Gardening

-all photos credited in Vanity Fair 2014-

 

I'm firmly enscounced in the Gardening 101 category. But, I admire gardens and gardeners; always fantasizing that I shall one day be devoted. Love the following quoted by the eternally beautiful Gianni Agnelli in September's Vanity Fair:

An old family friend, Sandoro d'Urso, used to tell me. "Why make one's dreams come true when the best part of any project is just dreaming about it?" He was right, of course, when it comes to making a house or writing a book. But with gardens it is different. And, like all living things, they grow and change. That is a fascinating process to experience.

...Sometimes, as I wander here alone or in someone's company, my imagination flies back to the garden of my childhood, in Florence. I used to sneak out of my bed at night and wander down to the end of the garden. Just for the thrill of it. In the darkness I could feel all the invisible presences. That's when I first became aware that gardens breathe and are alive, just as we are. One is never really "done" with a garden, just as one is never "done" with life. Day by day, and step by step, one just keeps on finding new and clever ways to make them flourish, both in sunshine and in storm.

-Vanity Fair 2014

 

 

Peonies

 

 

Finally! One of my favorites. Especially, this variety. We have four bushes now, and luckily this is the most prolific. Wish they bloomed all summer. Definitely worth all the anticipation.

 

Happy May Day

 

-source since lost- (apologies)

May Day (La Fête du Muguet, La Fête du Travail) in France is a public holiday to campaign for and celebrate workers rights. It is also an occasion to present lily-of-the-valley flowers to loved ones.

So... Today I sent many of my nearest and dearest an e-bouquet of one of my very favorite flowers. I have very fond memories of gathering many bouquets from my grandparents' garden. And, I'm additionally drawn to these flowers as I have a very sweet Lily granddaughter. Our oldest (9 years in a few days); the child who taught us (exuberantly) how to be grandparents.

 

High Wine District

High wine

The product of the first Distillation in a batch or Pot Still process. The High wines are distilled for a second time in the spirit still, or Doubler.

Peoria has a rich history of distillers and brewers. This neighborhood is named for whiskey--the high wine of the spirits world.Thewhiskey barons (Hiram Walker and others) chose to build homes on and near West High Street and West Moss Avenue--the West Bluff of the Illinois River.

PJ gave me a grand tour today.

The two predominant urns are not completely identical.

The one on the left has a female visage.

The one on the right is male, and bears a goatee, I believe.

Side view.

Front view.

Back view.

Front view reveals garden setting. Designed and maintained by PJ's co-worker.

(Also, foilage and flowers above first Easton fountain photo.)

Gripped by the Grapes

If PJ had offered me normal, run-of-the-mill grapes, I would have refused. I'm not usually a huge fan of grape jelly or jam.

 

But, I'm intrigued by these tiny Canadice grapes. So, the following is for PJ and GJ (since she has a bag full of these grapes, also).

 

-source-

 

 

 

I had this on my toast this morning. Excellent. Really, really good. I now have to say, I love me some homemade grape jam.

 

 

Highlighted text in recipe: I did none of that. I just puréed the grapes and blueberries, measured 6 cups, mixed in Sure Jell, brought to full boil, added sugar... Didn't add water or boil the mixture down before measuring the 6 cups of puréed fruits.

Original recipe is online at:

http://www.kraftbrands.com/surejell/Recipes/recipe-detail.aspx?recipeId=50424

 

How Does My Garden Grow?

 

The Mouse Ears Hosta is holding its own for a second year. For some reason one has tripled in size while the second is healthy, but just a tiny bit larger than springtime.

 

The Colimbine Leaf Miner disease, or powdery mildew, persists. And, I persist in dead-heading the affected leaves.

Jacob's Ladder. A new perennial this year. We had a large plant at our old house. In honor of my maiden name: Jacobs.

The Caladium thrives in a favorite pot. The leaves are more faded--I guess due to a bit much sun. Still, I like it there.

 

Holiday Weekend Alone

Plenty of time to work on my projects.

 

 

Pots to fill.

 

 

 

Lemon Zest Petunias and Blue Lobelia to arrange.

 

 

 

My nightstand to finish priming. Paint colors to consider.

 

 

But until this sunny morning, the rain and wetness has precluded all outdoor tasks. Unfortunately, I've been lulled by the lazy, hazy cloudy and wet weather, sucked into the Internet-app world trying to figure out how I'm going to enjoy following my blogger friends post-Google Reader. This crucial problem requires much research. Hours and days.

 

 

Maybe a double espresso under the lemon trees will get me moving.

 

 

 

Or not. Those martinis aren't mine. Definitely not mine. What do you guess? Lemon-drop?

 

 

Well, it is Mother's Day in France. And the Cannes Movie Festival was exhausting...

 

Spring Blossoms Snowfall

 

INDIAN SUMMER

Enjoying the views out over the wetlands of Duffield Pond.

Not sure if it's official, but it feels like Indian Summer this week with temperatures in the low 80s and bright sunshine. The garden is changing dramatically after a September growth spurt. Things are definitely fading and dying. We made a great start with perennials this year, with room for improvement next year. Can't wait to get the back yard and borders in shape.

I love these trees. Last year I gathered a bouquet of branches for a friend.

HERE COME THE PHOTOS

Frustratingly, my photo card was compromised in some way and it had become virtually impossible to upload photos. Erratic at best. I finally uploaded the  reno photos to the iPad and then struggled with not being able to upload them through Blogger. The buzz in blogger-world is that's an ongoing problem causing some to migrate to a different blog platform. I'm holding fast, assuming Blogger will soon publish an iPad app that actually makes iPad blogging a viable option.

My frustrations were accentuated by attempts to find apps that would host my photos and allow the editing/upload/availability that I've become accustomed to from my laptop. The end result was a frozen iPad.

So... After too many late night hours of frustration and a brief conversation with Apple Care, I synced my iPad with the laptop and voilà the photos are uploadable. Still, it should not be that complicated, I've been blogging with photos for years. For sure, most of the trouble was with the photocard (which I've re-formatted so it seems to work as it should), but the iPad and Blogger were neither performing up to the levels I'd expected.

For now, the photos have been added to the landscape post.

GARDEN RENOVATION: Part 2

Our front landscape bed has been laying fallow while we've waited for the winter to finally, truly end, and now for the spring rains to cease... So, today the sun is shining, the homeowners' association landscaper is spreading mulch, and CA and I tackle another out-of-control bed. Guess I hadn't gotten up adequate nerve in time for our first-go at starting afresh, somehow ignoring the fact that bed #2 was almost as bad as bed #1.

Bed #2

Bed #1

We dig and tug and pull to rip-out woody, ugly Vinca, along with some struggling thyme, lavender, and chives. I've given up on having an herb garden in front--lots of bugs dine off my basil. As I write this, CA is digging out most of the day lilies coming up in the first bed. This variety has a short bloom-life and dies back too soon, and the shortage of sunshine has never been encouraging.

I'm breathing easier now that the unmanageable and incongruous plantings have bitten the dust. Why did we wait so long? The landscaping was bad when we moved in almost 10 years ago... My excuses are: we moved to a townhouse to avoid yardwork; we were both over-taxed with responsibilities and work; ennui; the cost vs. pain equation; a dearth of creativity. As it turns out, I like the bare mulch much, much better than I ever did the bloomless lilacs, woody Vinca, and lazy day lilies.

There are some peonies surfacing behind the tree in the second bed, Forget-Me-Nots under the same tree, and this lovely, lovely blue perennial (Brunnera!) I got in Michigan two years ago is nestled in next to the front stoop. I want more of these!

Turns out this is Brunnera, or more appropriately these are Brunnera. Two varieties.

I'm anxious to plant the shade-tolerant varieties I've been researching, but will wait until we return from Virginia Beach because the deer in our woods are notorious snackers--preferring my gardening endeavors to their own environs. Oh wait! They were here first.

I've lost tens of twenties of dollars over repeated Springs to those deer and their voracious nibblings. I know. I know. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. Here's to good mental health! And, the survival of my greenery.

I think that guy in front is a goner, too.

I'm sure there's an ingenue waiting in the wings at Key Blooms in Portage. MI.

Bed #3

Wait! Bed #3?

 Call the immunologists--I think this reno has gone viral!

Doesn't CA do nice work?

The relocated Day Lilies will survive and thrive, or they won't. But for now, they make a lovely border along the side of our screened porch. We've tried many perenniels in this back side yard bed, and nothing has survived. There may be some hosta that'll work their way up eventually. Last year we filled in with garden ornaments.