Wednesday, May 11, 2005

more flowers

I have a prolific bunch of white, repeater irises. I bought them a few years ago as dried out rhyzmes in a marked down bag at one of the big box hardware stores. They were supposed to be pink.

As they bud and then open, they have a faint lavendar tint. But then they become all white.

The first one opened up this morning. White is a nice contrast amid the green foilage and helps highlight darker colored flowers around them. They will bloom again in late summer, early fall.

The perennial geraniums or cranesbill are starting to bloom, at least the pink ones are. And the dianthus are full of buds with one opening today.

Years ago I bought one or two clumps of large purple columbine. I've carefully resown its seeds and now I have several large clumbs, all blooming. One reason to be careful about where one mulches, when and how thick. Mulch is great for keeping the roots of plants cooler, and for keeping moisture in the dirt, and for retarding weed seeds. But it can also prevent re-seeding when you want it.

This is the first year that my rescued peonies, moved from dark corners of the yard about three or four years ago, look healthy and have multiple buds.

2 comments:

Bill said...

I like white flowers in the late evening or even in the moonlight. Here where the weather is hot it is a time when the garden is pleasant, and white flowers show up best.

Don said...

Bill -- Yes, the older I get the more appreciate I am of white in the garden.