Saturday favorites

It's true: one year you prefer one over the other. You pay attention to all of them, but you find yourself really investing your energies and pride in the chosen one. The good thing is that over the years, your preferences shift. Most make it to the favorite status at one point or another.

[What?? You thought I was talking about kids and grandkids? How silly of you! I have never felt preferences. I love each intensely, completely, without placing any ahead of the other. In my opening paragraph, I was referring to flower fields.]






And, too, over the years, flower preferences shift. Once, I was smitten with coreopsis (tickseed) and monarda (beebalm) and tradescantia (spiderwort). By now, I've moved most of them out of the way. A few years back, it was all about acquiring new irises. This year I didn't even enter the greenhouse with irises for sale. Peonies? No more! I have enough! It's only the day lilies that never ever fail to excite me. Otherwise, my attention wanders.






All this to say that this year, I am focused not on the front bed, right there by the road for all to see, and not on the side beds (on the east and west sides of the farmhouse), but on flower fields that surround our courtyard, and especially on the big bed. Which is very very big.

(one tiny corner of the big bed)






It has grown incrementally, erratically. There are no paths, there is no logic. Sometimes, plants grow excessively and block less aggressive ones from view (and light). It's time to get serious and move things around and these are the days to do it -- before the flowers get too big and are liable to be damaged in the transfer.

(there's a lot of seasonal magnificence that has had no input from me; like the old pear, blooming against a driveway of violets)






Moving plants around is an added job. Typically, I start the season with clearing the beds, weeding, trimming etc. Sometimes we expand a bed. And then I plant the new stuff. And seed the annuals. By the time I'm done, we're fully into summer.

This year, I'm far more ambitious. Ed is spending more time working outside as well -- removing not only fallen trees, but also the stumps. We both feed off of each other in terms of energy and determination!

Today was a 100% work outside day. With only a small break to pick up a couple of things at Natalie's Greenhouse and a few extras at the Flower Factory (oh, and for breakfast, of course!)






... we toil from 7:30 in the morning until dinnertime. And no, I do not cook dinner. Take-out Thai is perfect for tired limbs.

(evening: looking out from the porch)