Anni Zerrath, filling in for Helen Lang
With the advent of “June-uary” and not having let the weeds get too out of control, there is time again to visit other peoples’ gardens.
Most recently, Helen and I importuned Cathy of Bowerbank, who graciously showed us around her floral paradise. A happy blend of trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, grasses and artistically added hardscaping awaited us there. Her use of colour and texture was a delight to the eyes, from the luscious glossy purple leaved ligularia greeting us near the back entrance, to the splendid Japanese maple with unbelievable colorations (gentle pinks and oranges on leaf margins, blending into soft old mustard in the middle of the leaf, with just enough lime green to make you think you are actually seeing Fauvism in the natural world – as I said, unbelievable colours) in the opposite bed.
The sun even let loose a single shaft of its beams to spotlight the golden grass in front of an orange oriental poppy and, slightly farther back, a mid-blue delphinium. All that within visual range of purple-black lacy fronds of Elderberry (Sambucus Niger), and the bit of sunshine.
Oriental poppies are a current craze of mine. Besides the old favourite sporting flaming orange blooms, there is a whole host of pinks and whites available, with dark interior splotches or without, some very good reds too, and even a mouth-watering plumy purple.
OK, whom am I kidding? I salivate at the sight of any of these beauties. Their fragile tissue paper blossoms unfurling from loonie-sized steely grey-green pods continually produces slack-jawed amazement. Ergo the pool of drool below.
Irises, also at their apogee right now, have similar abilities to stop one in one’s tracks, with their spectrum of colours, the combinations of differing colours and sometimes intricate patterns, like miniature tapestries, on the petals.
Helen and I visited woodland elf Mary M.’s garden purely for the pleasure of seeing her multitudes of irises. And a lovely visit it was, too. Besides the spectacular irises, the pure red geum and two-tone pink clematis (Nelly Moser?) were also greatly admired, while the impeccable astilbes and hostas were noted with envy.
It is so useful to visit other gardens. I learn so much and become inspired to attempt more in my own garden.
Post Cathy, I shall give leftover tea to my future lilacs and try, despite my timid ways, to be a bit more daring in colours, forms and textures. Previously, Heide R. inspired me to grow more climbing things like golden hops and especially honeysuckles.
I love the scent of honeysuckles. Why not plant many and have more and longer aromatic pleasures?
Mary is another gardening role model, who encourages me to get outside, place more meaningful garden art throughout and to keep up with the weeding.
And in Helen’s company, I learn again and again to look closely, appreciating everything in its turn.