In Sickness and in Health

Behold our mystery dogwood... which turns out to be a native viburnum! (Viburnum Dentatum) It's blooming like mad and the honey bees are swarming it so we're all happy. It seems to have taken off behind the rhododendrons, now that that row of spruce and pine trees is gone. (Ah yes, "thanks" to last year's tornado...) In any event, it's a welcome addition to the garden.
I am behind: in blogging, in gardening. Alas! I have been sickened by a tick borne illness yet again, and while on the mend (I feel fine!) I cannot be in the sun so the garden suffers a surfeit of weeds and neglect. (Except for that shade garden which looks pretty darned good, being shady and therefore okay for me to toil away in.)

And rather than dwell on all the things I haven't done, I thought to "be positive" and offer pictures of the handsome accomplishments that I have managed. Like the above collection of partially assembled container offerings. (Love those geraniums with the embellished leaves!) I had been enjoying creating lavish arrangements of tender annuals for our terrace area and was having such a good afternoon, thinking that I had stayed well into the shade and avoided the sun... until I went inside and looked in the mirror. Then it became clear that I had burned in indirect sunlight! My cheeks resembled some of those brilliant red and orange flowers I was planting. (Does anyone know why antibiotics cause one to become so sensitive to sunlight?!?) In any event, I'll be even more of a mole rat going forward and not emerge from my studio until much later in the day!'

And here's an update on that Rock Border: We have mulch fabric rolled out and rocks re-applied to maybe a third of the overall length. It's going to take a while before I secure enough rocks to cover the length! I'll have to take even more walks... HELP!! (That's lil' Robin the Good, searching in the lawn for more rocks (or more realistically she's probably looking to eat something inedible.))
At least I'm on the mend. My initial week of antibiotics had me feeling alternately pretty good and pretty atrocious. By now, my joints have stopped screaming and I seem to have regained my typical energy level. I want to garden and do stuff; now I'm awaiting an overcast day to do it all in!

*I'm also gestating a new artist's book project. Honestly? This one has been kicking around for a couple of years. It's exploring issues of income disparity and my own travails with impecunity. Stay tuned... this will be a good one! (Working title: "A Pot to Piss In, or "What's an Artist Urn (Earn)?")

Who Doesn't Like Spring Flowers?

Wow! I am so happy with my endeavor to create a Spring Garden! Last's years hard work and obsessive vision paid off. Last post, I presented some of the white daffodils that I had planted and today we flirt with my modest lilac collection. Look at "Sensation" above- who knew that there was a
variegated lilac; the detail of a perfect white line around each floret is remarkable. (I got this plant at the local plant sale last year for a song! I can't wait for this year's sale on Saturday... who knows what I'll find.)
And look at "Pocahontas":

(Yes, that Lil' Robin photobombing my lilac shoot!) This picture doesn't do justice to the multitude of large blooms in a simply super deep purple-y purple. And it smells incredible!(This variety is courtesy of Beatrice and John for my birthday last year. Yay! Good job!) Here's a close up:

I can smell it from here! I keep making trips outside just to walk around and visit my lilacs. And look! "Primrose" bloomed, despite being a very small plant, only about a foot and a half tall.

Yeah, it looks white to me, too, but it's marketed as yellow. But several Internet sites assure me it "matures" to a very pale creamy yellow (probably just as the petals turn brown and fall off). But who cares! I like white lilacs and it looks great.
I have yet to really clean up all of last fall's leaves or do a early weeding- the one down side of a spring garden is the denizens start performing before I'm ready!- but between the lilacs, daffodils and the underplanting of vinca, there's quite a show. And there are several nice wild volunteers for additional color. A few small patches of wild anemones and geraniums flowered, adding an unexpected, delicate splash of color below. Next year it should be even better, as some of my other lilacs will be more mature and (hopefully) bloom. And I'm looking to add "Monge" and "Charles Joly" and more white daffodils...

*I must make mention here that this blog is about flowers because if it wasn't, it would either be about The Orange Menace and the insanity and havoc he is wreaking (This week? Pulling out of Iran Nuclear deal, opening embassy in Jerusalem etc etc) or the perfidy of "the art world". Don't get me going... aren't flowers nicer!?!!?!??!