Flowers: Yes; now that I actually have some, I think that I shall be botanically blogging on Fridays (along with poetry, so you'll be getting both your art and science...but this Friday I'm retreating, so Thursday will probably be Friday this week).
I am going with the purple/mauve/lavender/touch of apricot color scheme in my perennial bed. I have planted one "Sterling Silver" hybrid rose, one darker purple floribunda rose -- right now the name escapes me; it's a newer variety -- one very dark purple "Black Knight" butterfly bush, some Russian sage, three "Nigra" hollyhocks, a plummy colored daylilly that I bought bare root, a liatris and the volunteer "Jolly Joker" pansies that popped up in my lawn this spring. My mission now is finding a couple of apricot-hued flowers -- easier said than done. I want some apricot hollyhocks, and an apricot daylilly. I now realize that I have very little space, which will actually help me in choosing my plants. And -- the Persian lilac just has to go. The week or so of flowers is not worth the general ugliness of the shrub the rest of the year, and the shade it casts on that bed.
Nic: Alas, I seem to have missed the annual warbler migration -- no exotic little birdies in flitting in the underbrush this year, just our resident Mister and Missus Cardinal, chickadees, titmice, assorted woodpeckers and sparrows. Oh, and evening grosbeaks. One morning I did see a turkey stalking its way through the property.
Potato salad: Mata H, your recipe ROCKS. I used to have one something like that, except it also added beets (which might be good if they were pickled); actually the original recipe, which was supposed to be Russian, also called for herring. Beets, yes; herring, not so much. :P I haven't been to my potluck yet, so I'm still deciding. I've been told that there are food allergies among us, so maybe I'll bring a "safe" recipe minus any offending ingredients and then something more exotic.
I loooove the Sterling roses! One warning though--if you cut them, they do not last. When I worked for a florist, we had to warn the customers, because otherwise they would come storming back, complaining that the roses only lasted a couple of days.
Most stunning use of Sterlings ever--my former aunt-in-law's coffin blanket. Now that's how I wanna go--covered in Sterling roses!
I have to say this: I'm going to miss reading your blog daily...I'm starting the first leg of the move from Japan to Virginia with the kids on Saturday (the husband will catch up later) and will be mostly unconnected until mid-September. We'll be in Michigan (Saginaw and Midland) in June, so if you see an old mom with 3 little kids wandering around Target, looking like this American Culture thing is just too much--that'll be me! Really though, I so count on your wisdom and insight...I'll miss it and you!
8 comments:
Nope.
yeah sure -- what potato salad recipe did you end up using and what are you planting in your garden ? These little blogthreads are still dangling....
And how (or what/which) are the birds in your garden!
where are you friday botanical pictures? I'll do 'em if you will :)
Let's claim Friday as National Blogger's Botanical day. I like it! You announce it!
Thanks for priming the pump, gang!
Flowers: Yes; now that I actually have some, I think that I shall be botanically blogging on Fridays (along with poetry, so you'll be getting both your art and science...but this Friday I'm retreating, so Thursday will probably be Friday this week).
I am going with the purple/mauve/lavender/touch of apricot color scheme in my perennial bed. I have planted one "Sterling Silver" hybrid rose, one darker purple floribunda rose -- right now the name escapes me; it's a newer variety -- one very dark purple "Black Knight" butterfly bush, some Russian sage, three "Nigra" hollyhocks, a plummy colored daylilly that I bought bare root, a liatris and the volunteer "Jolly Joker" pansies that popped up in my lawn this spring. My mission now is finding a couple of apricot-hued flowers -- easier said than done. I want some apricot hollyhocks, and an apricot daylilly. I now realize that I have very little space, which will actually help me in choosing my plants. And -- the Persian lilac just has to go. The week or so of flowers is not worth the general ugliness of the shrub the rest of the year, and the shade it casts on that bed.
Nic: Alas, I seem to have missed the annual warbler migration -- no exotic little birdies in flitting in the underbrush this year, just our resident Mister and Missus Cardinal, chickadees, titmice, assorted woodpeckers and sparrows. Oh, and evening grosbeaks. One morning I did see a turkey stalking its way through the property.
Potato salad: Mata H, your recipe ROCKS. I used to have one something like that, except it also added beets (which might be good if they were pickled); actually the original recipe, which was supposed to be Russian, also called for herring. Beets, yes; herring, not so much. :P I haven't been to my potluck yet, so I'm still deciding. I've been told that there are food allergies among us, so maybe I'll bring a "safe" recipe minus any offending ingredients and then something more exotic.
You could always blog about the topics du jour in the media. Brown people invading the U.S. and heretical movies premiering this week.
I loooove the Sterling roses! One warning though--if you cut them, they do not last. When I worked for a florist, we had to warn the customers, because otherwise they would come storming back, complaining that the roses only lasted a couple of days.
Most stunning use of Sterlings ever--my former aunt-in-law's coffin blanket. Now that's how I wanna go--covered in Sterling roses!
I have to say this: I'm going to miss reading your blog daily...I'm starting the first leg of the move from Japan to Virginia with the kids on Saturday (the husband will catch up later) and will be mostly unconnected until mid-September. We'll be in Michigan (Saginaw and Midland) in June, so if you see an old mom with 3 little kids wandering around Target, looking like this American Culture thing is just too much--that'll be me! Really though, I so count on your wisdom and insight...I'll miss it and you!
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