years go by - perhaps even long after I have gone.
This year it has been the Red Valerian under the hedge which gets a bit bigger each year. Many folk regard this as a weed. I love it and welcome it freely to my garden. I don't want it to spread or get any bigger but it is an old friend and I wait for its arrival. The same is true of the many Heucheras - I have forgotten where they are but gradually they appear here and there in the garden and I say 'welcome' glad to see you back again.' Ditto all the perennial Geraniums. I do hope they return in spite of the drought we have endured.
This morning has been Book Group -only four of us this morning- but it was good to be back and to be talking about books - the love of books is one thing we all have in common. The books we intended to discuss today we sidelined after a discussion both being about subjects we found upsetting (mainly death in all its forms - war, childbirth, attitudes to it) and so we went on to wider subjects but still have had such an interesting morning. After lunch I began to put on a blog and friend W called for a chat. Now it is almost time for my 'once a day' look at the News. See you tomorrow.
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16 comments:
Red Valerian is an attractive wild flower that is loved by various insects but it's fluffy seeds blow freely in the wind and plants pop up often where they're not wanted. The white variety is also nice.
Heucheras stay in leaf all year round so you shouldn't lose touch with them. They also have long stems of tiny flowers that are very attractive to bees.
We have masses of valerian here, of both colours. They grow in profusion along the roadsides and seem to favour the stone walls.
I buy any Heuchera I dont have if I see it advertised beecause they stay in leaf also because the colours of the leaves.vary so much Derek.
What a delight to see old friends popping up in your garden after an absence of several seasons! Have you any other plants you want planted now for you to enjoy in the autumn or next spring?
I'm an avid reader, too, and like to have my nose in a good book. As I get older, I "fire" some books or some authors when something rubs me the wrong way, but there are many, many more authors to choose from!
Hugs!
I would love to have a garden like that Pat.. I have not stayed in one place long enough to experience that.. Hopefully one day.. I have always wanted to put down 'roots'.. But i have yet to have any grow..You do better than me Pat.. Hubby and i have stopped looking at the news for a few years now.. And don't miss it at all although we did some at the beginning.. The World will continue to turn without us tuned into its every move.. Like you say.. nothing we can do about it anyway.. Take care of yourself.. I'll be sending you a snail mail soon. Hugs! deb
I love to find old friends in my garden. It’s amazing how some bulbs or perennials go dormant and then pop up years later to delight you.
I have many perennials that were planted and tended by the lady who lived here before me. It’s been fifty years since she was here.I treasure them! Lil’s flowers. I often pass them on to friends since they are no longer available in the nursery trade.
I had to google some of those flower names to see what they look like. Lovely! I have planted some snapdragons and daisies this year but no flowers yet. They are growing well, tho!
My friends called their bungalow 'Valerian' for two reasons - the red variety of the plant grew profusely all along the front of their garden and the white valerian grew under the hedges. Also her name was Valerie and her husband was Ian. ,
Next year I am determined to buy and plant some Wallflowers, my dear husband's favourite flowers but this year I aim to copy the Bee Cafe which I saw on 'Love Your Weekend' with Alan Titchmarsh this morning, namely a few plants each of Lavender, Geum, Salvia,Verbena, Cosmos and Echinacea. Alongside those I shall put a recent present - a Bee hotel.
My old friends like pinks and solomon's seal are showing up in the garden.
I planted some things that were given to me. They are beginning to bloom, and it IS quite like making new friends.
My Siberian Iris are showing up in places I never planted them. I call them volunteers.
I love your description of your old friends in your garden. Our gardens are full of old friends and I love to hear others refer to them like that!
It's the self-seeding plants that amuse me the most. They seem to pop-up in the oddest of places.
Your garden sounds beautiful! Maybe some day you can show us pictures again, possibly with your son‘s help.
I agree with Librarian. Some pictures of your lovely garden would be nice.
Yes Cro Iagree but I am the sort of gardener who believes if a plant is not a glaring weed like a dandelion for example, then it should be allowed to choose where it lives. At present if all the Aquelegia who had chosen where they lived decided to abandon me then mygarden would be a sad place. Mares Tail is the exception though - I would dearly like to see none but I know that is unlikely to happen - it is not an inpleeasant plant to look at and as long as my gardener keeps top side of it I must tolerate it.
Susan - volunteers - love it.
Joanne - had completely forgotten Solomons seal - must find a shady spot and reintroduce it.
As usual-thank you everyone for carrying me along with you through the days/ today sunny and a bit warmer.
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