Nel giardino

Today's gardening extravaganza includes comparisons with last year.

Right now I an writing through a haze of alcohol and aches. This weekend I went to the gym twice. I worked in the yard doing significant planting Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday afternoon. I have done lots of stretching and resistance training at home. My body is ready for some rest. It being the Fiftieth Day of Easter and the Great Feast of Pentecost, I have also broken out of my virtuous eating habits of late to consume some of the small See's milk chocolate Easter eggs still on the dining room table and to have a stiff drink after the yard work.

We also had a good time at San Gabriel this morning. There is a lovely new sign with an icon of San Gabriel on the outside of the building and it was blessed before the service began. We were a riot of red but that was nothing to the riot at the reading of the Gospel. It was in English, Spanish, Italian, French, Mandarin, Norwegian, Koine Greek, and Old English. I was reading in Italian and could hardly hear myself in that cacophony which is a pity. I would love to have heard it read in each language singly. But a great morning. I loaned my "red dress" to Mother Rhonda so she could flash in colors of fire. She also had on some outrageous red glasses given her years ago (so she says; I think she "borrowed" them from Dame Edna).

And now our pictorial yard report.

Here is the Methley plum with the new plantings of the last week that surround it now: four pink penstemon, periwinkle, pink butterfly gaura, English lavender, salvia, and white petunias.


Now, a retrospective look at the northwest corner from last year. There were peaches on the two trees on the right. The right near peach tree, the Red Haven, did not make it through the winter and has been replaced with a cottonwood. I hope to have shade as it grows to hugeness.


Although from a different angle (shot from the south end of the yard), this is a view of the north end this afternoon. Just a few months ago this was nothing but brown. Hooray for spring and summer! The cottonwood is mere slip of a thing visible just to the left of the series of three windows on the neighboring house.


Here are some John F. Kennedy roses.


This is a bit of a panorama of the yard from near the dining room door. You can see more hardscaping as I have added more retaining blocks to define the garden from the sandbox near the house.

I don't know their name but these have blossomed on a rosebush planted before the Italian trip that I thought might not make it.


America roses from a bush that made it through the winter.


I don't know the name of these either but they make my heart smile.


The Warsaw Nike clematis was planted two years ago. Prior to this year it never got more than about eight inches tall but it has survived two winters and finally grown up and blossomed.


Here is a view of the southwest corner from last May. The Lady Banks rose was flowering against the wall. This year it has only grown near the base with no flowers. The cherry tree in the left foreground did not survive and has been replaced with a nectarine. I have also planted an apricot and a Babcock peach this year. Many of the roses pictured here perished with our harsh winter.



Here is a view from the north end looking to the south end this afternoon.


There were more grapes on the vine last year but these are most promising.


Here is one of two areas planted yesterday.


One of the day lilies planted today.


And here is a shot of the north border planted rather intensively this afternoon.


And that is today's garden tour. I hope you enjoyed it. I enjoy planting and watching things grow.

May rain come.

Pray for the firefighters and those in danger of wildfires. I work for Smoky and I have friends out there.

--the BB