weekly bloom: transients and the dearly departed

I had nearly forgotten the post for this week! Long weekends are confusing that way. Also, this week I am off work, to bridge the gap between the end of parental leave and when the daycare will actually have a spot for us — so the calendar feels a little more mutable than usual. Funny how dependent one becomes on the nine-to-five for timekeeping.

I am also keeping really busy with crafting this week; more on that later.

So! Gardening! Is maddening. The garden looks about as much as it did last week, except significantly more ... parched. I am of the belief that one does not water the garden unless absolutely necessary, because that way the roots will dig deep and become more drought resistant ... this only works with lawns, I've realised. A. And b) it doesn't work with plants that you have just planted and have had absolutely no chance, or rather, only a snowball's chance in Hell (this summer, quite literally), to establish themselves. And yes, that was rather an expensive lesson to learn.

This week, some things that have either come and gone, or are about to do so.

Columbines (left), bloomed late May. They lasted until June, when the scabrosa came into bloom and essentially crushed them. (I think they were just about done by then, though.) I loved these so much that I am letting them volunteer as much as they like, with the intent of moving half of them to the front garden next year.

Poppies! Which I love. They started about three weeks ago, and are still going, off and on — the blooms only last for a day or two, but they are vigorous enough this year that each plant has two or three secondary blooms. I try not to love things that are so transient, it's too sad, but these are just too lovely.



Daylilies, started about two weeks ago. Still going, but even they are starting to wilt in this heat.

And finally, last but certainly not least, the 'Rainforest Sunrise' hosta:


The hostas (three of them; two 'Rainforest Sunrise' and one 'Stained Glass') are the new plants that I did not kill. Part of it may be that they like dry shade, or maybe I just lucked out with drought tolerant varieties. The two 'Rainforest Sunrise' plants sent out blooms about a week and a half ago; they had already been in the process of blooming when I planted them, so it might be residual. Unfortunately, these ones have no scent.

Next week, we'll go back to the roses.