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| Calendula's, Rose's, Lupine and Dahlia's...My Entry Way |
As I was on my way to the mailbox today, I decided it was time to clip some of my dead and dried out Calendula's, Dahlia's and Roses and take a picture.
For some reason, my purple Cornflowers never made it. The first sign of the heat, they withered and faded away. Last year they grew tall and regal.
My oldest granddaughter chose the pink rose bush early this spring and it has grown amazingly tall from the size we brought it home in one of the plastic bags with just a rose stick in it. On the left is the white rose bush I chose several months later.
After being laughed at and told one cannot grow roses in our weather, I took that as a challenge and secretly, so did my husband who has ensured their survival by calling me during the hottest days and reminding me they may want a cool drink.
My Calendula's I absolutely love in their orange and yellow hats standing up so tall and strong and to think all I did was scratch the ground in a squiggle pattern with my broom, sprinkle the seeds and cover and they have blessed me with all summer long blooms!
The Lupines (the scrawny looking wide green plants in the left front) are starting to bloom and I got my first one and it appears they will be purple. What amuses me about this one, is it is the shortest and smallest plant in the garden. I am thinking it heard the story of the 'Little Engine That Could.'
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| Purple Lupine |
Then, there are my Dahlia's. No, they are not what is known as the 'Dinner Plate,' Dahlia's but these beauties just remind me of how amazing God and Mother Nature are.
Last year, I planted this plant from a packet of seed. It grew and was pretty close to the ground last year when it began to bloom. I think it got perhaps about 8" tall but bloomed like crazy last summer.
Then, I cut it to nothing around the end of September and never really gave it much thought, because at the time I didn't realize that Dahlia's are a Perennial and not an annual. So, as our fall quickly seemed to turn over night from cool to below 20 degree's in a cold snap, this plant seemed to die and I let it go for mulch...or so I thought.
Welcome the middle of May and I find this plant turning green and getting taller and taller and I don't honestly remember what I planted or if this was a weed until someone informed me it was my Dahlia coming back to life!
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| Pink Dahlia |
This year, the Dahlia plant is taller and her stems are thicker and she invites the bee's and butterflies to come visit and even has allowed a Snap Dragon to take refuge under its cool leaves.
As I watch with delight my garden and how it grows, I told my husband I think I am going to plant many more perennials soon so next spring and summer I do not have to dig and plant.
I am thinking Calla Lillies, Peonies, Iris, Daffodils and Day Lillies and I know my grandchildren will want to pick out a few annuals as well to fill in the empty spaces.
With my medical issues, being on my knee's is almost near to impossible, so planting once and being blessed for many years sounds amazing to me!
1 comment:
The dahlias really made me remember my mom because she always planted lots of them along the south side of our house. They were such a sturdy, happy flower.
Your flower bed looks lovely. My one large flower pot on the deck has suffered a bit in the last month as I've been home so seldom. My hubbie waters them for me but I had not done any deadheading and it really has taken it's toll on the geraniums.
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