An Enchanting Evening in Anna's Garden

Almost a full month has passed since I spent a warm July evening with Anna in her beautiful garden, sipping ice-cold wine that smelled crisp like grapefruit.  (I recommend reading Anna's blog, The Creative Flux.  Check it out!)

Anna introduced me to her garden explaining what plants still needed to be moved where and I knew in that instant that she was a kindred spirit.  All the plants in my garden have moved around on the tip of my shovel, at least once, except for the large fir tree.  My Pirate won’t enable me (his term) anymore, so it felt wonderful to share this quirk with another gardener.

The scent of vanilla wafted down onto us from her massive blooming magnolia tree as we explored and I took pictures.    

Anna pointed out all of her favorite bits of beauty in her lovely Irish accent; she’s from Sweden and her former Irish boyfriend taught her English.  

Anna stepped up on a retaining wall to show me a dark inky clematis bloom.  I enjoyed all the different clematis winding their way through her plants.

I loved her use of rusty metal.  It added dimension and interest.  

She even had a cardoon in her front parking strip like me! 

Her garden was filled with beautiful blooms.

Can you see the bumble bee?

I admired her artistic combinations of foliage.  Her plants were huge and happy.  I felt her garden surround us like a hug.

And her Podophyllum is gorgeous.  Now I'm excited to see mine grow in.

Look at those huge leaves!

The seed heads contrasted nicely with the new blooms.

And Manneman supervised our visit.  Such a cool name for a cat.  

Thanks for the wonderful evening, Anna!

Barnaby's Itchy Teeth

I woke up this morning to the sound of Barnaby ripping the stuffing out of my comforter.  I'm soo ready for this whole teething phase to be over.  Only one more month.  That's right, Barnaby is five months old tomorrow.  He looks like an old man without his dentures right now because all of his front baby teeth have fallen out.  And his gums are itchy.  He continuously begs at the back door to go sit on the patio furniture and chew on sticks.  I even splurged on a twenty dollar chew toy made out of saw dust, so he can chew on at 'stick' inside.

Barnaby chewing on a stick this afternoon

The only difference from two months ago, is that I have to push the two foot rests for him to fit!  He weighs over seventy pounds now.  But, he still thinks that he weighs ten pounds because he tries to fit on my lap.  

Two months ago

I've been surprised by the amount of muddy slobber he produces.  The Assistant and I look like we're covered in muddy slug trails by the end of the day. The (poor) Assistant...she has a puppy that is bigger than her.  But, they still cuddle up and he licks her ears.  And I'm happily counting down the thirty days until his adult teeth are in. 

Poetry Post Poem: Fecundity

Here's my first original submission in my poetry post.  Enjoy!

Fecundity

By Laura Heldreth

Fecundity beckons…

In the life and cycle,

Seed. Root.

Sweet oblivion of

bud and blossom.

Then fruit. 

Another season. 

     Another dance.

           Another chance.

The mystery beckons…

How the muck and

the shit incubate seeds,

Sprouting life.

I celebrate my garden

beginning to end. 
Again and again.

Party Favor Bouquets

For the Posh Progressive Picnic dinner, I made seven simple party favor bouquets in jam jars with a twine bow.

I filled the the jars with golden oregano blooms, bronze fennel, pink hebe blooms, and hosta leaves from my garden.  For a focal point, I added pink roses that I purchased at Trader Joe's ($3.99 for a dozen).  And miraculously, the bouquets matched my friend's table color scheme.  It was simply meant to be.  And each of my gal pals took a bouquet home with them after the main course.  Making and giving bouquets is so much fun!

Plot Twist

The other day, I was complaining to My Pirate about how I’m allergic to the oakleaf hydrangea blooms right outside our bedroom window.  And he turned to me and said, “Can I tear them out and make that my garden bed?”

Alice Oakleaf Hydrangea

I about fell over.  This is the man that had to snap on a pair of latex gloves to help me change my car’s fuel filter when we first met.  He feared dirt on his hands, the way that I fear a visit from his mother.  In the eighteen years that I’ve known him, he’s never shown an interest in gardening, except for cooking out of our vegetable garden.

But, there have been some subtle signs this season.  He washed the tomato cages in the bathtub with a bleach water solution.  And two weeks ago, I came home from volunteering, to find that he had transplanted a chunk of Japanese Coltsfoot (plant thug alert!) into The Death Bed. So, what has changed?  I simply don’t know.

Tetrapanax Papyrifer 'Steroidal Giant' in the morning light

The shrieking Psycho movie theme song has quieted down in my mind.  And yesterday, I offered him The Death Bed, it used to have black plastic two feet under the soil level, to make his own.  I only asked that he not move the very happy Tetrapanax Papyrifer ’Steroidal Giant’ that resides in The Death Bed.  And he says that he’s up for the challenge.  We’ll see how he enjoys creating a new flowerbed. I’ll keep you posted, with pictures, of course.

But this is a real plot twist for us.  How do I share our garden with him?  Do you garden with your better half?  I welcome your advice and stories.