My Fascination with Variegation

I have put the brakes on acquiring new plants this summer.

But sometimes I cannot help myself.

I have this fascination with variegation.

When I spotted this ‘Spider’s Web’ Fatsia japonica, I snatched it up.

Despite the fact it will get much larger and need protection if planted outside in Zone 7.

All I could see was those leaves! Each is a different work of art.

The variegation changes as the leaves age.

It is evergreen, produces white ball blooms in the fall and makes black berries.

How could I resist?

FLOW

My Friends’ Farm and the Dogs

My world is small and quiet. I need it like that right now.

But I must make myself leave my haven on occasion.

My outing this week was to the farm of my friends.

Years ago it was a dairy farm. Later it was a daylily farm.

Now it is just home to some of my favorite people and their dogs.

The highlight of my visit was watching Raney, Bailey, Wally, Murphy and Skid.

They provided a lot of action and entertainment.

Wally was the star of the show. He constantly flushed rabbits out of the flower beds.

We laughed as we watched the rabbits skitter hither and yon without Wally ever seeing them.

It was hard to take my eyes away from the action to photograph the beautiful plantings and artwork.

I made this Stoneshroom back when I was a concrete artist. It has seasoned perfectly.

If I ever have a farm, it will be full of flowers

and goats and a donkey and some rabbits and lots of chickens and maybe an alpaca or llama and an emu…

and of course dogs.

A girl can dream can’t she?

FLOWER