There is a lovely courtyard at the rehab facility where my mama is getting physical therapy after breaking her hip.
My favorite resident in the garden is an anole. He enjoys sunning on the warm head of a statue there.
Nature saves my sanity.
FLOW
I am at my mama’s house. I do not have all the proper supplies, so I must improvise.
FLOW doing improv.
I thought this beauty disappeared years ago. It reappeared when I thinned out a row of Cooley iris near the play yard gate.
It had been crowded too much to bloom.
There are bully iris; Night Affair, Persian Berry, Banana Frappe’ and Shipshape from Cooley’s all fall into the bully category here. These varieties multiple rapidly and over-power the slow growers.
This is Jelly Roll. It now grows at the end of two tiers in my plant nursery section. Its only competition is weeds that I cannot seem to keep up with.
I love its orange beard and the slight blush of pink on its standards.
It has thrived in isolation and has doubled its clump size on both tiers.
I am so happy that I rescued Jelly Roll from that crowded row of bullies.
FLOW/Iris Rescuer
This is an easy peony. No staking needed.
Its bud is pink. The petals blush as they open.
The pollen looks like a golden crown in the middle of the stark white krinkled petals.
Any easy-care plant is always appreciated.
Flower
The Gibraltar azalea is a showstopper.
The bloom clusters truly look like they are on fire.
I can look down on this from our deck.
Gorgeous every spring.
FLOWER
I am home for the weekend. Mama is not improving much. Blah, blah, blah. Lovely day here.
FLOWER
I have worked tirelessly in the garden these past two days. What I really wanted to do was sit and think, but since I am only home on the weekends, I forced myself to do what was needed. The “dogwood snow” of petals blowing down was appropriate.
We lost a precious friend yesterday. My mind has been on Sandra and the girls. They are strong. They will support one another.
Sandra is one of my friends that I contact when the “sky is falling.” I called her when my daddy was in hospice and his caregiver got Covid. Somehow she got a laugh out of me while I was hysterical. Sandra is who explains her faith to me when mine is flopping around like a fish out of water. Our children grew up together. We are “forever friends.”
So while I was weeding and raking and digging and sweating. I was following a line of concerned thoughts about the impact losing Don would have on my friend and her family.
I glanced over to see ‘Immortality’ glowing in the evening sun. Its pure white bloom was illuminated by bright light, like an angel.
My faith for myself may be like a floundering, gasping fish; but I know Don is in the heaven he so believed in. I am sure this faith is a comfort to his family as they grieve his absence on this earth.
Our time here is finite.
FLOWER
This iris with the unusual name deserves a pause. It has the most complex coloring of all my bearded iris.
‘Thunder Echo’ came in a group from Cooley’s Gardens that I ordered almost three decades ago. I would not have picked this one, but it is a favorite.
The coloration of the falls is what fascinates me. That dusty plum fringe and spots on white are lovely.
The standards stay slightly opened to expose the three style arms which have complex coloring also.
I would never choose an iris with tan standards, but I have two and love them both.
They are a nice break from the sea of pinks and purples in spring.
FLOWER
floweralley 