Ah, the Emerging Garden
The roses have already set their buds. Already! I can hardly believe it. Surely they're early this year! And the tree peonies, I can scarcely believe it, the huge pink blossoms of one have already begun to open. And the other tree peony, the yellow one, is close behind. The other peonies, the herbaceous ones aren't all that far behind. It'll take a few weeks yet, but they're getting there.
The lilies-of-the-valley are in bloom and their perfume is divine. It embraces us as we walk past them, envelopes us in their sweet memories of another time, another place. The Tamarisk in the front, alongside the driveway, is in full pink plumey bloom, and I don't recall an earlier time when it was so glorious, so fragrant. right beside it, the bridalwreath sprirea is also in full bloom, covered with its tiny white blossoms.
The bearded irises have already sent up their flower heads, and the Siberian irises are right behind. The Icelandic poppies have thrust up their soft-looking, swollen buds and are ready to open, any time soon. The pasque flowers in the rock garden have been blooming for some time, and the creeping phlox is a carpet of mauve-pink. The secretive jack-in-the-pulpits have finally sprung through the earth, and their shy flower head, when tipped up reveals their striped purple-green interiors.
Good grief, I can hardly believe how long the Magnolia has been blooming this spring. It just keeps opening up bud after bud to gift us with those large, long-petalled, fragrant hot-pink blossoms. The azalea, though I cut it back very late last year, has opened its pale orange blooms, impossibly large for the size of the plant. And the rhododendrons too have begun to open their large passionately-red flowers. Beside the Magnolia, the two Sargentii crab trees are head-full of white blossoms.
Some of our clematis vines have already set flower buds, while others will await their opportunity, later in the summer. Leopard's bane is in full yellow-daisy flower. The painted daisy has set its blooms, and I can hardly wait, for it will be the first time we've had it flower.
I've planted cosmos, tuberous begonias, lobellia, gazania, porculaca, petunias, ornamental grasses, and so much more. Colour is emerging where before there was drab. The garden is coming to life. Annual poppies and much, much more have re-seeded sponaneously and they're promising us a summer garden beyond expectations.
posted by Pieface @ Sunday, May 28, 2006
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